Vegas booking help needed

labeach2002 · Oct 08,2011, 10:08 AM

Hello all you professional Vegas travellers. My soon to be wife and I will be heading to vegas for a short 4 day trip in November. Can anyone offer some help?

1. Tips on booking hotel and flight (currently the best I can find is $470/per person for flight and hotel including taxes and $300 free show tickets. Unfortunately I dont have any rewards cards.

2. Any tips on what are "must see" while in vegas

3. Favorite places to eat while there.

thanks
labeach

JohnnieH · Oct 08,2011, 10:23 AM

Is it a weekend or weeknight trip? This will dictate this hotel fees. Weekends are more expensive. How much of a princess is Les? If she can 'rough' it, Harrahs or Bally's are a good value right in the middle of the Strip.

Since you don't have any cards, start with looking at the hotel sites directly and then check out the travel sites for comparison.

We always fly SpritAir from Detroit, but Southwest flies direct from Buffalo. WestJet is supposed to be offering direct flights from London and Hamilton, but I haven't been able to find any. Flying from Toronto is more convenient but way more expensive.

moose · Oct 08,2011, 10:26 AM

Doesn't sound too bad. What hotel and what shows?

I'm in Vegas Nov. 23-30

Must see in Vegas? Crap that would take about 10 trips. I still have a bunch of things on the bucket list.

Ask your hotel concierge for free club passes. I personally don't think downtown is that worth it. The vast majority of your first trip will be spent just walking around going 'Wow'.

The Bellagio fountain is the best 'free' thing by far. The pirate show at TI is trashy. Never seen the volcano erupt. The lions at MGM is ok. For $2 I would get on the deuce in the evening and ride up and down the strip. Sit in the upper level to enjoy the lights. It will take an hour or more to ride the strip up and down. Roller coaster at NYNY not worth it. The downtown Freemont street experience is way overrated IMHO.

It will be 50-65 degrees in Nov. - It's the absolute low season in Vegas for sure. Most pools will be closed.

Make sure you get a players card at a Caesar's property - IP, Ballys, Flamingo, PH, Rio, Caeasars, or Harrahs. Use it every time you make a purchase - like the 24 hr buffet - you earn comps even just from purchases.

Food: 24 hr buffet for $45 is the best deal. I would do dinner: World Carnival Buffet at Rio - free shuttles from Ballys and Harrahs, breakfast Spice Market buffet at Planet Hollywood or buffet at Flamingo, dinner Le Village buffet at Paris.

4pm the BBQ at Ellis Island opens. Get a players card to save a couple bucks. One block off the strip but worth it.

Hash House a Go Go at IP.

That takes care of most of your food.

Check this page every week:

http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Las-Vegas/deals

I'm buying the horseback deal for my next trip and already have a $99 spa deal at Paris for the wife.

labeach2002 · Oct 08,2011, 10:36 AM

We are going Tuesday to Friday. Hotel isnt a big issue to us. Would like something convienent to seeing other resorts ie near monorail. Thanks for the tips I was actually getting very similar prices out of Toronto and Buffalo which i thought was strange and will require more research on my part. They are also direct flights from Kitchener to Vegas but they are double any where else i've looked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnieH

Is it a weekend or weeknight trip? This will dictate this hotel fees. Weekends are more expensive. How much of a princess is Les? If she can 'rough' it, Harrahs or Bally's are a good value right in the middle of the Strip.

Since you don't have any cards, start with looking at the hotel sites directly and then check out the travel sites for comparison.

We always fly SpritAir from Detroit, but Southwest flies direct from Buffalo. WestJet is supposed to be offering direct flights from London and Hamilton, but I haven't been able to find any. Flying from Toronto is more convenient but way more expensive.

labeach2002 · Oct 08,2011, 10:42 AM

The hotel I was looking at is the Luxor for that price. The deal ends on October 10th if anyone is interested. Its two tickets to any MGM show, which includes KA, Terry Feder, Chris Angel, Elvis, Lion King, Zoomanity, ect

MGM*Resorts*International™

We are planning to head down the 22nd to the 25th, we should meet up.

thanks for the info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moose

Doesn't sound too bad. What hotel and what shows?

I'm in Vegas Nov. 23-30

Must see in Vegas? Crap that would take about 10 trips. I still have a bunch of things on the bucket list.

Ask your hotel concierge for free club passes. I personally don't think downtown is that worth it. The vast majority of your first trip will be spent just walking around going 'Wow'.

The Bellagio fountain is the best 'free' thing by far. The pirate show at TI is trashy. Never seen the volcano erupt. The lions at MGM is ok. For $2 I would get on the deuce in the evening and ride up and down the strip. Sit in the upper level to enjoy the lights. It will take an hour or more to ride the strip up and down. Roller coaster at NYNY not worth it. The downtown Freemont street experience is way overrated IMHO.

It will be 50-65 degrees in Nov. - It's the absolute low season in Vegas for sure. Most pools will be closed.

Make sure you get a players card at a Caesar's property - IP, Ballys, Flamingo, PH, Rio, Caeasars, or Harrahs. Use it every time you make a purchase - like the 24 hr buffet - you earn comps even just from purchases.

Food: 24 hr buffet for $45 is the best deal. I would do dinner: World Carnival Buffet at Rio - free shuttles from Ballys and Harrahs, breakfast Spice Market buffet at Planet Hollywood or buffet at Flamingo, dinner Le Village buffet at Paris.

4pm the BBQ at Ellis Island opens. Get a players card to save a couple bucks. One block off the strip but worth it.

Hash House a Go Go at IP.

That takes care of most of your food.

Check this page every week:

LAS VEGAS DEALS | Hotels, Spas, Restaurants, Experiences | Travelzoo Local Deals

I'm buying the horseback deal for my next trip and already have a $99 spa deal at Paris for the wife.

Wetts1012 · Oct 08,2011, 10:46 AM

I stayed at MGM the first time I went to Vegas. I'll never stay at either end of the strip again - its just so far from everything without a car.

Luxor is even further.

Ballys, Harrahs, Flamingo are all equally nice and same value.

moose · Oct 08,2011, 11:03 AM

Luxor is the ass end of the strip, which is why it is cheaper. It's also far from the monorail and the monorail is also not that cheap, though cheaper than taxi's. 3 day pass is $28.

If you want to do the horseback riding we can drive you.

I just ran Spirit.com for those dates.

Two people return. Direct flights.
Total Due $402.76

getem76 · Oct 08,2011, 11:07 AM

FYI when you go moose, take the time for the volcano, the wife took a video with the camera, its not great but watching the volcano is quite worth it...although still not as good as the fountain but different and great!

moose · Oct 08,2011, 11:09 AM

Checked Caesars.com, selecting the hot deals option.

FLAMINGO LAS VEGAS

FLAMINGO LAS VEGAS

YOU SAVE $45.20!
Promo: 2NTE20
Room Type: GO Deluxe
Check-In: Tue, Nov 22, 2011
Check-Out: Fri, Nov 25, 2011
Adults: 2
Children: 0
Nightly Rates:
TUE 11/22/2011 $52.00 $41.60
WED 11/23/2011 $52.00 $41.60
THU 11/24/2011 $122.00 $97.60
Avg. per Night: $75.33 $60.27
Subtotal: $226.00 $180.80
Fees: $0.00
Taxes: $21.70
Grand Total: $202.50

This is for a Go Deluxe room, you can get a regular deluxe room for $130.82 total but I think the Go room will blow you away and it's only a few bucks more.

Anyways that puts you in Vegas for a total of $605.26 for two people. You will need a Spirit $9 club membership, which is $59.95 and luggage is another $20 each way. Call it around $700.

labeach2002 · Oct 08,2011, 11:26 AM

Hey Moose, thanks for looking into this for me, I have to do the family thing out of town this afternoon, but i'm going to look into booking tomorrow. I assume the flights are out of Detriot ? Does anyone know the cheapest airline to fly out of buffalo with ?

BTW any chance you are around Thursday morning that I can grab those cards from you? I have a meeting around the corner from you.

thanks
Steve

OneTime1Time · Oct 08,2011, 12:33 PM

For the shows, I'd say KA or Zumanity. Considering it's you and your sig other, I'd go to Zumanity. You really cant go wrong with any Vegas show though, I have yet to be disappointed.

As hey mentioned Luxor and MGM are way on the end of the strip. If you want to tour around and see other resorts, try to get something in the middle. Ballys, Flamingo, Treasure Island. I would say Mirage, but I despise that hotel. Imperial Palace is right there too.

pokerJAH · Oct 08,2011, 02:58 PM

that's a great deal; don't think you will beat that with the show tickets included. KA is by far the best. If you like Elvis, you might enjoy that show. Depends what you like. I would recommend PF Changs at PH for happy hour (3-5). Great prices and an excellent choice if you like Asian food.

If you can get direct flights at that price, and can avoid the red eye (depends if this is an issue for you), that is a great price. I am tempted to go back!

moose · Oct 10,2011, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moose

Luxor is the ass end of the strip, which is why it is cheaper. It's also far from the monorail and the monorail is also not that cheap, though cheaper than taxi's. 3 day pass is $28.

If you want to do the horseback riding we can drive you.

I just ran Spirit.com for those dates.

Two people return. Direct flights.
Total Due $402.76

24OFF coupon code good 'till midnight tonight makes it:

$374.76
Need $9 fare club membership $60
One bag each way $40 total
$474.76

moose · Oct 24,2011, 07:41 AM

Just booked my flight. Changed the dates so we arrive on Tues Nov. 22 8:41 am.
Taxes allin, with one bag $430 for 2 people.

moose · Oct 25,2011, 07:14 PM

Got another night added to Paris - comped.

4 nights Paris - free, $40, $40, $60
4 nights Caesars - free
Total $140, 8 nights

Looking for car rental now.