I am going to Vegas in May and I have never been there.....?

Question

I'm trying to buy my flight and hotel package tonight...but I need your help please!!!!!! Since I haven't been there, I'm not sure where to stay. I have narrowed it down to a couple hotels.....circus circus, atrium suites, golden nugget, the startosphere, and the excalibur. Which one of these would you choose? I am going there to party and have a good time, this is NOT for business, so I want to be very close to the strip, so I can walk everywhere. Thanks for you help in advance!!!!

Answer 1

The Stratosphere is NOT awful, it is actually a quite nice 3 star hotel, that just happens to be at the far North end of the strip. Some do not like it's location. That does not make it an awful hotel.
5/2-5/5 -$48-$48-$117-$117 hotel web site

The Atrium Suites are not a hotel, they are 1br suites at the Frontier.

The Golden Nugget is a very nice 4 star hotel located in downtown Las Vegas.

Circus Circus - If you do, you will be sorry

Excalibur - It's big, it's clean and it has a good location on the corner of LV Blvd S and Tropicana...This would probably in your case be your best bet if you can find a good rate..
$71-$91-$201-$221 >travelworm

Gold Coast - On Flamingo, 1 mile from the strip, The Palms is across the street and Rio is one block East. Between those two they have some of the hottest night spots in all of Las Vegas>Ghost Bar, Rain, Playboy Club, Voodoo Lounge, Flirt.
$58-$58-$124-$124 >travelworm>The GC will price match that rate
http://www.orleanscasino.com > for information

my favorite sites to check LV room rates
http://www.travelworm.com
http://www.i4vegas.com

for hotel reviews
http://www.cheapovegas.com

The Barbary Coast is very nice and sits dead center of the strip, if you can get by without a pool this is a great place...If you want a pool, take a look at the Flamingo>one of the great pools in LV

Since there are a few questions as to the actual location of LV casinos. Check the map
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com >"VEGAS INFO" >Las Vegas Maps

Answer 2

I would not choose the Stratosphere. It's off the main strip and I found it quite awful. The Golden Nugget is a downown casino (old Vegas) and again, quite far from the strip. Excalbuer and Circus Circus are low to mid-level places (at least the rooms I seem to get). Don't know anything about the atrium suites.

Vegas hotel prices go up and down in a few days, usually depending on a) a convention in town and b) whether it is the weekend. If you are free, you can go out in the early or mid week and get a bargain at a few nice places. I like Paris, with a view of the Belagio fountains. (Both hotels are very centrally located). The Venitian and the Wynne are also two higher end places.

Try to get the most for your money--get a good place that is on the strip (which, I should note, is still one heck of a hike if you are walking). You can get a bargain if you look around, try a few different sites.

Answer 3

Hey there. I wouldn't stay at Circus, Circus or the Golden Nuggets. Both of them are pretty dirty and constantly are written up in local papers.

The Stratosphere, Excalibur, Monte Carlo, Ballys, and even the Hilton are pretty moderatly priced. Usually you can score a room at the Monte Carlo for $70 or under a night. If thats in your price range that would be the nicest.
Not to mention its right in the middle of everything.

Google 'Cheap Vegas Hotels' and see what comes up. Try Expedia, Priceline, hotwire, etc, etc, etc.

Keep in mind that Circus, Circus is on the other end of the strip. Its not real close or in the middle the way the Monte Carlo is and the area is bad. Stratosphere is close to Circus but also across from the Sahara.

Answer 4

The best place to stay is probably circus circus. Best location for the strip. Golden Nugget is in the old, Downtown Vegas and you have to get on the express way to get to the strip.

Stratosphere is as far down the strip as you can get and boarders on a shady neighborhood. I stayed there one night and was not impressed, had to take a cab to get to any of the hotels worth anything

Excalibur is okay, middle of the road, older hotel. It has a draw for families and kids. The location is okay, but I wouldnt pick that place to stay.

Atrium suites is off strip I believe...check the website

www.vegas4visitors.com

It is the best online source for unbiased information on Las Vegas hotels, shows, dinning, nightclubs, etc

Circus Circus is also kinda family-themed, but the recently renovated and the location is really good. OUt of the choices given I would stay here.

We have been to Treasure Island twice and never was disappointed, even got married there. Good rates, Excellent hotel rooms, and Great location. I find the best value is here, an they cater to 20-30 age group, tryin to be sexy. Their clubs are cool too.

Answer 5

If you want the most off your trip I would recomend a hotel on the strip. then youre down to Circus circus, The Stratosphere and excalibur. Have you checked out Flamingo? Its central and as far as I knew ferly moderate in prices. I have been there and its a good hotel worth the money, at least then. Also check out MGM grand! When you book, try to avoid public holidays and major convention since the ques is awesome then. Also avoid a saterday check in since its mostly forbidden or very high priced. Johan

Answer 6

The stratosphere is just north of the strip. However, it is close if going by bus or trolley is acceptable. (It is too far to walk)
Circus Circus is an amusement park. However it is in the heart of the strip.
The stratosphere probably has the most generous slot machines as an incentive to go north of the strip.
I do not know the others because I have never been there.

Answer 7

Of the ones you listed, Excalibur. It is at the south end of the strip but closer to the rest of the strip then Circus Circus or the Stratosphere.

Answer 8

Of your choices, I would say Excalibur - It's big, it's clean and it has a good location on the corner of LV Blvd S and Tropicana. You can walk everywhere. Hey, another interesting hotel is Luxor. I am staying at Stratosphere in May, only because it is close to the things I need to do in that area i.e. get married.

Have fun!

Answer 9

When you look for a hotel in Vegas consider this. All of the big hotels on the Strip are great. The most important things to consider are location, price, and in the summer you want to consider the hotel’s pool area. So, stay on the strip in the center of all of the hotel locations so that you can walk to see all of the hotels and casinos, and all of the free attractions. The best place to stay to do that is in one of the hotels on or nearest to Flamingo Rd & the Strip. At that corner is Caesars Palace, Bellagio, the Flamingo, Ballys, and the Paris hotels. I am not saying you need to stay in one of these but stay close to them. I do recommend the Flamingo and Monte Carlo hotels if you are looking for a good price, location and pool.

The next thing to consider in picking the BEST place is price. Rates go down in the summer (and again after Thanksgiving, until about mid-January (except new years eve when prices double)). So pick a place that has the best price for you. Caesars, Wynn, The Venetian, and Bellagio will cost top dollar all of the time (like $150 and up) per night during the summer. The Flamingo, Ballys Monte Carlo, and some others you can get into for around $100 (but most times for less) during the low seasons. Its also more expensive in all Vegas hotels on Friday and Saturday nights by $40 to $60 more. So to get a lower rate plan to go to Vegas on Sunday and stay through Thursday night.

In the summer you probably want to spend some time at the pool areas, which in Vegas are fabulous. All of the big hotels have great pool areas. But the Mandalay Bay, and Monte Carlo hotels have a wave pool and a lazy river for tubing or body floating. The MGM hotel has a huge lazy river and a water fall. The Flamingo has a water slide (not big but nice and refreshing) and also a water fall. The pools at Caesars and Bellagio are good because they have multiple pools and plenty of places to sit. Caesars even has a topless pool areas called the VENUS POOL.

I have stayed at Mandalay Bay, Excalibur, MGM, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, Caesars, the Rio, the Flamingo, Ballys, and Harrahs. But the BEST place for me when I go is who has the best price. Again, all of the Strip hotels are great. So shop the web sites, look at the hotel rate calendars, and go when the price is the lowest. That's the best place to stay on the Strip. You can probably get lower priced rooms at the Circus Circus, Sahara and Rivera on the north end of the Strip, the Tropicana on the south end, and also at the hotels on Fremont Street. The Tropicana is one of the older hotels that has not been renovated like many others. The other locations will place you a long way from the center of the strip action and you’ll have to take a bus or taxi to Strip action. In addition, if you need to run to the room for a little R&R, it’s a long ways.

You can see most of the stuff on the Strip by walking, so you don't need a rental car. There is a free monorail between Bellagio and the Monte Carlo Hotel and also another free one between Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay. The one on the opposite side of the street which runs from the MGM to the Hilton you have to pay to ride. There is a free bus between Harrahs Hotel to the RIO Hotel that runs every half hour. There is also a free bus that you can get outside the Barbary Coast Casino that will take you to the Orleans and some other off strip casinos.

Plan which hotels/casinos you want to visit each day so you can make the most of your walking and the free monorails and scuttles. When you get to Vegas you will probably have in your hotel room a free guide to the city called either "What's ON" , “Showbiz”or "Las Vegas Today". These are helpful guises as they have a map of the Strip and city with the hotels marked, current hotel shows and prices, plus useful coupons. Some coupons will give you a free souvenir from certain hotels; you just have to take the coupon to the hotel. They also list hotel restaurants and buffets time sand prices.

When you go to Las Vegas these usual things you will want to see for FREE:

1. Number one on my list is to watch the fountains displays in front of the Bellagio hotel. It usually runs every 15 minutes in summers starting at 3:00 PM; runs continuously until about midnight. Each show is different (there are more than 20 different tunes choreographed) so stay and watch at least 2 or 3. ALSO, go inside the Bellagio hotel to its lobby and view the beautiful glass sculptured ceiling AND the seasonal floral arrangements in the Atrium.

2. The “Sirens of TI” show (spectacular) in from of the Treasure Island Hotel; it runs every 90 minutes starting at about 4:30 PM. Simply stand on the sidewalk in front of the TI Hotel.

3. The volcano erupt in from of the Mirage Hotel; starting at dark until midnight. Again, just stand on the sidewalk in front of the hotel.

4. Go down to Fremont Street and see the light shows. There are usually 3 or 4 different shows, starting after dark (about 8:30PM) and lasting about 5 or 10 minutes each.

5. Go to the RIO hotel to see the Masquerade in the Sky show. It is like Mardi Gras parade, only suspended from the ceiling over the gambling floor. It runs every 60 minutes starting about 3:00 PM; the last show starts at 9:30 PM..

6. Go to the MGM Grand hotel to see the Lion habitat. This is better then the tiger habitat at the Mirage Hotel because there are usually trainers in with lions to keep them active.

7. Go to the Mirage hotel to see the white tigers that Siegfried and Roy show used. This is kinda passe because the tigers rarely do anything but sit and stare.

8. Go in Caesars Palace and walk through the Forum shops to the first fountain (its spectacular) then take the first fork to the left to go see the aquarium. Then continue on through the shops to the second fountain and wait for the show to start.

9. Go into the Flamingo hotel to see their animal habitat with flamingos and penguins.

10 The Excalibur hotel also has a free show starting at 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM.