Las Vegas - Help Needed
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greggy50

Original Poster:

6,281 posts

222 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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Hello

Me and five friends are thinking of going over to Vegas and wanted some advice...

We are going the end of June next year and have been to the travel agent and for £1000 each we can get 7 nights accommodation in the MGM grand with two people sharing the new standard queen room and direct return flights with resort fees included which seems a decent price looking around.

We were tempted to upgrade one of the rooms to a slightly bigger one so we have somewhere we can all chill but thought that it may be better to contact the hotel direct afterwards in order to get it cheaper? I have also seen this $20 dollar tip thing does this ever actually work? And being a week should we go for $50 as may risk the upgrade and try this approach instead...

Also what would you say the must sees are whilst there?

Finally does anyone have much knowledge of clubbing and the prices? I have heard it may work out cheaper to purchase a bottle when they is a few of you

For further info we are all aged 22 - 23 at time of travel and my budget for the week after the hotel + flight will be about $2000 at a push...


TheHeretic

73,668 posts

286 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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He's on the roof.

downthepub

1,429 posts

237 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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Upgrades at the desk worked for us in New York New York, but then again I wasn't the motor-mouth doing the pitter-patter but I think we didn't bother with the $50 bill parked away and just asked outright. But to be fair, if you spend much time in your room whilst awake in Vegas then you are doing it wrong. smile

darreni

4,551 posts

301 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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The MGM is a great location, not sure on the rooms as i've not stayed there.

On our last trip we stayed at the Wynn encore - all rooms are suites- and it was fantastic, just superb.

7 nights at the Wynn & direct flights with Virgin was £1,800 for the two of us. Bargain.

If you are flexible with dates, try different combinations as some will be a lot cheaper is there is no convention etc in town.


sunoco69

5,274 posts

196 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
downthepub said:
But to be fair, if you spend much time in your room whilst awake in Vegas then you are doing it wrong. smile
Rubbish. We went for 10 days last August and are going for 14 days in October. Spending time in your room is fine as you WILL need recovery and down time.

Personally I used it to sleep, relax and to count my winnings.;)

Truckosaurus

13,305 posts

315 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
The $20 Trick (to get a much better room) seems to work better if you are only staying a couple of nights as there's more chance that a Better Room is available.

It is probably worth trying it along with a request for standard rooms with a view on a high floor, or even if there is a discounted paid-for upgrade on one of the rooms.

greggy50

Original Poster:

6,281 posts

222 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
darreni said:
The MGM is a great location, not sure on the rooms as i've not stayed there.

On our last trip we stayed at the Wynn encore - all rooms are suites- and it was fantastic, just superb.

7 nights at the Wynn & direct flights with Virgin was £1,800 for the two of us. Bargain.

If you are flexible with dates, try different combinations as some will be a lot cheaper is there is no convention etc in town.

That does seem a bloody good price for the Wynn we were looking at £1100 for the standard wynn!

The MGM appeals to us as being 22 it has all the pool parties and the nightclubs etc... nearby and it appears to be a good locataion as you say.

Also looking the rooms have all just been refurbished and a standard one is 450sq feet with two queen beds which for two lads sharing would be ideal. We plan to upgrade one room to an executive queen as they have a lounge area and gives us all somewhere to have a drink before heading out as you are talking $15 dollars a drink in the clubs!

We would have all loved to have chipped in and shared a 2 bedroom suite but looking the prices appear mental!


greggy50

Original Poster:

6,281 posts

222 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
Truckosaurus said:
The $20 Trick (to get a much better room) seems to work better if you are only staying a couple of nights as there's more chance that a Better Room is available.

It is probably worth trying it along with a request for standard rooms with a view on a high floor, or even if there is a discounted paid-for upgrade on one of the rooms.
Yes I think we may try ringing up a month or so before say we have three rooms booked for a week is they any sort of deal you can do on an upgrade on one of them. I don't care about a big room myself we just want one bigger room purely so the 6 of us have somewhere to sit down and chill/have a drink in the evening before heading back out again!

audidoody

8,598 posts

287 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
MGM Grand is fine. You won't be spending much time in the room. They do everything they can to keep you out of it. Room lighting is very low. Windows are heavily tinted. So the room is always dark day or night.

ETA: budget $50 a day each for tips. Nothing happens in LV without a tip (cab, croupier, dealer bar tender, waitress, porter, doorman, maitre ' etc etc)

greggy50

Original Poster:

6,281 posts

222 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
audidoody said:
MGM Grand is fine. You won't be spending much time in the room. They do everything they can to keep you out of it. Room lighting is very low. Windows are heavily tinted. So the room is always dark day or night.

ETA: budget $50 a day each for tips. Nothing happens in LV without a tip (cab, croupier, dealer bar tender, waitress, porter, doorman, maitre ' etc etc)
$50 a day! Will see if I win first...

My budget is $2,000 for the 7 days so need to be carefull as know it won't go far!

greggy50

Original Poster:

6,281 posts

222 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
Also I was planning on spending one day renting a convertible mustang (£65) and then driving to the grand canyon and back...

How long does it take to drive?

And they is anything else worth seeing that it accessible by car?

At the price we will probably have a mustang between two!

ChrisBMW

328 posts

179 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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We upgraded when we got there and it worked out a lot cheaper than booking a more expensive room via the travel agent.

£2000 for 7 days will be tight, I spent £5k in 5 days and I thought I was being careful. Clubs for blokes on their own are mega expensive and difficult to get into, bottle service is pricey and some clubs limit one bottle to a maximum of 4 to 5 people so don't think you can turn up with loads of people and split the cost

audidoody

8,598 posts

287 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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Re tipping: calculate what you'll need here:

http://www.vegas.com/traveltips/tips/tipping.html

fiatpower

3,664 posts

202 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
Go to the gun store shooting range whilst your there. The mustang trip to the canyon and back would take a whole day as its a 4 hour drive there, a few hours at the canyon before driving back again.

audidoody

8,598 posts

287 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
greggy50 said:
Also I was planning on spending one day renting a convertible mustang (£65) and then driving to the grand canyon and back...
FIve hours each way. In a convertible with furnace-like temperatures. Rather you than me!

Are you sure about that £65 (as you're all under 25)?

Mr E

23,102 posts

290 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
greggy50 said:
Also I was planning on spending one day renting a convertible mustang (£65) and then driving to the grand canyon and back...

How long does it take to drive?
The bit that you (and everyone else) want to see is about 6-7 hours away.
Rent a plane.

(there is the scary glass skywalk a lot closer).


telecat

8,528 posts

272 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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Went to the Grand Canyon using Maverick Helicopters. Really Enjoyed it and the whole of your group should be OK in One of their EC120's

sunoco69

5,274 posts

196 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
greggy50 said:
$50 a day! Will see if I win first...

My budget is $2,000 for the 7 days so need to be carefull as know it won't go far!
I suggest when you arrive you get a MLife card. It is basically a loyalty card that you use with everything in a MGM location, gambling, food, room bill etc.

At the end you will get, at the very least, a free meal.

We used ours at the Mandalay Bay for 10 days last year, this year we are getting 5 night free so it is worth it.

Mr E

23,102 posts

290 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
quotequote all
I'm amused that the GC is 4, 5 and 6-7 hours away..... I suppose it is *big*....

smile

anonymous-user

85 months

Thursday 1st August 2013
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audidoody said:
FIve hours each way. In a convertible with furnace-like temperatures. Rather you than me!

Are you sure about that £65 (as you're all under 25)?
One of the worst trips once you pass the hoover dam. Once you come off the i40 its dessert with "shanty towns" landscape. This section has a very low speedlimit(40 or 50) and is strictly enforced by arrogant police officers so its a painful drive. There is also a section of unpaved road to manage(maybe 30mins each way).

Due to the unpaved road you really need to take out the zero excess insurance. I found that when we dropped the car back to vegas airport once the rental people saw it was covered in dust(form unpaved road) they were all over it with a fine tooth comb.

I think the trip is only bearable if you will have costs split 4ways, otherwise get the helicopter.