las vegas hotels HELP!
 

We have just booked our first trip to LV over the phone with a British travel agent and on his recommendation chose Circus Circus. Unfortunately when I mentioned this to some American freinds and checked the internet it appears we made have made the wrong decision. We are a party of three adults travelling in january next year and I would like guidance on the right hotel for our needs. We would like somewhere central ,not cheap and nasty but not ruinously expensive, more for adults but not too worried about gambling. Also the best way to get to the hotel from the airport and any good places to eat. We'd appreciate some help.Can anyone oblige?

Please do a search of this board. I haven't heard anything good about Circus Circus in a very long time. We stayed at Paris several months ago and got a good deal through one of the online discount websites.

Yes, it was a horrible decision. Circus Circus is a mediocre (at best) property and is certainly not the best or most convenient location. Think of the following:<BR>Flamingo, Mirage, Caesar's, Paris, Treasure Island, MGM, Bally's. Depending on what specials are going, these are all right in the "center of things" and should be nicely priced. Of course, you always save money in Vegas if your stay is between Sunday and Thursday. It is nearly impossible to get as good a rate on Friday or Saturday. You can do a search and easily check each hotel's website for the exact rates for your dates.<BR>For the three of you take a taxi to your hotel -- it isn't far or expensive. But tell the driver you want to go up the strip. They seem to have a gimmick going of asking your permission to avoid the heavy traffic by going via the highway. This adds to your bill and is often not even any quicker. You will want to see the strip anyway as you go.

The first thing you need to do is get rid of that travel agent. He should have his license revoked for such a recommendation.

no circus any major hotel mandaly bay belliago treasur island paris any taxi or a shuttle frree from the hotel its about 15 20 minutes to the strip great restraunts every where now depends on your budget plus a ton of free stuff to do

Go to www.flyertalk.com, then to the forums, then "Las Vegas", they have a thread on Las Vegas hotel discounts. There's one that was just posted for Paris at $69/99 (I think $99)/night (weekday/weekend) and Bally's for $59/$79.

Hi, Mel!<BR>I don't think you'd be by any means aghast at Circus Circus -- I mean, it's a centrally-located place much like many others in Vegas (all the big ones are hopelessly over-glitzy, you need a map to find your room, and you spend a lot of time shaking your head in dismay at the human condition), but I really do think your agent was acting on limited knowledge, unless he got you a price like you wouldn't believe (and the Circus Circus website does, I admit, occasionally offer these). I think you should do a websearch for any last-minute bargains and do your own booking. We did this, and scored a suite in the Grand Tower at the MGM Grand, complete with jacuzzi and a view up the strip, for $65 for four people, just before New Year's Eve. Downstairs it was still a circus, but the room was nice, and the staff at the Grand are extremely pleasant, given that the foyer reminds one of nothing so much as Grand Central Station during peak hour.

There are much better choices than Circus Circus as the location of Circus Circus is not that good.<BR><BR>See if you could switch to Flamingo, Bally's, or Harrah's, which are all in the same general budget. If the above are more expensive, also check into the Tropicana (tower rooms!!, NOT garden or standard room) which would also be better than Circus Circus.<BR><BR>If you can "upgrade" in price somewhat, check out (my preference order): Mirage, Paris, Aladdin.<BR><BR>Equivalent to Circus Circus but MUCH better location (my preference order): Impreial Palace, Holiday Inn Boardwalk, Casino Royal.

Hi, Mel!<BR>I have responded already, so excuse me for being "pushy", but I just had a look at the Circus Circus booking site, and their rooms currently go for as low as $29 a night.... if your agent was able to do better than that, then he did the right thing for you, and you will stay in Vegas for a bargain-basement price. You should really have a look at a map of the Strip before you take too much notice of the people who say that the location for Circus Circus is poor..... this is one helluva long street, and each new complex takes up the next available space heading away from the bus station. Places like Luxor and MGM are right "down the bottom", whereas Circus Circus, being an older establishment, is more towards the centre. But, really, it doesn't matter a hoot.... wherever your base is, you will walk miles every night along the strip, staring and pointing. Circus Circus, while showing its age a bit, is as good a location as any to start and finish your trek, and it's no glitzier than any of the others... my God, just wait till you see some of them! You will probably spend just as much time wandering open-mouthed around Caesar's Palace and Paris and New York and the Mirage and Luxor as you will in the hotel you are staying in anyway.I just wish I had been able to get a room for my family for under thirty dollars!

You will not be happy at Circus, Circus. It's an OLD hotel way down the Strip and loaded with families. If you want a centrally located hotel that is mid price range, check our Bally's, Paris, Aladdin, Flamingo, Harrahs, Mirage or Treasure Island. If you want to really treat yourself, stay at the Venetian. Cab rides from the airport to the Strip should run between $12-$16 (with tip), depending upon where you stay. Have fun!

No one ever mentions the Stardust? Is that also a dump? They have reasonable rates.

The British agent you spoke with must be smoking drugs? Why would anyone recommend Circus Circus, it should be renamed Dump de Dump. Please, there are so many other hotels out there that you can stay at besides this big time dump. How about the Luxor, MGM or any other hotel along the strip. Please, please don't ruin your vacation by staying at the Circus Circus.

I have to disagree with Alan.<BR><BR>While it is true that Circus Circus is "in the middle of the strip" by definition, it's a LOOONG walk to the "main" strip (which is generally classified from Mandalay Bay to Treasure Island), and too far to walk to downtown. <BR><BR>If you choose Circus Circus you will be almost in the middle of things, BUT it'll be like being in Chicago and calling it the perfect location because it's half way between NYC and LA.<BR><BR>If you look at a map, you want to stay anywhere between MGM and Treasure Island. I have walked from "the strip" to Circus Circus so it can be done, but it is FAR, and not an ideal location for a relaxing vacation. Any money you save on the room will be offset (and then some) by cab rides anywhere you want to go.

Mel,<BR><BR>Here you go.....http://www.cheapovegas.com/<BR><BR>This will give you a pretty good rundown on the various hotel/casinos, plus a map of the strip.<BR><BR>Circus Circus is for parents to dump their kids off while they see the sights and gamble. Not recommeded by anyone unless you have kids.<BR><BR>Dick

circus circus is too far from the "main" part of the strip. walking back & forth several times a day would get very tiring.

I have to agree with others who say that Circus Circus is not in a very good location. The only big casinos that are within easy walking distance of it are Stardust and Riviera, neither of which is much to write home about, plus a few smaller ones like Westward Ho and Slots of Fun which can be fun to play at but aren't too exciting from a sightseeing standpoint.<BR><BR>Considering this is your first trip to Vegas, you really want to stay someplace where you are closer to the sights you want to see, and CC probably isn't it. Try Monte Carlo, which frequently has excellent deals and is MUCH nicer than Circus Circus, plus in a much better location (next to New York New York, across street from MGM, monorail to Bellagio). <BR><BR>As for the person who asked about the Stardust, I've stayed there a couple of times and it is perfectly adequate, but I'm not crazy about the location. The rooms in the newest tower are good sized and actually quite nice, or at least they were the last time I stayed there about 3 years ago, and I've had pretty good luck in the casino there. The downsides are that you are really far away from the main casino area and that the average age of the clientele seems to be about 60. (Not that there is anything wrong with this, but if you're in your 20s or 30s, you will probably feel a little out of place).<BR><BR>Other places that are nicer than CC, usually reasonably priced, and closer to the action include Bally's, Harrah's, Treasure Island, and Aladdin. <BR><BR>If you're going for dirt cheap I think you would be better staying at Casino Royale or Barbary Coast. They're both nicer than CC, better located, and not full of screaming kids.<BR><BR>See www.cheapovegas.com for more details on all these places (plus it's pretty darn funny).

Addendum on Stardust: I've only ever stayed in the West Tower (newest and biggest), which is pretty nice. I've heard, though, that the smaller East Tower is not so good and that the Villa rooms are kind of dumpy, and that's where the cheapest rates usually put you.<BR><BR>I liked the Stardust several years ago when Silver City was across the street because the payoffs there were pretty good and it was OK, but then it started deteriorating rapidly (last time I was there it was all bikers and hookers) and then they finally put it out of its misery and closed it for good.

While Circus Circus is technically located near the middle of the Strip, geographically, it is not by any means in the middle of the best attractions. In fact, that area of the Strip (Circus Circus, the Rivera, the Stardust) saw its glory 25 years ago. <BR><BR>The modern center of the Strip is really the corner of Flamingo and Las Vegas Blvd. Bellagio is on one corner, Ceasars is on another. <BR><BR>You may want to tell your travel agent that it is an unacceptable choice. You might look into the rates at hotels such as the Excalibur, Aladdin, Flamingo Hilton, Monte Carlo and Bally's. <BR><BR>You might want to review the website www.lvol.com as it has hotel ratings and comments from past guests. Circus Circus is near the bottom of the rankings, just below the Motel 6!