We want to spend two nights in Las Vegas in August. We've never been there and don't know anything about the hotels. Some hotels such as Harrahs, the Flamingo, Mandelay Bay, Luxor are offering AMAZING low rates - $23.00/night etc. I just wonder if these places are nice. Where's a good place to stay in Las Vegas? Thanks.

Of the hotels you mentioned, I have only stayed at the Luxor. The room was not luxury but adequate and clean. The inclinators were a bit strange (in the 4 corners of the pyramid). If you can get a room there when you want it for less than $30/night I'd say do it. I also like the monorail connecting Luxor with 2 other casinos. I believe the parking is still free there as well.

A perennial question. First, if August is your only option that's OK. Just be aware it is brutally hot. Dry as a bone, so temperature might be 108 with a "feels like" of 103. Drink, Drink, Drink water and take eyedrops to soothe your dry eyes. You can still have a great time. Just be aware. Now to your question. What are you looking for? What experience do you want? Just a decent hotel? Hot 20 something bar scene? A lot of variety in a small walking area? Hotels on the Flamingo, Bally, Bellagio, Caesars Palace corner have location going for them. You can walk around, see the Bellagio fountains and conservatory inside, visit Caesars, Paris, walk down to Treasure Island and Venetian if you want, without busting your arches. (Keep heat in mind, however). A 24 hour pass on the Duece, the double decker buses, is an excellent value. The Flamingo is a bit tired, but the rooms are adequate and staff are good & the pool area is nice. The Flamingo buffet is not as good as it used to be. Below average now, and they don't let anyone other than high rollers (Diamond and Seven Stars level) sit next to the windows beside the wildlife area - which was always the best part of the buffet. Still a good location. Bally's and Paris and Planet Hollywood are all good choices. Buffet at PH is excellent, but noisy (lots of hard surfaces.) (Buffets are another topic entirely, as are shows.) Haven't stayed at Luxor or Mandelay Bay, but heard they are nice. Mandalay Bay is HUGE. You'll get exercise walking from one end to the other. They have Shark Reef, which is great, and an enormous wave pool and is popular with 20-30 somethings.

Once you pick a hotel, if you get there and your room sucks, ask to be moved. In August they should not be at 100%, unless there is a huge convention in town. Check the Las Vegas Tourism office web site at http://www.visitlasvegas.com/vegas/index.jsp
to find out what's going on when you are there. If you want to see a popular show, get tickets in advance.

Hope this helps.

Mandalay "strip-view" deluxe rooms are fantastic. Last year we got one for around $100 and that included some great meal discounts, free drinks etc. You look directly over the Luxor Pyramid and can see the Statue of Liberty and MGM Lion clearly from your window.

You can catch a "monorail" from the lobby that takes you to the MGM Grand/ New York New York corner and its a short walk from there to the Bellagio etc.

It is a significantly newer property than some of the others you mention and the gaming floor is much nicer then some others we saw. Great range of entertainment and restaraunts on-site and the pool area is sublime.

Mandalay Bay is supposedly much nicer than the others you mention, but the location is not ideal because it's at the far south end of the strip. Monorail and taxis are not cheap and you won't enjoy walking much in August heat.

Harrahs and Flamingo are more centrally located but not as highly rated.

If you want to be part of the scene on the strip then go for something more central (Braunsky has described this well), if you want a swank hotel then pick Mandalay Bay, or try to get a summer deal at some of the excellent hotels that are more centrally located like Wynn/Encore, Venetian/Palazzo, Caesar's Palace or Bellagio. Most of these will cost more but you can still get excellent summer deals some weeks, especially weekdays.

The Mandalay Bay monorail does not cost anything and runs frequently.

Not the Luxor. I stayed last March, and it was disgusting. Dirty rooms, the elevators kept breaking down, and it hadn't been updated in a long time. The Flamingo has a good location and was recently updated. Mandalay Bay is probably the nicest out of your choices, but it's located at the end of the Strip.

It really depends what you are looking for. A good pool? Great restaurants? Night Clubs? Shopping?

Try this little questionnaire which will help narrow down the choices: http://www.vegashotelspecial.com/ind...match-service/

Forget the Luxor.

BillH basically summed it up for you: Mandalay Bay is the nicest property but at the far south end of the strip, and a hike to get to the "heart" of the stip, near Bellagio and Caesars Palace.

Will you have a rental car? Or will you be walking everywhere? It's too hot to walk the strip in August. And cab fare adds up. And the monorail requires a looong walk to and from stations.

Harrah's and Flamingo are well located in center strip, easy access to Bellagio and CP, but not as fancy as MB.

I would choose Harrah's myself. But I like that casino and the ones nearby, and I prefer to gamble in the center and north strip. I personally don't like the south end of the strip as much, but that may not matter to you.

Flamingo isn't as nice imho, unless you're getting an updated GO room, which I doubt you will get at that low rate.

Mandalay Bay would get my vote. Have stayed there twice and love it, and the location doesn't prevent me from exploring the rest of the strip. The pool complex is fabulous, too, which is a big plus for August.

PS - I think most people would choose Mandalay Bay from those choices.

If you aren't sure what you want to do and see, that's probably the best bet as it's the nicest property. But just beware that it's far from the other hotels and casinos you might want to visit and keep transport options in mind. Walking on the strip in August is not anyone's idea of a good time.

I can't imagine spending time at the pool for such a short trip when there is so much else to see and do, but I'm not a pool person. When I'm in Vegas I want to see Vegas, not stuff I have at home. But both MB and Flamingo are known for having nice pools.

We find it is convenient to stay mid-Strip, within a short walk of the Bellagio fountains. The distances between hotels are much greater than they appear on maps. It sometimes takes fifteen minutes to walk from one casino to the casino next door!

HTTY

The Mandalay Bay monorail does not cost anything and runs frequently

I think this only goes between three side-by-side hotels (Excalibur, Mandalay Bay and Luxor) that are all still south of Tropicana Ave and well away from the heart of the strip. Free is good but you still haven't gotten anywhere riding this one if you wish to hang out near the main drag.

The one they call the Las Vegas monorail starts at MGM and runs north-east almost 4 miles to Sahara station, with some convenient stops along the way near the center of the strip. This one costs $5/person/ride or $12 for a day or $28 for 3 days, which I guess isn't too bad. http://www.lvmonorail.com/

The free 3 stop monorail confused not only me, but many others who took it. Where does it go, where's the exit, etc. a waste of time as you could walk the 3 hotels in no time instead of waiting for the thing to arrive and depart.

Now why would anyone go to Vegas for only 2 nights? Coming from where? If from LA, ok makes sense, if from London or Berlin none at all.

Flamingo is best located for first-timers, easy to get in and out of and often has the best summer deals. The pool area is terrific but of course quite crowded in August. You can walk to most of the grander casinos easily from the Flamingo and with only two days to explore...you won't want to be WAYYYyyyy down at the south end of the strip. Harrahs is right next door but some of the roooms are run down.

I'd go with the Flamingo for it's great location and great pool area. I stayed there and would certainly go back.

The Mandalay is the nicest of the ones you have listed but at the end of the strip.

I'm headed to the MGM in October and can't wait.

HS

Mandalay is the best of your list in terms of Hotel, worst in terms of location. Flamingo is the best location from your list but an older hotel. You might want to look at Tropicana, it has been totally redesigned and if you want really cheap, look at Hooters, it is probably cheaper than all the ones you listed.

Now that you are thoroughly confused...

I agree with Braunsky - depends what you want from your hotel. As others have said, Mandalay Bay is the nicest of the ones you've listed but not as conveniently located as Harrah's or Flamingo. Are you planning on using the pool area? If so, I would nix Harrahs. By far, the worst pool of the hotels you've listed.

I would choose Flamingo for the location. People love the pool. I've been there many times. The room that you will likely get will be pretty basic, maybe a double-double and not a king bed. But it will be clean and adequate for a couple of nights and definitely a bargain at that price. The monorail station is not far at all and it is all covered.

Why does everyone keep saying center of strip is best location? To do what? Some might prefer less crowds at either ends. No one at bus stops, no drunks, no noise. That's why MB, Excalibur, Trop are better choices than Flamingo, Bally's.