Vegas bound. Any ideas?

Two couples ... yeah, $2,400 at Pure with a private bouncer and waitress is probably out.

Again, I don't think you can go wrong, especially if you haven't been. I read this thread:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/51321/

and definitely applied some of the advice.

 

We stayed at the Luxor when I was there two years ago and loved it. The inclinators are kind of weird at first because they're elevators, but they go diagonally because of the pyramid shape. But the first two days there, my girlfriend at the time and I would just walk as far down the strip as we could going in the different casinos and such, and once we were beat just hopped a cab back. It's not hard to get a cab, just go to the entrance of any hotel and they're lined up for you since you can't hail one in the street.

We took one night and went over to the old strip with the 4 Queens and Binions and such, and saw the photos from all the World Series of Poker champions. And the light show they have on the canopy there is wicked cool.

One of our friends told us before we left to go to a place called Sam's Town. I was 25 at the time, and we were the youngest people in there by a couple decades, but it was a lot of fun, $5 black jack tables where the people and dealers were real friendly. Not only the players, but the dealers would help you out a lot if you were just learning how to play black jack. Plus, got a cheap buffet there that was phenomenal.

We didn't really eat breakfast, but usually around 3 or 4 we would hit up a buffet somewhere and just stuff ourselves and that would be the only thing we'd eat all day unless we went to Nathan's in the Luxor when we would get in at about 3 or 4 in the morning for a late-night snack.

Only thing we didn't do was go see a show of some kind, which I really wanted to. I wasn't ready to drop $130 to see Blue Man Group, and now I would have paid $200 to see them. Plus, Carrot Top was playing in the Luxor for like $20 but nobody would go see him with me. So I highly suggest seeing a show of some kind, especially if it's Wayne Newton ;D

 

See a comedy show. Saw Dennis Miller and there's a reason that the comedians get paid big $$, the writing is pretty intelligent (Rita Rudner opened and she was funny but not as intelligent as Miller). Sadly, no Danny Gans any longer.

 

Rooms at the Sahara are cheap, clean and comfortable for as much as you'll be in them. Cheap table stakes. I always rent a car when I'm in Vegas. It's way cheaper than taxis and you can always go outside town if you want to see stuff like Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, etc. In 'N' Out Burger is a must when I'm in Vegas.

 

Don't fuck with Mike's tiger, and Doug is a shitty drug dealer.

 

I'll throw in another query here.

I booked Bally's for a couple of midweek days after the Super Bowl for an annual trip with my dad and brother. $17 for the room for both nights. Dad is old, brother is visually challenged (not completely blind) so wanted to try to keep the walking to a minimum. I stayed at the Paris last time I went and walked over to Bally's to gamble a little bit, but didn't check out the rest of it.
Anybody got any comments or recommendations regarding Bally's??

AND, going back in March with wife and teenager. Staying at the Imperial Palace. That's a weekend trip. Got one night for $105 and the other for $99. I have never stepped foot in the place. Any comments, dos or don'ts??

Something to keep in mind when searching back for old threads: the stuff in Vegas changes all the time. Today's boffo buffet is tomorrow's ptomaine tommys.

Oh, and another thing, wherever you go, sign up for their frequent player program. I did it at the Rio about 3 years ago, the Rewards program. Ever since, I get mailings and e-mails for deals all the time. When I stayed at the Paris, that as a free room and that's why the rate for Bally's for my upcoming trip is so cheap.

 

Don't split face cards. Shit drives me crazy.

 

Get there a few times a year for work. Was just out there for the opening of Aria and stayed at Vdara, the all-suite hotel (no casino) in CityCenter. Thought I wouldn't like being at a place without a casino, but it's connected to the Bellagio casino floor and about 100 feet to Aria (the newest great casino). And the rooms were great (suites, mini-kitchen...maybe could help with a cheap breakfast or lunch) and pretty cheap mid-week.

Mid-week is obviously when you'll get the best deals everywhere. Also really liked Encore, Wynn's latest, but it's toward one end of the Strip. Mid strip I like Mirage a lot and they recently renovated the rooms (big improvement). Off strip the Orleans was great during my only stay there about five years ago: much cheaper than anything on the strip and felt like a higher quality place than the cheaper places on the strip. Free shuttles to a couple sister casinos on the strip. Obviously check all that, but I'd assume it's the same. A favorite of locals.

Stayed at Paris once, for the same reasons PC mentioned, but it felt really old and snooty. Liked the casino and cheesy ceiling a lot, but wouldn't stay there again. Pretty high table minimums, although that's not the case anywhere now. Even Bellagio has mostly $10 tables.

Never stayed at Mandalay, but like it a lot. Just a bit removed from the rest of the Strip.

My two cents.

 

I stayed at IP my first adult trip to Vegas about 22 years ago and walked through there a few years ago. It hadn't changed much. It's old school. Smoky. Mostly Asian dealers.

Those rates seem a bit high for Vegas these days . . . I'd think you could get someplace nicer for the same price, certainly. I'd do a little more shopping.

 

What he said. You're only fucking up a good hand and pissing off everyone else at the table. I've never stayed at the Imperial Palace but I always thought the casino was a dump (although the sports book always has lots of crazy prop bets) so I'm guessing the rooms ain't great. I stayed at Bally's at least 30 times. Absolutely loved it. People are nice, casino and hotel aren't so big that you can't get around easily and it's in a great location. If you can get a decent rate there, I'd stay there. This is a pretty good Web site that has lots of good suggestions: http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/visitor.cfm

 

Rio is nice.

Venetian is really nice; beautiful (18 mos. ago). Tao is there.