I know that these two hotels are not really in the same league, but I'm still having some trouble choosing between them for my first trip to Las Vegas this July! We will be traveling for our first wedding anniversary and want the trip to be really special!

Is Mandalay Bay too far down the strip to be enjoyable? Is the hotel really stuffy?

Is Treasure Island old and cheesy, but worth the prime location?

How about free (or slipping the concierge a $20) upgrades? Is one hotel easier than the other?

Thanks SO much!

I say go with Mandalay Bay. On the plus side, it's brand new, it's nice, and it's got one of the best pool areas in Las Vegas (important when you're going to be there in July). Plus, they have a good selection of hip restaurants and nightclubs including the House of Blues, so there will plenty of fun activity at your hotel that's geared to younger people...not stuffy at all. Plus I hear the rooms at Mandalay Bay are very nice. I have a friend who goes to Las Vegas A LOT for work and MB is his favorite place to stay

Sure, it's at the end of the strip, but Treasure Island is really at the other end...so Treasure Island's location isn't that much of a plus.

Just make sure you spend some time (1/2 a day or whatever) to make sure you see the best hotels at the Treasure Island end...Venetian, Mirage, Caesars... and the Treasure Island pirate show which is fun

Tough call. I went thru the same choosing dilemma a short time ago. The Mandalay Bay would probably be a bit nicer property. However, being on the South end of the Strip in July would probably cause me to choose the TI simply because of its central location. I guess it depends on what you plan to do and which shows you're interested in seeing. Last time we went we stayed at "The Mirage" in a remodeled "volcano view" room and were very happy with it.

I think you have good info on each place, and it really depends upon your personality, budget, and purpose of your trip....

TI- better location, more laid back, less expensive... better choice if you want to "see the sites" of Vegas

MB- worse location, "trendier"- a place to "see and be seen", younger crowd, nicer pool... better choice if you think you'll be spending more than 1/2 your time "staying put" at the hotel

Along the same lines (and similar price), i'd also check out The Mirage... great location AND great pool

Looks like we all posted at about the same time, one more advantage of TI:

If you plan on seeing Mystere OR "O" (both of which i HIGHLY recommend, but i personally like Mystere better), as a guest at TI you can reserve tickets 90 days for either one (or both), while non-guests can only book 30 days in advance.

I stayed @ TI in Febuary and I enjoyed it. If depends on what the difference in price is. The TI rooms were great. Nicely decorated a nice marble bathroom with a huge soaking tub. The location is good but not great. The black jack rules suck.

I'm not sure if I would say that Mandalay Bay is really out of the way anymore. There is alot to see on the South side...Luxor, NY NY, MGM...not to mention Mandalay Bay. Plus, you can take the tram from MGM to Bally's, or at least you could the last time I was there. I would definitely choose Mandalay!!

Don't want to make your life more difficult, BUT . . .
Why not stay at the Mirage? It's right in the middle of the strip (next to TI) but the rooms are better than TI, the pool is fantastic (not as big as Mandalay but MUCH better than TI) and the rooms were just remodeled. I love Mirage and I think it's a "happy medium" between Mandalay and TI.

No question for me.....Mandalay Bay! There are too many positives about the place. The accomodations, the incredible pools, the restaurants..... I would celebrate my first anniversary there without a doubt. The people were extremely nice and I wouldn't classify them as stuffy at all.

Although it's the last hotel on the strip, you can walk, take the hotel shuttle , taxi it or drive b/c parking is free at every casino.

July is considered the low season so you could try for an upgrade. I asked and I got one the last week of July.

Enjoy

Thanks everyone for your great advice! I have just booked the Mandalay Bay. My husband and I will be traveling to the Grand Canyon for 2 nights after flying into Las Vegas. We are staying in a Bright Angel cabin. Has anyone else done this as well?

My husband and I stayed in a Bright Angel cabin last April. It was a rim cabin and the view was wonderful. The Canyon was right out our window. The cabin was very comfortable,clean and quiet; not as rustic as I expected.

Glad you booked Mandalay Bay.
There is just NO comaprison here, MB is a far better hotel with much nicer rooms and bathrooms, much nicer more enjoyable casino, far superior pools (best in LV) and the best group of clubs/restaurants in LV if you're under 40 years old.
Forget the stuff about the south end of the strip. Blow $9 and ride a cab one way if it's that big a deal.