hGb hits vegas?!?

[happygobrokey]

it's finally time to make the pilgrimage. my current girlfriend and i have been dating for close to a year and we wanted to take a big trip soon once we tighten up our finances and start saving. so we're figuring by our birthdays which are march we wanted to travel.

i have some questions i'd like to ask to those of you who may have been there. first of all, is vegas a better trip than a cheap caribbean destination like cuba or dominican? and is the old strip far from the strip? if online packages have a room at an old strip or off-strip location, is it worth it to cab or walk each time to get to the good tourist attractions? which are the best cheapest hotels to stay in, or who gives a comp room easily? what are the must-sees when it comes to a first-timer in vegas? which are the most beautiful casinos on the strip?

and slight curveball, is it economically feasible (rental car, train, flight?) to travel to los angeles from vegas for a day to go to the price is right? that is a lifelong wish of mine. and me and my girlfriend own that show when we play along at home. if we study our prices and games, and follow the tips for trying to become a contestant, i foresee we could go home winners overall for the outing.

so does anyone have any recommendations for vegas, or if an island is a better way to spend what little money we can pool for our vacation? we are in our early-mid twenties and want to go for roughly a week's time. also do any peeps here wanna chill in vegas with me and me girlfriend in mid-march-ish? and point me to some sweet deals and awesome experiences vegas has to offer, if you please?

and how's everyone been?

your pal,
-hGb

 

[cynthial]

Hey Kid,

It is really nice to see you. I can't answer your questions about Vegas as I have never gone but I will point Swede in this direction if nobody has helped out by the time he pokes his head out. Boy that does not sound right does it? Vegas is only two States away from me yet I have never been and it was an Ocean away from him and he has been many times. Hmmm, and you know what else does not sound right? I am working on this fine Saturday and that rat bastard is at home under the sheets. Hmmm, must think of suitable punishment. See ya kiddo, don't be such a stranger.

 

[happygobrokey]

thanks cyn.

not sure what kept me off here, but just using different modes of distraction i guess. i'll try to remember to come around when i have bupkus to do sometimes.

i did miss you guys.

gotta go, gf just woke up and dishes are calling me...

 

[BingoT]

gotta go, gf just woke up and dishes are calling me...

Boy does she have you trained good
Go run & do them fast.
Good to see your still with us Happygobrokey
Welcome back.
Have a great trip to Vegas.
B-T

 

[KasinoKing]

i have some questions i'd like to ask to those of you who may have been there. first of all, is vegas a better trip than a cheap caribbean destination like cuba or dominican? and is the old strip far from the strip? if online packages have a room at an old strip or off-strip location, is it worth it to cab or walk each time to get to the good tourist attractions? which are the best cheapest hotels to stay in, or who gives a comp room easily? what are the must-sees when it comes to a first-timer in vegas? which are the most beautiful casinos on the strip?

and slight curveball, is it economically feasible (rental car, train, flight?) to travel to los angeles from vegas for a day to go to the price is right? that is a lifelong wish of mine. and me and my girlfriend own that show when we play along at home. if we study our prices and games, and follow the tips for trying to become a contestant, i foresee we could go home winners overall for the outing.

Been there 3 times in the last 20 years (last was 2005) but things changed a lot between each trip; The first 2 times the hotels seemed very cheap, but last time they appeared to have rocketed their prices...
I stayed at: Plaza Hotel (old town), Excalibur & Circus Circus (Cheapest at the time).
The Old & New Strips are about 2.5 miles apart - a long walk in that heat!
But even then, once you get to the New Strip it is about 3 miles long as well!

The cheapest option would be to stay in a non-strip hotel - but hard to resist a glitzy one!
I would try to hire a car if I were you (are you over 25?), but don't fall for their extra insurance con!
Los Angeles to Las Vegas is about 270 miles (5-6 hours) = too far for a day trip.
One thing you MUST do - go see the Grand Canyon!
As to which hotel to see - ALL of them!
Other holiday venues? Forget it - go for the Best!

Why not check with WinBig? I think he has a Vegas info link in his signature!

KK
PS: If you could go a bit later (Late April) there is a small chance I could join you!
(Thinking about it... )

 

[dominique]

I go there all the time.

If you need to do it on a low budget, it's not a problem as long as you are willing to stay at a hotel away from the strip and do a bit of walking to get to the strip. Once there it's easy to get around, there are several monorails running between casinos.

There are lots of shows that are totally free to attend, like the Freemont Experience, the vulcano show at the mirage, the light show at the Wynn and the Siren (Pirate) show outside of Treasure island. Circus circus has free shows too, and the watershow in front of the Bellagio is free also.

There is so much to do it's overwhelming, and plenty on a low budget too.

 

[gloria460]

Let's see...shows I definitely recommend would be Terry Fater..the world's best ventriloquist...you can check him out on you tube.

I would do a rental car. We stayed at the Excalibur and it was a long haul walking and I personally didn't like the monorail because you had to walk through every hotel's casino each time to get to where you were going.

I couldn't find the old strip and had I known it was only 2.5 miles away I would have been there bc they have a light show every Friday I believe outside and it's excellent. I still remember that light show from the first time that I went.

The casinos..just visit all of them..lo each one as something different to offer!!

 

[vegetagirl2008]

I go there all the time.

If you need to do it on a low budget, it's not a problem as long as you are willing to stay at a hotel away from the strip and do a bit of walking to get to the strip. Once there it's easy to get around, there are several monorails running between casinos.

There are lots of shows that are totally free to attend, like the Freemont Experience, the vulcano show at the mirage, the light show at the Wynn and the Siren (Pirate) show outside of Treasure island. Circus circus has free shows too, and the watershow in front of the Bellagio is free also.

There is so much to do it's overwhelming, and plenty on a low budget too.

I just came back and I had a ball. I checked out the light show on Fremont St. that starts @ 8:00pm. Then I went to the moving statues @ Caesars which was fantastic if it wasn't for the aquarium I would of missed it. We saw the Sirens of Treasure Island, nice bodies those men had, hubba-hubba. I just had a terrific time.

 

[romosan]

I just walked in the door from our Vegas trip. We had a blast!! We stay at the Palace Station (a favorite gambling spot of the locals). It's really cheap to stay at right now. It is off the strip but has shuttles that will take you to either end of the strip. Otherwise, it was only a $10.00 cab ride to Treasure Island, not bad really. Their newly remodeled tower rooms are really nice. Their casino hosts are really helpful so hook up with one if you go there. They hand out comps like crazy!

Cindy

 

[happygobrokey]

sound advice guys. what sites do you guys use to book your travel? and yes i will be turning 25 so i can rent a car if need be.

lol or drive the whole way, maybe with like a trailer-tent in tow. wouldn't that be something, but that adds another week on to the vacation duration. but oh the sights to be seen along the way.

oy. we'll figure something out. i need to do some research.

 

[me_and_ed]

I go about once a month, being from the West Coast it s easy and cheap, drive a half hour to Bellingham WA and fly Allegiant Air, just booked for Sept at the Monte Carlo for 2, tax and exchange on money, $490.00 for both!!! 3 night 4 days........CHEAP.

 

[oldtrvlagt]

Another option if you want to do some driving around...go to Laughlin...about 1 1/2 hours south of Vegas (take in the Hoover Dam on the way). There are several really nice hotels (River Palms, Aquarius, Harrah's, Colorado Belle, Edgewater) that give out tons of comps. We stayed in Laughlin the last time for 5 days and spent about $4 for food. Everything else was comped. Have a GREAT time!

 

[GemG7]

For your first trip I recommend you stay on the strip. The hotels are real cheap right now so it shouldn't be hard to find a good deal. If you can stay during the week you won't have to pay the higher weekend prices. March can get pricey with March madness and the Nascar races.

I would recommend booking directly with the hotel, this way if you find a better deal you can cancel without a penalty. Bally's might be good place for you to stay since it's center strip.

 

[happygobrokey]

update - it's a go, and sooner too

we're bumping it up to the last week in october now, but my girl and i definitely want to hit up sin city. websites were giving rock-bottom rates for the week of october 25th, so we decided to snap that up. we haven't booked yet, but everywhere in town is seemingly giving the lowest rate at that time. am i missing something as to why this is an undesirable time-slot?

many casinos including the majority of the main strip are listed on expedia with flight plus hotel going for (canadian) $360 and up flying out of buffalo, or 450 and up from toronto for four nights' stay beginning on 25th october. we're going to stay on the strip since some of these have deals just as low as those off-strip.

i'd like to know you folks' opinions of the ones we are considering. are the rooms of good quality, are the staff helpful, do they comp at all to low-rollers, and so forth? and if you know the casino intimately, which rooms are preferable, ie is there a benefit to one wing or tower over another, etc? also a concern is do they offer -functional- blackout curtains? i'd hate to miss proper sleep the whole trip.

anyways, the casinos we are most inclined towards are (by price not preference):
(name - price - #stars)
sahara - 390 - 2.5*
imperial palace - 400 - 3*
circus circus - 400 - 2.5*
excalibur - 420 - 3*
stratosphere - 420 - 3*
harrah's - 440 - 3.5*
monte carlo - 460 - 3.5*
bally's - 470 - 3.5*
luxor - 470 - 3.5*
ny,ny - 490 - 4*
treasure island - 490 - 4*
mirage - 520 - 4*
caesars - 550 - 4.5*
venetian - 630 - 5*
bellagio - 650 - 5*
palazzo - 670 - 5*

i see imperial or excalibur as the best "value brands", harrah's or luxor for mid-range, t.i. or caesars for luxury, venetian or bellagio as the absolute creme.

is there a clear winner to any of those pairings i just mentioned, and given my low budget is it alright to settle for the lower-end ones, or is it worth the extra coin splurging for the caesars or venetian (girlfriend lit up when i told her it has real indoor canals/gondolas)?

also, when a website lists the type of room included for some hotels as "run of house", i suspect that term implies i can choose any unoccupied room when i check in; would that be correct? if so, this is a gigantic value boost, no? (any catch? these were harrah's group i think)

also i have another important question. is there any facility like a big locker where one might store one's baggage on the last day, after checking out of the hotel and before going to the airport, so as to enjoy those last few hours without having to tow luggage around behind you? come to think of it, it's probably allowed to check my luggage in for my flight way ahead of time, then leave and come back closer to my departure time, right?

i want to have the best vegas vacation possible, so i apologize for being so lengthy but i know you guys will set me in the right direction and i appreciate the time and effort put into all of your replies. i have about a grand of vacation pay banked, and i have about thirty rolls of u.s. quarters saved up from work. so cashwise i am good to cover the trip cost and spending funds. however i am also quite thrifty, so any hot tips on free or cheap food, drinks, shows, perks, souvenirs are heartily welcomed. thanks a bunch folks, i promise cool photos and possibly i'll do a blog post or two from location.

love you guys! wish me luck! i'm psyched!

p.s. we also went to see "the hangover" the other day. hilarious movie, mike tyson features; 100% recommend to all but the most conservative viewers.

 

[Jasminebed]

Well happy, I've never been to Vegas, but I am happy you found love and a gal to share life's pleasures with.

I've did a little research myself on Vegas recently, and I think that one thing you will find is that CircusCircus attracts more family visitors, so the pool may have more children.

I am also sure that you would be able to take a gondola ride whether you are a guest or not.

Some of the hotels offer a couple of show tickets as a perk...August choices seem to be Cirque du Soleil or the Lion King.

I don't know about your sweetie, but a room fridge is a big perk for me. I usually empty out a mini bar into a dresser and put my own bevies in. And a jacuzzi tub is an upgrade worth paying for IMO.

Don't forget to get a player's card whereever you visit, but you might find you get the best comp value from doing most of your play at one locale... ie $1000 at one casino rather than $50 at 20 of them.

I've yet to run into a hotel that won't stash your luggage for you after check out, and many will allow you to enjoy the facilities like the pool etc. after checkout as well. Just tell them how much you've enjoyed your stay, and wish you could have had more time to take advantage of the pool and most will swipe that room key to void it for the room and return it to you to access the pool, or they call the pool and leave your name if they have an attendant at a desk. You can always call the front desk and ask about a late checkout as well...most will give you an extra hour or two, especially if they are not fully booked.

 

[dominique]

Bally's is a good deal if you stay in the renovated section - which is the same price as the old.

They tend to comp you on your first stay - while you are playing. They will walk up to you playing slots, ask your name and hand you free food comps etc.

Excalibur is also a family hotel with kids shows etc.

Re luggage storage - no worries there, every Hotel will let you leave it downstairs in storage until you are ready to leave.

Re Venetian - book the Palazzo if you decide to go that way. Beats Ceasar's and everything by miles in luxury (very nice!!!!) Venetian owns the Palazzo, same price and you can pick when you book. They are one joined building and you have the run of both casinos, all the entertainment and venues. The gondolas are very nice, I love having lunch at the canal.

This is by far my favorite, and they comp very nicely if you get in some play, albeit on the second visit. Which I bet will happen, you will just love it.

All the Harrahs properties (including Ballys, Paris etc etcf) comp low rollers well.

Any casino really looks mostly at the time you spent playing and what your turnover is. You can get lucky if you lowroll and spend hours, it can push you into a much higher status.

If you can afford it, my recommendation is the Venetian/Palazzo.

 

[GemG7]

If book through a 3rd party (like Expedia) they will not comp your room. You may be able to get food comps though.

I would stay away from these hotels for your first stay:
sahara - 390 - 2.5*
imperial palace - 400 - 3*
circus circus - 400 - 2.5*
excalibur - 420 - 3*
stratosphere - 420 - 3*

I agree with Dominique the Venetian/Palazzo is a very swank place to stay.
I also really love the Mirage, especially their pool.

The end of October is great time to go the weather will be really nice. Vegas like other places is hurting for visitors due to the economy so you can get some really great deals right now. Even during a stronger economy the hotel prices compared to other large cities is still a good deal. Just make sure you get players cards where ever you play.

I would recommend that you google Vegas Message Boards. You can pick up a lot of good tips from frequent visitors.

Wherever you decide to stay you will have a great time and I'm sure it won't be your last trip to sin city.

 

[happygobrokey]

thanks a lot, guys. and yes we are very smitten with each other lol. i too really want the venetian (romantic), but the scratch is a concern to shell out big time, despite it being worth the money. decisions, decisions. i will keep shopping for the lowest prices. priceline (captain kirk) is crap though, right? it says the flights are unknown when they go and how many connections until after you book. that could severely shaft my first day. lower-than-rock-bottom prices though. well, i shall keep looking. thanks again

 

[dalzilla]

If book through a 3rd party (like Expedia) they will not comp your room. You may be able to get food comps though.

I would stay away from these hotels for your first stay:
sahara - 390 - 2.5*
imperial palace - 400 - 3*
circus circus - 400 - 2.5*
excalibur - 420 - 3*
stratosphere - 420 - 3*

I agree with Dominique the Venetian/Palazzo is a very swank place to stay.
I also really love the Mirage, especially their pool.

The end of October is great time to go the weather will be really nice. Vegas like other places is hurting for visitors due to the economy so you can get some really great deals right now. Even during a stronger economy the hotel prices compared to other large cities is still a good deal. Just make sure you get players cards where ever you play.

I would recommend that you google Vegas Message Boards. You can pick up a lot of good tips from frequent visitors.

Wherever you decide to stay you will have a great time and I'm sure it won't be your last trip to sin city.

Ditto to everything said above, especially the hotels not to stay at for the first time. I just think they will not leave you with "Vegas Memories to Treasure". Circus Circus was just over-run with kids and the deadly blockade of the walkway by side-by-side strollers, sometimes three at a time. I've got a personal preference for the Monte Carlo, Bally's and Bellagio. Luxor had done some remodeling last time I was there.

 

[romosan]

Do not stay at Circus Circus! It is filthy. Some people in our party stayed at Treasure Island and really liked it. Others stayed at the Wynn and loved it too but it is kind of pricey.

 

[happygobrokey]

update

it's no longer a go (sad face). my car's kaputt, dangblasted ford trannies. probably have to postpone any vacating until next summer. thanks, though, for all your help, guys and gals. it's good knowledge for the future. gotta go check autotrader dot ca, catch you on the flip side

 

[cynthial]

I am sorry to hear that Kiddo. Damn, what timing. Well, I hope you can find something cool to do closer to home and that you and your goyl have a great summer all the same.