Las Vegas advice

[seatrout]

So - we are booked to fly to Las Vegas in November and meet my stepdaughter and 2 grandkids there for a 3 day break.

My Grandaughter badly wants to stay at the Excaliber because she IS that princess and deserves a castle. (If there were unicorns there it would be an added bonus)

Question. What hotels have you stayed at - were they any good - what are the 'must sees' ?

[misfitinmn]

We stayed at Treasure Island and were impressed with our room - it was a "belated" honeymoon so we splurged on the Honeymoon suite, so I can't speak to the regular rooms. We didn't do much apart from the free stuff - walking the strip, seeing the sights...I LOVED the gardens at the Bellagio - that was probably one of my favorite things, honestly! They change them up with the seasons and it's just really impressive! And of course the dancing fountains there are quite lovely as well!
I am drawing a blank on what else we saw while we were there now...I'll have to think about it, it's way early and I'm still a little groggy!

(Btw, I love your siggy!!)

[MamaBee]

Because my hubby's family is cheap... we stay at cheap places and my hubby's great aunt will spend months writing all the casinos asking for free meals. They have been going to Vegas almost every year for 20+ years... only now have stopped because one grandma is 98. Aunt Jane prefers downtown casinos - cheaper tables, cheaper food, etc... but it is more seedy and a bit scary. haha

I've stayed at the Artisan - just off the strip, no casino attached... when went 6 years ago - it was amazingly cheap, like $30 a night! I thought it was very cool... but my hubby's grandmas (reason for the trip), didn't like it because there wasn't a casino attached.

Also stayed at Circus Circus... It's big, loud and kids would LOVE it! haha... It was okay, our room was huge and with a casino on site and huge buffet, this is the grandmas' preferred hotel to stay at every time they go.

And I also stayed at an extended stay off the strip for work... would not recommend that, however only two blocks walk (if you can still call them blocks) to the strip.

Just walking up and down the strip and going into the casinos are a must... Paris, Bellagio, New York New York... all very cool to walk around...

Venetian... take a gondola ride...

Mandalay Bay has a shark exhibit that is pretty cool... and they have a wine restaurant where the wait staff uses pulleys to go up and down the rows of wine... kind of cool to watch.

[farrijc]

Excalibur is pretty far down on the strip and on the older side (unless there have been renovations done recently), so it definitely wouldn't be my first choice. The strip is a lot more spread out than it appears, so I don't like staying on one end or the other. I have stayed at the monte Carlo, ny ny, the bellagio, treasure island, and Paris. The bellagio is awesome, but expensive unless you find a great deal. Paris I have stayed at a couple times and would stay there again. I also like treasure island. Other than taking in all the sites of the strip, going downtown at night and walking down Fremont street and seeing the light show is fun. If you gamble at all, it will be cheaper to do so there. You should definitely see at least one show while you are in vegas, too.

[HeatherKS]

We've stayed at Caesar's Palace, the Mirage, the Wynn, and Harrah's. Our times at the Wynn and Mirage were when we were there for company events for Paul and although they are expensive, they are worth it! We got a great deal on a room at Caesar's Palace one October when we went down and the rooms there are fantastic, too, and I like that it is fairly centrally located on the strip. If we're going on our own dollar and can't find a deal somewhere else, we stay at Harrah's. It's centrally located on the strip, the rooms are reasonably priced and clean, and the buffet is good. It also has cheaper tables than some of the more upscale hotels.

As for activities, definitely make a point to see all of the free stuff along the strip at night - the Bellagio fountains, the volcano at the Mirage, and the show in front of Treasure Island. For daytime activities, the dolphin habitat and tigers at the Mirage are neat, the lions at MGM (if they are back, when we were there in April it was being renovated and they were off exhibit), the roller coaster at NY NY, M&M World and the Coca Cola store, the Stratosphere - there are tons of things to keep you busy. Have fun!!!

[pewtertm]

I've stayed at Excalibur when it was new...the rooms are okay, nothing special. The view from our room was great...we looked out over turrets...so for a little kid, they might really feel like they were in a real castle. But other than an arcade and a DQ, there's not much there for kids. They used to have 3D ride-films, but I'm not seeing that on their website now.

[AmberK]

I've been 2 Vegas twice and have stayed at Paris and the Hilton. I LOVED Paris and would stay there again. When you walk in and go past the Casino's is like you are walking the streets in Paris. I have an obsession with Paris! Our room was really great too!

[lovely1m]

I stayed at Excalibur when we were there in 2006. They had an awesome dinner show that my nieces really enjoyed, too. It is on one of the strip, but you can take trams along it if you are wanting to go to a place on the opposite end. I enjoyed it.

[jaylensmom]

I just go back from Las Vegas this morning...I go way too much...I've stayed at the following hotels...Ok I realize after putting the list together that I go to Vegas too much There are some hotels that I've stayed at years and years ago so I didn't include them.

Aria-Only stayed here once and I really liked it
Mandalay Bay/The Hotel (at Mandalay Bay)-you can't go wrong here
Venetian/Palazzo-Stayed at one of these the last 4 times I've been (this year) and I'll be back in August (family reunion)...I like these because they are all suites
MGM-Nice
Mirage-Nice...they just remodeled their rooms about a year ago
Wynn-it was nice...I would stay there again if it was free but I think if I had to pay I would go someplace else...compared to some of the other hotels the rooms were small (and I think we got upgraded)
Paris-it was nice when I stayed a few years ago
Harrah's-Nice...rooms are older but clean and it's right in the middle of the strip
Bally's-same comment as Harrah's

BTW I haven't stayed at Excalibur since forever but I did go view their rooms about 2 years ago...they did some remodeling...it was ok...my cousin stayed there last November and he said it was ok too...

[jaylensmom]

Originally Posted by lovely1m

I stayed at Excalibur when we were there in 2006. They had an awesome dinner show that my nieces really enjoyed, too. It is on one of the strip, but you can take trams along it if you are wanting to go to a place on the opposite end. I enjoyed it.

if you plan on taking the tram you may want to check into the price...my mom went a few months ago and she said the prices have gone up and I'm not sure if they sell all day passes...

[lovely1m]

Originally Posted by jaylensmom

if you plan on taking the tram you may want to check into the price...my mom went a few months ago and she said the prices have gone up and I'm not sure if they sell all day passes...

It was cheap when I went. lol But 2006 is a long time ago for thinking of prices.

[nun69]

I went in 2010 and the tram on the Monte Carlo, Treasure Island, Excalibur side of the strip the tram is free..... we rode it all the time between hotels I have stayed at Treasure Island (had a very upgraded room and LOVED it) and NYNY, loved it as well.....I haven't stayed at some of the older hotels, but I think that end of town is very shady where The Stratosphere, Circus Circus and Riveraria are.....

walking through all of the hotel casinos is a must and they are all amazing! go check out

1.the White Tigers at the Mirage (not free but not very expensive)
2.Freemont Street (you have to catch a bus but it was only like $14 a person for an all day bus pass)
3.check out the M&M store (it is 5 stories on the strip)
the chocolate fountain at the Bellagio (have a chocolate covered strawberry from there...YUM YUM YUM)
4.If you have the funds, go see one of the Cirque shows...they are AMAZING!!!!!!(not Zummanity, it ias adult content)
5.they feed the lions at MGM certain times of the day and it is free to see
6.go see the Bodys exhibit at The Luxor (amazing experience)...you can also see the Titanic exhibit (they are both paid things)
7.my sister went to the shark exhibit and said it was amazing!!!
8. ride the roller coaster at NYNY(pay as well)
9. walk through all the shoppes at the Forum at Ceasar's
10. Madame Toussad's wax museum is there as well (I have only been to the one in London)
11. you can see the Siren show at Treasure Island for free (starts at dark)

[tanbanan]

The rooms at The Venetian are gorgeous!

However, when we go I prefer to stay off the strip. . . we love The M Resort. They have a gorgeous pool and you can get a room with a view of the strip. Parking is easy and they have great restaurants too.

[xboxmom]

I have been to Vegas several times myself too. Our first trip we did stay at Excalibur back in 1996 and it was really run down and super Cheap to stay at the time and is WAY down on the strips end.

We have also stayed at NY NY and it was alright and again I didn't feel it was anything special but definitely an up grade from Excalibur.

MGM Grand was pretty nice and we have stayed there more recently and saw KA! I must see if you are into the Cirque shows.

Bellagio is REALLY nice but on the higher end side when it comes to price. If you don't stay there I highly recommend at least walking through it they have some beautiful Glass ceilings and a big garden area that is always decked out in some type of holiday hallaballoo. Also the AWESOME crepe place is in Bellagio and even if we aren't staying there we always stop in to get a crepe. http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/jean-philippe.aspx

We have also stayed at the Venetian/Palazzo for me its by far THE BEST place to stay in Vegas. All the rooms are HUGE and you can have a whole party in your room to hang out if you get tired of walking around the strip. It's also really beautiful inside and you can buy a gondola ride outside of it super fun!

The wax museum is a MUST! Super fun to walk through. And go into Paris and walk around in their inside shopping mall area it's pretty cool. Viewing the sharks at Mandala Bay is always nice too.

HEre are a few pics. Our room in Bellagio (all in OCt. 2007)


Gardens in Bellagio remember it was Oct.



Our Room in Venetian




the Wax Museum



I do have pictures of Excalibur and NYNY but they are so old I don't have them digital and I have not scanned them. Hopefully the pictures above will help you make up your mind as to where you want to stay. Enjoy Vegas!!!!

[seatrout]

Whoooo thanks everyone. Roll on November

[DawnMarch]

We've been a few times with our kids and probably the hotel they enjoyed the most was Circus Circus. It's not the best hotel by luxury standards but they loved the amusement park and arcade (and the free circus shows). It's so hard to get anywhere in Vegas -- what with having to traipse through enormous casinos, that it was nice to have those options there on site. We've been to the Excaliber (never stayed there) but as far as I can tell aside from the fact that it looks like a castle from the outside, it's pretty much just another casino inside.

The Venetian has lovely rooms but OMG you have to walk really far to get anywhere in that hotel. We were exhausted every time we had to make the marathon hike from our room to anywhere else. I love Mandalay Bay -- very tropical and lovely; the Luxor is kind of cool for kids with all the Egyptian stuff, the Titanic Exhibit and a food court and a nice enough place to stay.