Vegas Hotel recommendations

[funinhounslow]

I meant the free monorail right outside the Mandalay Bay, not the one you have to pay for that runs from MGM Grand. Unless they've linked them up? (I haven't been for a couple of years...)

Either way, my first trip to Vegas was at the Luxor and I just found it just a bit too far out.

I think somewhere like the Cosmopolitan or even the Venetian would be better bet for a first visit as you're much closer to the heart of things.

[HughS47]

Easty-5 said:

I am planning on heading over to Vegas for 10 days. Leaving on the 9th of November. At the moment the MGM Grand is looking like a good deal, but just curious to anyone who has been, where they would recommend? Budget is around the £2000 mark.

What is the weather like in November? Will all the hotel pools etc be open?

Any recommendations and advice/must do's/don'ts etc will be great fully appreciated.

MGM is well placed and reasonably priced - if you can afford it, look for a room in their MGM Grand 'Signature' rooms. Separate building but amazing value rooms for the money. Ours had a stupidly big bathroom with jacuzzi and tv build in etc.

Weather is cooler in November - the pools were not open when we went but compaired with the UK it is still plenty warm enough.

Must see/do:
1) Grand Canyon Trip - either by car or by helicopter. If you rent a car to visit, do a loop around the whole canyon, returning to Vegas via Zion Valley National Park in Utah - stunning.
2) Hoover Dam Tour - well worth the money.
3) Craps Lessons at the NewYork-NewYork - the only casino we found that actually did proper Craps lessons (the one where you throw the dice and everyone goes mental). A real highlight - they also let you do half price play afterwards - $5 minium bet vs. the usual $10. (morning only?)
4) Las Vegas Gun store - shoot some guns - 'Murica
5) Cirque De Soleil - Oi. Water based show, very entertaining - it was at the Bellagio when we went, had dinner in Todd English's Olives @ the Bellagio before the show - stunning food.
6) The Classic Car museum - Centre strip - ? Quad resort? good car museum.
7) Free shows - Bellagio fountains, Volcano, Pirate show - any good guidebook will explain
8) Glitter Gulch light show - interesting and good excuse to get off strip and to the 'old town vegas.

I found that none of the pit bosses were particularly keen to help explain how to play any of the more unusual games ie: Craps. Find a friendly local to help explain. Be wary of the minimum bets on some tables.

Should be enough to get you started!! Have fun. We felt it was a little like having a holiday on a massive cruise ship as it is very similar in places but epic fun.

[anonymous-user]

Original Poster said:

The Cosmo, it's by far the nicest on the strip in my opinion. The Wraparound suites are absolutely ridiculous!

Yep, get a North facing room in the West tower for epic views of the Bellagio fountains.
Unbeatable breakfast buffet in the Cosmo too, said to be the best on the strip. Slightly lacking in entertainment I'd say (not sure they have a resident show) and the gaming floor isn't the biggest. It's about as central as you can get though.
The slightly kitsche Eiffel Tower restaurant at Paris was superb when we went.
Also saw Cirque du Soleil's "O" (not "Oi" as suggested elsewhere ) at the Bellagio, which was ok. Not really my thing but Mrs CK loved it.
Mix at Mandalay Bay is also very, very good with real vanishing point views out in to the desert. Ting is we'd just got off our flight so we were a bit too knackered to appreciate it!

[GCH]

I hate vegas, yet visit with reasonable frequency for work purposes.

Aria or Mandarin Oriental would be my suggestions. Cosmopolitan rooms are superb, but the clientelle and general vibe of the place are awful -i have stayed there lots so this is from extensive experience.

[anonymous-user]

GCH said:

Cosmopolitan.......the clientelle and general vibe of the place are awful

Must admit I've heard similar but didn't notice anything when we were there. Must make me awful too
Mind you, we were only there between the hours of around 1am until just after breakfast.

[Mastodon2]

funinhounslow said:

If the pool is closed (highly likely in November) that's a major draw of the Mandalay Bay gone. If the OP is without a car he is likely to feel very isolated - it doesn't look it on a map but it's a fair old hike from there to the centre of the Strip. And I think the monorail only goes as far as Excalibur which is best avoided.

The Mandalay Bay is the most southerly hotel on the strip, if you go much further south it's the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign and then desert pretty much from there on. However, to get up to the centre of the strip is really not that far, and doesn't take that long, providing you can avoid the distractions. If you can't get pat these places without wandering in (which is half the fun of Vegas) the monorail goes further than the Excalibur, or there are buses along the strip every few minutes costing peanuts to ride.

If walking Vegas, dress appropriately and stay hydrated, though this is likely to be less of an issue in November than it is in May when I went. I walked from the Aria where I stayed (fantastic place, definitely gets my vote and I'd stay there again in a heartbeat) to the Mandalay Bay on the first day I was in Vegas. I stupidly wore jeans, not appreciating how hot the desert would be in May, and have never been so grateful for a drink when I found a vending machine selling ice cold Pepsi outside of the Luxor.

[Original Poster]

Crossflow Kid said:

Must admit I've heard similar but didn't notice anything when we were there. Must make me awful too
Mind you, we were only there between the hours of around 1am until just after breakfast.

I agree, heard loads about the type of people that stay at the Cosmo, never noticed any of it.

I think it's based on the 60+ year olds that hate to see sub 35 year olds having fun...!

[98elise]

sunoco69 said:

Kenty said:

sunoco69 said:

We will be at the Mandalay Bay for 14 nights starting 31 Oct. Highly recommend it.

This or THE hotel on the same site. The pool area is the best, with sand, wave machine and swim way.
The best collection of restaurants and good monorail link to several other hotels.
Also suggest you go to Utah for couple of days, Zion and/or Bryce Canyon.
The Vegas speedway is also great place to drive cars on track, google Mario Andretti racing

Edited by Kenty on Sunday 25th August 12:53

Mandalay bay is the nuts. Although I think the pool is shut in Nov.

My brother goes to vegas at least once per year, and always stays at Mandalay. We stayed there when we went, and I can definately recommend it.

Its one of the better quality hotels, yet is surprisingly cheap. The pool area is fantastic, and the casino feels very open (many feel cramped).

The only downside is its at the very end of the strip.

[anonymous-user]

And forget the monorail unless you're going from one end of the strip to the other.
It's set so far back from the strip you end up walking just as far to get to/from the stations.

[sunoco69]

Crossflow Kid said:

And forget the monorail unless you're going from one end of the strip to the other.
It's set so far back from the strip you end up walking just as far to get to/from the stations.

Yes but generally it stops at the rear of casinos so you can walk through them. Air con, loud noises and flashy lights. An autistic kids dream!

[Easty-5]

Thanks for all the recommendations and advice folks. We have book to stay at The Signature at MGM Grand for 7 nights from the 12th November. Also booked 2 tickets for UFC 167 at the MGM. Just need to figure out what we want to do for the rest of our time over there.

Can't wait to go now.