judibob wrote:

What's the best way of getting a good deal. ? I want to do what we did ten years ago, just turn up 'on spec' call in a hotel and find out where's there's vacancies. My husband says I've not thought of the reality of this plan. Tired, hot, can't find a parking place, loads of messing about, - ten years ago we didn't have the internet. What 's your opinion ?

Absolutely don't turn up on spec. That is one way of ensuring you get the most expensive rates.

Vegas hotels are at 90% capacity mid-week and 95% at weekends.

I suggest you book a rate you're reasonably happy with direct with the hotel. You will only pay one night's deposit and will get it back if you cancel more than 48 or 72 hours before arrival.

luci

For a family, it may also be good to consider an off strip property such as Orleans. It has a nice pool area and several child friendly pastimes including a multi screen cinema.

Just got this offer from Orleans this morning. I hope that helps someone.

There are some fairly large conventions in town from the 20th - 26th or so, one of 40,000 people, one of 36,000 and one of 23,000. So I guess roooms will not be so 'available' around that week.

TC

I managed to get the MGM for $89 midweek in August and then was directed to another deal which got the rate down to $69 a night which to me if the biggest bargain ever (some dates are even $49).

The total cost of my accommodation (including tax) in August, 4 nights in Albuquerque, 4 nights in Santa Fe and 5 nights in Las Vegas (13 nights in total) is $820, which divided across the 13 nights works out to be just over £32 a night all in.

Good job, flight prices are horrendous!!!!!

Thank you to everybody for your excellent advice - That's interesting about the conventions in Las Vegas that week - thanks, TeeCee - and you jammy thing, jwhiting !! And thanks for looking after my posts Pippa - what an excellent forum this is.

We're coming round to thinking about the Golden Nugget - there's four of us and one of our friends has walking problems - we'd forgotten about the distances you have to walk to your rooms in these vast complexes - so now I've got another query -

I can remember walking for ages to get to the outside - or to the bars/buffet, inside etc. Are there places where a poor walker can sit down, like a sofa or a chair in an alcove, or somethng like that ?

I didn't notice many places to just have a seat like you asked, but there are hundreds of seats in the casinos where they can stop for a break on their way through the hotel.

If walking is a problem, ask for a room near the elevators. We had a room just round the corner from the elevators at the Imperial Palace and had no walking at all. However to was a wee bit of a hike to our room at the MGM and I'm glad we weren't in the West Wing as the corridor was so long that you couldn't see the end of it!

The GN would be a good enough hotel, but are you aware that it's Downtown and a bus ride away from the main strip? Planet Hollywood would be a good choice as none of their rooms are far from the elevators and you can get onto the strip fairly quickly.

The pool itself is nothing fancy, but there are 2 big areas for sunbathing.

luci

Hi Judibob. I think there's a fight on that weekend, 20th September De La Hoya and Mayweather. That will push the rates up for the weekend, and also possibly just after.

Have a look at http://www.i4vegas.com

They have 21st-25th for the following rates:-

Sahara $52 per night
Stratosphere $59
Orleans $70, $60, $60, $60
Gold Coast $64
Bill's $90 (use Flamingo pool)

Have a look at the Orleans website and see what you think of it. http://www.orleanscasino.com

You can also call orleans and book and they will match the price on i4vegas - I got my september nights 6-12th for $90 and $45 for the weeknights.

Again - thanks everybody for all these little ' golden nuggets' of advice I'm receiving - it's really nice to hear from you all. I'm now checking out all those other hotels. I've picked up on Planet Hollywood having rooms near the elevators. You can't hear the elevators can you? I'm getting picky now !!

I never heard them at Planet Hollywood. At that hotel you're never more than 6 doors away I think it is. It's also easily accessible to the strip from the room (some towers are set quite far back in other hotels!).

We've stayed at PH 4 times and never heard an elevator. One time we were right opposite the ice machine and we didn't hear that either.

PH used to have some great offers, but I haven't seen them this year. The most we've paid is $69 and we were upgraded to a fountain view room by using the $20 trick/tip at check in.

For accessiblity to the strip, PH is one of the better hotels. I can't think of another one that is easier, apart from perhaps Bill's.

luci

Thanks Luci - we're still working on it !!

Hi just joined, can someone give me some recommendations on cheapest hotels in Vegas (I'm Aberdonian!!)

Oh by the way, I'm a heavy smoker, where can/can't you smoke in Vegas and any tips on how to cope on long haul flights?

Hi Walter52 and welcome to HT!

The cheapest, not necessarily the best, hotels are Circus Circus, Stratosphere and Sahara all north of the strip and Imperial Palace which is centre strip.

It is recommended that you book your flights and hotel separately direct and not with a 3rd party so that you can take advantage of a cheaper rate if you find one after you have booked.

I would recommend flying non-stop if you are a smoker and the flight is 10-1/2 hours going and 9-1/2 hours coming back. Then you have the connection to Aberdeen. You can fly ABZ-MAN-LAS with bmi. They can be expensive, but keep an eye on their site for offers.

If you decide on a connecting flight in the US, be aware that most US airports are non-smoking so that could mean a 8+ hour flight, a 3 hour stop over and another 4 hour flight and that's without getting from Aberdeen to LHR, LGW, MAN or Amsterdam.

You could use nicotine patches, gum or tablets, but the best thing to do is sleep!

In Vegas you can smoke practically everywhere apart from the airport, restaurants and bars serving food. You can smoke in all of the casinos on the strip and there are only a few off strip that are non-smoking.

There are several topics on Vegas here and loads of posts. The Search facililty at the top of the forum will find them for you.

luci

Thanks Lucy for your words of wisdom, I won't be flying from Aberdeen though (live in Hull now).

I've tried those patches and got a terrible headache and I find it hard to sleep on a plane so I'm going to have to suffer in silence. We're going to be a bundle of fun as my wife suffers from bladder weakness!!

I've just read your Vegas diary Lucy, wow you really know your stuff!!
I'm planning to go to Vegas in November with the missus, I was there with my parents 40 years ago, I guess it's changed a lot since then!!

I take it from your post Lucy that you've been there on numerous occassions, in fact is there anywhere in the world you have'nt been to?!! I'm guessing that you are retired or have a very understanding boss, I only get the standard 4 weeks holiday a year so it's Majorca in July & Vegas in November.

Hi Herman here first time poster.

Walter, I think I have the answer to your wife's long haul problem.
My Gran had the same problem until my mum got special clothing for her out of the clubby.
That was a few years ago so no doubt technolgy has moved on since then.

By the way I'm going to Las Vegas in July and hate a smokey enviroment, the smell makes me ill, no offence Walter, can I expect plenty of clean air locations.

I found most places in Vegas to have excellent aircon. I rarely noticed the smell of smoke, and don't remember my hair/clothes smelling of it at the end of a night. (This is even after I gave in and had a few myself - we did not smoke in the hotel room, but no smells were noticeable on clothes the morning after )

Can't wait to go back myself

Walter52 wrote:

I take it from your post Lucy that you've been there on numerous occassions, in fact is there anywhere in the world you have'nt been to?!! I'm guessing that you are retired or have a very understanding boss, I only get the standard 4 weeks holiday a year so it's Majorca in July & Vegas in November.

We've been to Vegas 8 times, usually May and November, but can only manage once this year due to going on a cruise in September. Yes we have been to a lot of places including Australia, Kenya and Russia, but Vegas keeps drawing us back.

Unfortunately we're not retired and that is a long way off. I only get 20 days holidays a year, but I try to work the statutory holidays and that gives me another 4 days to play with. We usually go to Vegas for 10-12 nights in May and again for 7 nights in November with a week elsewhere Xmas or New Year.

Keep an eye on Fat Wallet. That link takes to you to last page where the latest deals are posted, but make sure you check Page 1 as it is updated regularly. You can check back last year's posts to see what offers were available for your dates then.

luci