First trip to Las Vegas - need some help
 

In February we will be making our first visit to Las Vegas - driving from Vancouver BC. We'll be there for 4 nights, mainly to see a couple of shows ( Cirque and Blue Men ) and to take in the sights of this unique city. We would like suggestions for where to stay. Should we try to book a place right on the strip ? At a hotel that has one of the shows we want to see ? If we are away from the strip will it be really inconvenient ? We have no idea where to start but prefer something in the $ 200 range. Any suggestions ?

You could go on the websites of the hotels you are interested in and check when they have specials. Sign up on the websites to be emailed when there are specials rates.

We stayed at the Paris Hotel last time and we liked it. The Venetian would be a great place to stay if you could get a special rate. You might try emailing the Venetian.

We saw Mama Mia and Phanthom of the Opera last time and loved both shows.

Being on the strip is probably the best if you can find a hotel within your budget.

If you gamble and go back then you get the free rooms and the cheap prices. but if business is slow they may offer some good rates.

I would definitely stay on the Strip. For $200 you should have a choice of hotels but a lot of depends on your exact dates. Weekends are higher than weekdays. If there is a big convention in town, rooms could be more costly.

I think the Blue Man Group is at the Venetian which is a great place to stay. Sometimes the hotels have a package deal with room and theater tickets. I would check into this.

You really don't need a car in Las Vegas if you stay on the Strip. I would just park my car and either walk or use other transportation systems such as the bus, taxi or the monorail. That's why it is usually good to try to stay more in the center or the Strip. If you decide to see sights outside of the city (like Valley of Fire) or Hoover Dam, then you'd have your car for those excursions.

Here is a link to a Strip hotel map which is very helpful in deciding where to stay.

http://www.lasvegashotel.com/map.htm

bratsandbeer has a good suggestion about getting on their email list for specials. Looks like The Venetian has a special for Blue Man and a room (for a 2 night stay). Doesn't look like you can book next year yet but you could always email or call them.

I stayed at the Venetian last September and was most pleased. I would stay there again in a heartbeat (though I spent the entire time humming "Think of Me" from Phantom... walk inside for ten minutes and you'll understand). Other places I'd consider: Paris or Caesars. If budget isn't an issue, Bellagio or the Wynn. A friend stayed at Treasure Island and liked it (should be cheaper than most), and I've heard the Flamingo can be a decent bargain.

I'd HIGHLY recommend seeing Cirque's "O" which is at Bellagio. Seats in the middle of the theatre (not the most expensive ones) are good enough as you can see the scope of the entire production.

Vegas is HUGE. Just getting from my room at the Venetian to the street outside took 15 minutes of quick walking. Each property has at least a 1/4 mile frontage on the Strip. It takes a long time to get from one place to another, so I would not recommend staying anywhere but the middle of the Strip.

www.cheapovegas.com gives reviews of all casinos and service they provide.

As this is your first time to Vegas you must stay on the strip. February is a busy time of year and more expensive than summer and Christmas time but you should find plenty of good options for $200 or less as long as you staying on a weekday. If you decide to stay off the strip it won't be too inconvenient as there is free parking garages at nearly every hotel.

Blue Man Group is a good show but for the price of their ticket you could see a lot of better ones. Save the $200 bucks for the tickets and go see another Cirque show. You will be addicted.

My dad is staying at the Desert Rose for a trade show in October. It has good reviews and has a kitchen and is very reasonably priced. It is just a block off the strip.

Definitely stay near or on the strip. I really liked staying at Paris. Anything in the Paris/Bellagio area is near the middle of the strip. There is a monorail system you should check into.

check out travelzoo.com they have a las vegas special. recently i saw and stayed at MGM (which was HUGE and overwhelming but nice) for $129 a night with a $25 credit. and that was in May over memorial day wkd... so more expensive than normal.

The venetian usually has specials for $199...

I'd stay away from the excaliber (cheesey)

A car is worth it so you can get away from the Strip.

Everything is much cheaper off the strip, particularly restaurants.

I usually like to stay mid-strip so I can walk to other casinos or shows though.

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions, particularly about hotel location. I'll start looking for a hotel somewhere in the middle of the strip.

Although we have travelled to over 40 countries, Vegas is so unique we are quite excited about this trip.

I should have asked about the best place to buy show tickets or do you purchase them from the hotel with the show ? Are there any reputable discount options available ?

The most popular shows sell out weeks in advance. If there is a specific show you want to see buy the tickets ahead of time.

For Cirque, the most popular shows are O, Mystere and LOVE (then Ka and Zumanity which I don't recommend much).

I would definitely stay on the strip. I was in Vegas in July for the first time and I stayed at Paris Hotel and was really pleased. As one person said earlier - - just walking from your hotel to the street can take 15 minutes. Staying on the strip was very convenient and made the area very accessible.

Two years ago we decided we wanted to see Mama Mia at Mandalay Bay.
The tickets were about $100 so we didn't buy the tickets before leaving for LV. We happened to be in Mandalay Bay and decided for the heck of it to check on tickets. We were able to purchase tickets for $50. They were towards the back of the theater but it is smaller and no bad seats. Worked for us.
Don't know if other shows sell tickets cheaper the day of the performance if it isn't sold out but you could always check.

The Venetian/Palazzo would be a wonderful place for a first time visitor, especially if you're seeing Blue Man Group (which I thought was awful, btw.) Sign up for their email specials. Great location center strip.

There are at least 2 locations in LV that sell TKTS at steep discounts for the day of performance. One by the HUGE shopping mall across from Wynn and the other down the Strip not far from MGM. Stay on the Strip and hoof it. Using the car will just get you stuck in traffic. Although Paris and Caesar's are the best, don't forget to check out older, central hotels like the Flamingo and Harrah's -- good deals.

I like staying in the strip, but downtown is worth checking out. A lot of money is going into it and some good deals can be had.

Here is a map of downtown and strip hotels
http://lasvegas.nyctourist.com/las-v...ls-casinos.php

Just returned from las Vegas. We stayed at mandalay Bay. Wrong choice, it is on one end of the strip by the airport next to Luxor. Takes too long to go anywhere else on the strip. Having a car is of no help since there is no parking along the Strip. need to park in a hotel garage (valet). Stay in a hotel in Center Strip (Bellagio, paris, Caesars, Monte carlo, New York, Flamingo). Bellagio has "O" which is excellent. Don't bother with buffet in Bellagio, waste of money. Taxi from one end of the strip to other will be approx. $15. They have a tram service from MGM to the Convention center, $5 per trip or $9 per day per person. Mandalay bay has a free tram going up to Excalibur.

Note you don't need to use the valet to park at any casino. There is free self parking at every casino.

Also, if you do drive don't drive on the strip since the traffic is terrible. If you drive one block away on Koval Lane there is little traffic. (If you take a cab tell the driver to go that way and you'll save a lot in cab fare).

Yes, you must stay on the strip. I think the Venetian is a great option. I've stayed there before and loved it, plus that's where Blue Man is. By the way, you are goin to love the Blue Man Group. I don't know which Cirque show you are going to see, but they are all fantastic. If you need any restaurant suggestions of any suggestions of where to go in general, I am a Vegas expert. I go 2-3 times a year.

if you are just looking to book a hotel i would recommend www.hotwire.com sign up for there weekly specials to vegas. you will get some incredible deals. you pick your # of stars,book it, pay for it and then you get your hotel
i have goten hilton montreal for $89 sheraton toronto for $91 and harbour castle toronto for $91.

The Strip is a long road and casinos are spaced very far apart. Parking is far from the hotels/casinos, so if you stay off the strip, you will waste a lot of time walking, looking for your car, etc. Mandalay Bay is at the far end of the Strip, so a little inconvenient, but the rooms are brighter and more spacious than most hotels/casinos (especially the bathrooms) and there is a shuttle that helps you get to the more central part of the Strip. Otherwise, the themes of the hotels/casinos vary, but inside most of the rooms, they are generic and look like a Holiday Inn. I've stayed at Paris, Luxor, Monte Carlo, MGM, New York New York and find them all comparable. Mirage has recently remodeled some of its rooms, so if you stay there, ask for one of the remodeled room.

Fantastic replies. Thank you all for your help. Anything more you can suggest for our first time trip to Vegas - fire away !

Definitely spend your days slowly meandering the strip. Each hotel is so neat to go into and see. Some have other attractions you can pay additional for. Like the aquarium at Mandalay Bay. It was wonderful:

http://www.mandalaybay.com/entertainment/sharkreef.aspx

In fact, you should go onto each hotel's website and find the daily attractions that they have. Print off the times for the Treasure Island show, etc. And look to see what else each hotel offers. This would help you plan your walking tour. Vegas is tricky with distances. It will just be two casinos down your brain says, but your feet will tell you that it was two miles! Bring comfy shoes!!!

My recommendation in The Platinun Hotel. It is totally non-smoking and has no gambling. The rooms are mini-suites with a huge bathroom and full kitchen. It is behind Bally's and about a 7 min walk to the strip. We loved this hotel. You can check it out on line,

We have driven from casino to casino. A group of us will get in one car drive to the casino and let the valet park the car and tip him. You walk in the front door that way and save a lot of walking.

Another way is to buy an all day ticket for the bus that runs up and down the strip. Think it was $5. We decided to walk instead as there were always people waiting and the buses looked to be packed.

We liked the Bellagio buffet and have heard the Wynn buffet is also very good.

Ellis Island which is not on the strip is supposed to have a steak and baked potato dinner at a cheap price. We didn't make it there.

We drove to Arizona Charlies and had the lunch buffet for about $6. It was amazing for the price. Wasn't too bad.

We stayed at the Paris and the food there was very good.

We stayed at the MGM when we went to Vegas in June (our first time there). We stayed in one of the newer West Wing rooms and liked it. Location was fine, although it wasn't mid-strip really. We don't mind walking though, so the location worked for us.

For location, I would pick: Venetian, Bellagio, or Mirage.

Next time we go, we'll consider Mandalay Bay. We thought the areas we saw (casino, lobby, etc.) looked very nice and less cheesey than some of the other hotels.

There was construction going on inside the Luxor, and it was rather loud. I'd also avoid Excaliber and Tropicana.

Slightly unrelated: I HIGHLY recommend eating dinner at Sensi at the Bellagio. It was one of the best meals I've ever had!

I'm going to throw in my opinion to the mix! I suggest the Four Seasons that is on top of Mandalay Bay because it is simply divine. I find the Casinos totally fab and intoxicating I can't get enough, but, for this reason I loved the clean and calm serene atmosphere of 4S so I could have downtime and sleep in my oasis. The elavators were not packed and you could get a cab or a car without joining 85 million other people in the line. I would not suggest renting a car and attempting to drive your own self around talk about needing a Prozac or something...ugg. As far as places to eat I loved Stripsteak, Burger Bar, Shibuya (MGM) and Verndah (4S). I really enjoyed Zumanity although my husband liked O better.

I second checking out chepovegas.com

The consensus seems to be that we should stay somewhere near the middle of the strip which seems to make sense. Are there lots of good restaurants close by ? We like good food but not real upper end budget breakers. Casual with great food would be best. Do we need suggestions or are there lots of places ?

I always stay at the Mandalay Bay. The location doesn't bother me. It is less smoky and cheesy than most of the other hotels. The pool is really fun for kids. If price were no object, I would stay at the Wynn.

There are so many restaurants in every casino. Caesers has a Cheese Factory. We ate lunch at the Mesa Grill at Caesers. It was on the expensive side. It is owned by Bobby Fay. The food was okay.

There is a breakfast buffet that is very popular at the Paris. We didn't eat there as the line was long. I am sure they have breakfast buffets in the other casinos.

Don't worry about finding places to eat.

The Rio has a large buffet also but I preferred the Bellagio buffet.

There are so many places to eat on the strip, it's unbelievable. Every hotel has SEVERAL, ranging from fairly casual to very formal/expensive. You'll find everything from Italian to Russian to Japanese to good old meat and potatoes.

The hard part will be narrowing it down! :)

Ditto what Siena said it is hard to narrow the choices down! This is what I do...I write down three choices then go on tripadvisor.com and just grab three words that describe the places I want to eat and put them next to the eatery. I then read them to my husband and he mulls it over. It usually works out and makes a fun way to pick places to eat.