Snap we are off to Vegas on the 7th Feb, staying 7 nights in the Gold Coast.

Hi,

We are considering the IP for our trip in April, prices are amazing. I have read many different reports, what are your views on IP. Prices for the other hotels are very high and trying to be patient for any offers. It appears to be more important to some in our party that we book a basic hotel, giving them more gambling money.

Have you seen Elton John, Red Piano? Tickets are expensive but well worth considering. We will book to see Love (Cirque du Soleil) which is all done to the Beatles music.

Have you ever tried the Cheese Cake factory to eat?

Kaz.

The legend of the Cheesecake Factory returns.

It's a decent restaurant but it's just a chain. They have a lot of locations around the country and one just happens to be in Las Vegas. It's not top of the line and there are plenty of them about. I'd compare it somebody getting all excited about visiting a Beefeater. I mean, they're nice and all and I suppose they are fairly unique if you've never been to the UK... but it's just a chain. Still, good cheesecake at the Factory, right?
I've never stayed in a hotel in Vegas so I can't answer any questions about that, sorry.

Really looked forward to the cheesecke factory but to tell the truth I was really dissapointed in the fact it wasn't what I would call cheesecake.

The really good cheesecake in the UK is solid and has a nice texture but what I ate was kind of whipped up so in my eyes not cheesecake

John

Really? Hmm, well I've never tried their cheesecake to be honest. That's the kind of cheesecake I would expect in Denny's, not a place that is meant to specialize in cheesecakes. Both Outback* and Marie Callender's do very nice cheesecake that is "solid".
* Note that the Outback cheesecake does not have a base, which is a bit odd, but they might have changed it since I last had cheesecake there. It also might depend on the restaurant.

The IP is a good, basic hotel. It isn't the Bellagio, but doesn't cost Bellagio prices. What rates are you getting and on which sites or is that direct with the hotel?

We have stayed there 4 times and will be returning again in May, preferring to save the money to spend on shows and eating out. However I keep an eye out for special rates on other hotels and have stayed at the Aladdin, Caesars Palace and the Venetian.

We have booked to see Elton John with seats in the 2nd mezzanine level. Unfortunately you have to book through Ticketmaster and they added $54 in fees to the cost of the tickets.

Saw Beatles "Love" and really enjoyed it. The Fab Four tribute act at the V Theatre in the Desert Passage is also worth seeing.

We've had a decent meal in the Cheesecake Factory a couple of times and the fact it's a chain means nothing to me seeing as we don't have one here. What type of cheesecake did you have John? We've had a couple of different ones and they were definitely solid and not whipped. Just as well we were sharing as I couldn't finish a whole one myself.

luci

To me the cheesecake factory is just large portions of OK food, smiliar to any other grill &/or BBQ US type restaurant.
We've been to one once (in Vegas) and never been back despite many trips to Vegas and Orlando since our first visit.

As for the IP, it's in a great spot but I can't say anymore as I've never stayed, I'd defintiely keep an eye out for all hotel specials though, right up to a few days before you depart.

Perhaps the legendary Cheesecake Factory myth has finally be debunked! lol There is actually one fairly close to where I work (it's probably 10 miles away). I should go there and take the solid vs whipped test some time!

I had better re tell this before it gets out of hand

When I said "whipped" I didn't actually mean whipped lolol but it wasn't solid as in the one I am eating now lol

I picked the first off the top which was strawberry (which is also what I am eating now) and I don't eat a lot but myself but I would definitely say that it wasn't huge and more like a normal slice but there was definitely whipped cream on the top like the stuff you get in the aerosol can.

I don't think I would bother staying in a cheaper hotel now after Caesars Palace as it was luxurious compared to anything I have stayed in around the world though the cleaning in the bathroom was a bit iffy.

I was lounging in the bubble tum and could see right along below the sinks and they were minging and full of dustbut otherwise I thought the place was spot on.

I did ask Luci a few time about the safe and it was big enough for my laptop, video and digital slr camera, wallets and purses and the safe is one of the big issues for me.

John

What about a hotel review John ? Still keep looking for one and a trip report!

luci

You know I never seem to get around to doing that Luci.

Me and the wife also had a meet with people from Trip Advisor at Ellis Island on Koval and I enjoyed that a lot.

I will try to get something in print at the weekend as I should really as the answers to the questions I asked you are now logged in my brain so I should really pass them on.

John

I don't think I would bother staying in a cheaper hotel now after Caesars Palace

I don't mind staying at a cheaper hotel if it gives me more money for shows and eating out. I would certainly stay at Caesars or the Venetian again if I got the rates we got in Nov/Dec, but those rates are rarely available on the dates we are there.

PS I have just booked to go back again in November and we haven't been on our May trip yet. Got a brilliant price on direct flights with bmi which was too good to pass up.

luci

While we are veering off the subject slightly I must say that I would definitely rather fly indirect (weird you think) than direct.

If I was to go with Virgin direct even though they have some great sale prices now it would mean another flight to London to pick it up so extra cost and when arriving back to London lagged you then have to wait for your flight to the North.

Bmi our option from Manchester is also a no no to me after weighing up all the pros and cons.

Bmi and Virgin afaik allow only the normal luggage of 20 kilos and I think 5 kilos hand luggage.

Their seat pitch in cattle class is no good to me and I am a big lad so need a bit of room.

I chose American Airlines because their seat pitch was good and I chose the seats online so we had 2 seats window side to ourselves.

The luggage allowance was brilliant as in 2 pieces of main luggage per person at 23 kilos per item so 46-50 kilos per person (they were lenient too in Las Vegas as I watched other people getting on) and the hand luggage was a whopping 18 kilos per person.

Now for someone like my wife who likes to buy half of the shops while we are away that is great and I think we spent $600 in Timberland alone on the first days shopping trip(3 days of shopping )

The 2 hour stopover in Chicago was excellent as by the time we had passed immigration we had maybe 1 hour to relax in a bar and have a few drinks and a sandwich, stretch our legs and we were gone again and in less than 3 hours later we were in Las Vegas.

The staff on the flights were spot on and very professional also which made the flight a nice part of the trip.

Don't be surprised if you read some of this in my report as I will be using bits.

John

Thanks for the info so far John. Looking forward to your TR.

I prefer direct, even though I have to fly from Aberdeen to get it, as I'm a smoker. As almost all US airports are non-smoking it makes for a very long journey without a cig if we have a connection.

We flew American Airlines in May and liked them. Virgin's baggage allowance is, I think, 2 pieces at 23kg. bmi has the most generous we've found at 2 x 32kgs plus hand baggage.

luci

Interesting thoughts about indirect versus direct.

I'm off to Vegas in Feb (yay!).

It will be trip 12 (gosh!), and my third trip flying direct.

I've flown via Manchester, on a killer deal with BMI (they mucked up their web site booking engine, and I got 2 business class return flights for 250 quid each including tax), needless to say it was worth the schlep up to Manchester from London to take advantage of that deal. Hated the International terminal in Vegas, loved the flights.

Flown Virgin from Gatwick - never seen a 747 empty so quick! Nice flight, crew worked hard, and still hated the International Terminal.

This trip, got a deal with MaxJet for business class direct to Vegas for 599 return - from Stansted, but will still hate the International terminal.

I have no idea what it is about that terminal, but I don't FEEL like I have arrived in Vegas - it's not exciting! I get excited when i get in the cab and go up Industrial and wave at the hotels (I know I have it bad!).

All my other flights have been indirect, and I have ended up arriving in Vegas via the D terminal - I LOVE the big sign above the escalator as you down to the tram, I love the machines shouting at you as you walk off the plane, and the shops are just better.

If i fly indirect I go via the West Coast, I'd rather do 11 hours to LA or SFO in a bigger plane then a short hop than 9 hours in a bigger plane then 4 hours in a cattle train. I have done Chicago, Atlanta and Washington, and hated the intercontinental trips. SFO is really quick to get from the plane to immigration BTW.

Dunno what the point of the post is, apart from to give my experiences, and if I had the choice to go direct or indirect? I'd probably go indirect with a US carrier - the immigration lines with a US carrier emptying is always shorter than going direct with a UK carrier - although Maxjet will be diff as the plane only has 102 seats!

As for Vegas in Feb, this will be my third trip in Feb, not mad cold, but can be wet. Not that a bit of rain will stop you of course be careful taking cabs if the rain is VERY bad, it makes the drivers nervous as they really aren't used to downpours, and all the drivers in Vegas are mad.

Heid, you have a couple of PM's

I quite like driving in the rain but that's just me.

Off to Vegas Feb 9th with my Wife. First time and very excited!!