19
Mar
2019
A question about : Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2015
Las Vegas is not like other places you might have been, where the hotels are near to the attractions. In Vegas the hotels ARE the attractions. Most have a huge casino attached, but if you think that's all there is to the place, you are sorely mistaken! Each hotel is very different, with its own theme and attractions.
The good news is, is that Vegas can be a friend for us Money Saving Experts, with lots of free attractions, cheap eats/drinks and value for money to be had.
This page cannot hope to cover everything, but hopefully should point you towards some good money saving tips. All information at the start of this thread is put together by members of the forum and is accurate at the time of writing - we will update it when we can.
After reading the 'information' posts at the start of this thread, feel free to post a reply, ask a question and join the discussion! We have lots of Vegas regulars contributing to this thread - join the gang!
Index of front page contents:
1 - Social media - hotels & casinos
2 - Getting there
3 - Hotels & Where to stay
4 - Getting around
5 - Attractions
6 - Food & drink
7 - Gambling & Players clubs
8 - Nightlife & shows
9 - Shopping
10 - Car hire & driving
11 - Getting married
12 - Coupons & vouchers
13 - myVEGAS
14 - Other useful bits & bobs
SOCIAL MEDIA - HOTELS/CASINOS
On Strip
ARIA Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Bally's Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Bellagio Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Caesars Palace Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Circus Circus Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
The Cosmopolitan Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
The Cromwell Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Casino Royale (Best Western Plus) Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Encore / Wynn Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Excalibur Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Flamingo Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Four Seasons Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Harrah's Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
The Linq (previously The Quad) Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Luxor Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Mandalay Bay Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Mandarin Oriental Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
MGM Grand Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
The Mirage Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Monte Carlo Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
NYNY Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Palazzo Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Paris Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Riviera Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
SLS Hotel Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Stratosphere Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Treasure Island Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Tropicana Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Trump Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Vdara Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Venetian Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Wynn / Encore Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Downtown
4 Queens Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
the D Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
El Cortez Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Off Strip
Boulder Station Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Days Inn Wild Wild West Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Fiesta Henderson Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Fiesta Rancho Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Green Valley Ranch Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Hooters Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Westgate Las Vegas Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Orleans Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Palace Station Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Palms Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Red Rock Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Rio Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Santa Fe Station Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Sunset Station Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Texas Station Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Tuscany Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ / www
Best answers:
- GETTING THERE
Las Vegas is 5235 miles from London, with direct flight times in the region of 10 hours.
You can book a package from pretty much any high street travel agent or online agent (Expedia, Ebookers, Opodo, etc.) which includes flights and hotels. However this is a money saving site so we can sometimes beat those package prices by booking flights and hotel room separately. Do your research and try out a variety of bookings: sometimes an all-in-one package (with Expedia, Ebookers, etc.) can work out cheaper than booking flights and hotel room separately, but the opposite can be true too.
If you are booking in advance there might not be a deal for your hotel yet, but you should be able to get a reasonable idea of prices by looking at current deals. Factors such as public holidays, sporting events (particularly boxing) and big conventions can increase the price of hotel bookings (see further down).
FLYING DIRECT
Direct flights to Las Vegas from the UK are available from:
British Airways: Gatwick, Heathrow
Virgin Atlantic: Gatwick, Manchester (includes Delta airline flights)
Thomas Cook: Manchester, Glasgow, Stansted (from Summer 2015)
Upgrade at the airport: it is unlikely that you will be able to upgrade your booking from Economy to Premium Economy, or Premium Economy to Upper Class. However it is not unheard of: well-dressed, polite requests are more likely to be successful, after all you won't lose anything by asking. However a more active frequent flyer/membership status is more likely to result in success.
FLYING INDIRECT
Flying indirect (i.e. with a stop over / change at another airport) often works out cheaper than direct flights.
Should you consider flying indirect there are many choices available, and far too many to cover here, but please be sure you know what you are letting yourself in for. Flying times are 12 hours+ involving 'changing' at another airport during the journey (for example Amsterdam or Atlanta).
To save money, you can also consider flying to Los Angeles. The drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is a very simple simple journey (265 miles), so it might be worth checking out flights to Los Angeles + cost of car hire/drive to Las Vegas (see the Car Hire & Driving post further down the page).
Getting a good fare is not straightforward, factors which can see you getting that good fare are: - Flexibility: be prepared to travel mid week not at the weekends like everyone else.
- Preparation: look into you flight upto 11 months before you fly if you can.
- Time of year: most Brits like to take holidays June-September.
- Research: asking advice to regular posters on this site.
- Risk: great fares can be had if you a prepared to wait till very close to your chosen dates.
- Airline Sales and Offers: airlines know when people start thinking about booking trips, keeping very regular tabs on the airlines websites for sales and fare reductions is a good idea. Some airlines offer reduced fares for frequent flyers and members of there flying clubs. MSE members have found good fares by booking before Christmas for the following year: when Christmas is over lots of people start planning their holidays.
- HOTELS & WHERE TO STAY
"The Strip" is where most visitors tend to stay. The Strip is the name given to Las Vegas Boulevard, the road that runs through the centre of Las Vegas, where many of the hotels/casinos are located. A few hotel/casinos are slightly off The Strip and usually have a free shuttle bus to-and-from The Strip. The other main area is called Downtown (at the North end of The Strip), where the standard of accommodation is lower (and cheaper).
Oyster.com is a great site for lots of hotel pics including room pics and reviews.
If you're a first time visitor you really should try to stay on The Strip if your budget allows - you can then check out the other areas and hotels, to see if you would consider them on a return visit (because you WILL want to return!).
WEHRE IS NICE, BUT REASONABLY PRICED?
This is a commonly posted question on previous Las Vegas threads, it is a hard question to answer. None of the main hotels are likely to make it on to a "Hotels from Hell" show on TV, but you do get what you pay for. A good starting place to get an idea on prices is vegas.com.
A word of warning about using Tripadvisor to pick your hotel. There are nearly dozens of hotels reviewed on the site, meaning the truly good hotels can end up way down the list of "best hotels". The site also lists hotels that are in the Las Vegas area, but nowhere near The Strip. South Point for example is on Las Vegas Boulevard but it is about a 15min car ride to the heart of The Strip and is not walkable.
HOW MUCH DO HOTEL ROOMS COST?
Basic rooms on The Strip range from $25-$150/night, going to up to any price you care to think of for suites & penthouses! It's a very personal choice, some visitors will just need a place to crash between parties, some visitors will want a bit of luxury and pampering. The hotels on The Strip to be most wary about are unsurprisingly the cheapest, for example: Circus Circus, The Stratosphere, The Riviera, Excalibur and Hooters. Post for some advice before on these hotels before booking. We'd recommend you work out your budget for hotels and go from there.
Friday and Saturday nights are peak times to stay, so will be more expensive. Other events which will increase the rates you pay include:
Sport: - January: Superbowl weekend
- December: Rodeo finals
- March Madness basketball
- Boxing (particularly MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay)
Check the sporting calendar here - you are cutting out the middleman
- all of the hotels operate the same booking policy, that you only need to pay your first night's rate as a deposit, which is 100% refundable if you cancel upto 72 hours before you stay. This is generally the rule with all hotel offers but there are exceptions. Some offers have recently have been NO REFUND offers. Be sure to check all terms and conditions before you book. Offers can become available any time, but generally start appearing 12 weeks before your dates.
- you can sign up to the hotel's "Player's Club" card: login to your account and check out the room rates.
- GETTING AROUND
WALKING
Although it's only about 3-4 miles from one end of The Strip to the other (the main part at least), do not underestimate the amount of time it will take you to get from A to B. Walking 1 mile at home may take you 20mins, but 1 mile on The Strip will take much longer! This is because of the attractions, the sights, the heat, the people, the traffic... A to B is rarely a straight line as you may have to go up-and-over the walkways to cross roads, or walk through casinos to get some air-conditioning. You can actually walk the majority of the length of The Strip without taking many steps outside, as many of the hotels/casinos are linked together by indoor walkways.
Here is a guide to the distances between the main Strip hotels, going from South to North (in miles)
0.0 Mandalay Bay
0.2 Luxor
0.4 Excalibur, Tropicana
0.6 New York New York, MGM Grand
0.8 Monte Carlo
1.0 City Center (Cosmopolitan, Aria, Vdara, etc.)
1.0 Harley Davidson Cafe
1.2 Planet Hollywood
1.4 Bellagio, Paris
1.5 Bally's
1.7 Caesars Palace, Flamingo
1.8 Harrah's
1.9 Mirage
2.0 Venetian
2.2 Treasure Island
2.3 Fashion Show Mall
2.5 Wynn/Encore
3.0 Westward Ho, Slots O' Fun, Riviera
3.1 Circus Circus
3.9 Stratosphere
DRIVING
If hiring a car you will have the choice of parking it yourself at the hotel (usually free) or using the valet service a tip ($1-2) is usually given for Valet. The Strip is very busy at most times trafficwise. Hiring a car gives you the freedom to explore the many great places to visit around Las Vegas (e.g. Lake Mead, The Hoover Dam, Primm, Boulder City) while being able to hop around The Strip easily and cheaply (roughly $2.50/gallon).
TAXIS
Taxis are good option for speed and convenience, but cost more than the other methods of getting around The Strip. You cannot flag them down, you get them called for you by staff outside the front of the hotels/casinos, or designated pick up areas. Most hotels/casinos have an obvious taxi line out front. Here is fare guide for taxis.
BUS
The Deuce is the local 24 hour bus service and is pretty reasonable. It costs $6 for a 2-hour pass, $8 for a 24 hour pass or $20 for a 3-day pass up and down The Strip, stopping at most hotels. Be warned though the buses fill up at popular mid strip locations and make it hard to get on at busy times.
Tickets are purchased on the bus or at vending machines.
Deuce bus map.
The SDX route is run by the same operator as The Deuce and follows pretty much the same route, but goes a little further south and a little further north and only runs from 9.30am-12.30am. The prices are the same as The Deuce. As well as travelling a little further, it also does not make as many stops up and down The Strip, so in theory should be quicker!
Tickets must be purchased in advance from machines on the street (5day/30day passes available from varius 7-Eleven, Albertsons, Mariana's, Walgreens).
SDX bus map.
LAS VEGAS MONORAIL (east-side of The Strip)
The Monorail runs from MGM Grand to The Sahara (the station is still open, even though the hotel is now closed). This costs $5 for a single journey, $12 for a 1-day pass... passes are also available for 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 days.
While it is certainly fast, clean and comfortable, the downside is that stations are at the back of the hotels, furthest from The Strip. You have to walk through whichever casino you get off at. Casinos are designed to be difficult places to escape, so it can be a trek to get back to The Strip! If you're going less than a mile you're probably better off walking.
The Monorail operates from 7am - 2/3am.
FREE MONORAILS (west-side of The Strip)
There are also 3 separate free-to-ride Monorails: - The Mirage - Treasure Island (7am - 2am, daily)
- The Excalibur - Luxor - Mandalay Bay
(Southbound: Excalibur and Mandalay Bay stops only, 9am -10.30pm, Northbound: stops at all 3 hotels, 11am - 10.30pm) - Monte Carlo - City Centre/Aria - Bellagio (8am - 4am, daily)
- ATTRACTIONS
You will find something unique in most of The Strip hotels to try and lure you in, some are free. Keep your eye out for Groupon deals around the Las Vegas area.
TOP FREE ATTRACTIONS
The Bellagio Fountains
are easily the best free attraction on The Strip, performing to a variety of music, it's a different show each time. It is still one of those shows that can make you stop and watch, even if you have seen them a lot of times. A good place to see them is from the top of the Eiffel Tower Experience.
Monday - Friday: 3pm - Midnight, show every 15/30mins
Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays: 12pm - Midnight, show every 15/30mins
The Mirage Volcano
begins daily at 6pm and runs every 30mins (except 7.30pm) until 11pm.
The Fremont Street Experience
is Downtown's attempt to compete with The Strip. It is a huge roof canopy that covers all of Fremont Street and at night transforms into a spectacular light and sound show. It was a joint venture by all the casinos it covers and they all turn off their own lights when it is on. Light and sound shows begin every night at dusk, and continue at the top of every hour until midnight.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign
you really need a car to get there, or get a bus closer to the sign, or a taxi. Here's a live webcam of the Las Vegas sign!
Other free attractions, recommended by MSE regulars:
On Strip
• Wildlife habitat at Flamingo
• Bellagio: World's largest chocolate fountain
• Bellagio lobby: Chihuly glass flower ceiling
• Bellagio: Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
• Circus Circus: Circus acts
• Ethel M's Chocolate Factory & Cactus Garden
• Silverton: Mermaid show & aquarium
• Silverton: Bass Pro shop
TOP PAY ATTRACTIONS
You can often find upto discounts in the many of the free magazines distrubuted around Las Vegas.
This is obviously only a tiny selection of what is available in Las Vegas, just a few of the MSE favourites.
Shark Reef @ Mandalay Bay
is a huge aquarium filled with a large variety of sea life (and more than a few sharks). You get audio wands that will fill you in on each tank. It is priced at $18 adults / $12 children (free for under 4s).
The Stratosphere
is a hotel/casino, but counts as an attraction in its own right (especially if you want a stunning high up view of Las Vegas and the surrounding area). It has a number of thrill rides at the top, standings at 1149 feet it is comfortably the tallest building in Nevada. The Observation deck costs $20/$12 to enter, the rides $15 a piece (but plenty of discount packages available).
Roller coasters:
The Roller Coaster @ New York New York and the Canyon Blaster @ Circus Circus. Circus Circus also has free circus performers inside the casino but they don't really warrant a specific visit, but are diverting enough if you happen to be around.
Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat @ The Mirage
is a favourite attraction. Here you find the world's largest collection of white lions and tigers, as well as a dolphins. Seigfried & Roy were The Mirage's headliners until Roy was severely injured onstage by one of the white tigers. The big cats you can see here are theirs and are magnificent creatures to see up close. The dolphins perform tricks and interact with the keepers. You can also view the dolphins from underwater observation room. $19.95 adults / $14.95 children, with experience packages also available.
The Eiffel Tower Experience
provides great views of The Strip. The not-to-scale replica sits half-in-and-out of the Paris casino, witha restaurant inside too. Prices from $14 adults, $10 for seniors / children, prices higher after 7.30pm. Free entry if it's your birthday!
Scoot City Red Rock guided tours
are a favourite amongst MSE members. You get to ride 2-seater scooter cars through the suburbs of Las Vegas, out to Red Rock Canyon and around the park. Although quite expensive ($125 per person), Groupon often has 2-for-1 deals, which makes it great value. Tours last for a morning or afternoon. Scoot City alo operates a Strip tour in the scooter cars. These tours are seasonal, check the website.
THE GRAND CANYON
Last but by no means least you can see one of the greatest sights on the planet while in Las Vegas. There are many different ways to get to the Grand Canyon, as well as being different parts of the Grand Canyon that can be visited. These include car (self-drive), bus trip, helicopter, plane.
The main locations of the Grand Canyon that are visited from Vegas are The West Rim and The South Rim. A lthough the West Rim is a much shorter distance, it is often cited as not being the 'real' Canyon due to it being nowhere near as 'impressive' as the South Rim… (although to some, "a hole in the ground" is "a hole in the ground"!)
WEST RIM
The West Rim is 'private' and therefore it is very much like a 'theme park' with rules such as "you aren't allowed to bring your own food and drink". This can bring the price of visiting the West Rim up a bit and they do have the SkyWalk. However, you cannot take shoes, bags or cameras onto the SkyWalk, and there is a further charge to actually go on it. Again, like a theme park, it seems you pay to get in, pay to eat and drink their foods and also pay to go on some of the good stuff! They will also take your photo on the Skywalk and let you buy it…
More information on the West Rim can be found here. If you are short on time, the West Rim is the easier and quicker (although not necessarily cheaper) option. One thing to note is that if you plan to drive to the West Rim, due to it being a private road for part of the journey (21 miles, 14 of which are unpaved), some car insurance policies for hire cars may not cover you for this part of the journey and in turn your insurance will be deemed void - so it is worth asking the question when booking/collecting your car.
SOUTH RIM
The journey from Vegas to the South Rim is a lot further than to the West Rim but if feels you are entering a different world. Parts of the South Rim are up to 10miles wide and is on average 1mile deep. Over 6000 feet high, the weather is not like the same weather you will experience whilst you are in Las Vegas and from October to March, snow is not uncommon and at its worst can sometimes make access to the park very awkward / impossible, whilst in Summer, it can get hotter than Vegas. The Grand Canyon South Rim is a national state park, meaning it will cost you $25/vehicle to drive in. More information on the South Rim can be found here.
Accommodation
Both rims have accommodation, for example Bright Angel Lodge at the South Rim. Note the website sometimes lists there is no availability if they are running low on rooms, so you must phone (except it doesn't tell you this so just ring and check your dates if that's easier). www.xanterra.com
Helicopter
By far the most popular method is a helicopter trip. There are many operators out of McCarran airport:
Heliusa • Papillon • Maverick • Sundance • Grand Canyon Tour Company • Serenity ...and many others if you Google.
It is not a cheap trip by any means (budget on least Ј200 per person for a standard flight).
Helicopter flights that land in the Grand Canyon will only take you to the West Rim (because of the distance) - but this is not a bad thing as it is still an experience in itself (and unlike driving, there will be no extra charges). You can sometimes find discounts and coupons for the above operators online, and in the free magazines you can pick up around The Strip. All of the above will pick you up from/return you to your hotel. You will also probably get to see the Hoover Dam if you choose a helicopter tour. You may also find trips costing less by choosing to fly from airports closer to the Canyon. Some of the Vegas trips will actually depart from Boulder City (usually offering a free shuttle bus to get there first).
Driving
If you are going to drive in America, then both the South or West rims are probably some of the simplest journeys you can make. Long straight roads, with not much traffic apart from driving through Vegas city itself. You can also stop off at other destinations along the way, such as the Hoover Dam and Boulder City. - FOOD & DRINK
EATING
There are 100s places to eat in Las Vegas, from budget to high-end, across every type of world cuisine; from exclusive celebrity chefs (Gordon Ramsey) to cheap pile 'em high buffets.
Your hotel will almost certainly have more than a few places to eat at. But bear in mind the hotel has a captive market so in-house restaurants can often be more expensive than independent/off-site restaurants.
www.restaurant.com is a website which sells discount vouchers for eateries across America. For example, you buy a voucher for $10 which gets you $30 deducted from a bill of $60+. Keep and eye on this thread, as our regulars will post up the latest offers and passwords for the latest discounts - but you have to be quick as the most popular restaurants will sell their allocation very quickly. You must register with the website: use your own address, Nevada for the state and 89109 for the zip code. It doesn't have to match your credit card.
There are still great deals to be had on food if your prepared to search them out and venture a couple of minutes off-Strip. Although some deals come and go, a few have been running for many years and should be around when you visit. Some of the popular ones can be found here.
BUFFETS
The most famous of dining options in Las Vegas are the buffets, which are open all day and vary in price depending if you go for breakfast, lunch or dinner (and can include alcohol for an additional supplement). Prices range on the Strip from a $12 breakfast buffet, to a $65 brunch, the average cost being $20-30. For this set price you can eat and drink as much as you want from the huge food selections available. Nearly all The Strip casinos have a buffet and it is unlikely you are either going to feel short changed or not find something you enjoy at nearly all of them. You will probably be pleased with the quality of most of the other buffets on The Strip. Although you can eat as much as you like, give some thought if a buffet is going to be the most economic choice - for example, if you're a light grazer, then spending $50 on a buffet might be a false economy.
MSE TIP: pace yourself! You can spend as much time as you like eating, so try eating little and often. As tempting as it is, don't pile your first plate and then feel stuffed!
DRINKING
Alcohol is easy to get hold of in Vegas and is free in casinos, as long as you are playing any casino game (tables, slots, etc.) and are not too drunk!
Casino cocktail waitresses 'patrol' the floor and will ask you what you'd like. They make regular rounds and as long as you're not asking for super expensive bubbly, they will happily give you a drink to keep you playing. "Free" is a little misleading though, the waitress relies on tips, so she is unlikely to be in a rush to ask or serve you again if you don't tip her. $1 a drink is acceptable, but you should tip a bit more if you have a group order or will be using her services regularly. cocktaildoll.com is a good site that gives information on the subject.
If for some reason you want to pay at the bar for drinks (!), be warned that they will be quite expensive!
As the minimum age for gambling and drinking is the same (21), ordering drinks from bars can be a little more hassle. Most establishments will ask for ID, so if you plan on ordering any alcohol, always have some photo ID with you no matter what your age. Your passport will be fine, but a photo driving licence is better as it is easier to carry and not a disaster if you lose it while tipsy! - [SIZE="6a"]GAMBLING & PLAYERS CLUBS[/SIZE]
GAMBLING
Think of Vegas, and you think of the casinos - poker, blackjack, high rollers, slot machines. It really is like the scenes in Oceans' 11/12/13! But you don't need to be rich & wealthy to have a good time and a gamble. Even if you're not a gambler in the UK, having a little flutter is all part of the fun and only needs to cost you cents at a time. Many MSE regulars never gambled when they first visited, but now look forward to a little dabble!
Playing at tables (blackjack, pokers, roulette, etc.)
Tables will carry a minimum bet, this is usually $10, though you may find some tables with a $5 minimum. Don't worry if you're not sure what you're doing, the dealer and fellow players will usually be happy to help. Some casinos even offer free lessons, so check that out.
Playing slot machines
Machines (or slots) are just you and the machine. There are themed machines (Dark Knight, Ghostbusters, Sex In The City, etc.) which are good fun and have entertaining bonus features. Again, don't worry about not really understanding the machines, it's all pretty self-explanatory once you start playing. There are also the classic fruit machines/one armed bandits, but very few will accept coins these days, it's all dollar bills or 'cashout vouchers'. Having a spin on these machines can cost you as little as 1 cent a time, but obviously the more you bet, the more you will win! Usually $1/spin is a good amount to bet, but it's whatever you are comfortable with.
You get paper vouchers when you 'cash out' or end your session on a machine. Let's say you put a $20 and play for 10 minutes, and your balance is now $23.42. You just hit the 'cash out' button and the machine prints a voucher for $23.42, which you can then insert into another machine, or exchange for real money! You can do this at 'bill-breaking' machines which are dotted about the casino floor. Beware though, you cannot take your voucher from one casino to another, even if they're in the same group (e.g. Caesars Entertainment).
PLAYERS CLUBS
Think of joining a players club like signing up for a Nectar card or loyalty card scheme. The more you play, the more you can 'earn'. You will be given a plastic card (like a credit card/driving licence) which you insert into the slot machine each time you play, or present to the dealer.
You can sign up for these clubs at the casino, you just need to have some photo ID - your passport is the best form of ID, there have been MSE member reports that some casinos will not accept a UK driving licence. Some also allow you to sign up online (in advance) but you don't always qualify for some of the 'freebies' on offer. Also, where there are multiple casinos in one club (e.g. Total Rewards), you can only sign up once so you should check which one offers the best deal for you.
People ask, is it worth signing up? Well, it's free for a start. It only takes about 2 mins and once you have joined you'll usually get some sort of freebie (free slot play, vouchers, etc.) - check the Advantage Player website for the latest sign-up bonuses. As long as you put your card in the slot machines as you play them/present you card to the dealer, you will start to build up points which may help you qualify for reduced room rates or even 'comped' rooms in the future. It's impossible to say how much you would need to spend but some people on here have received 'comped' rooms for relatively small amounts of slot play.
There isn't one card for all casinos (as much as there isn't one loyalty card for all supermarkets), each card (listed below) is only valid its parent casinos. So you might end up signing up for a number of them, or decide to just go with one and gamble at particular casinos to maximise your 'earnings'.
List of main Players Clubs on or within walking distance to The Strip: - Total Rewards - Bally's, Paris, Harrahs, Flamingo, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Rio All Suites and The Quad.
- MLife Players Club - (MGM Resorts) Aria, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Luxor, Excalibur, New York New York, Monte Carlo
- Red Card - Wynn, Encore
- Identity - Cosmopolitan
- Station Casinos Boarding Pass - Palace Station, Boulder Station, Texas Station, Sunset Station, Santa Fe Station, Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock Casino
- B Connected - The Orleans, Gold Coast, Sun Coast or Sam's Town, Main Street Station, California Hotel, & Fremont
- NIGHTLIFE & SHOWS
NIGHTLIFE
You won't be surprised to learn that nightlife in Vegas is very diverse. Most casinos will have at least one nightclub, several bars, as well as lounges. Off-site there are 100s of bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, etc. to suit all tastes. A lot of the more trendy places will have door and dress policies so you should research ahead if you planning on visiting a particular club. Entrance fees are also quite varied. If you are planning on a lot of club hopping a good investment is the front of line passes offered by www.vegas.com. Not all clubs are included but, one of these could save you hours of queuing. Be warned though, that buying alcohol in clubs can be very expensive. Also be wary of buying VIP passes from street sellers, the sales patter is very good and you might think you're saving a lot of money, but often you will be disappointed. VIP lines can be longer than general admission, and no difference in price.
Visit jackcolton.com for a full nightclub guide.
SHOWS
On any given night in Las Vegas there are dozens of top quality shows to choose from, not to mention many others in and around town. If you're very keen to see a certain show and want best available seats then you can book ahead online from the official website or a well-known website such as Ticketmaster or BestOfVegas.com (good for discounts). You then pick the tickets up from the Theatre Box Office on the day.
However, to save more money, you can wait until you arrive in Las Vegas to buy your tickets. There are discount ticket outlets on The Strip called Tix4tonite which offer tickets for the same night upto half price. If you have a car, booths just off-Strip are ususally less busy than the centre Strip booths.
You're likely to find more choice of shows on weekdays rather then weekends, and some shows never seem to appear at these outlets. Popular shows will sell out, so you may need to get there and queue before opening time to secure the tickets you want. The staff at these places are quite helpful and should be able to tell you if a certain show will require you get there early to buy tickets the next day. There are 2 lines at the Tix4tonight booths: one regular and one VIP. VIP passes are available for $25 and last for a year, the VIP line gets served before the regular line.
also check out these links to see if they have any good offers on:
goldstar.com
travelzoo.com/entertainment/las-vegas
BestOfVegas.com - SHOPPING
MALL SHOPPING
Like dining and gambling there is plenty of choice for retail therapy on every budget, from cheap and tacky snow globes at Bonanza (the world's biggest souvenir/gift store) to boutique shopping and Ferrari/Maserati dealership at the Wynn.
The Strip has several big shopping malls. The biggest are:
The Forum @ Caesars Palace
Miracle Mile @ Planet Hollywood
Grand Canal Shoppes @ Venetian
Fashion Show mall (opposite Wynn)
City Center (by Aria)
You will also find smaller shopping malls and shops in most of the hotels/casinos.
For bargain hunters and money savers there are several outlet malls close to The Strip, where you can find large discounts on high street names:
Las Vegas Premium Outlet North & Las Vegas Premium Outlet South
These two outlets are the most popular as they are within easy reach of the Strip (by taxi/bus/car, not walking). By registering with the website, you can print off a number of discount vouchers, as well as receive a free coupon book which you can collect at the Information Centre at each outlet.
Fashion Outlets Las Vegas
Despite its address is a good 30-40mins drive south of The Strip in Primm. But while you're there, you can ride Desperado, one of the world's longest roller coasters.
Also check out these free coupons, there are several that can be printed off and redeemed for coupon booklets at certain shopping malls: www.destinationcoupons.com
LUGGAGE
If you are a serious shopper, you may want to consider paying in advance for an extra piece of baggage to bring with you on the flight home. Typically each passenger will have a 23kg baggage limit, with 10kg (23kg on BA) for hand baggage. For a couple, a third suitcase for the return journey may be economical. You could either purchase a cheap piece of luggage when in Vegas, or place a medium-sized bag inside a large bag on the way out, taking two bags with you, in one.
FOOD/DRINK SHOPPING
If you have a fridge in your room, it can be worth stocking up on some drinks and snacks, which you can enjoy back at the hotel, or take out with you. There are a couple of Walgreens and CVS pharmacies dotted up and down The Strip. Whilst not the cheapest places to buy snacks, they're certainly cheaper than some of the 'convenience' stores in the hotels/casinos. If you have a car, then venturing a few minutes off-Strip, prices for drinks/snacks will come down even further, at a Walmart for example. - CAR HIRE & DRIVING
The following agencies (websites which search multiple rental firms) have both been tried and tested by MSE members without any complaints so far:
rentalcars.com
netflights.com
dollar.com
Take note of terms and conditions, as some rental companies will not cover you for driving on private roads leading to the Grand Canyon.
Rental Cars will often price match any better quote and include all car insurances in with the price, so probably worth searching with travelsupermarket before going to them.
Most companies (Alamo, Dollar, etc.) allow pickup/drop-off in Nevada, Arizona and California, including one way journeys - but make sure they note as such on your voucher. Then if Alamo/Dollar get it wrong, you are protected by your Rental Cars voucher. Vegas to Los Angeles is the easiest journey in the world: turn right at Caesars Palace, turn left at the lights, drive straight for 300 miles, turn right into the Los Angeles rental centre!
Prices from the US sites don't always include any insurances at all and paying for the insurance locally is going to significantly increase the total price - though you may have car hire insurance elsewhere.
Remember - amongst other 'driving differences', in Nevada you are allowed to turn right on a red light (however crossing pedestrians are given priority), and at none traffic-lighted 'stop' junctions, you give priority to cars that were 'stopped and waiting' there before you. - GETTING MARRIED
Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world, hosting over 115,000 weddings each year. You won't be surprised to learn that you can have your pick of type of wedding, big or small, cheap or lavish, formal or novelty the choice is yours. There ain't nothing to tying the knot in Vegas, all you need is a wedding certificate from Clark County wedding office and be eligible. You can than hop down to any local chapel and be married there and then. Of course you can find many companies in Vegas who help you organize everything, no matter what size wedding you want. wizardofvegas.com is a good forum with lots of info about hotels, shows, casinos, etc. - COUPONS & VOUCHERS
There is a lot of money to be saved by taking advantage of coupons. You will often find coupons in your check in welcome pack from your hotel. You can also get coupons for buffets and rides, by signing up for a Players Club Card in hotels/casinos (see above). Staff often hand out coupons around the casino areas.
However beware not everyone handing out coupons (even inside the casinos) is trying to save you some money. Las Vegas has pushy timeshare people, if someone is offering free show tickets or trips to the Grand Canyon, be aware that they are probably trying to sell you something. The worst place for timeshare sales people is around the Excalibur and the entrance to the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood. Don't feel rude by ignoring their advances and walk straight past them with a "no thanks".
It is also a good idea to pick up all free magazines you see. You can often find these in taxis, monorail stations, shopping malls and hotel lobbies. The show coupons in these magazines are usually beaten by going to the Tix4Tonight booths mentioned earlier though.
If you are really serious about wanting to save some money, it's a good idea to invest in one of the following:
The Las Vegas Advisor Member rewards booklet will pay for itself very quickly just by making use of one or two of best coupons. By joining LVA for a year's online membership of $37 you get one book of coupons. You can have the book delivered for a charge or pick it up free from the LVA offices in Las Vegas.
The American Casino guide contains coupons for other cities as well as Las Vegas. There are a number of coupons the same as the LVA Book, so you should probably only need one or the other depending on what you want to save on. This guide costs $13.49.
Also check out these free coupons, there are several that can be printed off and redeemed for coupon booklets at certain shopping malls.
www.lasvegas-nv.com/las-vegas-coupons.htm
www.destinationcoupons.com
Register with Las Vegas Premium Outlet North & Las Vegas Premium Outlet South - myVEGAS and Social Rewards
myVEGAS
is an online game, in which you collect chips which you can redeem for real-life rewards, for example show tickets, meals or hotel rooms. The game is run by the MGM Group, so free rewards are only available for MGM Group Properties.
To play, you will need a Facebook account, an Mlife account (both are free) and LOTS OF TIME!
By collecting free red chips, you build up your credit for playing the slot machines. Play the slots and your level count goes up. You will also collect V's which help build your hotels on the Strip. Like any slot machine, you will win and lose, so this game is all about time...
Have some red chips, spin the wheels, and you will build your strip and collect Loyalty Points (LPs / gold coins), and win/lose!
The purpose of playing the game is to build LPs, which are what you need to turn your time into real life freebies.
For every spin, a gold coin forms and then hits your pot, each time you level up, you receive LPs too.
It will take some time to accumulate a lot of LPs, but worth it given it's free. You will be able to use 3 real-life rewards in any 30 day window. That means if you book a room or show in January 2014, to use on 1st May 2014, the 30 day window starts from 1st May 2014 (or which ever offer is redeemed first).
You will have options to purchase red play coins if you wish. By purchasing play chips, you will increase your 'reward count' from 3 to 4 rewards in the 30 day window. But there is no fixed amount of what to buy... some people report that buying 3 transactions' worth of play chips over $60 has resulted in making 4 rewards available, but there is no rule to this, it's hit and miss!
At the end of the day, it's free to play, the more you play, the more chance you have of winning/losing. Don't assume betting big will win big, learn as you go, and go get some goodies!
The real-life rewards which are on offer, refresh everyday at 3pm (UK time), and are limited. The popular rewards will sell out very quickly, so being near a computer at 3pm can be vital!
My advice for playing this game on the PC (ideal if you get your partner to do the same):
1. Join a myVegas Facebook group (search for "myvegas gifts" on Facebook).
2. Find the sub heading for 'Add Me or Add Friends', you will get a list of members asking to be added, or you add them. Having more friends will allow you to earn more.
3. You ideally need a minimum of 50 'vegas friends', but go for 60 at least. Once you have added or accepted friends, you can click on that person, and in the button where it states 'Friends' with a Tick next to it, click on that, remove the tick for 'Show in News Feed', and then click on 'Add to another list', and then choose 'Restricted'.
The purpose of this is so you don't see any posts from that 'friend' and they don't see any of your info.
4. Now you have 60 friends, you need to invite them as 'neighbours', so once in the game, click on 'MORE' button near top left and then choose 'Invite Friends', then select 'myVegas Players'. Click the names in that list and then choose 'Send Invites'.
5. You will start to see players walking up and down your strip, and those players are your 'vegas friends'... What's the purpose of this?
6. You get a free daily spin, which occurs every 22 hours. You may land on 100+ red play chips, or even gold LPs, but by having at
least 50 friends, you get a % bonus based on max. 50 friends. This helps a great deal with collecting red and gold coins.
7. Also, with having friends, you can gift each other, by clicking on 'MORE', and then choose 'Send Gifts'. Do this every day, you get
the same in return, this adds to another way of building your stash of red play chips.
8. While under level 50, you ideally don't want to bet any more than 1000 red coins per spin, and while building hotels, bet low and
use the auto spin. 3 good games are 'Excalibur', 'Wild Birds' & 'Bet the Farm'. All have a bit of user interaction. 'Studio City' is
the only game to spin through right until the bonus round (where you do a few clicks).
(Thanks to StuieUK34 for writing this info!)
Social Rewards
Social Rewards is a program that gives you perks and freebies for things you're probably already doing, like following your favorite Las Vegas hotels on Twitter, or liking them on Facebook, or telling friends about various Las Vegas awesomeness.
Depending upon what action you take in the social networking realm, you'll earn a certain number of Social Rewards points. Those points can be redeemed for Reward Credits, those magical "points" you can use to get things like show tickets, free rooms, food and drink, as well as back rubs from certain Las Vegas blogs. (We made that last part up, but anything's possible in Sin City.)
Find out more here. - OTHER USEFUL BITS & BOBS
INSURANCE
Tips on getting travel insurance can be found on Martin's Travel Insurance page.
WHEN TO VISIT
July and August are often disliked because of the intense heat.
January and December are quiet months (hotel pools often close down October-March ). That said Las Vegas is a year-round destination. Many consider the best months to visit as April/May, September/October. Prices for UK flights in traditional UK holiday months of June to early September always seem much more expensive than April/May (excluding bank holidays and Easter of course), yet April/May are better times to visit. By avoiding the traditional UK holiday season, you could save a considerable amount of money on your flight, meaning more money to spend on your hotel.
THINGS TO TAKE WITH YOU
Aside from the usual holiday things make sure you take a comfortable pair of walking shoes: it can be 15 minute walk from your hotel room to The Strip. It's a fair bet that no matter what your mode of transport around The Strip, you will still be doing a fair amount of walking within the casinos.
MONEY
Using the MSE Travel Money website is a great start to learn about using cash abroad. To get more $ for your Ј, consider getting your cash well in advance of your trip. Also read up on different cards you can take to minimise costs and fees on transactions abroad. Be aware that taking cash out of ATMs can be expensive, with a fee for using the machine, as well as your card taking a percentage fee. Avoid using ATMs in many casinos, as these will carry the highest charges. By reducing the number of times you use ATMs, will reduce the charges, so for example think about withdrawing $200 in one go, rather 4x withdrawals of $50.
TIPPING
As with most places in the US, tipping is the etiquette when receiving any kind service (bell hops, cocktail waitresses, valet, concierge, taxis, meals, etc...). Vegas.com offers a comprehensive resource for all things tipping.
CALLING HOME
Please read this MSE guide. Phone cards are also a good option, but don't buy the cards found in the casino, places like CVS and Walgreens have better value cards. You can purchase a mobile phone from Walmart for around $30, including airtime. If you are a couple and need to split up, 2 of them could be useful.
UK mobile network Three operate the "Feel At Home" service, which basically lets you use your UK tariff abroad (currently limited locations, but USA is included). If you are not a Three customer, you can simply get a free Three Pay As You Go sim, purchase an Add On package (for Ј10 or Ј15) and use minutes, texts and data in the USA at no extra cost. If you are a new Three customer, you will have needed your sim card for 30 days before you can use Feel At Home (so just remember to order it in plenty of time!) Full details can be found here.
You can also use this pay-as-you-go sim card from T-Mobile (US network) is recommended. For a nominal charge for the SIM card (around $1, sometimes free), you can get unlimited talk, text (domestic) and web for $3/day. For $10/month you can get unlimited international talk/text. This SIM card is only available to purchase in America, so either purchase/activate one when you arrive, or if you have a friend in the US who can mail one to you, that will work.
LAS VEGAS APPS
See the first post in this thread for apps run by the casinos/hotels. Apps appear all the time, but some useful ones are from vegas.com, Fox5 Vegas, TripAdvisor.
PREVIOUS MSE LAS VEGAS THREADS
link to 2014 thread
link to 2013 thread
link to 2012 thread
link to 2011 thread
link to 2010 thread
link to 2009 thread
link to 2008 thread
link to 2007 thread - MSE member Trip Reports
Usually when MSE members have come back from a Vegas trip, they're encouraged to write a trip report, detailing what they got up to (as little or as much!) - this helps imminent visitors with any current offers, shows, news, deals and interesting info, so they don't miss out!
2015
18 Jan - lizzielie (trip date Dec/Jan)
17 Jan - Hovis91 (trip date Nov 2014)
2014
3 Dec - eva11 1 2 (trip date Nov)
3 Dec - jadamcp (trip date 25 Nov-2 Dec)
2 Nov - ferf1223 (trip date Oct)
12 Oct - nvh (trip date Sept)
24 Sept - nykied (trip date 12-18 Sept)
21 Sept - wr1ght (trip date 2-12 Sept)
13 Sept - bubble113 (trip date 16-28 Aug)
6 Sept - becksta (trip date 27 Aug-5 Sept)
26 Aug - totallybored (trip date 8-19 Aug)
10 Aug - lizzielie (trip date 28 May-10 Jun)
19 Jul - bobbyhibs (trip date 6-13 Jul)
14 Jul - stoneman (trip date June)
17 Jun - rorylando45 (trip date 17-24 Jun)
6 Jun - StuieUK34 (trip date 19 May-2 Jun)
27 Apr - secretmachines (trip date 17-25 Apr)
5 Apr - pm04gn (trip date 28 Mar-2 Apr)
29 Jan - alictait (trip date 23 Dec-8 Jan)
2013
25 Sept - nvh (trip date 2-12 Sept)
7 July - roryorlando45 (trip date 21-29 June)
6 July - Hovis91
4 July - vanilla8 (trip date June)
4 July - ratkarth 1, 2 (trip date 1-8 July)
6 June - StuieUK34 (trip date May)
28 May - stu1892 (trip date 15 May)
12 May - Wendell Pierce (trip date Apr)
12 May - ferf1223 (trip date Mar)
11 May - lizzielie (trip date Apr?)
11 May - photome (trip date Apr/May)
17 Apr - martmonk (trip date 13 Mar)
4 Apr - Vern58 (trip dates Mar)
18 Feb - Spursman180 (trip dates early Feb)
11 Feb - stevie11 (trip dates Jan/Feb)
30 Jan - marsman802 (trip dates 21-27 Jan)
2012 (date is when report was posted, not necessarily time of trip)
5 Jan - Zaffi
25 Feb - rpstdavids
31 Mar - jadamcp 1, 2
3 Apr - photome
4 Apr - costingbunny
11 Apr - vern58
12 Apr - roryorlando
13 Apr - bitgiggy
27 Apr - gill247 1, 2, 3
17 May - buzz78
22 May - foosterino
14 Jun - parcival
10 Sept - rahven
10 Sept - alisonofagun
16 Sept - secretmachines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
23 Sept - credit_crunch
23 Sept - lesley74
21 Sept - scottishnellie 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
15 Oct - Glenbois
30 Nov - Seldom Seen Kid 1, 2, 3, 4 - Im tagging along ready as we are planning on going to Vegas next year and I am so excited!!
Jodles - I'm going to Vegas in Feb 15. First trip there so will be here a lot
- Its on my to do list so checking in too
- We've booked 10days with Virgin flying on 28th March for four of us, me, hubby, 18yo and 14yo.
We've never been and want to get the most out of it so I have lot of questions.
We want to go to the Grand Canyon but will probably be a coach trip. Also Death Valley, what's the best way to do that? Hubby also wants to do the Hoover Dam cruise, any tips?
I also need to know the best way for us to take money. We don't have cc's any more. What's the best way to do that.
Obviously the girls and I want to go shopping.....recommendations for that and a show maybe? Might be able to convince hubby into that one.
Finally, anyone point me in the direction of moneysaving offers or links to offers. TIA
Ann
Useful flight price comparison websites:
Skyscanner.net
Google flights
ESTA
You will need to obtain an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to board a flight to the USA. You can find info and apply for an ESTA here. ESTAs used to be free, but now cost $14 per person. Before booking you should check that you qualify for entry to the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). An ESTA lasts for 2 years (no matter how often you travel), or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
Read the MSE guide to ESTAs.
ARRIVAL
Las Vegas McCarran International Airport is pretty much next to The Strip, only about a 3 mile drive. Shuttle Buses operate to all the main hotels. Taxi is by far the most popular way to get to your hotel though. You can find a good estimate of the fare to your hotel here.
MSE TIP: instruct the taxi driver to NOT "take the tunnel" - this is a route which is slightly longer and therefore more costly. However for some hotels, this can be a more efficient route, taking into account traffic, etc.
Large Conventions:
Events like The Consumer Electronics Show, can have 150,000 attending.
Check the conventions calendar here.
National and Public Holidays:
Las Vegas never closes down, but public holidays/celebrations can increase prices.
Check USA national holidays here.
GETTING A GOOD DEAL ON YOUR HOTEL ROOM
Booking directly through the hotels direct has big advantages:
There are several websites that list offers and discounts for hotels. Remember these sites simply list the deals which hotels release, so there is no need for a flashy website. Unless stated, these offers usually take you to a direct booking with the hotel.
vegasmessageboard.com
vegastripping.com
vegas-promotions.com
vegashotelhunt.com
vegashotelspecial.com
totalrewards.com/hot-deals
vegas-hotels-online.com
smartervegas.com
earlyvegas.com
Most hotels have Facebook and Twitter profiles (see first post in this thread), which update regularly and promote flash sales, discount codes, offers, etc. It is also worth signing up to the hotels emailing lists, via their website, to receive offers.
Also try 3rd party sites for good prices:
atlaschoice.com
netflights.com
lowcostusa.co.uk
travelrepublic.co.uk
hotels.com
lastminute.com
When you have found and booked a hotel, it's a good idea to keep checking the new offers as they come in on the various threads, as you might find a better deal for the your dates. If the better offer is for the same hotel, you can probably get the hotel to pricematch your existing booking by calling them up (don't forget to use the MSE International call checker). Really good offers may not hang around if there is a lot of interest, so get in early if you see a new one that's a great deal.
Staying in two different hotels is also a good idea if you find great deals for different blocks of nights, and is not as much hassle as you might think. This is also a nice thing to do, to experience a couple of different hotels in one trip. A popular combination is to spend a few nights in one of the 'cheaper' hotels, then finish your stay with a couple of nights at a high-end hotel, or in a suite. This is also a nice way to experience both ends of The Strip.
Some people ask if it is better to find a hotel when you arrive, this is most definitely NOT a good idea. US Immigration requires you to have your 1st night's stay booked. Simply showing up at a casino without a booking will almost certainly mean you being charged "Rack Rate" for a room, which is pretty much the most you can end up paying.
RESORT FEES
Nearly all hotels charge a 'resort fee', a mandatory amount per room per night that covers the cost of things like Wi-fi or Gym access. This is not usually included in the room rate prices you will find quoted online. For Strip hotels, resort fees range from $14.50-$28+tax/night. This is important to factor into your budget as this could add up to nearly $200 for a week's stay. A full list of resort fees can be found here. Here's an interesting write-up on resort fees from VegasChatter.com.
CHECKING IN
When you check in at the hotel, the clerk will will assign you a room. Some rooms of the same class are more desirable than others: Strip views are always more sought after, as are corner rooms or rooms overlooking a hotel attraction (e.g. the Bellagio fountains). Also try to get a room that is not situated directly next to an elevator. You should try to do as much research on the rooms within your hotel as possible to find out what to ask for. Some websites, such as TripAdvisor, have a "which rooms travellers prefer" section within the hotel review page, which can give some very good information. Of course, please do ask for advice on this forum.
$20 TRICK / COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADES
Cash is King is Las Vegas and you can sometimes get a room upgrade using the "$20 Trick": by tipping the check-in clerk $20. This works more often than not, but you may find it harder to get a upgrade by doing this if you have a long stay, or if the hotel is fully booked. Also don't expect to get upgraded to a Penthouse suite from a standard room booking, you will probably only get one or two steps up the luxury ladder. For longer stays, or better upgrades, some people have reported that tipping $50 instead of $20, can work. Sometimes, just being polite and friendly can result in an upgrade.
Links to $20 Trick advice and successes:
frontdesktip.com
thetwentydollartrick.com
fatwallet.com
Regardless if you tip of not, if you're not happy with the room (noisy, smoky, etc.), contact the front desk and get one you are happy with. Vegas is a holiday resort, and the customer service is usually exceptionally good. As with most "complaining", if you remain calm and polite, you should be treated equally respectfully.
FACILITIES
Las Vegas hotels usually have all you could ever need... apart from an in-room kettle, coffee and teabags! Although usually found in even basic UK hotel chains, they seem to be scarce in Vegas hotel rooms! So taking a travel kettle, or buying one when you're there is an option, along with taking a supply of your favourite teabags, etc.
HOTEL MAPS & FLOORPLANS
Here's a useful link to maps/floorplans of most hotels and casinos.
List of Players Clubs off-strip (vehicle required):
The Wizard of Vegas website offers a great overview of what is on offer at each casino, in terms of minimum stakes, games, sportsbooks, etc. a well as reviews.
American Casino Guide also updates regularly with sign-up offers to Players Clubs, but also details any current promotions and offers.
If you really can't wait and want to check out rules, tips and play a few practice hands before you go, The Wizard of Odds website is great for this!
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