I am looking to take my boyfriend to Vegas for a surprise birthday present toward the end of Sept / early Oct. Neither of us have been before. I've been looking at Wynn, Manadaly Bay (and THE Hotel at MB), Venetian and MGM Signature. I think I have it down to Wynn or MB but as I've never been before... what are some advantages and / or disadvantages to the locations? We will be out late at clubs and enjoying the night life. We are not big gamblers but would probably do a few games. During the day we will be using the pool (weather permitting) and out exploring the other hotels on the strip so I guess walking or ease of transportation is important.
Do any of the above hotels have hidden "surprises" as far as charges go... like costs to go to the pool, use gym facilities, etc?
On to nightlife - what are good clubs to go to? I've heard the club at MB is really nice as it overlooks the Strip. I don't want to waste money on cover charges for "so-so" clubs.
Any suggestions to other hotels that I've not considered would be helpful too! I want it to be a great birthday present! Thanks in advance!
First timer to Vegas... hotel and nightlife suggestions needed!
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It seems that the clubs at the Palms are all the rage. This hotel is off the strip but has a shuttle bus that leaves from the Fashion Show Mall. If that is the way you want to go,then the Wynn is in a better location. MB and MGM are at the opposite end of the strip and in my opinion are in a less convenient location than the Wynn.
All the hotels you mention are nice / upper tier. Just an FYI- all major hotels/casinos have clubs and there is usually line (especially on weekends). Not trying to slow you down, but club hopping can be difficult (unless you're a group of single women). FYI - I think PURE is highly overrated but would encourage you to try TAO at the Venetian. Enjoy!
How "off the strip" is Palms Place? That seems to have some good clubs all in one location with access to them all if you stay there, which might be a good choice as far as clubs go.
SiteC_er: thanks for the tip. Being a newbie there those are things I'm not aware of.
I had great luck/ a lot of fun at the clubs at the palms. Rain was our favorite, great place to dance and the atmosphere was really cool. go to the n9ne group website to get info on what days they are open and what not.
I think most of the hotels now charge a "resort fee" for use of the gym. Their websites should outline this. The pool shouldn't have an additional fee.
Depending on what you want pool-wise, the Wynn is a smaller pool, but still quite nice. I find it more relaxing because the hotel caters to the 5* crowd. The Mandalay Bay has full blown wave pool with sandy beach and lazy river, etc. I'm guessing there'll be kids too. As far as the Palms goes, I haven't been there – but would consider it a younger, party demographic.
You can always check out the pools on google earth to get a general idea of the size.
Mandalay Bay is great hotel with an awesome “beach style” pool. If you’re looking for more of a party vibe, I’d recommend it over Wynn.
The Palms is only about a 5-10 minute cab ride from most strip hotels. They have several clubs (Rain, Ghost Bar, Playboy Club, Moon), so if you’re looking to hop around, it may be the place for you. They sell some sort of pass that gives you access to all of the clubs. You can buy it ahead of time and save some money.
Pools in Vegas are always included (though not expensive cabanas). Gyms are usually not. I'm not familiar with the imposition of resort fees at Vegas hotels, so I can't say if this is a trend or not. Most hotels offer deals that might include two spa/gym admissions per room for a certain-length stay; but the tradition has always been to charge $20 to $30 per day for spa/gym admission.
One interesting this is that you have narrowed yourself down to the two hotels that are almost the farther south (Mandalay Bay) and farthest north (Wynn) on the Strip. A mid-Strip location (such as the Venetian) would put you within walking distance of more places. But taxis are readily available.
The pool at Mandalay is cool, and the new Venetian pool (the new wing, which has a different name that I can't recall right now) is a big scene. I'm sure the Wynn has nice pool areas, but I haven't seen them.