Need help please - Wedding ideas

We are from Australia and thinking about getting married in Las Vegas over New Years. I like the 1st Jan 2008 but do you think this will be a busy day for weddings?

Need some ideas on how and where to get married. We are not religious people so I feel a chapel is not appropriate unless I have the wrong idea about chapels? We want something very simple, we will have another couple with us and that%26#39;s it. We would like to get married and then go out for dinner somewhere special, just the 4 of us.

I want the wedding to be recorded on DVD (so we can show everyone when we get home as a surprise) and a photographer to take some good shots.

I have looked into the Paris Eiffel Tower - the observation deck. Any thoughts on this? The only thing I didn%26#39;t like was in the picture behind you u didn%26#39;t get to see the beautiful view, u could only see was the cage. Does the photographer take some nice shots around Paris?

Any other ideas / thoughts would be appreciated.

Need help please - Wedding ideas

My husband and i got married in vegas on new years day 2005. It was just the two of us. We have now regretted that decision. Not the marriage; but the date !!

Because of the holiday, anytime we want to go away for our anniversary, the prices are triple what they would be any other time of the year. Most restaurants here are closed on new years day. It is also too close to Christmas for us to have any money left over. So for the past 2 years...we have sat at home on our anniversary. We are going back to vegas to renew our vows and get a new wedding date.

My only point is to really think thru getting married on that date.

Can%26#39;t recommend the chapel we used, Wee Kirk O%26#39; The Heather because they really messed everything up.

Good luck.

Need help please - Wedding ideas

My cousin got married at the Mandalay Bay and it was wonderful! It was done in the gardens, pictures were lovely, easy and quick, not religious, and there was a DVD made.

My friend is getting married this july in vegas, at the Valley of Fire. So I%26#39;ll be able to let you know how that was later on!

Good luck!

hi there - new years day is likely to be a busy day for weddings, but you should be fine if oyu book your wedding well in advance and don%26#39;t leave it to the last minute to pick up your wedding licence when you%26#39;re out in Vegas.

%26#39;Chapel%26#39; just means the wedding venue in Vegas - you can have a non-religious ceremony in every chapel - just state this when you book. Your minister is authorised to carry our wedding ceremonies.

The website below lets you browse every wedding in Las Vegas (over 70 of them), search wedding pages by cost (under %26#39;weddings%26#39;) and has an article about venues suitable for small aprties in the free online magazine.

http://www.las-vegas-weddings.co.uk/

Have fun!

Thankyou for the advise.

The website is helpful.

Has anyone been or got married at the Stratosphere?

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Orlando weather

We%26#39;ll be in Orlando the 1st 2 weeks in march and I%26#39;m getting worried about the weather (tornados last week).

We usually go in April and its always been hot and sunny but early March!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would love feedback - good AND bad.

Thanks.

Orlando weather

whoops - wrong forum

My trip tomorrow morning, a BIG thanks to...............

I travel tomorrow and there have been some really helpful people on this forum and I just wanted to say a big thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to the following and many others for your help:-

Foxywood3 (sorry about game dude!)

Blagger

StripCruiser

Lowrance

Dr Vegas

Gabbygambler

MelissaLynn74

Teachrsue

My trip tomorrow morning, a BIG thanks to...............

Have a great trip Nick!

And thanks for your condolensces (sp? ah, who cares about spelling!) Anyways, in another couple of weeks I can go back to watching the news and reading the papers, all are on my no fly list currently, until spring training! I will clean the house, go to the gym and catch up on reading, all while planning adventures for April in Vegas on TripAdvisor!

thanks and you%26#39;re welcome!

My trip tomorrow morning, a BIG thanks to...............

I second that motion! We leave Thursday a.m. for Vegas, stay one night at Barbary Coast, then drive to visit relatives in Phoenix, and then return to Vegas for 2 more nights at BC the following week. I am PEE-IN-THE-PANTS excited to leave this frozen tundra (gonna be minus 11 here this weekend). I have learned so much from this website, and we are planning to for sure hit Ellis Island to eat a few meals! Will do a short trip report after Feb. 4. Thanks again, everyone!

Foxywood,

You sound like me, most things get put on hold during the season.........i fly over to watch 2 Dolphin games every year and guess what - they are coming to London between Sept and Oct, SO happy :)

That is FAN-tastic for you that the Fins are coming across to play!

and don%26#39;t forget to win BIG in Vegas!

Have fun! I%26#39;m right behind you--10 more days!! :) My aunt and Uncle are leaving Islip airport in 1 hour for Vegas!

Looking forward to your TR, specially info about Luxor as we staying there in march. If you attepmpting the $20 trick let me know how it goes!!!

Good luck

have a wonderful trip, tomorrow two weeks and we will be joining you.

Foxy,

Apparently, the NFL is aiming to have a game in Europe every year for the next 5 years - still dont get why %26#39;we%26#39; lose a %26#39;home%26#39; game though and the Giants have it as there %26#39;away%26#39; game - fair........I think not!!!!!!!!!!

Curly - thanks hun. I hope your aunt and uncle have an awesome time as well as you and bf.

Twink - one thing i have noticed with Luxor is the pricing, started at $449 for 4 nights and it is under $300 now, its goes down nearly everyday on the website! Will let you know what I think when i get back, I am not quite as spoiled as some though so I am sure it will be great for me (as will South Point for first 4 nights) :))

You have no idea how I%26#39;d like to be out there for a M%26amp;G this weekend! The weatherpersons are forecasting cold, cold and more cold starting on Thursday, with sub-zero F temps overnight on Monday and Tuesday. My perfect scenario would be Vegas next weekend, then Miami the following to watch Da Bears in Miami! Please, no one wake me from this daydream...

Have a great trip Nick...save yourself and don%26#39;t get wasted on the flight over, I know it%26#39;s a long one!

Strip,

The Jack and Cokes are free on the flight so I am afraid I feel obligated to %26#39;get my money%26#39;s worth%26#39; :))

video poker question

This is probably a stupid question, but I just have to ask because we are going to Vegas in March. I like to play video poker and have read on this forum about full pay video or for example something like 10/7 9/6 pay. Where do you look to see if it is full pay video or the other.

video poker question

you need to look at the machines - and know what you are looking for. VP is comoplicated, all games are not equal.

get sfwr and practice. Bob Dancer is considered an expert, his sfwr can be purchased on his website or www.lasvegasadvisor.com

read, learn and PRACTICE until you play almost perfectly.

JOB has less volaitility (getting harder to find FP but can be done) and is a good basic game to start and build.

get the sfwr, and even a strategy card for the game(s) you like and practice.

the day before your trip check the latest updates here http://members.cox.net/vpfree/LV.htm

video poker question

All the VP machines will have the payout table right on the machines. You will not have a hard time finding the payout tables. That is one of the advantages of VP as opposed to slots. It is harder to find full pay machines on the strip. Most of them are located off stip and in local casinos.

Another good site is wizardofodds.com. You can practice and it will help you find the best cards to keep. Practice, practice, practice before you go.

I found a 10/7 game at our local casino just last night.....that is considered better than 9/6 pay? It was one of those multi game/ multi denomination games. I was only playing nickels, just to practice and kill a little time, so didn%26#39;t make any big money.

I have also pacticed at free slots.com.

Where can you find a strategy card for Video poker?

Thanks.

Mar.

So does 10/7 mean for every ten dollars you play you should get seven dollars back?

denvergirl,

This might help:

http://wizardofodds.com/videopoker

';So does 10/7 mean for every ten dollars you play you should get seven dollars back?';

NO! It means the machine pays 10 credits for Full House, and 7 for a Flush

I actually have some small wallet size cards with payoff tables for some of the more complex games. It%26#39;s worth it to buy a vp book, or check out one from the library. One thing to really watch is the game will pay 9/6 or 10/7 but only give you ONE for a two pair hand instead of the 2 they should give you. This could really be a disadvantage since you get many more two pair hands than others. Some types of poker one coin for a two pair hand is normal, this is why the little cards help out. You won%26#39;t find good vp on the strip, try Fiesta Henderson, Sam%26#39;s Town, vp near the sportsbook at the LV Hilton. Good luck with the snow denvergirl, Aurora has been good about keeping our street clear, but others have not been so lucky. Wish I was going to Vegas in March.

Thanks for all the help. I actually ordered a book by Bob Dancer and plan on reading it until all this snow goes away. I live in Highlands Ranch, cul de sac and our roads aren%26#39;t the best, but I can get out. Really can%26#39;t wait to go to Las Vegas, it will be our 24th anniversary and we are staying at the Mirage.

Always play full play, max coins for the best return.

The best source for this information is ';the Mensa guide to gambling.'; It has an excellant chapter on VP which gives a good understanding of pay tables and how to read them and about strategies for each pay table variation. There is as good a chapter on craps as well..

how is the gold coast hotel?

we are spending 3 -4 night in Las Vegas after our trip to Zion and Bryce this October -

we usually stay at the Golden Nugget - but would like a change -

the Gold Coast was recommended to us -how are the rooms, restaurants, pool ? - doesn%26#39;t look like they have a spa though.

has anyone stayed there -

we aren%26#39;t interested in staying on the strip - but usually take a day to visit the hotels, restaurants, casinos, there and like to head back to a little ';quieter'; atmosphere -

thanks

how is the gold coast hotel?

Never been. But click on Las Vegas Hotels, then click on Gold Coast. Many reviews there.

how is the gold coast hotel?

I have stayed at the GC many times and I have been more than happy with my visits. It is a simple safe hotel- if you are looking for luxury- look elsewhere. The rooms are very clean but basic with a large TV. The bathroom is small but it does have a small window that you can open. The pictures on its website show you what the rooms look like. You will not have a ';view.'; It does have a free exercise room near the pool. The pool is small but it is rarely crowded and you can always find a lounge chair. It is sunny most of the day. There is a free shuttle to the strip that runs from 9:30 AM until about midnight. There is also a free shuttle to the Orleans. The Orleans does have a spa. If you stay on the strip after the shuttle is no longer running you can take the one for the Rio. A cab would not be expensive. I haven%26#39;t eaten in the restaurants that much. Twice I had coupons for a free meal at Arriva(see menu on its website). Both times the meal and service were good and I liked the atmosphere. I once ate at the Chinese restaurant (see menu) because it was 2 AM and I was hungry. The food was fine and the prices were reasonable. I like its ice cream parlor. I really can%26#39;t comment on its buffet or other restaurants but people have reported that they were fine with reasonable prices. The GC is right across the street from the Palms (Flamingo Road) and across the street (Valley View) from the Rio and of course you can take the shuttle to the Orleans or strip. The VP machines have always been very kind to me. Many locals go there so it is not a swinging place.

The thing I like best about the GC- it has a super staff. The service has always been excellent. The staff goes out of their way to be helpful and they are very freindly.

If you are looking for strip type hotel you are going to be very disappointed. If you are looking for a very basic hotel with a nice staff that is very clean and very safe you will be fine.

If you decide to stay- check third party sites for cheaper rates. It will match any rate you find on a legitimate website. They will ask you for the website and they will check it. Then they will give you that rate.

It%26#39;s strongest point is proximity to the great RIO, and Palms, both of which are more attractive in decor, and have better restaurants.

The GC and Rio have good shuttle service to strip, GC is a great choice for the budget, value traveler

Do some gambling at Rio, sign up for the Total Rewards card,

so maybe you can get mail offers for discounts/comps at a good hotel later

We had two great stays at the Gold Coast. It is clean, friendly, room was fine (how much time do you spend in your room when in Vegas?). The buffet was pretty good at dinner and reasonable and the lounge usually has a really good band from 9 pm until 2 am and there is no cover. Coffee shop had a great late night special for about five bucks a person. We walked over to the Rio and the Palms to see some more upscale casino action and the free shuttles to the strip were nice. Gold Ccoast is a great deal for fifty or sixty bucks a night (around a hundred on Fri. and Sat. nights). We would stay again, but our next trip in July, we are trying the Orleans, a property owned by the same management group. Have fun. Dave M St. Louis

Stayed there 3 times last year and I recommend it highly. You used the phrase that you would like to %26#39;head back to a little quieter atmosphere%26#39;. The GC would be perfect for you. After a day of casino hopping, my husband and I feel as though we are %26#39;home%26#39; as we drive up to the GC. Self parking is also super close to the doors. No long walks anywhere - because it is smaller.

vp03 is right on in all aspects. Their lounge acts have been very entertaining. Free ice cream coupons when you check in. Breakfast buffet is a total $13.90 for two. Can%26#39;t beat that!! I would go back without any hesitation whatsoever.

Mrs. G

They also have a cute Dixieland Band playing from 12-6 M-F. It is an older crowd listening but who cares? It is nice to rest your feet, have a drink and listen to them. I hope they are still there.

Nice location - close to the Rio and the Palms...I%26#39;m sure the rooms are sufficient, not extravagant....the only negative comment I have about theGold Coast, is the actual casino and the bowling lanes...Soooooo smokey. I can%26#39;t stand playing there because the filtration is lousy, I start wheezing within an hour inside the place.

Stayed at the Gold Coast last Sept on a comp. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Was unimpressed with the food, however the low table limits and favorable VP paytables. make it a good place to gamble. Would recommend renting a car because of the location.

Stayed at the Gold Coast last Sept on a comp. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Was unimpressed with the food, however the low table limits and favorable VP paytables. make it a good place to gamble. Would recommend renting a car because of the location.

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Superbowl Cirque Show

OK, I%26#39;ve never been to a Cirque show, and admittedly don%26#39;t think I have much interest in going to one.

But....for those who have been, and watched the Superbowl pregame show....was that a good representation of Cirque?

Superbowl Cirque Show

In my opinion... no. If you%26#39;ve been to a Cirque show, you could certainly pick-out some of the ';cool'; things, but there is NO WAY that a football pre-game show could ever give you a true view of a cirque-type show.

If you%26#39;ve never been to see any Cirque show, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! I can%26#39;t really describe it to you... you%26#39;ve got to experience one for yourself. I%26#39;ll leave it to others on this board to recommend which one to see in Vegas. I%26#39;ve only seen Cirque shows in Disney World and Myrtle Beach... and I was truly stunned by each show. I can only imagine how incredible one of these shows in Vegas would be.

I don%26#39;t know why you wouldn%26#39;t have much interest in going to one. It would truly be worth your time.

Lady Luck at Excalibur

second trip to LV stayed at the Orleans, staying at the Excalibur in June. How can I get one of the newer rooms any tips on how i should go about this. Im booked for a standard room.

Lady Luck at Excalibur

bump

Lady Luck at Excalibur

In my opinion... just ask!

I stayed at the Excalibur a few years ago in a standard room, and was very pleased! It is a nice hotel, and I enjoyed friendly service while I was there. If you do not get an upgrade, I think you will be happy with your room, anyway.

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kiss casino

Can anyone tell me about a rumour I heard on British T.V.?

Gene Simmons(of the tongue fame) Kiss band member announced that Kiss had just signed a deal for a 32 storey casino in Las Vegas, unfortunately I dont know how long the British T.V. show had been recorded so not sure how new, true or believable the story is....maybe the deal fell through...can anyone help.

And for all you who know Mr and Mrs...we can now truly celebrate Celine is gone...long live KISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

p.s. if you see Mrs or hear from her dont tell her what I said...tee hee

kiss casino

I saw the programme too and can%26#39;t for the life of me remember who interviewed him. Also been trying to find out about this new Kiss casino, but drawn a blank.

kiss casino

Lmao......... funny how you remeber Gene as '; tongue fame'; Lmaoo

I would love to see Kiss in Vegas. Last clip I saw of them on TV, I%26#39;m pretty sure both of the original ';Ace%26#39;s'; were gone. But I haven%26#39;t followed them in a long time, so not sure.

Googled him and got this for Pure, but it%26#39;s just perfume, lol:

鈥bay.com/GENE-SIMMONS-KISS-HIM-KISS-HER-LAS鈥?/a>

c%26#39;mon Vegas experts where are ya when a guy needs help......KISS are the new DION dontcha know??????????

HOOTERS Casino is supposedly for sale for a cheap $95 million. The hooters outfits are not attracting enough businees dollarwise.

The odds of a Kiss-themed hotel are zero.

A few years ago, Brad Pitt and George Clooney caught the ';I want to own a Vegas casino'; fever, too. Those plans are in limbo as well.

I think it%26#39;s more than just George Clooney and Brad who had money tied up in Las Ramblas.

A guy on a bus told me that KISS themed suites would be on certain floors of the Planet Hollywood hotel.

How about hotels at which you have had a GOOD stay?

Just read a post about unfortunate experiences at a LV hotel which led to a %26#39;bad%26#39; stay. Someone else mentioned that for every %26#39;bad%26#39; stay there are probably 50 good ones which we do not hear about. OK, guys, how about sharing which hotel stays have been good? Maybe a word or two about why it was a good stay? I%26#39;ll start:

My favorite: Gold Coast - reasonable rates, close to the door parking, inexpensive restaurants, helpful staff.

OK - take it from here!

Mrs. G

How about hotels at which you have had a GOOD stay?

Bellagio - everything good, NYNY - great, haven%26#39;t stayed in a while as I stay at the two previous but have been good - Flamingo - location and hot slots, Monte Carlo - location, Ceasars - location. Only place I ever stayed that I didn%26#39;t like - was Imperial Palace as the rooms had a horrible smell - this was over 15 years ago so probably not aplicable and I still liked the stay as the casino was fun and loose.

I can%26#39;t think of a totoally bad stay ever.

How about hotels at which you have had a GOOD stay?

We love to stay at Rio. The rooms (suites) are quite large and comfy. The dressing area has a large vanity and sink, which is great when 2 people are getting ready. The employees are always friendly. I like the atmosphere in the casino. Good food in all the restaurants and the best buffet. Best of all, I%26#39;m not a ';high roller';, but manage to get my room comped. Last summer we were comped a room at Caesars in the Augustus Tower.....just one word......wonderful!

Rio...always good, clean and luxurious,spaciousness makes ALL the difference

MonteCarlo..fun pool, never a problem, clean and comfy

Luxor...decor adds a little magic to a trip

Aladdin..nice room, great bathrooms, buffet always a great meal

Best stay was at the Venetian: I got married there, but the room and view were fabulous!

Good stays include Polo Towers: Very clean great location, The Orleans was a great price, great room.

Sams Town: Clean room, but not intended for my demographic.

Okay stays: Lady Luck, Dirt cheap room and no dirt!

The Tropicana (Island Tower) We got upgraded for free.. the room was very cheesy, but clean and comfortable.

San Remo: Very cheap room, but nothing special and the hotel looked tired.

Worst stay: The Tropicana (Garden room) I about barfed when I saw the room.

My family and I usually stay at the Flamingo and over the years I don%26#39;t we have ever encountered any problems at all. I like the cafe for breakfast, my wife and daughter are usually up before me and always go buffet. They love the pool and also the fact that it is right in the middle of the strip and we usually get a decent room price.

We have also stayed at the Barbary Coast next door and all loved the rooms. I like the fact that the parking garage is small and you don%26#39;t have to walk too far to the elevators that take you to the front desk. We found it a good change to stay in a smaller joint, again right in the middle of the strip.

Last trip in July took us to the Orleans and that worked out just fine as well. Plenty of places to eat there, shuttle to the strip if you want it. No problems. I went back on a solo in December and for $25 per night, I had a great time. Friendly dealers but I just couldn%26#39;t find Lady Luck anywhere.

When I stay downtown I usually stay at the Fremont and have never had a bad night. Desk staff very attentive. And it is close to Binion%26#39;s Coffee Shop.

Mandalay Bay. Stayed there many, many times and have never, ever had a bad experience there. Love the rooms, bathrooms, floor to ceiling windows, veiw of strip from north facing rooms, awsome casino, restaurants, ALWAYS have had great service and the pool is the best. Yes, it can get crowded, so we always plan our trip for week days when the kids are in school so crowds aren%26#39;t too bad. But definitly, Mandalay Bay!

Venetian is awesome...Golden Nugget Downtown...and the Orleans off strip..all have been nice places to stay%26gt;

Believe it or not, I had a really good stay at the Excalibur several years ago. The rooms were very nice, the pool was nice, and the staff was very friendly.

The last two visits have been to the Flamingo, and we love it there. I have no complaints. Great location, good food, nice staff, excellent pool.

Flamingo/Treasure Island,Loaction/Price!

We%26#39;ve enjoyed excellent stays at MGM Grand, Mirage and Caesars Palace.

Our stay at TI was good too . . . just wouldn%26#39;t call it excellent.

April visit and a question........

Wow this is a great forum I wish I found this last year . We stayed at Treasure Island last year for 7 nights in March 6-13 we had a Fab. time but the tips and advice I%26#39;ve been reading on this forum is wonderful and appreciated by this newbie. We just learned at we went along last trip.....never knew forums such as these existed.

We are now addicted to Vegas .......we are booked to go back for a 10 night stay April 20-30 at the Wynn *Wooo hooo I can%26#39;t wait, 76 more days*.

My question has to do with safety deposit boxes and in room safes. Are in room safes safe to leave large amounts of money in or is that just stupid to try? We used a safety deposit box at Treasure Island and it worked out fine but I was not sure if people went back everyday like me (we take a certain amount each morning and thats our spending for the day) I don%26#39;t know if thats seen as being a pain in the butt to the clerk on the desk? Also are you suppose to tip them? I/we are very good tippers usually 20% dining and learned quite fast last time that everyone wants/enjoys to be tipped in Vegas but I wasn%26#39;t sure about the clerk working the safety deposit box. I never seemed to be there when another was using the box so didn%26#39;t see if others tipped. If you should tip what is the proper amount?

~Chrissy~

April visit and a question........

Dont leave large amounts of cash in your room, safe or no safe. There are deposit boxes downstairs-ask at the front desk.

April visit and a question........

DO hope your stash is Trav checks and not CASH.

Hi Chrissy,

My husband and I will be there April 19-27 (only eight nights). We%26#39;re staying at the Rio. Last year we had traveler%26#39;s check%26#39;s, ( a large amount). We kept the in the safe in our roon with NO problems. And like you, my husband and I took only what we needed for that day.

Since I was the one that got the checks from the bank and the first place, (my signature was the only one on the checks) my husband couldn%26#39;t cash the checks. It wasn%26#39;t a big problem though just a lot of signing. I didn%26#39;t tip the clerks at the desk. I don%26#39;t believe I saw anyone tipping them.

Chrisse (pronouced) Sherese.

Most people use the safe in their room if one is available. If you use the safe deposit box- do not worry about how many times you use it. You will not seem like a pain in the butt- this is their job and if they weren%26#39;t helping you they would be helping someone else- don%26#39;t worry about it. I never left a tip.

I have always used our room safe and had no problems but now thinking maybe I should put some $ in the hotel safe. Is it right at the front desk that I would ask? then you are given a key like at a bank? Never used it before so I really have no idea. Thanks for the tips.

Thanks everyone for the help. Last trip to Vegas I did carry all cash and was very lucky nothing bad happened. Looking at that now it was not a smart move (especially since our day trip to foxwoods last week I lost my wallet but was lucky to get it back). I thought that travelers checks would be hard to cash but it looks like that is not the case. So this trip we will certainly go the route of travelers checks. Thanks

Ruteye- when we used the safety deposit box at Treasure Island last year we asked the check in clerk and she told us that it was right across from check in . If I remeber correctly the clerk pulls the box out with his key, then you need both keys to open the box. They check ID and you need to sign each time.

~Chrissy~

Thanks Chrissy that is good to know. Our wait is a little shorter only 63 days to go.....April 6th.....so excited....

I have often stored large amounts of money in the safes in the room. Never had a problem.

Chrissy, I am going to the Wynn in March, not for 10 days, my God i%26#39;d go broke. But anyways, the in-room safes are very safe. The one I used in Caesars was only opened and locked by using a credit card, it does not charge the credit card at all, rather acts as a Key, I also used one at the Monte Carlo with a numeric pad, and worked just fine I would not be too scared of those types of things especially in a hotel like the Wynn. Remember those gaming licenses they have are much more important to a casino then a few thousand bucks they could steal from a customer, plus they%26#39;ll get eventually anyways. Now with all that said, what you should really look into, is leaving all that liquid Cash in the bank, and just sign up for Casino Credit, it%26#39;s so much easier then having to bring around cash. Instead of going to a safety deposit box and getting money out, whenever you are at a table just take a marker, the sky is the limit. The marker just acts as a check out of your checking account and after 30 days the casino will deposit it, (if the outstanding balance has already not been taken care of) and it will come out of your checking account, no interest, nothing funny, just conveinence. Good luck.

While in-room safes are generally pretty safe, know that legally the hotels are not responsible for anything you put in an in-room safe. However, if you put something in the hotel safe or safe deposit behind the front desk, the hotel is responsible for guaranteeing the safety of that property.

In-room safes are good for items that you will need to access frequently during your stay, such as gambling money. They will deter casual theft by other guests or employees. However, if a hotel employee really wants to steal from guests, they will have the master code to open the in-room safes. This is often ridiculously easy to come by - when I was at the Rio I learned the master code for the in-room safes there by watching a careless hotel employee who entered it.

My advice is, if you will need to access your valuables multiple times during your stay, put them in the in-room safe. If not, or if your valuables are of the kind that are irreplaceable like the Hope diamond, a first-edition Picasso or Steve Wynn%26#39;s bank account and pin numbers, use the safe deposit box at the front desk.

benefits of using

Just when I thought I'd seen it all . . .

So I was playing the brand new Big Event Monopoly game (brand new for Mohegan Sun in CT, I played this in Dec at CP) yesterday when a seemingly normal woman sat at the vacant machine to my right. I noticed that her players card reader said PLEASE REINSERT and told her.

She took the card out of the reader and LICKED the magnetic stripe, put it back in, still no register, so she, yup, she did, she didn%26#39;t rub it in her hair, she didn%26#39;t give it a few swipes on her sweater or pants, she LICKED it!

This was the only machine I was having any luck on the WHOLE day, but I vacated IMMEDIATELY, I mean what other bad habits could a person who licks their players card possess, I don%26#39;t wanna know!

So this is the deal - Now we have to either throw away our cards and get new ones constantly or we have to disinfect them after every visit, because just when you thought it was safe to go to the casino, people are putting their germs INTO the card readers!

Sorry to gross you out friends, but as they say, forwarned is , well I forget what it is, but it%26#39;s something, isn%26#39;t it!

Just when I thought I'd seen it all . . .

pssssssstttttt? Is this that I%26#39;m turning 40 double post thingy again? Lmao

After good family accommodation

I am travelling with a 3 and 7 year old and originally wanted to stay at Circus Circus. However the reviews on Expedia are quite poor and alarming and I am wondering whether there are any other nicer family oriented accommodation people could recommend that won%26#39;t break the wallet?

After good family accommodation

congrats on NOT booking CC.

Give us a price range - our wallets are all different.

also dates and amenities desired.

try a search - this is discussed daily and you will get lots of info.

i personally do not think kids and LV go together so can%26#39;t suggest a hotel for them - others have made the trip with kids and they can make suggestions.

After good family accommodation

I agree with Bridge...........Kids and Vegas go together like Mayo and Vinegar.

Can%26#39;t comment on a hotel................but will say if you do bring them, take them to M%26amp;M World.

Children friendly: Excalibur, MGM, Luxor, NYNY

If going May or later, look for a decent pool. If you are looking in the Circus ';value'; range, Try Excalibur

Luxor,NYNY,MonteCarlo, MGM, Ballys are a cut above, first see if any of these are affordable before going downscale

order of pool quality; MGM, MonteCarlo, Luxor, Excal,Ballys, Hooters, NYNY

These are in the great south-strip themed casino area (Ballys is more central)

3 km off midstrip, the Stratosphere is a bargain, mid-quality with a lot for kids and decent pool. Good if you get car hire

Sahara is a bargain 2km off midstrip, older, but with a large pool, and near Strat

Imperial Palace is an acceptable midstrip value place with a rudimentary pool

I do not have kids, nor do I want kids and I dont particularly like being around kids. That being said there are PLENTY of things for kids to do in Vegas. I%26#39;d stay at one of the hotels mentioned above but absolutely not CC. Make sure you get off the strip a few times during your stay. Vegas is a reglar city once you leave the strip.

Crogirl what people are not going to tell you is CC has remodeled and cleaned the place up. All rooms and the Casino have new carpet, an elaborate air filtration system matching what is found in the best casinos, and overall cleaned up its act pretty good.

So for children in that age group, it cannot be beat for everything it offers famlies.

If you have a rental car the Orleans might be a good option. The pool area is nice, they have a Movie Theater, Arcade and Bowling Alley all on-site and I remember seeing them advertise a on-site child care area if you wanted some adult time. There are plenty of non-formal dining options and the rates are usally quite good. It is off the strip so a rental car would be a good idea. And I would recommend maybe a couple of side trips to Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire to get out of doors and see some beautiful scenery. There are things to do and see in Las Vegas that non-gambling/adult orientated and I would highly recommend this site as a research tool. Wish I had found it before we made our first trip!!

goldcoastcasino.com

They are off strip, but close. For the kids, getting into a shuttle bus to the center strip is much easier than WALKING from the south strip or north strip casinos. Good value, good kid friendly restaurants and buffet, bowling alley, movie theatres across the street, pool isn%26#39;t big but isn%26#39;t crowded.

Orleans is the best place for kids.

You might want to reconsider...

Here is a thread I posted just a few weeks back.

鈥ripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g45963-i10-k96110鈥?/a>

Cheers!

MelissaLynn

(I also gave it a bump up for your convenience)

car hire

Got a good price for car hire for 2 weeks in august from car-hire3000 has anyone heard of this company, is it any good.

Any advice on how long we should hire a car for staying in the luxor, do you really need a car, grateful for all your help.

car hire

I never get a car when I go, although I have rented one (on the strip) for day trips such as Death Valley.

So....I would say you don%26#39;t need a car! Use the money you save for other fun things.

car hire

Driving is a real pain. Unless you plan on doing a lot of off strip traveling everyday, then renting as you need sounds like a good idea. Be careful of those outlet stores, had family come over and they went crazy!! Had to buy more luggage then their was the figuring out who was over weight limit and who would take what for who and who would have us parcel the rest etc etc... Have a GREAT TIME!

VERY BAD EXPERIENCE - Carhire3000.com!

Ordered a car for pick up in Australia - got there and no one had heard of them! No car provided, BUT THEY TOOK OUR MONEY! Now taking them through the legal process.

Thankfully, our home insurance provides legal cover, so weve been able to put it into the hands of the professionals.

I always rent a car when I go to Vegas because I find it very convenient and I frequently go off strip. If you are going to stay on the strip and don%26#39;t mind slow buses, expensive monorails or paying for cabs-you probably can do without a car. If you are going to do any off strip trips-Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, etc. you can rent the car for the day at your hotel.

If you are going to rent a car- I would stick to the bigger well known companies- Dollar, Thrifty, Budget, etc. Once you make a reservation- keep checking the rates. If the rates drop you can rebook at the lower rate and cancel the old reservation.

Hi there - I booked with Carhire3000 in December (they are acutally called Travel Jigsaw and are based in Manchester UK). Got to Australia with my family and 5 year old granddaughter, exhausted - and no one had heard of Carhire3000!

They took my money though and I%26#39;ve now been forced to put it in the hands of a solicitor!

BE CAREFUL! I was also advised to report them to the fraud squad.

Hi Davagg

I have found that the best option for car hire is to book with Airline Network. They have very good %26#39;all-in%26#39; rates (which is what we are used to in the UK). In Vegas they use Dollar Car Hire and their rates are cheaper than Dollar.com and Dollar.co.uk. I have just booked 3 days hire of a Chysler Sebring (Convertable) for 拢26.00 per day. You are also able to collect / return from the Car Hire desks at the hotels rather than the Airport for no extra charge.

Snakes

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Four Queens renovations

Okay, so I read some reviews of the Four Queens recent room renovations. They seem to be positve. Can anyone who has been there recently post what you thought? Considering staying there in April. Thanks.

Four Queens renovations

Just stayed January 21-25th. Room had new carpet, bed, bedding, light fixtures, furniture and a flat screen tv. The bathroom looked like it could be fixed up a bit, but wasn%26#39;t too bad. I would stay here again. They had some info showing on the tv that by the end of 2006 all of their rooms will be redone. I%26#39;m not sure if everyone has been redone, but they should be.

We loved our stay at 4 Queens and make sure you get their players card and eat at Magnolia%26#39;s. They have some very good specials.

Four Queens renovations

Have you read the reviews of the 4 Queens on this site? Type four queens into the search box toward the upper left of this screen to read reviews. They are almost all very positive.

I stayed there in November and thought it was great. If you are used to staying at the Ballagio and need luxury forget it. But, if you are satisfied with clean and comfortable it is a great place to stay.

Cafe Martorano to open at the Rio

The business section of our Ft. Lauderdale newspaper has announced that a branch of a local restaurant , Cafe Martorano , will be opening in about a month at the Rio.

It%26#39;s a South Philly style Italian restaurant well liked by the ';in crowd'; and is frequented by celebrities like Dan Marino. The food is quite good, but the one here in Ft. lauderdale takes no reservations and waits for tables are as long as three hours! No matter how good food is I just won%26#39;t do it. The owner /chef Steve martorano, has cooked on the Today Show and locally markets his pasta sauces fro $10 ajar.

It will be interesting to see how it makes out in Vegas and if they change their no reservations policy. If so, maybe I%26#39;ll have better luck getting into the Vegas branch than the one here in Ft. Lauderdale , which is just around the corner from where I live!

Cafe Martorano to open at the Rio

It will probably be a lot bigger than the one in Florida. Rao%26#39;s in New York can hold like 40 people, but the one in Caesars holds

over 200.

email

Suggestions on booking rooms

We are planning a trip the first week of June. I%26#39;ve read several posts about ';checking rates'; often with the hotel, becuase sometimes rates drop between the time you book and your actual trip. If I understand this correctly, the only way to get an adjusted rate is to book through the hotel directly, correct? Will hotels most likey adjust the rate if you have booked the room in advance? Would your recommendation be to wait until a month out to book the hotel or to be on the safe side and book the room now and keep checking the rates? I don%26#39;t want to be stuck going to Vegas and staying somewhere really crappy or spending $$$$$!! Thanks for the help!!

c

Suggestions on booking rooms

Recommend you book directly with hotels, either by web site or phone. Look for the best deals you can get right now, and book your dates.

Keep checking to see if rates go down, or watch for specials, like the ones popping up over the past week that run till end of April.

If you can find a better rate, call the hotel to have your reservation adjusted, or on-line simply make a new reservation and cancel the old one.

If you book through a travel site, you will not have this type of flexibility.

Suggestions on booking rooms

I%26#39;d recommend a few things:

1. If you see a reasonable rate at a property you like now go ahead and book it as long as you are going through the hotel directly. It%26#39;s always best to have a room booked so you know you%26#39;ll have a place to stay at a decent rate.

2. Sign up for email mailing lists and guestbooks at the websites for the properties you think you might enjoy. I%26#39;ve gotten great rates at places I%26#39;ve never played just because i gave them my contact information.

3. Keep checking rates after you%26#39;ve booked. In most cases the hotel will be happy to change your rate or cancel your reservations as long as you haven%26#39;t booked some special package deal with a no-cancellation stipulation.

4. If you book with a Harrah%26#39;s property be sure to check other travel sites for better rates. They offer a Best Rate Guarantee that is worth taking advantage of if you have the opportunity. You have to follow their instructions to the letter, but if you do it right you can get 25% off of a lower rate you find elsewhere. When I did it I kept my originally book room at Bally%26#39;s and had my husband do the rate guarantee thing before I cancelled my original reservation, just in case we did something wrong and didn%26#39;t get the better deal. Once we got the confirmation email I simply called and cancelled my original reservations. It was great since we wound up with an excellent deal on one of the most expensive weekends I%26#39;ve ever been in Vegas- De La Hoya fight, Kentucky Derby, Cinco de Mayo, etc.

Ti - mini bar

The description doesn%26#39;t say so but do the Petite Suites at TI have a mini bar?

Ti - mini bar

Never stayed at TI, but I think calling the hotel is quicker than waiting for a response here.............

Ti - mini bar

Have you any idea how much it costs to call the US from the UK?!!! I would rather hear from someone who has stayed there FOR FREE!

No mini bars in the Petite or Tower suites.

Mini-bars are the devil.

It%26#39;s cheaper to buy liquor outside of the hotel then have a mini bar. And yes I agree, if you can afford a mini bar, you can sure make a phone call.

My comment about the cost of calling was said with tongue in cheek.

However, what I don%26#39;t understand is why this site exists if the best advice someone can give is ';call the hotel';. I am sure that just about every question on this forum can be answered by some other means yet we choose to come on here because we want to hear it from people with first hand experience.

For example, I have learned (albeit in a roundabout way) that mini bars in Vegas are very expensive and should be avoided. Now I wouldn%26#39;t have found that out if I hadn%26#39;t asked the question. GET IT???

kareny1967 -

No need to apologize or defend yourself - you asked a perfectly reasonable question. If you look at her post history you%26#39;ll find that BO-BEAN is DawnFL%26#39;s alter-ego. She uses that alias to agree with herself and berate people.

I will repeat myself.

Mini-Bars are the devil!

The worst are places like Caesars (Augustus and Palace) where it sits out near the television. I%26#39;m waiting for them to put in speakers that repeat ';eat me! I%26#39;m expensive but you have the munchies!)

just back-no mini bars at TI-they do have a shop on the casino level which has beer, wine etc...

Do U have 1-800 phone service where U live?

21st Birthday in Vegas

We will be celebrating my daughter%26#39;s 21st birthday in Las Vegas on March 9th. Anyone had any great experiences as far as special treatment on any place making a ';big fuss'; about a 21st birthday? I want this trip to be as special as we can make it for her.

21st Birthday in Vegas

That would be my DAUGHTER%26#39;S 21st birthday, and the Mustang Ranch is definitely not the type of fuss I%26#39;m interested in for her.

21st Birthday in Vegas

By ';big fuss'; do you have in mind an elegant restaurant with fawning waiters making the fuss or a rowdy bar with lots of carrying on? There is more than one kind of fuss...

We%26#39;ll be doing a little bit of everything - nice restaurants, clubs, gambling, shows. Just really wanted to know if anyone had been treated specially or had an outstanding experience when they turned 21 in Vegas.

Also bringing my daughter in March for her 21st birthday. If you have a special experience, please post when you get back. We will be going mid March. Have a great time!!

What hotel are you staying at?

Some ideas:

Margaritaville at Flamingo

Dueling pianos at NYNY( would probably sing Happy Birthday) or Harrah%26#39;s

Haven%26#39;t booked out hotel yet - unfortunately my daughter turns 21 during NASCAR weekend. We%26#39;re waiting to see if any deals pop up or we%26#39;ll be staying in a timeshare condo right off the strip. Definitely would prefer to be in a hotel with a casino, but I won%26#39;t pay the outrageous amounts they%26#39;re requesting for that weekend. I%26#39;ve seen prices drop somewhat on various hotels, so I%26#39;m hoping as the date gets closer, I%26#39;ll find something.

there will be NO DEALS durning nascar week as for making a fuss about it i dont see any place doing that you as a family need to make it a time she will never forget

VEGAS could care less about daughters 21 st birthday.

As long as she is legal and has money to spend, WELCOME to Las Vegas.

Ghostbar

I am trying to find out how much the cover charge is to get into this club. Is it hard to get into on a friday or saturday night? Also what time do they open and is there always a cover charge?

Ghostbar

$20 on certain nights but probably more on a Saturday.

Here is a tip- If you have dinner at Alize one floor below the Ghost Bar at the Palms, you can go right up to the bar without having to wait in line in the lobby...When I went, we got to talking with the head server and he have us a pass as well so we never paid a cover...

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Mirage Pool

Does the Mirage have a pool open on the premises?If not i heard you can go to the Treasure island pool,is that far from Mirage?

Mirage Pool

When are you going? It isn%26#39;t exactly pool weather in LV right now.

Anyway, Mirage will have their pool open when the weather permits. I am not sure if they keep it open in cooler months (it would be heated, obviously).

TI is right next door to Mirage and a tram connects the two properties. The pool at TI is nice, but pales in comparison to the pool at Mirage.

Mirage Pool

I believe njnut may be referring to posts I%26#39;ve read here about the Mirage pool currently being closed for renovation. If I remember correctly, it is slated to reopen in March. A call to the hotel would confirm the pool%26#39;s status and whether you can use the TI pool (which is not nearly the tropical paradise the Mirage pool is) in the meantime (assuming, of course, there is a warm enough day to do so.)

How to clean military surplus wool blankets

Food courts near Aladdin

Where is the nearest food court if you%26#39;re staying at the Aladdin? I think there is one in Monte Carlo but what about Paris or Bally%26#39;s?

Food courts near Aladdin

The Dessert Passage is miles of shops and restaurants attached to the Aladdin casino and hotel. There are plenty of places to get a bite to eat. Every casino has a ';food court';. By that, do you mean fast food, or just restaurants? There are literally thousands of restaurants in vegas.

Food courts near Aladdin

MGM, MonteCarlo. There is also fast food, 24 hr McDonalds, between Aladdin and MGM

You should check out restaurant.com if you want to eat at the Alladin. They have a lot of restaurants listed for the Dessert Passage. Blondies, Merchant Harbor, Ben %26amp; Jerrys etc. Great coupons that save a ton of money!

There is a food court at the Aladdin.

There is also a nice one at Caesars.

Thanks for your suggestions. I am looking for fast food - food court.

I%26#39;ve stayed at the Aladdin and don%26#39;t remember seeing one.

It%26#39;s not a formal food court like you have in many other hotels, However, there are many options.

There are a few fast-food joints downstairs at Bally%26#39;s. Pizza place and a deli.

Our favorite food courts are at Caesars Palace and NYNY. At neither will you find the traditional McDonalds, Burger King nor Subway . . .but their food is very fast and excellent.

Excalibur has a traditional food court with Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Krispy Kreme and Manchu Wok. O%26#39;Sheas has a Burger King and a Subway. Not the closest but are the real deal.

Need show suggestions..Rat Pack, Rita Rudnor, Penn & Teller?

Can%26#39;t decide which show to see. How are Rat Pack, Rita Rudnor or Penn %26amp; Teller. Don%26#39;t think I would like any of the Cirque shows. Can anyone suggest anything else? Thanks for your help. We will be there April 4-9.

Need show suggestions..Rat Pack, Rita Rudnor, Penn %26amp; Teller?

Of those three, I%26#39;ve seen only Rita Rudner . . . and loved her.

From ';ztalady'; I%26#39;m going to assume you%26#39;re female. If you%26#39;re over 30, you%26#39;ll enjoy her (and the farther over 30 the better :) . . . I had tears rolling down my face and my stomach hurt from laughing.

But don%26#39;t think the show is only for women . . . the men in the audience enjoyed it as well . . . good ol%26#39; belly laugh humor.

Need show suggestions..Rat Pack, Rita Rudnor, Penn %26amp; Teller?

We saw P %26amp; T and loved them. After the show, they were in the lobby with a meet and greet.

';But don%26#39;t think the show is only for women . . . the men in the audience enjoyed it as well . . . good ol%26#39; belly laugh humor.';

Coffees right, I loved Rits Rudner. Made me cry (not in a bad way, lol)

I can suggest MamaMia for those who liked Abba. Broadway style musical comedy.

If you have never seen Penn %26amp; Teller make sure to see it!

It%26#39;s a good show, very funny and they are real talented.

It%26#39;s the kind of show to see once as they use the same material alot.

Wow! 2 votes for Rita 2 votes for P%26amp; T. No opinions on Rat Pack? My dad will be with us (a very young 81 year old and thought he might enjoy Rat Pack). Any other suggestions? We will be an odd group : me (50ish) my daughter (26) and my dad (very young 81).

Any help is much appreciated!!

last february we saw rita rudner. while she is good, 90 minutes got to be a little too long for me.

we also saw forever plaid, much less expensive and enjoyed every minute. fyi we%26#39;re in our late 50%26#39;s.

If you like what you%26#39;ve seen of Penn %26amp; Teller on TV I think you%26#39;d really enjoy seeing their show. It%26#39;s a lot of fun and as others have said, they come out to meet %26amp; greet fans after the show. I thought that was a really nice touch.

I also thoroughly enoyed The Rat Pack is Back when I saw it last year. The great showroom %26amp; performers made it feel like you were getting an authentic glimpse of what the old days must have been like. I%26#39;d recommend it to anyone who has an appreciation of the Rat Pack. I%26#39;m way too young to have seen the real thing but I was really impressed based on what I%26#39;ve seen on movies and old TV shows. Don%26#39;t expect to spend a lot of time in the Greek Isles Casino, though. It%26#39;s really small.

Carrot Top...you%26#39;ll laugh until you sides hurt

I forgot to mention that 1/2 price ';The Rat Pack is Back'; tickets seemed to be easy to come by. We hit one of the 1/2 price ticket places for ours. I think the show would have been worth full price to me, but I do appreciate a good value.

Yes, me too, BigVegasFan, a good deal is always appreciated! You seem to know alot about Vegas. Rat Pack it is for sure and maybe Penn %26amp; Teller. Should I buy P%26amp;T before arrival or do you think I can get them when we arrive?

Any other suggestions for our trip? We will be staying at Paris. Hope it is not a mistake. Anyone ever stayed there?

Thanks so much for all your help, everyone!

Weekend of March 8-12

Hi how do i found out whats happening in Vegas the weekend of march 8-12 so i can be prepared for crowds, or if i wanna make reservations for clubs and restaurants a head of time. ? thank you!

Weekend of March 8-12

That%26#39;s NASCAR weekend. Vegas will be very busy. Make any reservations as soon as you can.

Weekend of March 8-12

ohhh grrreat haha just what I need...nascar fans everywhere lol

Cinco Di Mayo Baby!

I will be in Vegas for the 5th of May. Just wondering if anything goes on in Vegas during this awesome Mexican holiday?? Has anyone ever been during Cinco Di Mayo?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and stories!

Cinco Di Mayo Baby!

It should be busy that time of year. I believe Oscar De La Hoya is fighting that weekend also.

Mirage Comp, new to Comps

I just booked a free 3 day stay at the Mirage.

I have never stayed for free before.

What can I expect?

I am stay on the ';campaign'; offer which is 3 nights, $50 in room service, $100 in free play.

Sounds almost too good!!

Mirage Comp, new to Comps

Not too good to be true. Your play will be watched and then they will determine if this was a good deal for the casino. If you don%26#39;t play enough, you will not get any offers like this in the future.

Mirage Comp, new to Comps

hanks for the info, Can%26#39;t wait to get to Vegas! Just over a week to go!!

I got that offer too, and I really regret that I lost yesterday gambling, I wish I had booked this offer and waited a couple of weeks to go gambling! have a blast!

Now I just have to stay away from the CT casinos and Lincoln in RI till I go. Shouldn%26#39;t be hard only 1 weekend before we go!

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from keratosis pilaris

Worst casino on the strip???

I know people always ask about the best, but I want to know which is the worst.

Worst casino on the strip???

Circus Circus is pretty bad. Sahara is not much better.

Worst casino on the strip???

The Tropicana.

Circus Circus at least had a few decent dealers, but they are neck and neck .

Excalibur does not look promising.

Barbary Coast - what a chithole!

Circus Circus or New Froniter.

Hi

Everyone you%26#39;ve ever lost at ,you only remember the winning ones.

i%26#39;d say tropicana. it just has that stale smell about it. and the layout is very poor...

I%26#39;ve never been a fan of Excalibur or Trop. I%26#39;m sure Circus Circus, etc. are bad as well but I%26#39;ve never gone in!

On our first trip to Vegas we checked out all the hotels and casinos we could. We went in Circus Circus, looked around, and have never set foot in there again. We%26#39;ve heard that the smell is gone so maybe they%26#39;re working on making it better.

Frontier-hands down...

Leave McCarran and fly eastward direction

Do you know which side of the plane to sit to get last glimpse of the Strip? Thanks. Am flying from Vegas to Florida.

Leave McCarran and fly eastward direction

normally planes take of heading west then do a u-turn to head east.

Leave McCarran and fly eastward direction

So either side will be okay then? Thank you

Depends on the winds which way your flight will depart, but both times we left Vegas returning to Fl., the flight took off to the west then swung around to the east. Since we were sitting on the right side, we got a great view of the MGM and that area of the strip. It was after dark the last time so that made it better, wish I had my camera out.

No guarantee your flight will do the same, like I said it depends on the winds which direction and what runway the aircraft will use. Check with the agent when you check in, maybe they can accommodate you.

Under normal weather conditions, U will most likely have a left turn departure from the air port. Left side would be best.

Don%26#39;t leave the trip too long - you%26#39;ll miss your team getting relegated.

A Bluebirds fan!!!!!!!!!! /o\ /o\

Thank you cantoncross, perhaps I%26#39;d better go now!!!

I saw more outta right hand window when we took off friday for London!

Okay then I%26#39;ll just give up and sit in the aisle!!

lol

Flamingo promo code link

https://www.harrahs.com/MakeReservation.do鈥?/a>

Hope someone can use it.

Flamingo promo code link

Thanks for the code! I am going looking to stay there 3 nights in May so if you see anything for then, please post!

Best Free Drinks?

I plan to gamble at Caesars, Paris, Bellagio, Mirage, and the Wynn. When gambling, what are your favorite drinks at these places?

Is there some casino that has especially great free drinks?

Best Free Drinks?

If you can afford to gamble in those places (i.e. $20 minimums at Bellagio), then I wouldn%26#39;t worry about getting a ';free'; drink. Since I cannot afford to gamble in those places, I think the drinks at Harrahs, the I.P. and the Plaza are excellent.

Best Free Drinks?

I haven%26#39;t tried it, but I hear the Bellagio peach bellini is delicious.

Bellagio has very yummy Strawberry Diaquires, Peach Bellinis, White Russians. All of there drinks are good. We play there every night. If you are a low roller there is a bank of 3 reel nickel machines you can play for fifteen cents a spin and get your drinks. I have always gotten whatever drink I ordered at these machines.

April visit to Zion/Bryce from Law Vegas

In mid April my husband, 12 year old son and 14 year old daughter and I are traveling to Las Vegas. We are not much into the gambling scene and would like to visit Zion and Bryce. We were wondering how many days we should plan to visit the National Parks. We don%26#39;t have alot of time and would like to know what the ';must sees'; are. Can it be done in two overnights?

April visit to Zion/Bryce from Law Vegas

Zion is very easily done in one day. I%26#39;ve done it twice from Vegas. If you add in Bryce, you should take two days.

April visit to Zion/Bryce from Law Vegas

Great choices. As foxy says, you could do both with one overnight. A night at each would be terrific.

Also it%26#39;ll whet your appetite for more travelling in that area. at least that%26#39;s what happened to me!!!

Have a good one!

steve LL

bird

Virgin Atlantic Gatwick to Las Vegas

Just thought I would make a few points about this route and airline.

I have used Virgin twice in couple months now - once to Orlando just before XMas and last week to Vegas. On both occasions the crew were absolutely lovely - stewardesses were sweeties and couldnt do enough for you!!! Having travelled with AA for many years its a welcome change to have such a nice, friendly crew (although seat pitch is awful compared to AA).

Food on board was actually pretty good, drinks brought out regularly, water brough out every hour or so, ice creams between meals, etc.

You even get that pack with toothbrush, socks, pen, etc which cheap a*s AA would never give.

Coming home the flight was half full so I got 4 seats in middle and layed down the entire flight :)

I couldnt recommend Virgin more!!!!!

Virgin Atlantic Gatwick to Las Vegas

Glad to hear Virgin are still good, we are flying with them later in the year. Btw, enjoyed your trip report.

Virgin Atlantic Gatwick to Las Vegas

I heard Virgin is a very good airline and will be flying them to London next year istead of BA.

Thanks, glad you like trip report.

Only problem with Virgin is the awful 29 inch seat pitch but there are posts on a Virgin forum that they are refitting economy now that they have completed the all new Premium economy section :)

Yea i fly with Virgin each time i go to USA. They are superb. How you find the Luxor Nick, i thought i was very good but that was 3 years ago.

Trol,

I wont be back to the Luxor - South Point was in a different league and at least half a star above the Luxor!

See my TR to see our probs in Luxor with regards to dirty linen, horrible room.......

Saying that - i have come away fairly positive as they upped us to suite for last 3 of the 4 nights :)

I have also stayed at MGM Grand and that is also in a different league than the Luxor!!!

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Shows Circa 14th August 2007

Hi all

Could I have some advice on who%26#39;s appearing in LV on the 14th and 15th August 2007? Also, where I can buy tickets at a discount (if that%26#39;s possible).

Kind regards as always

Steve LL

Shows Circa 14th August 2007

Way too early for August headliners, other than the 4,583 Cirque shows and regular shows.

You can try www.lvol.com for an idea of what will be going on, but most headliner concerts and shows won%26#39;t be announced for a while.

Back from Circus Circus

Well, I%26#39;m back from a weekend stay at the Circus Circus.

First...I would like to say that for being Super Bowl Weekend, I was pleasantly surprised. It was not nearly as busy as I thought it would be, considering this is the 2nd busiest weekend in the year for Vegas (next to New Years). The crowds were not bad at all. Casinos were full, but certainly not overflowing or anything.

Circus Circus - we stayed on the 34th floor of the West Tower. All of the rooms in the West Tower have all been recently renovated. They are very average, at best. Nothing fancy, but clean and comfortable. The decor is very non-descrip.

Ate at the Cafe for breakfast and it was fine and reasonably priced. On Sunday morning, just grabbed some coffee and doughnuts from Krispy Kreme.

All of the staff members that we came in contact with friendly.

All in all, an OK stay.

Please, let me know if you have any questions!

Back from Circus Circus

Regarding some previous complaints about this place: I DID NOT have any problems such as the following:

~Nothing was stolen out of my room by a maid.

~I did not electrocute myself at anytime because of their carpets

~I did not receive a jolt of electricity when pressing the elevator buttons

~I did not have any problems with the elevator doors not opening

~I did not think the elevator was going to break at any moment

~I did not receive a jolt of electricity up my arm when using the in-room hair dryer

~I did not have any issues with the Fire Alarms going off all the time

~I did not think the hotel was freezing cold.

~I did not find it at all surprising to see drunken people walking around the hotel and it certainly did not bother me

Back from Circus Circus

I love your reply, very funny!

I don%26#39;t really remember those complaints as being at the top of people%26#39;s lists for disliking CC. By far the #1 complaint has been more like ';there were unattended kids EVERYWHERE!!!'; Also bad location and bad food. But if you had an ';OK stay,'; that%26#39;s all that really matters. Maybe Melissa Lynn is right-MGM-Mirage is working harder to make it a better property. Thanks for posting your mini-review.

Hi Glad to know you enjoyed your stay for the price and you were not electrocuted :) that is funny! Wow and not too crowded that is always a bonus! MelissaLyn has been telling us that the face-lift is underway...so good to know...by April I am sure we will be impressed as to how it used to be. How about any luck on the slots or other gamling?

';Also bad location and bad food. ';

Location maybe, but the Steakhouse is one of the best resuarants in town.

Also note the wjole hotel and casino have been remodeled. Was there a couple of weeks ago and the place is cleaned up pretty darn good. Still a lot of kids, but that is there niche.

Have to say I love the Pink Pony restaurant in CC. Nothing says Vegas more than that place.

Stayed at Circus Circus as a child and an adult so it has a special place in my heart, but have to say the location leaves a lot to be desired.

beach - is there a Krispy Kreme at Circus Circus?

Glad to Hear CC is Getting a facelift...

I just saw an ad for rooms @ $39.99

I%26#39;m going to e-mail my group for April and tell them we are staying at CC, that it%26#39;s all nice now, they will CRY! But they might like that price! Not the location though, we are staying Flamingo or NYNY, whoever gives me a better deal, which will probably be NYNY. I had an aunt who loved CC, always stayed there, I%26#39;m glad they%26#39;re improving.

Was your bed hard as a rock like our friends%26#39; was?

No, our bed was not ';hard as a rock';. I sleep on a pretty soft bed normally, and I slept Just Fine. Of course...after being out and walking around for hours and hours, add a couple drinks, and coming back to the room well past my normal bedtime of 10PM...may all be factors as to how I could just plop down on the bed and pass out immediately! I did not wake up with any back pain or anything.

As for the remodeled rooms...I thought they did a pretty cheap job in the remodeling department. The decor is just very blah, non-descrip. I don%26#39;t even know how to descrip it to you now! In the bathroom, I thought they really missed some opportunities. The bathroom counter is on the small side, with a very small sink. When I would wash my face, I would get water everywhere because the sink is that small. Instead of putting nice granite tops, they were cheap laminate-type tops on the vanity. In the shower, it looked like the same material as the vanity tops in the shower surround - however - it didn%26#39;t go ';out'; far enough...so the shower curtain rod was really close-in to the wall, resulting in it being very closed in while taking a shower, not to mention very dark in the shower. Also...why not put an exhaust fan in the bathroom? I%26#39;ll never understand that...

The rest of the room...well, they have a television that is maybe a 19-inch screen, at best. They have about 20 TV channels, 5 are spanish, 3 are some silly ';Clown TV'; about the hotel, and most all of them were very fuzzy, not clear at all. The back was missing off of our TV remote, there was tape across the batteries. The alarm clock/stereo was MISSING. They do not have any extra pillows in the rooms...just two on each bed. I was even surprised to see that you have to pay to use the inroom safe! How cheap are they! Not to mention...the automatic $1.00 per day charge for unlimited local phone calls. And no, they do not reimburse you if you do not use the phone AT ALL (I asked).

None of these little things was enough to ';ruin'; my stay, as some past reviews have suggested, just little things I noticed.

Am I crazy?

I%26#39;m seriously considering popping out to Las Vegas on a Friday night and then flying back on Sunday. Oh yeah, I%26#39;m from NJ, so that%26#39;s approximately a 6 hour flight out to Vegas. I haven%26#39;t been there since October and I feel like a junkie needing a fix %26lt;LOL%26gt;.

Am I crazy?

For 7 years I did the Wednesday night -Saturday (red eye)/ Sunday bit for Thanksgiving but I never tried it on a Friday night. Lots of luck!! If you can get cheap airfare and cheap rooms- why not??

Am I crazy?

its not crazy at all.

although the flight is a little long, if you can get a late flight back home on sunday it wouldn%26#39;t be so bad...

I%26#39;m not as far away as you are but I%26#39;ve done a Friday (arrive at 4pm), depart Sunday am at 11am. Quick but fun none the less.

nobody here knows what works for you

you are an adult, if you want to do it - do so

personal chocie

I did it for London, so why not?

I strongly recommend ';getting sick'; on Sunday morning. You may be so ';ill'; that you might require another two or three nights before you are feeling better.

Because face it. If you get on a plane on a Friday night for Vegas, you probably aren%26#39;t going to sleep much there, so you will definitely get sick (for real) when you get home on Monday.

2 nights just isn%26#39;t enough.

We are doing it again for the second time in 4 months. Leaving NJ early Friday morning and taking the redeye back on Sunday night. You get three full days in Vegas that way. I tend to go right to the City and to work and my wife works from home. Just know that you wont be very productive on Monday, so you might want to plan it for a day with no important meetings, etc.

The first time I did it was after my brother%26#39;s bachelor party....I probably slept better on the plane on the way home than during the two nights in Vegas . . . at some point that Monday I was sitting at my computer had suddenlly had three rows of ';S'; across the screen, as I had falled asleep!

Yep . . . I%26#39;d say you%26#39;re nuts ;) . . . but then . . . aren%26#39;t we all?

I did a similiar trip the last time I went out there. I%26#39;m from the Boston area, so I also had a 6 hour flight. We went out a few years ago on Martin Luthur King weekend. We flew out friday after work and took a red eye back Monday night. We got in around 5:45 am and I went directly to work. Have to admit it was a bit hectic, but if you want to go out and don%26#39;t mind being rushed. GO FOR IT!!!

I do that all the time from SF...But then again that%26#39;s a 1 hr 10 minute flight. If I were you, I would do it The anticipation of going to Las Vegas is half the fun isn%26#39;t it???

How many in a cab?

In N.Y. a cab will not take more than 4 people. Is it the same in Vegas or do they have the larger cabs? We have 6 people. Will we need 2 cabs?

How many in a cab?

Condider a limo ,either pre-book, or pick one up at the airport.

How many in a cab?

Sorry typo,consider a limo

I get the Limo,you will need 2 cabs with 6.

it depends on the cab...if you get a minivan, they can fit 5 and if the driver is nice, then the 6th can sit in the front. Some drivers are a pain, and only allow 4 in the back of the minivan+1 in the front. It all depends on the driver.

I have seen the min-vans take 5, but not 6. I%26#39;m guessing two cabs. A normal cab holds 4 in Vegas.

You will definitely need two cabs. I would also look into a limo with that many people. You also need room for your luggage.

I agree that 5 is the most the cabs can legally take. So agreed . . . if you%26#39;re talking about the trek from the airport to hotel, a limo may be your most cost-effective bet . . . and certainly the most fun!

However, I%26#39;m not sure you can rent a limo as reasonably going from another ';Point A'; to ';Point B'; . . . there may be a minimum time of an hour or two on the rental.

We got a cab at Hard Rock and they wouldn%26#39;t let 6 in, 5 max.

Get the Limo or 2 cabs.

Unless you guys dress like clowns and try to convince the driver you%26#39;re practicing your ';cram as many clows in the car routine'; (To make this more believable, ask for the smallest car) =)

So if we take 2 cabs the cost of the cabs from the airport to the Mirage should be around $12 and a tip for each cab? would a limo be cheaper than $24 and and tips, a lot more, or about the same? Seems like two cabs might still be less than a limo. I would go for the limo if it wasn%26#39;t too much more though.

Scorpion feeding

Nightclubs

We are thinking of going to either Tangerine or Pure. Looking for a place to get a few drinks, relax and do a little dancing. Does anyone have any suggestions. Also what time do these places start to get really busy?

Nightclubs

In my opinion I like tangerine better.

When i went i heard such great things about Pure but I really liked Tangarine better.

The time it gets busy definitely depends on the night you go.

Nightclubs

I%26#39;d go with Tangerine, especially if you%26#39;re looking to relax or dance. Pure is crowded to the point of misery, and it%26#39;s near-impossible to move. Tangerine is crowded too, but it is possible to stand in some places without making physical contact with others. They%26#39;re all busy at the time they open because people start lining up at least an hour before. Tangerine has an organized line whereas Pure just has a crowd of people who are chosen at random, so you can be the first one there and never gain admittance.

I just got back!

It was my first time to Vegas, and it was unbelievable. More than I expected. Walked most of the strip twice, saw Hoover Dam, played lots of blackjack, drank and ate lots. What a blast. Can%26#39;t wait to go back! I stayed at the MGM Grand, and got an upgrade to a suite on floor 25 near elevator with a pretty decent view, even though I booked through a third party- thanks to advice from this forum- smiling and being nice! My room wasn%26#39;t ready right away, so just checked bags with bellman and away we went. Oh, I miss it. Back to reality, though. Kids, work, cold weather. Sigh.

I just got back!

Awesome! We are going for the first time in May and we are also staying at the MGM. We got a West Wing room and I am hoping to upgrade to a suite. Any advice you can give me would be great. Did you eat anywhere special or see any shows?

I just got back!

Hi Heidi glad you enjoyed the MGM can%26#39;t wait for our trip in April. So did your upgrade cost you so much $ per night? Did you do airport checkin? We are in a Tower room and would love an upgrade but don%26#39;t want to pay any extra $ and it will be Easter weekend so I think the chances are slim. Isn%26#39;t it hard to believe you are back, glad you had so much fun, where did you all eat and what did you win?

Welcome home to frigid Minnesota, Heidi : )

Yes . . . do post a trip report when you%26#39;ve recovered.

I was in Vegas in Dec. and currently still mad to be back to reality. Know if I lived there it wouldn%26#39;t be the same but sometimes that seems like such a great idea.

One of my favourite things about Vegas has to be the food. Never get to eat everywhere I want and put the places on a list for next time. Maybe a good thing I don%26#39;t live there or I would get really fat. Hehehehehe

Glad you had a great time.

heidi,

You stayed in my fave hotel :) Glad you had a nice time and I can relate to coming back to reality as I got back on friday after a 10 hour flight and a 8 hour time difference - still not recovered!

Good report,second time you go back will be a charm,glad you had fun in Vegas.

Reality is tough to face after being to Vegas. There is only one remedy- go back as soon as possible. Glad the first trip was so great. The second one will be just as great-if not better. Thanks for posting.

moisturiser cream

star trek experience, possible to do one ride?

Is it possible to do only one ride? I read that the Klingon-ride is very wild and our son gets motionsick easily, so we would like to do only the Borg-ride. Is this possible? Will it be still worth the money if we do it like this?

star trek experience, possible to do one ride?

Yes it is possible.

Once you have your ticket its up to you if you do both rides or just the one.

Its worth it if you like Star Trek,and buy your ticket at the 1/2 priced shop located inside the Giant Coca Cola bottle close to the MGM.

John.

star trek experience, possible to do one ride?

Funny, I love Star Trek but I hated the whole exhibit. I%26#39;m not sure why you would take your son on any rides if he gets motion sick.

You can take your son on the Klingon ride and before you get to the motion simulator you can elect to not go on it, and they%26#39;ll get you and your son out of the ride via alternative methods. Out of the two rides, I liked the Klingon ride better, mainly for the amazing effect at the beginning.

I would also get the tickets at the half-tix place.

Enjoy

movie theaters near the strip

Any recomm. for nice family oriented movie theaters near or on the strip or near the local shopping malls? Would like to go see Dreamgirls when in Las Vegas next weekend.

movie theaters near the strip

there%26#39;s a movie theatre in the same location as M%26amp;M world %26amp; the Coke store.

movie theaters near the strip

There is a nice theater complex at the Orleans Hotel and Casino on Tropicana just about a mile west of the strip. Their popcorn is awesome!

There is a great movie theater up at the Palms,even has an I.max room.

thanks to all!

Signature room safes

I wonder if anyone who has recently stayed at the Signature can confirm if the room safes are big enough to store a small laptop. It seems a shame to miss out on the wi-fi internet access included in the daily resort fee. I%26#39;ve been trawling through previous posts and haven%26#39;t been able to find the answer to my question. Thanks in advance.

Signature room safes

Jack,

I stayed there recently.

I have just posted a close up pic of the safe in question,which you can see at the link below..

John.

http://1as-vegas.com/ALLSORTS/signsafe.jpg

Signature room safes

Click on the pic to make it bigger,if it appears small.

John.

John,

You%26#39;re a star! Thanks for that. Your response has far exceeded our expectations! Just to let you know that my fiance and I found your recent trip report really entertaining and enjoyed looking at your photos and videos. They%26#39;re great.

Jacqueline

blond hair

Ladies nite for over 40 crowd

i am planning a girls nite out for my little sisters 40th b/d. Any suggestions for fun without feeling like we are everyones mother.?

We aren%26#39;t the stay home and knit grandmas but we hate those women who go out and try to outshine their daughters.

Ladies nite for over 40 crowd

I%26#39;m going to be celebrating my 40th in March in Vegas, and I have heard that Saturday nights at the Hard Rock Cafe have 70%26#39;s type music/band. Boogie Knights or something like that. Friday%26#39;s is 80%26#39;s music, but I didn%26#39;t like the 80%26#39;s music the first time around ;)

Ladies nite for over 40 crowd

My daughters and I enjoyed Chippendales.....if you like to look at half naked men!! LOL

My husband is over 40, and we feel comfortable everywhere in Vegas. Some fun lounges that you might like include the following: Voodoo at Rio, Carmel and Fontana at Bellagio, and Shadow Bar at Caesars. If you wear cute jeans and a fun top, you will fit in at any bar/lounge in Vegas just fine.

Cheap quality food????

Any info on restaurants or buffets that are reasonable but good.

Thanks

Cheap quality food????

My favorite breakfast is the $2.99 breakfast special at La Salsa Cantina in the Desert Passage mall. You get 2 eggs any style, potatoes, and bacon or sausage plus two tortillas. It%26#39;s great and filling. I hit it up at least once (usually almost every day) when in town.

Cheap quality food????

http://www.cheapovegas.com

this web site tells all

Aladdin has a very good buffet and Paris has a great breakfast buffet. They%26#39;re both reasonably price, in my opinion.

We usually pop into Stage Deli at CP%26#39;s Forun Shops. Very inexpensive and you get a TON of food.

Grand Lux at the Venetian has a wide selection, huge portions and reasonable prices.

I second the Stage Deli at Caesar%26#39;s. I couldn%26#39;t believe how much food you get! Go hungry!!

Top level buffets are only about $17 at lunch prices, go at 2 pm

Aladdin, Paris, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Rio, MGM

slightly less, and pretty good; Harrahs, TI, Luxor, MonteCarlo

Cheap for dinner, but with some good items; Palms(take shuttle from Barbary Coast midstrip, to Gold Coast..cross over to Palms), LV Hilton(if getting a monorail pass). Stratosphere is OK if in the area

This question was posted yesterday or the day before, so you may want to search it to see what the responses were.

I like Max%26#39;s at Desert Passage. Lunch is 4.99 and filling!!!!

Ellis Island 4.95 steak special is huge and decent quality.

Victorian Room- Graveyard special around 2.99 or 3.99 for a breakfast between 11pm-6 am.

To Hop Or Not to Hop

Hotels ? 14 nights from UK in LV.

Current plan is as follows: 4 nights Fremont Hotel - want to experience off strip/Fremont Street. 2 nights Stratosphere Hotel - North end, rides, etc. (also plan car hire during this time Fremont/Stratospher) ) 5 nights Treasure Island, medium mid way/expense hotel and final 3 nights Luxor (always wanted to do this one and its south end near airport). Is this an ok plan?

My question, is it worth the hopping? (range of hotels etc) Going 22 Aug so prices seem to be high - found some good rates on web.

Any comments greatly appreciated. Oh also, special car hire? Hummer Convertible/that sort of thing ? any UK tourist rates? Good car hire sites?

Once basics sorted I%26#39;m sure lots more questions ..... sorry !

To Hop Or Not to Hop

uscarhire.co.uk - £95 including all insurance. DO NOT rent a car in the US without collision waiver!!!

usrentacar.co.uk - also around £95 a week all in.

Hotels - good idea, see different hotels and experience different areas - love the idea although not sure if I would want to stay at north end of strip, think I would use those extra days at south end - then again I love the south end of strip as its trendier and more fun.....

Hotel rates - book direct with hotels and start using fatwallet.com, etc for hotel promo rates!!!

Just to give you an idea I paid $500 for 8 nights in Las Vegas last week - 4 nights South Point and 4 nights Luxor.

Good luck.

To Hop Or Not to Hop

I would skip the Stratosphere and spend more time at Treasure Island.

ukrose - i would also use the non stop flights with Virgin to LV as well, great flights!

Hi Nick. Thanks for reply. Live in the north but are going to drive down to London so we can get the virgin direct flights. Well worth it I say.

Have been using all the hotel web sites direct and have got the 4 hotels chosen for a total of £900 for the 14 nights. Like the idea of spreading along the strip and not being in one area as it is the first time we are visiting Vegas.

One post said avoid Stratosphere, is it bad ? Just thought definitely Fremont Street, north, mid and south strip. Would it be better booking TI and forgetting Stratosphere?

Can I ask you more questions in the future. There are SO many choices to make, quite overwhelming.

CHeers

Hi Checkitout, so you would not bother with Stratosphere? Is TI better position for strip? I know it%26#39;s more central that Strat - which is north end isn%26#39;t it? Is there no need to book into the north end - rather straight into mid way - Thanks for any advice.

I agree with the advice to skip Stratosphere.

Cheers Stratton - may forget that then and move straight onto TI.

One of the reasons I chose Stratosphere and Fremont is that we want to hire a car and %26#39;get out of dodge%26#39; so to speak, go seek outside the glitz and glamour which are pulling us into Vegas lol.

is it worth having the car if we go straight to TI ?

UKRose,

No dude - Virgin have non stop flights from Manchester, no need to drive down!!!

UKRose,

Its always worth having a car - being in Vegas for 14 days you will have trips I presume, whether it be nearby Valley of Fire or further a field Grand Canyon or even Death Valley (awesome!).

I just wouldnt bother with north end of strip near Strat and Circus Circus, etc........concentrate on 3 areas - Freemont area (which i loved), mid strip - so TI is perfectly fine, and then south strip - I would highly recommend MGM Grand over the Luxor - far nicer hotel!!!

Do some research as well - i did months of research before booking, some hotels are trendier like TI, NYNY, other like Bellagio are more %26#39;upscale%26#39; - you really need to do your research to make sure you get what you want!!!!

Also - remember that alot of what is discussed are opinions and not facts........for instance if I stayed mid strip I would like to try the Mirage as I love the theme and feel of the place, each to there own :)

moisturiser cream