beth48

We're going to Las Vegas in the fall. My family wants to stay at the Excalibur (they've stayed there before). I'm not so sure after reading not so good reviews. Is it best to book directly with the hotel or go through a travel agency. And, is it too early to book now? Thanks - this is a great forum!

ElaineMc

I've never stayed in any of the rooms at the Excalibur but found the casino and game areas for kids to be way too smokey and thought it was just an unattractive hotel with a "blah" feeling. There are so many better hotels out there and if you book this far in advance you can probably get a good deal. Just keep checking on the rates as they change daily depending on if there is a convention in town, etc. If you like that area of the strip try the MGM Grand or the Aladdin. I saw a rate at Aladdin for about $79.00 a night which is cheap.

ElaineMc

Forgot to add that I've found it cheaper these days to book directly through the hotel on their website. A lot of times if you look at Expedia, etc. they will tell you that the hotel is sold out for those dates when in fact it's Expedia who's sold all of their inventory but the hotel still has vacancies.

ChristieP

The rooms at Excalibur are basically like those at a Motel 6. If I recall correctly, they have a shower, not a bathtub. And the place is swarming with kids, so if that bothers you, beware. You could always stay next door at Luxor or NYNY and you'd still be close to the family.

If you have to fly, the best deals on airfare+rooms are usually through the package agencies, like Funjet, MLT Vacations, or Apple. I've also found some good deals through the airlines' vacation sites from American and Southwest.

ah4sail

Haven't stayed at the Excalibur (though I agree with ElaineMc's description of the casino) I say check the hotel websites and when you find a good rate BOOK it!

We were in Vegas in Feb, stayed at the Monte Carlo for $59. I checked the rate for several days and everyday they went up -I was glad I booked when I did.

Dottie

I haven't stayed at the Excalibar either, so can't say.But do check hotel web sites.That is where I have gotten my best prices.When you know where you want to stay,go a head and book the room,then keep watching the web site. As the poster above said the rates change a lot, both up and down.If you book and the price happens to go down,they will adjust the rate for you. All it takes is a phone call.Tell them the rate has changed and you want the new rate.I saved $50 a night at the MGM Grand doing this last month.

kopp

If your family has stayed there before, then you know what the rooms are like. I did find the furniture on the "older" side, but the room was quite comfortable, especially for the price. If you'd like a larger room, you can always book one of the lower floors. It used to be like $10 extra per night. But it gives you quite a bit extra room, plus a sofa which is a nice addition.
We've now started stayed at TI, and enjoy that very much. Last Sept. they had a $79/night rate, which I know is considerably higher than Excalibur. But you should go with what you're comfortable with. I know when my kids were young, they did enjoy all the games at Excalibur.
I've always found that booking directly with the hotel gives the best flexibility in case of any necessary changes.
Happy travels!

jimshep

Stay mid-Strip--any place near Ceasar's Palace that has the price and features your family wants. If you're mid-Strip you can are well positioned for north and south.

pks2000

My husband and I stayed at Treasure Island (TI)last April and got a great rate on their website (treasureisland.com). In fact, I watched the site and the rates went down twice and I called them and they honored the lower price on the website. We found TI to be a very clean, family friendly hotel with a great location-right across from the Venetian and next to the Mirage (with nighty volcano show). We went into Excalibur and I thought the casino to be tacky-moreso than others, but we did not see the rooms. Of course, every casino is very smokey but our room had no hint of smoke and we had a great view down the strip and saw the volcano from our room. I think the best way to book a room is directly through their site. We found that low prices advertised with airfare were for odd times like Mon-Thurs. Fodor's was a great help in deciding where to stay. Just decide what is most important to you (location, pool, shows, price....) and go from there. Have fun!

cherylforeurope

Beth- We've stayed at the Excalibur several times and will be staying there
again in June. Why...they have the lowest rate of the "themed" casinos on the strip.
Where you stay all depends on your preferences. We are never in our room other than to sleep so I don't care what the room is like...I just want a low rate with an okay location and Excalibur fits the bill. They're also extremely
convenient to the airport and to a main route out of the city...we always take a road trip when we're there. We've also gotten the best rates directly with the hotel...through their website. Our rate for June for a view room is $59. If cost doesn't matter and you want more amenities, then you may want to consider another hotel. Good luck and have fun!

jimshep

I think a nice room to retreat to makes a big difference. TI and Bally's have very pleasant rooms--often at very reasonable rates.