Susan

I'm planning a trip to Vegas for my husband (his first time) and would like to hear your comments/suggestions on where to stay? I like the classy look of the Bellagio, the beach look of Mandalay and the pirate theme at Treasure Island. Please help!

Hal

While all the above are good choices, I would say Mandalay Bay. Good selection for live music, shopping, restaurants, shopping, etc. Bellagio is a very nice property, but has a more elegant and calm vibe. Treasure Island is also nice, but its location alone doesn't lend itself to getting the Strip experience for nightlife and everything else. Mandalay Bay hands down a guy's first time to Vegas and a 30th birthday.

lynn

Susan -

Hal is right on.

We've stayed at MB and TI. My dad just came home from stayin at Bellagio and showed us his video of the room. I was shocked. MB was better!

Stay at MB. TI will have too many kids. MB is structured for the 20 and 30 somethings. The pool area is great. The rooms are very spacious and the bathrooms are very nice.

Plus you have lots of restaurants to pick from and House of Blues. HOB is a great place to see concerts because it is fairly small and you can generally see well from almost everywhere. We saw Etta James there in August.

Stay at MB!

Lynn

Lynn

Me again -

One more thing, if you want to try a buffet, skip MB. We've tried it twice and it's O.K. but not great.

Bellagio has one of the best buffets on the strip. Go there if you are looking for something like Sunday brunch.

Lynn

Barbara

I have been to Vegas numerous times and the Bellagio is the BEST. It is much more elegant than Mandalay Bay and the location is better. I did not stay at Treasure Island, but I know it is not one of the better ones. Stay a few nights at Bellagio, then head to Mandaly Bay for a few days for the pool. I always hop around- I prefer it. If you have an American Express platinum card, you can get a great deal at the Bellagio. If you have any more questions, please e-mail me.

Tara

I stayed at M-Bay last year for 4 nights and really enjoyed it. The pool area is WONDERFUL!! So, if you think you would be laying out by the pool, stay at the M-Bay. If you don't think you will, go to the Bellagio just because the location is better. Don't stay at Treasure Island - but go there to see Cirque-de-soleil (sp?). It was great! Also, the Bellagio does have the best buffett on the strip!

Susan

Wow!! Thanks for all your tips. I was leaning toward Mandalay Bay because I loved the pool area (very beachy) - but I thought my husband may like to experience something like the Bellagio being ritzy and glamorous? This is a tough decision!!

Dave

I stayed at the Bellagio in Sept. and thought it was spectacular. The pools are so fantastic, I thought I was in another country surrounded by beauty. I was very comfortable there. The rooms are very nice and the bathrooms are gigantic. I visited Mandalay Bay and thought it too was nice but not nearly as classy and the Bellagio. Mandaly Bay does a great job of promoting their Beach like Carribean atmosphere, but if you have ever been to a real Beach, especially a nice one like the ones in the Caribean, I think you will be disappointed. There is more concrete than what you would think. It is like the water parks at Disney World. They try to make it look like the real thing but in reality you know it is fake. For nightime entertaiment, I suggest heading down to the Mandalay Bay complex. There are a lot of unique and fun restraunts and bars. The Russion Red Square Restraunt looked great. The Venition Hotel complex also has fun restraunts and bars. If you are looking for a wild time, I would suggest RIO, it is a short cab ride down the strip for Bellagio. They have a wild Mardi Gras party almost every night. The breakfast buffet at Paris was fantastic. The one at Mandaly Bay was so so. The dinner buffet at RIO is inexpensive and the food is very good. The dinner buffet at the Bellagio is incredible. I hope this helps. Have a wonderful tiime.

Ellen

Bellagio, no question! Location is perfect. The fountains are so beautiful you will want to be there to see them every day! Brunch in the Bellagio and across the street at the Paris are the 2 best. Absolutely get tickets to "O" at Bellagio - the best ticket in town. You will be able to get better seats if you stay there. If you stay at the Mandalay, you will be cabbing it everywhere-especially at night. All the shows are at the other end of the strip - Siegfried, Danny Gans, Mystere, "O", etc.

mark

I'm gonna throw another suggestion out there. If this is a special occasion and you can afford it, try the Four Seasons. In case you don't know, the Four Seasons is a hotel inside a hotel, it takes up four floors of the Mandalay Bay. 4S has it's own entrance on the strip, it's own amenities (lobby, check in, concierge, restaurants, shops, pool, cabanas, etc.), you take your own private elevators up to the 4S floors, and the rooms are GEORGEOUS!!!! Additionally, everything in the Mandalay is your's too! It really is the best of both worlds - you have quiet elegance, where you will hardly find anyone under 25, and without even stepping outside, you can find a spectacular party atmosphere with a huge casino, restaurants, bars, etc.
I have been to Vegas 6 times in about 3 or 4 years and my 3 night stay at the Four Seasons was hands down the best.

harvey

Agree with Ellen about location. MB is way out there - you won't be walking back and forth to strip attractions from there. But the Bellagio's "center strip" location makes things much closer. Between the three you mention, I'd go for Bellagio.

Trish Gordon

My husband and I own a bed and breakfast in Big Bear, California and we use Vegas as a getaway quite a bit. My vote would be the Venetian or Bellagio. We stayed at Mandalay Bay and were not impressed with the rooms - although they have great restaurants. Great restaurant at Bellagio for steak - Prime - watch the fountains from your table. Also - Mandalay Bay is too far from the strip and its a costly cab ride to get to anything - Don't forget to go downtown at least one of the nights for some down and dirty fun in the old casinos - where the smoke carpets everyone and the tables are cheap and lively.

Marci

I just stayed at one of the one bedroom suites at Treasure Island and it was gorgeous....and am getting married there later this year...there were not too many children there....

Bellagio has the best buffet...it will blow your socks off!!!

I wasn't impressed with Mandalay...I went to all the casinos scoping out marriage facilities....I was impressed with the treatment I received at Treasure Island....

If you get a chance, see Lord of the Danced at the NYNY...it is great...