does anyone have a recommendation for a moderately priced decent hotel that pool loving kids would like ? also, anyone have tips on getting a hotel deal?? i've spent way too much time online getting no real deals that I have heard are "easy to find"?

Debi,

If you do a search with Las Vegas in the title, you will get more information than you can possibly use. This subject is beat to death daily on this forum.

XXX

Best pool in a mid-range hotel is at the Flamingo.

A nice pool but a little past it's prime is at Tropicana.

Other nice pools but more expensive properties (generally in order of cheapest to more expensive):
Mirage
Caesar's
Mandalay Bay

What are your dates and what is your budget for a room?

Also, here's a link so you see a picture of all the pools in Vegas:
http://www.vegas.com/resorts/pools/

when pricing LV hotel rooms, you have to compare everything from booking sites (expedia, orbitz, etc), the hotel's own web site and calling the hotel. prices seem to vary quite a bit and change on a daily basis. We recently went in march. the best price was through the hotel directly. we booked, then the price dropped, so we cancelled and rebooked. after that the price went up $100! just be careful and check all options. also check with hotels to see if they have any specific discounts for AAA, seniors, or any other possibility that you may qualifiy for. also keep in mind that most LV hotels charge add'l for kids in the room.

if you're going with kids, take them to the acquarium at Mandalay, lion/dolphin habitat at mirage, race to atlantis ride at ceaser's, priate show, evenings at treasure island and erupting volcano, evenings at mirage.

I would say MGM, it has I think like seven pools and lots kids there. Also there is an amusement park. I the rates are'nt that bad, considering the rooms are nice and the hotel is nice.

the mgm amusement aprk was closed in march. don't know about now.

heard the excalibur is good for kids, and the pool area seems nice, slides, etc

get on the hotels e-mail list...they send specials almost every month..Flamingo(flamingolasvegas.com) has a great pool and it`s annex O`Sheas(beside it) has a Subway and Burger King in t...kids will love it...and the price per room is reasonable.....book a room and they`ll credit the difference if you call back w/your e=mail price..

We stayed at the Tropicana in March - as the above poster said the hotel is a little past it's prime, but the pool was great, the room was clean and the price ($40 a night for 2 adults and 2 teens) was right. I don't know the age of your kids, but many of the hotels we considered charged extra (some of them a LOT extra) for kids over 12. We got the $40 dollar rate over the internet at the hotel's website.

Just stayed at the Stardust. It was a good value for the money but didn't see the pool. My parents called and got a room for $49. We were a little later and had to pay $75 for a room with two queens. They had stayed there before and upon arrival were upgraded to a room with a kingsize bed for the same money. They were also staying two nights which also may have made a difference.

Checked out a great book from the library: The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas 2002 by Frommers. Has a table with all the hotels, prices, amenities, and value ratings.

We also stayed at the Venetian which had 2 large pools in a lovely setting, georgous room, but I wouldn't say it was a good value for the money.

The MGM amusement park is permanently closed. Not that you're missing out of anything. It was a shameful attraction when it was open.