Come on...please help with planning a Vegas trip.?

Question

Where to stay, how to get cheap deals (travel agent, time share tours, online booking...) I need to know how to plan a three day trip to Vegas in November. I am going for business purposes and my hubby is going with me. We need guidance b/c we have never been.

Answer 1

Spend some time researching your trip and you will be able to book an excellent trip for half of the price. There are deals everywhere in Vegas because everybody wants your business.

Here's your best bet: research hotel/flight deals through well known travel deal sites (orbitz, expedia, travelocity, etc.) Take notes on prices. Do not book here though. Go to the websites for the hotels that you like. Check out their rate calendars and compair prices. Book whichever ones are good prices right away. (just double check the cancellation policy first, but usually it's you can cancel up to 48hrs in advance with no charge). Monitor the hotel rates every couple of days, they change drastically. Every time it drops rebook at the new rate and cancel your old reservation. A couple days before your trip cancel all the reservations except for the one you've decided on. Next, learn the promo codes and deals for hotels. This will give you things like % off rates, free food, etc. You can learn these codes by going on tripadvisor.com, select United States, then click on the forums section and go to Nevada. This is the best question and answer site for Vegas you'll ever find. Read the posts and you're sure to find one with a link to promo codes.

For your flight, just like you did with your hotel, research flight deals on orbitz, expedia, etc. Then go directly to different airline websites. Compair prices. Monitor them over a few days, they change drastically, like hundreds of dollars different from week to week. When you think you've found a flight that you like at a price you like, book it. Most airlines charge you a fee to cancel and rebook so you should try to wait until you see a really good price and only book the one time.

I would avoid booking with a package like expedia or the others because you can't change your hotel reservation even if you find a better deal. Also 99% of the time it ends up being cheaper to book directly yourself. Lastly, those package deals only have contracts with some of the hotels and some of the airlines so you're limited when you go with them, whereas on your own there are no limits.

For shows, consider the obstructed view seats for cirque "O" show. There are seats recommended on tripadvisor forum that are called obstructed view because they are on the side of the theater, but nothing is obstructed. They are a lot cheaper than the full price ones and the guy beside you will have the same view and will have paid about twice the price.

Consider seeing "V - the ultimate variety show", it's funny and entertaining and not too expensive. You can google coupons for locals and get a half price voucher on-line. You can buy your tickets in Vegas at the theater with the voucher if you decide to catch the show. If you decide to do that show, pay a little bit more for the assigned seating instead of general admission, that way you don't have to wait in line at all. Just sit at the bar outfront and have a drink until show time.

You can get tickets half price for many shows at the tickets2nite booths in Vegas. It's worth while, but the line up is usually long. Get more info at the tripadvisor forum that I mentioned earlier.

If you want to decide on a few restaurants ahead of time you can buy gift certificates for very cheap at restaurant.com. For example you can eat at blondies - a pub in front of the V show and get a $25 certificate for about $5. Towards the middle to end of each month the certificates go on sale for 40%, then 50%, then 70% at the end of the month off the listed price. You will need a promo code. These are always posted on the forum at tripadvisor.

Lastly, consider renting a car. You can often get one for about $12 per day. You will spend more in transfers to and from the airport and cab fair in Vegas. Parking everywhere on the strip is free. Valet is free, just tip. You can park at any hotel/casino for free. Drive to one end of the strip and walk around, then drive to the other. The strip is very big. Go see old Vegas for an hour or two. Drive to hoover dam if you like. If you have to check out on your last day way before your flight leaves you might appreciate having a car to keep your stuff in and to get around. Just like hotels, monitor prices on orbitz.com, book direct with the car company (usually thrifty and dollar are the best), get promo codes from the forum. Book early and rebook every time it drops. Sign up for the VIP program, it's free and you'll get VIP service, (ie. skip the line) at the airport rental car place.

I hope this helps. Have a blast.

Answer 2

I have been there a couple times and I made sure to find the website that had the best deals. I found Expedia.com to be the best. You can see virtual tours and get alot of information. I stayed at TI the first time and just recentlly at the Monte Carlo. I enjoyed both!!! I really like the Monte Carlo because you dont have to walk through the Casino to get into the area to go to your room. All the other hotels you do. Vegas is sooo much fun and I really think where ever you choose you will have a great time!!! Also go to Cheapvegas.com or its cheapovegas.com........its one of them.....lol.....make sure you guys go to the bar outside Harrahs....its so fun and entertaining, then walk across the street to see the fountains at the Bellagio. Also search google for a map to Vegas this will help you learn where everything is on the strip!!!

Answer 3

As far as where to stay - think about what you want from the hotel itself (Do you care about the attractions a hotel offers? Are you planning on playing, so you'd want a nice casino? Is a buffet important to you or would you rather have a large choice of restuarants? Are you a club person or would you rather hang in a lounge?) and wander around the hotels' websites and figure out which one appeals to you the most. My personal favorites are Mandalay Bay, NYNY, and the Hard Rock. I used to LOVE Treasure Island (TI) but the last time I was there, it was so smoky I thought I was going to pass out!

For the best deals - www.vegas.com is good for packages, or www.sidestep.com for just airfare and book your hotel thru the hotel's website directly - if you have the patience to shop around a bit. I'd stay away from the timeshares - you don't actually get time in the city, you end up spending most of it sitting thru a presentation. UGH. If you have a good relationship with a travel agent, go that route, but if you're walking in off the street, you'd be better off on www.vegas.com.

Some of the hotels' websites:
www.mgmmirage.com <-- they own most of the properties on the Strip, and you can access all of them from this one site
www.venetian.com
www.playrio.com <--- you can pick up the links to Bally's, which owns another chunk of the places like Paris, Ballys, and the Rio
www.palms.com <--- The Palms
www.hardrockhotel.com <--- the Hard Rock

Good luck and enjoy!!

Answer 4

The Flamingo is by far the best location on the strip, and they have good prices without staying somewhere kinda grungy. Great pools. Plus inside is a monorail station, so you can get around easily without hassling with cabs. The best clubs are Pure, Tryst, and Tao. If you wanna get crazy go to Body English. Although by November LAX at the Luxor will have opened, making it one of the newest clubs on the strip. You can find good coupons at www.vegasresource.com if you want to do the clubs right, get VIP passes, from Vegas.com so you don't wait an hour in line. Also check out Jackcolton.com.....tons of vegas nightlife info. Definitely go see a show. There are all awesome. If you can't decide, go see cirque de soliel, or blue man show is a show that I enjoyed much more than i thought i would. www.luxevegas.com has good info too.

Answer 5

I don't have a lot of info except the good hotels. The only one I like (after several tries) is Mandalay Bay. It's not in the middle of the strip but it connects to the Luxor. The luxor connects to Excalibur & that connects to NY NY - so you never have to go outside (we went in June & it was too hot for outdoor treks).

The rooms were gorgeous & remodeled & the ambiance was great. AND the gambling areas weren't smokey. Fun pool too - tho I'm not sure it will be warm enough in Nov.

We just did everything online thru their website (mandalay) & also booked shows & made dinner reservations - we charged most everything to the room & only had one bill in the end.

So worth it to just relax w/ my hubby at MB & leave the kids at home, it was much more peaceful there than any other hotel I've tried.

Hope that helps some....

Answer 6

Go to vegas.com. look at the hotels there and where they are located. DO NOT stay on the north end of the strip, bad area. Hotels in that area are Circus Circus and Stratosphrere. Once you figure out where you'd like to stay, go on their websites and look up deals and room rates. I'm staying at Excalibur this weekend and I'm paying about $140 a night. Also on vegas.com, there is a comprehensive list of things to do, every from free shows to cirque di soliel. If you're drinkers, most places will give you free drinks if you go gamble in their casino. Even if its penny slots. Good luck!

Answer 7

Ok out of the Kindness of My Heart
all you seek is at
Casino tours LTD
They have a website get the Phone #
Call them and let them Plan your trip
They can do things that I haven't seen since the mob ran Vegas

Answer 8

Best site I found was sidestep.com .. you can check on flights and hotel rooms. They search for the best prices on all the sites listed above. Also check Southwest if they fly from your city. They only use their booking site and do not allow any other sites to share. Once you get here there are free entertainment guides in your room or at the front desk to figure what you are going to do.

Answer 9

There are a lot of travel websites and wiki's that have tips and deals. Las Vegas is always a popular place... Here are some links that may help you.

Answer 10

where to stay cheaply on the main strip:

Bill's Gambling Hall (formerly Barbary Coast)
Flamingo
Excaliber
Imperial Palace
Tropicana

check out the hotel websites because sometimes they have deals online and you can see the rooms...then check the other websites to compare prices...

for nice hotels any of the major hotels are nice especially venetian, ceasars palace, mandalay bay, etc