New York New York Las Vegas
 

Hello All.

While I have been researching everywhere from here to all the web sites, cheapovegas.com,etc., I would still like some advice on my particular scenario from all you Vegasites out there. I (28 years old)am going to Vegas with my Mother(48) and my baby sister (turns 21 on our first day there)from November the 9th to the 13th (Sunday-Thursday). My mother has been to Vegas once before, but it's the first time for my sister and I. They are flying from Louisiana and I am flying from Chicago. We already have our airfare and our Celine Dion tickets (my mom really wanted to go). I have been searching since July for good rates for hotels, but everything seems extremely high for our dates. I like a little more lavish indulgence than my mother and sister are willing to pay for it(i.e. Bellagio, Venetian,etc.) I was even going to pick up the tab if it meant I could stay somewhere nice, on the strip, under $800. But then my mother called yesterday and got a special deal from New York, New York for all three of us for 4 nights at $250 including tax. I've read some of the posts about the place--is it really bad? Are there "better" rooms at NYNY that I should ask as an upgrade when I get there(i.e. certain floor, certain building,view,etc.?)to make the experience nicer? It is my sister's 21st birthday, so in addition to hotel advice, I would love suggestions about where to take her (remember my mom is with us)for dinner, shows etc. to get the best out of vegas while we're there. I'd like one really nice, sort of hip place for her birthday, then some more low key (less expensive, but still good food)suggestions for the other nights. I know this is a long post, so I hope all you meanies out there won't yell at me, but I would really appreciate any advice you could give. Thanks again!

NYNY is not a bad hotel. It's pretty much middle of the pack for Vegas. The rate that you quoted is good - comes out to about $60 per night. That's reasonable for NYNY. Rooms do vary in size, but I can't remember which wings are better. You should try to get a corner room - I believe that they are usually somewhat bigger.

There are quite a few hip restaurants to choose from so it is difficult to make a suggestion if we don't know what type of food you want. One of my favorites, though, is 3950 in Mandalay Bay. Very cool atmosphere and excellent food - steaks, chops, seafood. Pretty expensive - dinner for 2, including appetizer, entree, and bottle of wine will run about $150 with tax and tip.

If you want to take your sister out to a club Studio 54 would probably be a good choice given that your Mom is with you. I don't know what nights they're open but they do play 70s music, mixed in with some later and current stuff. It's at the MGM, which is right across from NYNY.

Thanks for the info. My Mom really likes Mexican food. Any good places on the strip? Also, we arrive fairly early on Sunday @10:30 a.m. Are there any good brunches? And how late are they serving? Thanks again!
r

HI Robi!
I JUST got back last night from Vegas..we didnt stay at the New York New York, but we gambled there twice and it was a very nice hotel/casino..dont know about the rooms tho..the vibe there is really good! Lots of great places to eat there as well..

I highly recommend taking your sister to the Hard Rock Casino!It is a VERY hip place..and they have a great mexican restuarant called the Pink Taco..its not upscale at all, but the food is REALY good and the atmosphere is alot of fun..The Hard rock is THE hotel for the single, hip, young crowd...

I also recommend going up in the Eifel Tower at night and seeing the Bellagio Water show from the top. Spectacular!

AS for dinner, we ate at RumJungle in Mandalay Bay, its a Brazilian/Caribean restuarant/nightclub..Food was really good! a little pricey tho..but very good!

If you need any more info..please let me know!

I know you guys will have a great time~

OK-make sure to head to the Venetian ...they have a GREAT Mexican restaurant (can't remember the name but there is only one!) -you can sit on the canal and have some wonderful empenadas and fantastic margs---I'm so jealous!
Also, NYNY is great. We've stayed in one awesome room (mostly b/c of the view-really high up overlooking the rollercoaster) and one not so great room-facing the rear. I would definately ask for a strip view but it may cost more. Coyote Ugly is a fun place to go (its in NYNY) but maybe not for mom. Studio 54 is great-and right across the street. In the Venetian-try Venus and V-bar! Have a great time!

I really appreciate all the information from first hand sources. We will definitely try the hard rock and the venitian mexican place. Again, does anyone have a recommendation for champagne brunch on Sunday? I've been to chowhound or whateverthat was but nothing informative on brunches....Thanks! I am finally starting to get excited about the trip!

The Hard Rock is indeed an epicenter of the Scene for the young folk (early 20s, first time partying in Vegas, get drunk really easily). The Palms' clubs, Rain and Ghost Bar, are other Scene places, but the covers might be steep and there's no guarantee they'll be hopping during the week (the Palms seems to skew distinctly OLD during the week). Still....

Bikini's and Club Rio, in the Rio resort, are also young-skewing clubs, although they are also "Meet Markets". Might not be such a great idea.

Regarding brunch on Sunday - Bellagio's buffet has a great one, pricey, but worth it. A little less $$ is the Mirage's buffet, also good. The Aladdin's buffet won the "Best Of Las Vegas" award and is probably about the same as Mirage as far as price.

Also, one fun show to see is at the Aladdin. They are there every night except Monday. You can either do a cocktail show (about $45 per person) or the dinner show ($55 per person). It's a group called Society of Seven. They are from Hawaii and are great. The music is terrific and the guys are very funny. Both your mom & sister (and you too) would enjoy their show, I'm sure.

Have a good trip!

The Mexican joint in the Venetian is the Taquería Cañonita, and it is pretty good. Border Grill, in Mandalay Bay, is one I've missed (I work near the original in Santa Monica), but I've heard bad things, so I'd skip it. González y González in NYNY is supposed to be good too-- funny thing, since I associate New York with really bad Mexican food (they just don't have good places in NYC, IMHO). Who knew?

Thanks for the show suggestion at Alladin. I really have no idea what shows are good. We will see the Celine Dion show on Wednesday night, but the other nights are open. My sister has been watching the showgirls show on E!--skintight I think is the show. Does anyone have anything to say about that show? Again, I am clueless on the show scene and would welcome any other opinions. I would like to go to one "vegasy" type show...you know, old time vegas. I am sure my Mom would enjoy anything that we sit for a while after all the walking! Thanks!
R

rjw....funny you mention Gonzalez y Gonzalez...there is one in NY on Houston and Broadway here in NY! Can't vouch for their food, however as I've only eaten there....and as for no good mexican food in NY? You obviously haven't explored enough! My personal favorite Panchitos in Greenwich Village on MacDougal has great mexican food and is inexpensive to boot! My other favorite is all the way in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn called Canteena.

As for Vegas, you could try Coyote Ugly in the hotel as someone suggested, depending on how open minded your mom is. If it's anything like the one here in NY, she might actually like it.

Hi, missjanna!! You might be right-- I only got taken to Mexican joints in Midtown, so.... I'll have to try the place in the Village next time I'm in NYC (last time was a day trip from Bucks County PA).

A warning about NYNY: a bunch of folks over at lasvegastalk.com booked it through a promotional link, got a great rate, some even called the desk to confirm. Then they got a phone call 2 days before their arrival saying that their reservation was cancelled because they were not teh target of the link. You know how sometimes you'll find a promo code on travel sites and such, well I guess they weren't intended to see the special deal so they were SOL and some said management was really nasty to them in response. I think that even without knowing it, I'd say this place is a step above a Days Inn with a roller coaster. As soon as you walk through the door on the south side you are stormed by timeshare people, at least the last time I was there I was - no class. You don't get those shenanigans at the Bellagio. It's up to you but make sure the price is through a mainstream site with no strings attached.

If I had to stay on the cheap, I'd be at Barbary Coast - great location, good games, good rooms, NO pool.

One night you have to take sis out just the 2 of you and go to Ghostbar at the Palms - you'd be terrible brother if you didn't! (j/k) It is THE place to be for young people, guaranteed celeb/athlete sightings. Mom will probably be ready for bed by that time, I think it opens at 11:00, gets good around 1:00ish. Afterward, everyone heads to Drai's at Barbary Coast for asfter hours, another cool place.

I think the Bellagio Buffet is a must do, you can do that for brunch if you want. The most lavish Sunday brunch is at Bally's, $52 because they serve French champagne, oysters, decent choice of caviar, and roasted half lobsters.

Here's another vote for the Mexican place in the Venetian. We hit it each time we go. As far as shows go, might want to check out Rita Rudner. Saw her in October. Clean show, very funny. Great to enjoy something without all the profanity we have come to tolerate.
Have fun!

Thanks everyone! To go to the Hard Rock, would you take a cab? How much on average does it run? I am so full of questions! Also, we booked from a promotion my mom recieved in the mail on her players card. She booked it on the phone with NYNY. I figure that will be ok? You can't get much more direct than that can you? Also, how's the caesar's buffet? Thanks again!!! Oh, and Loki,I'm a girl! But we will go to Ghost Bar one night--it seems the one place everyone says to go!
R

Also, do you reservations for the Pink Taco or the Mexican Restaurant in the Venetian?
R

robi: You might try to work with any concierge services they have at NYNY to get a VIP pass to Ghostbar-- or maybe call the Palms directly and see if they can do something special for your sis' birthday.

Lots of great ideas so far but I'll chime in anyway. For a reasonable meal that all will enjoy, I would try the Micro Brewery at Monte Carlo. Reasonable and great sandwich/burger/pizza type place and you can get the 21 year old the beer sampler.

Do not miss at least some time at the Piano Bar at NYNY. Also right at NYNY is Rita Rudner for a comedian show. My wife and I loved her. Speaking of NYNY, I think the rooms are fine. They are not big rooms but comfortable, supposed to be old time NYC. Some people have said to stay away from rooms that are near the roller coaster, I personally have not had this problem but I am a heavy sleeper.

Mystere is a favorite show of mine and I hope to see "O" soon, I recommend them as well. For "old Vegas" style which to means topless and lots of feathers and variety numbers, try either Follies Berge at Tropicana or Jubilee at Ballys. Should be able to find 2 for 1 coupons for these shows.

Previous posters are absolutely correct about Palms and Hard Rock.

Have a great time!

My preference over the NYNY would be Treasure Island. I have stayed in their stnadard rooms which I thought was nice, and we got a peek into the mini-suites which were very nice!

Robi-

I don't know about the Mexican restaurant at the Venetian, but at the Pink Taco in Hard Rock you will not need a reservation. It's a very casual restaurant.