Both of the hotels are very beautiful, though I have never stayed at either....the buffet at bellagio is wonderful!

Depending on how long you are staying, I would say to go for both! Have fun and experience both of them!

Or maybe, perhaps, opt for the Mandalay Bay?

While I'm very little help helping you decide between the two (because I've only stayed at the Venetian), I have to say - our room at the Venetian was absolutely wonderful! We stayed there for 5 nights and I would return in a heartbeat. I loved the casino at the Venetian. By comparison, we had stayed at the Hilton (thumbs down), Monte Carlo (just okay), MGM (too much walking), and the Venetian (my fav). In any case, I hope you have a fantastic trip.

We stayed at the Bellagio in Feb. As far as I was concerned the major downside to the Bellagio is the low-end food. You know, the kind that you want for breakfast or a quick lunch. They really need to work on that area. The buffet is awful IMHO. All about quanity rather than quality. The Venetian has the Grand Luxe Cafe, a much better option for breakfast or lunch.
The Bellagio was lovely and our room was fabulous. I was not a big fan of the Wynn based on the lobby only. DH was taken to dinner in their teppanaki Japanese restaurant and they were not impressed. Very pricey and not much better than Benihana!

That's an interesting comment, Compumom, as we felt just the opposite when we stayed at Bellagio. I thought the quality of their 24 hour coffee shop was way above all others I've been to in other hotels, yet priced about the same. And when we arrived, someone sent us to a little Asian noodle restaurant (called "Noodles", maybe?) that was simply wonderful and cheap at the same time. That's been a couple of years now. Have those places changed? By the way, last week I noticed they had moved their little coffee and pastry place called Palio from an obscure location in the back of the hotel to right up front by the main street entrance. We loved that for simple breakfast in the morning.

I just have to raise my hand on the comments made about the Bellagio's buffet....

Ok, it has been a couple of years since I have eaten there, but their breakfast buffet was the best I have ever been to.

Wonderful eggs with smoked salmon, great jook and other Asian inspired breakfast dishes, wonderful croissants and made to order waffles....the buffet was so heavenly!!!

Of course, it could have changed a lot since then, but my memories of the buffet were heavenly....

I hear many comments about the rooms being a little underwhelming at the Bellagio. Maybe the new spa tower rooms are nicer, though?
I know I absolutely loved our Venezia tower room 2 years ago. I thought the Venetian was the most "fun" of the Vegas hotels, too. My teen kids were impressed with it, too, and picked over Bellagio and Mandalay...
I know some say the Venetian is "cheesier" than the Bellagio, but isn't that what it's all about in Vegas !?!

Geezz...I wish I had your dilemma....heheheh

hunterblu: I've not stayed at either Bellagio or the Venetian, so I cannot compare rooms or pools. I've spent a great deal of time in Vegas and Bellagio and some at the Venetian. Bellagio has the better location for wandering around between Casinos without walking your legs off, seeing great free shows (the Bellagio fountains, the Bellagio conservatory, the Caesars Palace statutes, Paris). The Venetian is spectacular to walk around for half a day, but I tire of the reproduction architecture. I've never been a fan of the Mirage or Treasure Island or their free shows. We have seen Mystere at TI three times, however. If you plan to see "O" at Bellagio, stay there. They reserve the best seats for hotel guests. For shops, I give the edge to the Bellagio - Caesars' Palace corner, but the Venetian's are nice. Wynn's has the best quality buffet in Vegas, we've eaten there four times & loved it. Rachel Ray agrees that its the best in Vegas. Bellagio's is almost as good, but more expensive and very noisy. Bellagio has the best high quality and expensive restaurants (we love the Prime Steakhouse and Picassos). I'd avoid the Caesars Palace buffet - expensive, crowded, mediocre, and hard to get to the food. Have never eaten at any of the Venetian restaurants and almost never gamble there - too many times that we've walked through the Venetian casino they've been having leaks from the grand canal with attendant mold problems and the air was saturated with air freshener / disinfectant. Bellagio's casino is classy, and they play great background music, but in the last 2 years the slots have gotten very tight and the minimums on the table games have gone up (I'm a cheap gambler). Wynn's casino is also nice, and they have good video poker machines - which is all we've ever played there. Don't remember what their table game minimums are. Hope this is some help.

Braunsky, you might appreciate this...we stay at the Bellagio, one night we were bored with the slots and casino so we took at cab to the Golden Nugget..I walked up to a 50 cent slot machine and on the first pull, won $500- LOL
Now I will always go to the Golden Nugget sometime during my stay
Also, Mirage slots are good .. or at least they have been known to be good later in the evening ~

Good choice! hunterblu!!

You're obviously not getting comped & a Vegas Virgin. You'll rarely even see the room, or remember what it looks like. Save the $$ to spend elsewhere (& yes, it will get spent).

Scarlett - QED! You have proved my point about Bellagio. Glad to hear you have found a lucky casino. The Nugget seems a friendly place. For my spouse, it's the Flamino.

Braunsky

Oh Braunsky, my luckiest casino is the Rio where I won $ 1,100 on a dollar slot. But we still stay at the Bellagio
I want to go to Vegas .... lol

Scarlett - I know what you mean. We still spend time at Bellagio, just because we love the atmosphere. We start planning our next trip to Vegas almost as soon as we get home! LOL or CIMB. So what did you decide hunterblu?

We decided on the Bellagio.

hunterblu - You will love it. Have a great time & remember not to take anything seriously except the dictate to relax and have fun.

You'll love it, its a fantastic place. Be sure to go to the Buffet, at least one other of their high-end restaurants,and, if you can swing tickets to O, you will never forget it. Have a great time.

I have never been to the buffet but the little cafe for ice cream or cappucino is very nice and the Bellagio Cafe is great for lunches or probably light dinners..
We book our dinners at the same time we book our room lol..so Circo , Prime and Olives are the places I would recommend ( if you want to go spendy)..In the Venetian, Pinot Brasserie is lovely.
I liked O but loved Mystere
Have a great time and Good Luck!!

In Bellagio, stop at Shintaro restaurant and have aji sashimi.

Scarlett, I have to catch Mystere next time, and you're absolutely right to mention the ice cream/gelato place, yum.