I have noticed that a lot of people who answer Vegas questions tell the person to check out www.lvol.com. After looking through this sight, I have a question. I have noticed that it seems that Bellagio is considered the best hotel by most people, yet in the overall ratings on the lvol site, the Venetian, the Mirage and even the Flamingo have higher ratings as well as a higher percentage of people who say they would return. Why is this? Do they lose a lot of points in value? If so, isn't the Venetian just as if not more expensive? Why does the Mirage seem to rate so high (just barely behind the Venetian, yet it seems you hear very little talk about it? How does the Flamingo seem to get such high ratings?

Probably these ratings are determined by two things:

1. Expectations. They would certainly be higher at Venetian / Bellagio than Flamingo or Mirage.

2. Value. You are paying, say, $100 more per night... what are you getting for those $100? Is it worth it?

Jenna: The Bellagio is something to experience. Right up there with the best resorts accross the country. Rates are very reasonable on weekdays and off season. As low as $89 a night weekdays in July and August. The Mirage is very nice but nothing like the Bellagio. When it was built it was tops but it has been far surpassed by the Bellagio. IMO the Flamingo is in an all together different league, it's best feature is a view of the Bellagio fountains. The Venetian is second to the Bellagio, but IMO the Venetian Canal theme doesn't work and detracts from the property. If you stay there, get a fountain view, it's worth the extra money.

An rating that would rate the Flamingo above the Bellagio is useless!

This is a great site for reviews of vegas hotels:

http://www.a2zlasvegas.com/hotels/rate-st.html

Be sure to click on "View Ratings and Comments" instead of the hotel itself (unless of course, you want to go to the hotel's website)

try cheapovegas.com~ Bellagio was just rated # in the US and the world...are you willing to pay a little more for it?

# 3.....

Jenna:
I think they give an overall rating based on guest's ratings. It based on value for the money, service etc. Cheapo Vegas for example rates all the hotels you mentioned as best values except Bellagio. Bellagio is the newest and most over the top of the MGM- Mirage properties. It's all a matter of personal taste. I find it too stuffy for my tastes and have encountered somewhat rude staff there. My personal favorites are Mirage and Treasure Island(service, value and class). And a more relaxed atmosphere than Bellagio. The rooms are about the same at all three.
Venetian has bigger and more impressive rooms but they've had many more complains about service. Mandalay Bay is very popular with the luxury- seeking set. I personally find the atmosphere there insufferable(neighter fun nor friendly) and won't even go in the place. It reminds me of the Desert Inn that Steve Wynn had the good sense to shut down. But, this is just my personal opinion. In Las Vegas there is someplace that is a fit for everyone. AS I've said it's just a matter of your personal taste.

I liked the rooms at Bellagio and would definately stay there again. However, I didn't like the fact that I couldn't find anything less than a $10 craps table in my three days.

I wonder if that fact, i.e. higher table minimums, influences some of these votes. Also, the food choices tend to be high priced for your typical American consumer.

Thank you Jean for an insightful response.
You are absolutely spot on.

Question for all: why is it that retailers who want to make $50 selling a shirt, believe that more people will buy it if you put it on sale, marked down from $65, than if you just price it at $50?
Because it makes people believe they're getting a deal...better value. Influences their perception.
Ask a Mercedes car dealer and a Chevy dealer whose clientele is a bigger pain in the arse to work with. The MB crowd expects perfection for what is being paid, and anything short of that is unacceptable. Same perspective when guests pay higher dollars for bellagio in a town where cheap lodging used to be a given

Stayed in Bellagio last February and it was FABULOUS!!! THe staff was THE most accomodating I have EVER found in the hotel industry..I was there during the grammy awards and we had theater tkts that nite, so we'd miss the show--I asked the front desk mgr if they had a VCR and a tape and if so , could they set it up in the room--I am not very mechanical- when we came back from shopping all day, the VCR was there, had a tape in it and instructions --if we had a problem,it gave us a no. to call--you couldn't ask for more than that as I know the request was nuts to beging with, but it was something I didn't want to miss--also, we had dinner in Le Circque at the hotel-we called ahead of time to book a table and were told they didn't take reservations- when we got in, we went to concierge and had no problem getting a table. REPEAT--STAFFF IS FABULOUS--I didn't want to go home the service was so good. In fact, room service was actually better and cheaper than going out to dinner. I am a RITZ fanatic and this hotel acutally topped all of my RItz stays!

Jenna, I have been to going to Vegas regularly for the last 15 years and feel I could help you better if I knew your age and what kind of accomodations you are used to experiencing. Overall I find Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and Bellagio to be the best.

If you've got money to burn, the Bellagio and Caesars Palace are, in my opinion, the best in Vegas.