My husband (mid 60s)and I (mid 50s) are planning to visit Las Vegas between Xmas and New Year. Having reviewed numerous reports I am totally confused about which hotel to choose on the Strip. We want to pay $100 - $150. We are from the UK and would prefer somewhere which does not have a European theme as we go to France, Italy, etc every year, same with the food.

The ones on my picking list are: Bally's, NYNY, Treasure Island and the Tropicana. (Did consider the Aladdin, but think it will have too many kids.) All have rooms at the right price. Since the weather is unlikely to be hot, the pool is probably not so important.

Also would be interested in any suggestions on American, Tex Mex or Cajun type restaurants that won't break the bank and which buffet to try.

HI--not sure why you think there will be kids at Alladin. We have stayed in the hotel on one trip and walked thru the Casino on other trips and have never seen any more kids than anywhere else. It is just the theme (Arabian nights, etc. not the Disney Alladin!!)

NYNY, IMO, would be a good one if you want a totally non-European theme/feel to the place. Depending on how much walking you want to do, some would not like it b/c it is not as centrally located on the strip as Bally's or Alladin. I have heard that Bally's has some older unattractive rooms and one must pay an upgrade to get a "re-modelled" room. Check out this site for comparison purposes, as *all* hotel websites can be accessed from this one site.

http://www.cheapovegas.com/vegas_map.php?map=strip

Good luck!!

my husband and I were in Las Vegas last week...hot...hot...hot
to answer your questions, will you have a car? or do you plan to use the monorail to get around? although hotels may look like they are close to each other, they're pretty far walking distance away from each other. Tropicana is the least amount of luxury and the price should reflect that. I'd go with TI but it is further down on the strip.

Of the hotels you mentioned, I would stay at Treasure Island. With that said, I really would never stay at any of those because I think there is better value elsewhere. I assume you are talking weekdays as weekends will be double, in which case I would look at staying at Mandalay Bay or Mirage if Mandalay is too pricey. Even MGM Grand. Food wise: Samba at Mirage or Rumjungle at Mandalay are both the same thing: brazillian barbeque, something non-european, they're about $40pp for all you can eat and they serve the meat at your table on huge skewers. I's a unique experience and fun for a big group. Commander's Palace at Aladdin is regarded as one of the best restaurants in America (Emeril Lagasse came from the New Orleans outpost) great creole/cajun food, it's a bit pricey but I think they have an $18 lunch special. I'm a big fan of the buffet at Bellagio but people rave about Aladdin's and the middle eastern dishes there might be more of a change of pace that you're looking for wheras Bellagio is more classic French and American. I don't know about Mexican. I've eaten at Border Grill at Mandalay Bay, and people like it and claim it's Mexican, but i don't think it's the homey Tex-mex you're looking for that you'd find at a roadhouse in Arizona. For something else different, Red Square at Mandalay is Russian. Kinda pricey, but not break the bank. The drinks are relatively pricier than the food.

First of all, you will see lots and lots of kids in Vegas between Xmas and New Year's -- it is totally jammed with kids, babies in strollers, parents dragging their kids down the strip at midnight, etc. There is no avoiding this,unfortunately. We go to Vegas several times a year and there are always kids around.

I would not consider NYNY, you will get alot kids there due to the roller coaster I think. Tropicana is old and run down (at least most of the rooms) so I would not go there. Bally's is so-so, the location is great and if you get a room in one of the newer towers it is ok. Aladdin is very nice but it will be a Planet Hollywood soon and is undergoing a transformation. (Their bathrooms are still the best tho and I doubt if they will change them).

We like Treasure Island and have stayed there several times. We stay very often at the Mirage tho and I would recommend it highly if it fits your price range. T.I. rooms are quite nice (not huge) and their bathrooms are decent sized. Their rooms all have safes and iron and ironing board. The Mirage rooms are good sized, also have safe, ironing board in room. Bathrooms are not huge but there is a separate vanity area outside the bathroom which is nice to have when 2 people are getting ready at the same time. There is a free tram between Mirage and T.I. Overall, my first choice would be Mirage (tropical theme) and then T.I.

We are not buffet people so I won't recommend any of those one way or the other. As for restuarants, there are just so many it is hard to say what someone else might like. Just stroll through the hotels and pick a place is my theory. Everyone's definition of what might or might not break the bank is different anyway.

PS--one caveat, the cheapo vegas map I referenced, while very useful, is *NOT* to scale. For example, it makes it appear as if Alladin is right across from NYNY--which I assure you, it is not.

Of your options, I'll add another vote for Treasure Island. It is not located mid-strip but is still within walking distance to most of the other casino hotels.

Know you're from Europe, but you might get a kick out of at least visiting the Venetian (right across the street from TI) or Paris...just fun to see the interpretation of famous scenery.

For mexican food, we favor Garduno's (in the Palms) or Pink Taco (in Hard Rock)...Pink Taco being my favorite and pretty inexpensive.

We love the breakfast buffet at Paris, and Mandalay Bay has a nice dinner buffet. Haven't tried any others...YET!

One more plus for T.I. - it is almost directly across from the new Wynn hotel and across the street from a huge mall (Fashion Show Mall). Also across the street is the Venetian and of course it is connected to the Mirage by tram. Of all your choices the one that is "totally" mid-strip would be Bally's but that would not be my first choce.