LAS VEGAS NEWBIE
 

Help I am new to this travel thing and planning a surprise trip for hubbys 40th.I would like to get as much info I can get my hands on.I am from Ontario Canada and would like to know what you think on the following...Booking flights and hotel myself or with travel agent....Which hotels are good for a mid size budget.I hear the Imperial but would like any feed back or ideas on where some of you might have stayed..As for this comp thing hotels offer what is it all about and what are your experiences with it....I have been told to get a card that you put in the slots what is this all about....what places to you think is good for gambeling any info you could supply me is appreciated..Thanks ahead

yes i can hel[p

What time of year are you going? Rates go down quite a bit once it gets really warm in Vegas. For a mid range budget, look into the Luxor, Flamingo Hilton, Treasure Island, Monte Carlo, etc. I would definitely avoid Imperial Palace. You can do much better for same or similar $$. To find prices at different hotels, check www.180096hotel.com and www.lvrs.com for starters. Personally, I've always found I can put together a better deal on my own than a travel agent can (or is willing to) get for me. Whether flying in from Canada affects this I don't know. <BR>Comps are paid by all hotels and simply amount to reimbursement to you for how many $$ you have gambled. Has nothing to do with whether you win or lose $$. It's a percent of the number of $$ you gamble. Pay offs can vary greatly from one hotel to another, based on several different factors. If you are a moderate slot player, you may get some free meals or reduced tickets to a show, etc. Playing bigger $$ nets free rooms and more. Just remenber, in the end, comps are not free. It's like you giving the casino $100 and they give you back $6 with a wink and a smile.

B&B Thanks for info it will be in aug unfournatly I know it will be hot but this is when his bd is so hey.Have you been and what did you like about the hotels you stayed in thanks again .

August temperatures will top out between 100f and 110f so choose a hotel with a large pool. The Imperial Palace is a dump that happens to be in a very good location. I would really recommend stretching your dollars to stay at Mandalay Bay. If this is too expensive, try the Mirage, the Flamingo Hilton, or the Luxor. All these hotels have great pools, especially Mandalay Bay. <BR> <BR>Slot cards are simply a way for the casino to track your coin in/coin out ratio. You will be "comped" based on how much coin in you play. If you will be here for a short vacation, I wouldn't bother with the slot card unless: <BR> <BR>1) It entitles you to an automatic discount for dining and shops. (Some hotels off a ten percent discount in the gift shop for example, to entice you to let them track your play.) <BR> <BR>2) You are a dollar or higher player and you intend to spend 10 or 12 solid hours playing. Otherwise, you wil lnot earn enough comps to warrant having to remember that stupid card every time you play a machine. <BR> <BR>

Hi, there...I am Canadian too and have finished planning a trip to Vegas in July...I know also it is going to hot, but you take your vacations when you can. I booked every thing on my own as I usually do...actually this time we are using airmile points for the flight but I know the regular flights will be around 600.00(taxes incl), unless there is a sale. We are staying for 1 week during the last week in July and if you stay at Treasure Island from Sun-thurs Their room rate is 50.00 a night which is pretty good...they have recently refurbished the whole place and are now a 4 star property. Midweek, the Mandalay Bay will cost you 99.00 a night and the rates all go up on the weekend. The first 3 nights we are staying at Paris and their rate was 69.00 for Thurs, 99 for Fri and 110.00 for Fri...BUTTT...Fri and Thurs they offer 10% triple AAA off the above rates AND.......on another Vegas website they spoke about Paris offering a 39.00 midweek rate so I simply called and ASKED(Ithing you have to ask) if they offered the 39.00 rate and we got it for Thursday, but heh, I'll take it. I was pretty pleased with the rates I got. Feel free to email me direct if you have any more questions..have been to Vegas once before but have already done a ton of research...some pretty good websites to be used on recommendations for everything. Annemarie

It costs nothing to get a slot card; simply ask someone where the casino club/or "whatever one calls it" is located in the casino. They look at your driver's license, take your name and address and voila', there it is. Some casinos comp more than others, but the big deal usually is (in case you want to come back) the casinos who have "tracked" you on the machines offer you really good deals depending on your play. If this is really a one-time experience, you need not bother (unless you play a lot), but I rarely put in a coin unless I have my slot card in. Just my two cents - good luck and have fun! Try www.lvol.com and its discussion forum ...LOTS of info and friendly people.

Thank you all for this info.Still open for more.Has anyone been there in aug.And where should I gamble as I am new to this what was your fav spot.I would like to give my money somewhere which I might get comped anyways.feel free to reply some more thank you

I was in Vegas in August 1997 and it was extremely hot 105+ everyday. Get a hotel with a nice pool, my choice would be Mandalay Bay, I stayed there last June and spent almost everyday poolside. Other nice hotels with great pools are Mirage, Bellagio, Flamingo Hilton, and the Rio. Avoid the Imperial Palace by all means it is a shithole.

I agree with the hotel choices others have listed. I like most of the hotels on the strip (exceot Imperial) but I think Bellagio, Mandalay, Paris, the Venetian,or Mirage are top choices. I was not happy at Monte Carlo (bad pool). Bellagio's pools are amazing. Consider booking a show for your time in vegas. Both of the cirque de sol shows (at treasure island and Bellagio) are wonderful. Also consider reservations at one of the great restaurants at now in vegas. I ate at Emeril's Fish house at MGM a while back. Incredible. I don't know about comps for gambling...it is easy to pick up a free drink but I wouldn't want to spend my vacation begging for freebies...I think that is an iffy proposition. Have a great trip!

Cher, <BR>We've been to 'Vegas dozens of times, it is blazing hot in the suummer - over 105 most of the days. Rates are always lower Sunday thru Thursday incidentally. We usually stay at the Flamingo Hilton and they do have a lovely pool, in fact we were there for Xmas this year. The hotel is VERY central, you really cannot find a better location. You can walk to Ceaser's, Bellagio, Paris, Venetian, Bally's, Mirage, Tresure Island, etc. Location wise it's the best without spending a small fortune. Our room at Xmas was on 27th fl with view of strip - cost $59/night for two of the nights and $99 for the other two. It was large and very pleasant - granted it was not as luxurious as the Bellagio but we were not spending a couple of hundred dollars a night either!!! It worked fine for us. The buffet breakfast at the Flamingo was also very good - get a table alongside the waterfalls/stream and watch the swans and ducks. I would not recommend the Imperial but I do have a co-worker who stays there and she said it's fine. What we do is stay at the Flamingo and visit the other places and eat meals in them, etc. Be prepared for extreme heat tho.

Cher - <BR> <BR>I couldn't agree more with above post regard comps. Don't spend your vacation begging for freebies. IMO, they are a waste of time. If I want something, I'll buy it. <BR> <BR>Yes, it will be very, very hot in August. We go to Vegas several times per year (will be there this weekend actually) and August is the worst. <BR> <BR>If you have never gambled before, you may want to try yourself out downtown. Some of the older properties downtown have much lower minimums than the new mega resorts on the strip. You can learn blackjack for $3 per hand instead of $25. That's what I call smart! <BR> <BR>Agree with skipping the Imperial. While I haven't even walked in the place for years, I'm sure it can't be great based on what it used to be and on the other properties available. <BR> <BR>One other thing, the casino's make most of their game money from the slots. I would highly recommend against starting a slot habit. The odds are best on blackjack. If you are good at money management, you can do O.K. if luck is going your way. I have several pieces of jewelry because of my husband's "money management" skills at the blackjack table. But, it's not for everyone. <BR> <BR>Good luck and have a blast. <BR> <BR>:-)

I also took my hubby to Vegas last year as a surprise 40th birthday present! We had a blast and want to go back badly now! We stayed at NY NY, which was OK, but not great. A friend of mine stays at Imperial Palace every time she goes (at least once a year), and since she spends very little time in the room, is happy enough with it. Doesn't rave about it, but is comfortable. I guess if you're planning a big birthday weekend, maybe spend a little bit more and be happier with accommodations. I've read that the Flamingo's pools are beautiful, and it sounds like you'll need them in July. Definitely check out LVOL.com and see what others have to say. I wish I would have known about this before we went. We made a mistake our second day there and attempted to walk from the Stratosphere at the far end of the strip all the way back to NY NY with a stop at the Rio. Boy, was that a LONG walk. We were broke and crabby by the time we got back. If I went back, I'd choose a casino or two that I felt comfortable with and stay there, along with checking out shows, pools, and shopping. It sounds as though you may be on a bit of a budget, so if you want to see a show, buy tickets ahead of time. We wanted to see a show, but the thrill of gambling got to us, and we barely had enough money left to eat with. We definitely couldn't afford a couple hundred dollars with which to see a gala show. Crazy Girls we probably could have seen ... but not our scene. I wish I wouldn't have been so chicken about Black Jack. When we went to CO and spent an evening at the Black Jack tables after Vegas, I won a bunch of money. I lost a bunch in Vegas because I only felt comfortable at the slots. Don't spend all your time and money at the slots. Check out free gaming lessons at the casinos, learn craps and blackjack and have FUN while you're blowing your money!

From MY experience (Christmas, 1999) I can say that a combo deal bought from the airline is the best deal: We flew American and stayed at the relatively new and very beautiful MonteCarlo. Their buffet restaurant is known as one of the best. <BR>Don't miss one of the Cirq De Soleil shows (originally from Canada!) the "O" or the Mystere, we went to the later, a REAL treat for a BD!!! But make a reservation in advance, you can usually do it through the hotel. <BR>Amik