Hotels in Las Vegas
 

We would like to stay in Las Vegas over July 4th for 3 nights. We have never stayed in LV before, so are open to suggestions. We did look at Aria and like the look of it and the reviews on it. If anyone has stayed there I would like to hear their opinions, and if someone has stayed at a comparable property and their views on that. Is there any hotel in LV that would either have a good view of the fireworks or if they did their own fireworks show. Thanks for your help.

Do you want a place with or without a casino?

We don't gamble, so we like a hotel that doesn't have a casino.

We stayed at MGM Signature in January and really like it. Close to everything, but no smokey lobby to walk through and it was quieter.

There are deals to be had. I found a great rate thru:
http://www.smartervegas.com/hotels/t...onalcodes.aspx

Sign up for unlisted offers in the upper right hand corner to see the best deals.

I get emails for deals all the time. Let me know if you want deals I get; I think you can get them with a code.

I have stayed at Venetian, Encore by Wynn and JW Marriott ( just outside town). We love to be in the heart of the action and able to walk everywhere but the JW was a gorgeous property except for that fact. I got the Venetian on Priceline for a bargain...$120? I think and thought it was an awesome value....I don't have info on fireworks but was there during later July and no surprise but it was an oven!! I would focus more on preferred location and amenities and then hunt for a deal. Travelzoo usually has some good deals on rooms & shows as well.

Good rates and funky reviews of hotels, food, buffets, etc....

http://www.cheapovegas.com/

When I want to stay downtown, I stay at the Golden Nugget. Very nice hotel and all the weirdness of downtown Vegas.

We just came back from Vegas, our first trip there in about 2 years. We stayed at the Rio, not on the Strip - there was a shuttle bus that took you from Rio to either Harrah's or Bally's. Very large rooms, all suites, clean and comfortable.

I was amazed at how many people bring their children there. The casinos are smokey and dark. People filing through with infants and small children, and even dogs (no, not service dogs - actual pets.). I love animals but they don't belong in a casino, nor do they belong in the yogurt store in the Mirage!

Have a good time. Your first time will be amazing.

We did splurge on the Aria, but it's for a largish anniversary that's coming up later in the year, and we can't take time off then. We are not going to any of the high end restaurants, but are looking for a nice one for around $50 pp for appetizer/main or main/dessert not including alcohol, if anyone has recommendations for a non-smoking restaurant.

Does anyone have any ideas of a nice, not over priced restaurant in LV or even a nice buffet, if there is such a thing on or near the Strip.

Since I don't know what "not over priced" means exactly...
[Menus are posted for each of these]
We had a nice dinner here:

http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/...n/d-o-c-g.aspx

And a great lunch here [at $22.13 it's a steal] :

http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/...rio-milos.aspx

Didn't get to eat here, but also a nice menu with specials [plat du jour] each night:

http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/.../comme-ca.aspx

Yeah, what is "overpriced" for you, joto? I know which restaurants I like in Vegas, and only a few are over-the-top extravagances (Picasso, for one-- $300+ per person, but worth every single penny).

Most of the Mirage eateries are not crazy-expensive. BLT Burger does burgers right for not too much money. Samba is a Brazilian rodízio specialist-- think of it as a meat-centered buffet where the food comes to you; and again, the food-to-price quotient is really good (although drinks will set you back a bit). Japonais and Fin are good Asian joints-- not cheap, but really good. Cravings, the Mirage's buffet, is one of the better midrange buffets on the Strip; it's not as upscale as Bellagio's, but nowhere near as pricey, and the food is perfectly fine.

If you like Thai food, head thee to Lotus of Siam, the best Thai restaurant in the US outside of LA (with its large expat Thai community). Good food, reasonably prices.

For breakfast, Egg Works on Flamingo (or its sister property, The Egg and I on Sahara) is a good excuse to get off the Strip and mingle with locals. Diner food, but good-- and cheap.

And this barely scratches the surface. There are a lot of possibilities in ol' Sin City.

bm

RE: Las Vegas buffet - according to friends living in LV, Caesars Palace's Bacchanal Buffet has the best quality among buffets. Down the ladder you may try Wynn's. We did not get to try Bacchanal Buffet this April because at 8pm on a Tuesday the queue was too long a wait for us.

By the way we stayed at ARIA this April and loved it, luxurious and incredible views. When checking in, ask to have a room with nice views.