First time in Vegas
 

I am from Northern Ireland and I am taking my husband to Vegas as a surprise for his 40th birthday. We will be there for five days but I am unsure of where to stay. Any advice? I am looking for a good hotel probably 4 star.

my sister goes to vegas often...she loves Bellagio and The Venetian..they both have wonderful spas too...not to mention everything else the city offers

4 star on the Vegas strip would arguably be Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Caesars or Venetian.

Venetian = Biggest rooms, great shopping, worst pool

Mandalay = Good rooms, decent shopping, best pool (wave pool, lazy river), worst location of the 3 (not bad)

Bellagio = Best location, decent rooms, worst shopping of the 3, best dining, decent pool

Caesars = Best location, rooms vary (Palace Tower rooms are great), decent pool, best shopping, good casual dining

I would consider these points to be the plusses and minuses, they're all great choices, I've stayed at Caesars and Mandalay, been in rooms at the B and V. As for just hanging out, I like Bellagio, ther's just something about it. Caesars and Venetian are great for shopping, and the pools at Mandaya are awesome. I think teh decision really involves what's most important to you and what rates you can get during your stay.

We also loved the Mirage and found it very nice. The Bellagio and Venetian are tops but after those two I would rank the next tier as Mirage, Madalay Bay and Ceasars. We were there in Feb. and Ceasars is expanding the Forum Shops and was a bit of a mess to get around. Also the casino is a bit dated IMO.

www.cheapovegas.com gives very humorous but TRUE reviews of all of the Vegas hotels, and the restaurants and casinos within them.

I made my first trip to Vegas last summer and had a great time at the Mirage. It's a little less expensive than Venetian and Bellagio, the location is great (middle of the strip) and the whole south seas/tropical motif is quite nice. Their pool is fantastic.

Check a variety of websites for the best prices, even the individual hotels themselves.

Have fun -- Vegas is great. For an interesting "cocktail experience" make sure you stop by the Peppermill Lounge, on the strip about 1/3 mile north of the Venetian.

If it's in the winter, the pool may not be an important factor. It would most probably be too cold to swim.

Obviously.

Thanks for your help. Is it better if I leave booking a room until nearer September? Will I still be able to get accommodation on the Strip?

Don't leave out the Paris hotel. It is right across from the Bellagio, so if you get a room facing the Bellagio you can watch the water show from your room.

It is a very nice 4*, "themed" hotel.

A strong second for the Paris. It is far better to get a good room/suite there than a low end room at the more expensive places like Bellagio.

Not sure why you would want to put off making a reservation at this time. You'll be limiting your choices the longer you wait. There's no down side to reserving now, and it insures you're not left out in the cold (heat?). Most places do require a prepaid deposit of one night, but it is refundable so long as you cancel prior to 24/72 hours of the arrival date, depending on their policy.

I would like to know if someone who recommends a room at Paris over a "low end" room at Bellagio has stayed at both places.
The rooms at Paris are no better than a newer Comfort Inn or average Marriott. The carpet is thin and not expensive, the mattresses are not better than at a Comfort Inn, the sheets are pretty cheap, the furniture is pressboard and veneer. And none of the amenities the hotel offers come close to those at Bellagio (pool quality, restaurants, casino, etc).

The Bellagio is not quite as nice as it was under original owner Steve Wynn, but it is head and shoulders better than Paris. Bellagio is very frequently named the best hotel in Nevada. I've never seen Paris listed at all on such rankings. I stayed at Paris once out of curiosity (partly due to favorable comments here) and I felt duped. It's a good value most of the time. But it's not one of Vegas' best.

I'd recommend that you go to the web sites of the hotels that interest you and get on their mailing lists.

I regularly receive low price offers from Mandalay Bay and The Venetian via email simply for signing up on line(I've never gambled at either place). If you're a little flexible with your schedule you can take advantage of one of their great deals...