melh

There are so many choices in Las Vegas and they all look great on their websites. After reading their reviews, my excitement has dwindled. I hesitate to spend $$$ on rooms that sounds worn out, dirty, etc.

I'd love to hear from people who go to Vegas often (and recently), have stayed at various hotels and can offer their opinions. My husband and I rarely get a chance to get away on our own, so I'd like this upcoming (first) trip to be seamless.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Ryan

If you're looking at the higher end, best options are Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian, and The Hotel at Mandalay Bay.

I'f you've not been to Vegas before, I''d suggest the Bellagio. Spend the extra money for a Fountain View Room.

That said, several of the hotels are offering good deals right now. You might be able to find a reasonable rate at Wynn or Ventia. (Stick to their main buildings, not Encore or the Palazzo.) Regardless of where you stay, get a strip facing room.

The Hotel at Mandalay Bay is nice from what I've heard. But, it's at the far end of the strip. Pick someplace like the Bellagio or Venetian that are towards the middle as you'll have an interesting view in either direction.

tom42

You may want to help us out here a bit. There are many hotels in Las Vegas at different price points. Are you looking to stay at the top end, middle of the road or budget places? I go to Las Vegas a couple of times a year and have stayed at Caesers Palace, Venetian, and Paris recently. No complaints about the rooms in any of those properties.

happytrailstoyou

We find the most convenient place to stay is mid-Strip--at the Bellagio or one of the hotels nearby. You are not going to spend $$$ on a worn out, dirty room unless you use extremely bad judgment when you book.

melh

You're both helping me feel better about the Venetian. That is the hotel that I had *mostly* settled on before reading negative reviews.
Bellagio, Venetian, and Wynn were all on my short list. I want a nice stay & I want it to feel worth it, kwim?

bachslunch

This is probably what's being implied by the posts above, but I'll just come right out and say it. Especially for a first-timer to Las Vegas, would definitely recommend staying somewhere on The Strip, as there are also hotels off-Strip and Downtown. Being in the middle of the action is a wise idea, and The Strip definitely fits that description in Vegas.

tom42

The Venetian rooms are very nice. The rooms at the Palazzo (which is adjoined to the Venetian but with its own casino, restaurants and pool) are newer and a bit more "fresh" than the Venetian rooms.

I think you should look at Bellagio, Venetian, Caesar's Palace (Palace Tower, Augustus Tower, or the brand new Octavious Tower), and Wynn and compare prices. These are all very nice properties and if it was my first time in Las Vegas, I would probably just go with the best rate.

Bill_H

might be able to find a reasonable rate at Wynn or Ventia. (Stick to their main buildings, not Encore or the Palazzo.)

Ryan, what's wrong with Encore? (Asking only because I just signed up for a couple nights in a suite at very low rates later this summer and didn't realize it was lacking compared to Wynn, which I also haven't stayed at).

tom42

I think Ryan may have been saying that you have a better shot at good rates at the main buildings, rather than there being anything wrong with Encore or Palazzo. Regarding Palazzo, if the rate was the same as the main Venetian towers, I would pick Palazzo.

Ryan

My suggestion to avoid Palazzo and Encore had nothing to do with the quality of the hotel. It had more to do with where those two towers are positioned on their respective properties.

I believe Encore is at an angle to the Wynn, which means the majority of rooms that are facing South (towards the Venetian, Treasure Island direction) will have their view of the strip blocked by the Wynn.

The rooms that face north face the less interesting part of the strip looking towards downtown Las Vegas.

My point was that part of the fun of Vegas for a first time visitor is is the view of the strip at night.

For me (really my wife) she rates the view from the Bellagio that looks over the fountain as paramount to any other considerations we have for a room in Vegas.

cheryllj

The Venetian is a great place to stay, and probably has the best "standard" room in Vegas (they call all their rooms suites because they have a sitting area).

The complaints you will read mostly have to do with service issues, because the V is a huge property and doesn't provide the service that some people expect, or that you might get at "5-star" hotels. I've had to call housekeeping a couple of times to ask for stuff, but they do bring it when I call. If that kind of thing causes you to be outraged and write letters to management (as you see in some TA reviews), look elsewhere. But I've only stayed in comped rooms, so I have no complaints. And I like the casino and dining options -- the V has 2 food courts, so it's not all high end dining and you can get a sandwich or slice on the go.

I'm not sure that the views are that great from either V/P, and it varies a lot depending on floor and location, but if a view is important, go with the Bellagio fountain view rooms. The Bellagio is also dead center strip.

I think the Wynn is gorgeous, but it's not as well located for a first-timer imho.

ksucat

Wynn or Encore or gorgeous resorts are truly 5* and restaurants to match.
Great deals so sign up for their e-mail on the website.
Bellagio or Palazzo would be my second choices.
I like the location of the Wynn/Encore.
I am not a fan of the Venetian..too tired but the rooms are large.maybe they have updated lately..go for the new Palazzo.
Remember that the key to Vegas is new or newer.


www.wynnlasvegas.com

lcuy

I've stayed at many VEgas rooms and my all time favorite is Encore. #2 is the Wynn. The rooms are huge, gorgeous, and the service great for Vegas. The restaurants are wonderful,and if you have a car, the entry/exit is one of the best on the strip. Very easy access to the highway without having to drive on the strip.

I like the wynn casino I LOVE the Encore views that take in a bit of vegas and off into the distant hills. I find it a lot more interesting (and private) than a strip view. They have a special going on right now. $119 weekdays and $189 weekends plus a $25 resort credit till Sept. There are some blackout days, an d may be min nights. Call and ask for the family and friends rate. If you need it, I have the promo number, but not at the moment.

Where ever you stay, get a casino card. Even if you don't gamble much, you'll get email offers later with special deals for future visits.

abram

We went to Las Vegas for the first time in December. A colleague suggested that we stay midstrip, and I'm really glad we did. It made getting around much more pleasant, as we could easily walk to almost all of the Strip hotels. We stayed at Bally's for $44 per night. Our room was very large, clean, in good repair, with a lovely bathroom. For us, a high end hotel wsn't worth the extra money.

eeyorelvr

We just returned from Vegas and had a penthouse suite at the MGM Signature for 130.00 a night. Although it is a long walk through the MGM to the Signature in the back, we enjoyed the extra quietness of that area, and the balcony that a lot of hotels on the strip do not have. We had a great view of some of the strip hotels as well as the mountains. The room was great, and clean and quiet. In the past we have stayed at Treasure Island, the Golden Nugget and Hilton Grand vacation club, all of those were very nice as well, but the Hilton and Golden Nugget are not ideal locations. We liked Treasure Island, but for us the Signature is where we will stay in the future.

stumpworks73

Some of the positives about Venetian:

As mentioned above, the standard room is spacious and well appointed.

The spa/fitness center is operated by Canyon Ranch and excellent.

Great location mid-strip with a short walk to Wynn, the Mall, and Mirage.

On-site restaurants and bars are very good to good.

The only twist I might add to the thread is if you are young, and want to be with the 20's, Hard Rock, Rio, and Palm are the hip places.

melh

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. You've given me a lot of different perspectives to think about.

Most likely, I will book the Venetian or Bellagio. I want to be in the middle of things & able to walk to other properties, as well as enjoy the amenities offered where we stay.

Do I need to be concerned about the fragrance reportedly used throughout the Venetian? Surely, it can't be overwhelming??

Again, thank you to all!

ksucat

Venetian has great restaurants..we love Bouchon for breakfast and Delmonico's (Emeril's) for dinner.
If you go to the V..ask for a renovated room..they are very large rooms, which is really nice.
If you are going in the summer, you will not want to walk anywhere because of the scorching heat.
Some people like the fragrance, it doesn't bother me so much but if you are at all sensitive to that kind of thing, I would book elsewhere.

tom42

The fragrance at the Venetian is definitely noticeable. I don't particularly like it but you get used to it. Like the above poster said, if you are particularly sensitive to smells, it might bother you.

cheryllj

I notice the Venetian smell (it's floral-y) for about 5-10 minutes when I first walk in, and then after that, I don't notice it anymore. I think you'd have to be pretty sensitive to notice it after being in there for awhile. And it's not in the rooms, just the public areas.

A lot of the Vegas casinos have smells pumped through the ventilation system, though. I find the Flamingo suntan oil smell more noticeable than the Venetian. And the Mirage has some tropical smell too.