Vegas September - do's & don'ts

[Abc321]

Just wanted to say a big thank you to all for the contributions, all taken in to account. Especially the location points and stuff to do - really good stuff. Thanks again all.

[Teddy Lop]

Best advice from me is if you get free digs from someone who's bought into rci and arrive heavily jetlagged, unplug the fking phone and leave it unplugged, the fkers won't stop trying to sell you st.

[SpunkyGlory]

I did 4 nights in Vegas a couple of years ago, and the end of a few weeks travelling around the US.

I can see why some people might not like it, but I fking loved every second.

Non-stop debauchery on every level, ridiculous parties, a massive mix of cultures, a city that literally never sleeps! There are stories that came out of that trip that should be repeated.

One bit of advice for lads your age - if you're going to some of the swankier parties, befriend a group of girls beforehand as you've no chance of getting in if you're a group of lads unless you're willing to buy a table.

[AdeTuono]

keirik said:

After my trip 3 years ago my advice would be to use a hotel in a different city.
Really didn't get why people love it.
It's like Southend or Blackpool but tackier and without the beach.

Of course if you want to waste £x000's and get an STD it's probably perfect

A kindred spirit! I went a few years ago. Stayed at The Wynn Encore with a previous G/F and we both hated it. However, after hearing from so many different people, family, friends etc, how fantastic it is, my wife & I went a couple of years ago, thinking I must have missed the point.

I hated it even more that time. It's cheap, tacky, brash & false, and the only reason you're there is to have every last cent removed from your wallet.

[FiF]

Yep, the thread reflects the place. Perhaps my views are influenced by my only visits to the place have been to work, but even then you do get time off.

Can see why some love the place, and others hate it. For me, just no, which the family regard as being very unfair on the grounds I have experienced it and they haven't. To which my response is generally " ok then, does that mean you now want to go to Sao Paulo and get into the middle of a gun fight?"

Times in Vegas enjoyed the most, trips out basically, RR Canyon, G Canyon, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, boating, Extraterrestrial highway, bit dull but we had a UFO Area 51 freak in the party. Vegas itself, not so much really tbh, though walking through a cowboy / rodeo convention was an experience. Not a gambler obvs.

Different folks, different strokes.

[malks222]

oh one thing I forgot to mention, if you are considering nightclubs get yourself over the 'jack colton' website. Its a huge resource of where's good, wheres not, where to head on what night etc......

obviously weekends- all the clubs are busy, all the 'best' clubs with the biggest name DJ's are the most expensive.

But if you are there mid week, they have a list what is 'industry' night. what club is open/ busiest on a wednesday or where to go on a thursday....... then there's also a list of which 'hosts' work at what club. mid week these hosts are often open to doing deals on bottle service. for example we went to XS on a wednesay and got 'buy 1 get 1 free' on bottles of vodka. so all in between 8 of us we got 4L of grey goose served to us at our for about $1k ($400 per bottle BoGoF, plus some tips and tax) and had an awesome night out.

where as we could have went to the biggest club on a saturday to see calvin harris, pay $50-75 to get in, have to queue for an hour (still with the threat the bouncer might not like my shoes and I dont get in), then have to stand about in the club, queueing at the bars paying $15-20 per drink whilst there.....

No normally bottle service to me is w@anky and far too showy off..... but do it right in vegas and it actually makes the night out cheaper! plus its much easier to chat to girls in vegas clubs if you have a table......... oh but also beware of the hooker/ bottle rats that come round to scam free booze.

[Teddy Lop]

AdeTuono said:

keirik said:

After my trip 3 years ago my advice would be to use a hotel in a different city.
Really didn't get why people love it.
It's like Southend or Blackpool but tackier and without the beach.

Of course if you want to waste £x000's and get an STD it's probably perfect

A kindred spirit! I went a few years ago. Stayed at The Wynn Encore with a previous G/F and we both hated it. However, after hearing from so many different people, family, friends etc, how fantastic it is, my wife & I went a couple of years ago, thinking I must have missed the point.

I hated it even more that time. It's cheap, tacky, brash & false, and the only reason you're there is to have every last cent removed from your wallet.

sorry but I do have to laugh. What did you think you'd find? Vegas is a monument to tacky and brash, have you been to the Vatican city and found it "too bloody religious" as well?

I've never gambled a cent, not stuck up about it but just doesn't appeal, don't do "clubbing" much and I typically like holidays in places with some culture and history and would never have thought to go to Vegas.... but we wanted to go to NY on our honeymoon, were open to somewhere else in America, and the combo of being skint at the time and being given a free week in a timeshare place found us there, an unlikely punter.

We ate some great food, we explored the place a bit and just took it all in with bemused bewilderment, we sat outside of a bar on freemont street drinking beer one evening while some fantastic guys played rock songs on electric cellos, we snagged the table in the Eiffel tower restaurant that overlooks the bellagio fountains on letting slip we were on honeymoon, we saw the bodies exhibition, we drank cocktails in the hard rock cafe, we hired a dodge challenger r/t BRRRRRRRRRMMM and spent two days driving around the canyon, staying in a lodge on the south rim and returning through zion park, and other stuff. yeah we had a wonderful time.

[djc206]

I’m someone who should hate the place. I don’t particularly like gambling, I’m not a big fan of lying around a pool, I don’t like nightclubs and I hate posers.

But I love it, only go as a group though. If I wanted to go to a US city for daytime drinking and food with the wife it would be New Orleans. I’ve been to Vegas 4 times now, always with a group and have loved every trip, we’ve always ended up having a laugh, getting broken and broke.

[AdeTuono]

Teddy Lop said:

AdeTuono said:

keirik said:

After my trip 3 years ago my advice would be to use a hotel in a different city.
Really didn't get why people love it.
It's like Southend or Blackpool but tackier and without the beach.

Of course if you want to waste £x000's and get an STD it's probably perfect

A kindred spirit! I went a few years ago. Stayed at The Wynn Encore with a previous G/F and we both hated it. However, after hearing from so many different people, family, friends etc, how fantastic it is, my wife & I went a couple of years ago, thinking I must have missed the point.

I hated it even more that time. It's cheap, tacky, brash & false, and the only reason you're there is to have every last cent removed from your wallet.

sorry but I do have to laugh. What did you think you'd find? Vegas is a monument to tacky and brash, have you been to the Vatican city and found it "too bloody religious" as well?

Like I said in my post, I thought we'd missed something, hence why I tried again.

I appreciate that it's renowned for it's brashness; I just hoped that there'd be something else deeper down.

We kind of enjoyed Fremont Street. The Mob Museum was great, and we met some great 'locals' (I appreciate that LV doesn't really have locals.) But there was nothing deeper down. I hate big cities too, and avoid London like the plague, but absolutely love NYC. Have been a dozen times in the last 10 years, and always find something different away from the tourist traps. It appears that LV is just a tourist trap with nothing else to discover (Grand Canyon apart...).

[David Beer]

I have not missed a single year for 20 odd years. Two nights in the summer, two nights in the winter . Ever since the mandarin opened always stay there, always lunch at olives and dinner at mon ami gabi.
Each stay during a four week road trip, so two nights is about right.
Brash the mandarin isn’t!

[Ayahuasca]

There is a supercar driving track thing that is worth doing.

[captain_cynic]

Ayahuasca said:

There is a supercar driving track thing that is worth doing.

+1 to this.

Exotics Racing LV (also now in LA) have their own track. Its a bit pricey but they'll let you go as fast as you're capable of going. I've been there twice, you're doing well if you can get up to 200 KPH (the long straight is 600m, so you need to carry speed through the corners).

If you get a sale/deal they aren't too bad, just don't expect much change from US$500.

[Uggers]

Get good insurance, the risk of 'vegas syndrome' is high and cost one of my mates $16000, $3K of that was for the ambulance alone. The 8 firefighters that turned up at the room, mistakenly thinking my 70Kg mate was 270Kg and the medics needed a hand was free.

The picture of a half naked/half paralyzed bloke, laying on his bed confused as to why half the Vegas emergency services were in his room, was priceless.

I liked Vegas, the pool party at the MGM, the day before the opening of some super club that night will be a sight that will live with me forever. However I was glad to get away from the noise of it all after 7 days. I spent $2 on gambling, the rest of the time I don't really remember.

I spent 2 nights asleep on the toilet, 2 nights on the floor and only 3 of them I made it to the bed. It has been 5 years now, I'm about recovered to go back now.

[Abc321]

Again, brilliant points made and thanks all.

Just to update the thread, we booked at the weekend 6 lads stopping at the MGM Grand for 4 nights in September 2019. Friday - Tuesday.

I and 3 of the other 6 are regular gamblers, most days at home so should enjoy it there. All 23/24 year old so will be booze fuelled weekend, can't imagine doing any sight seeing although I do fancy the TopGolf. Cannot wait.

[va1o]

I was out there last week and loved it. It's worth having a look round the other hotels/ casinos on the strip whilst you're out there as there is lots to see e.g. the Bellagio fountains and Mirage volcano. You'll definitely have fun, enjoy!

[K50 DEL]

Robatr0n said:

malks222 said:

I've been to vegas 5 times (usually a week been for 2weeks twice) and would echo what some of the others are saying and look for a 'mid strip' hotel. The luxor will be lovely, but its at the far end of the strip.

I'd suggest a hotel between Planet Hollywood to the mirage and would sacrifice quality for location. pretty much all the hotels are 'nice', but realistically how much time are you going to want to spend in vegas?

One thing I've noticed is how much more expensive vegas is getting. I'd recon most strip hotels/ bars charge about $8-10 for a beer (depending on tips) and even more for spirit mixers! add in resort fees, parking charges, reducing free drinks when gambling, table minimums going up....... its definitely not a cheap fun location it used to be! my first trip cost £450 for flights and a week staying in the dump of the imperial palace. but it was so cheap we could have an absolute blast the whole time!

You're absolutely right in what you're saying.

The first time we went to Vegas was back in 2009 and it was unbelievably cheap. We've been 5 times, the last of which was almost two years ago, and sadly I think this'll be our last trip for a long time. Hotel rooms are about 5 or 6 times the price they used to be, resort fees and parking charges are ridiculous, drinks have increased in price massively as have clubs and tables in clubs & restaurants are a damn sight more expensive too.

I really do enjoy Vegas but it is just way too expensive for what it is now.

Edited by Robatr0n on Thursday 27th September 14:51

Sad to read this, my last time in Vegas was in 2009 and I stayed in a cracking room in the MGM Grand for <$40 a night, no resort fees that I remember, free parking for the car and loads of $5 minimum tables with free drinks all night (I actually only gambled for one night as it's not really my thing)

A shame if it's got so much more expensive, I always thought a return trip would be fun but not if I need a mortgage to do so lol

[malks222]

K50 DEL said:

Sad to read this, my last time in Vegas was in 2009 and I stayed in a cracking room in the MGM Grand for <$40 a night, no resort fees that I remember, free parking for the car and loads of $5 minimum tables with free drinks all night (I actually only gambled for one night as it's not really my thing)

A shame if it's got so much more expensive, I always thought a return trip would be fun but not if I need a mortgage to do so lol

I'd say if you were to go now i'd hazard a guess at:

- $100-150 per night for a room
- $20-25 per night 'resort fees' (why this isnt just added to the room price I have no idea)
- paid for parking (no idea of actual price)
- $10 minimum blackjack, but even that will be only 1-2 tables at peak times, they still do free drinks to tables but not as speedy/ often as it used to be
- $8-10 for a beer $12-15 spirit/ mixer (yeah you will find deals/ happy hours, but need to plan that)
- $50-100 club entry for main club fri/sat nights (guys only, girls much cheaper)

dont get me wrong- its still a very fun place to go. but if you remember being able to go and have cheap/ tacky fun, then thats long gone on the strip! you will easily go through $2-300 per day, without any gambling or night clubs. $20 lunch, few beers by the pool $30-40, $40-50 dinner, $100+ for drinks at night.......... go to a pool party during the day $1-200 for cover/ drinks or $50 to get in a club at night (+ more for beers) or $100-200 for some small stakes gambling...... suddenly you're up to $4-500 days

I think the biggest problem is, vegas has/ is getting rid of all the cheesy fun on the strip (they no longer even do the 'sirens of TI show). gone are the themed hotels, they all now want to cater for 5* luxury, but in doing so they all kinda blend into one another now.

[captain_cynic]

I stayed in a budget, but not too cheap off strip hotel near Circus Circus for £50 per night (Royal Resort). This was also a busy period where they have a convention and a UFC event on the preceding weekend. Hotel wasn't too bad, but it was just a place to sleep so I didn't care, I was only really there to see some of my family from Oz who were also visiting so most of the time was spent with them.

My last trip to LV (3 days):

Flights to LA £312
Car hire for 3 days (ex-LA) £110
Hotel: £150
Prepaid: £572

Spending: £268
£77 in fuel (did over 500 miles alone between LV and LA)
£27 in valet parking (you cant find free parking near the strip any more, back in 2013 it was everywhere).
£117 in food and drink.
£31 for a bottle of Grey Goose on my way out of LA.
£12 entry to Red Rock Canyon.
£4 in sundries.

Spending according to my Starling account... Kind of scary knowing exactly how I blew nearly 2 weeks food, fuel and sundries budget in 3 days.

I don't think you can really do Vegas that cheaply any more, long gone are the days of being able to do it under £500. I'd say £800 for a few days is pushing it.

[Abc321]

To add context then, we are going 4 nights from Manchester. Stopping in MGM Grand, queen rooms. Flying with Thomas Cook... £944pp.

I imagine it would be cheaper from London and I know it is cheaper to go in the week as appose to weekend.

[andye30m3]

We're off next weekend, from memory we got 4 nights for about £700 PP staying at MGM.

I'm still not sure if I'll like it, isn't somewhere I've been desperate to go but a big group are going for a 40th. Already booked entry into club for one night at about $200 with some drinks included.

Planning on flights over the canyon and possibly the Nascar experience on the oval, other than that I expect it will be a case of going with the flow and seeing where we end up, if nothing else it will be an experience and I'm sure a big group in vegas will come back with some amusing stories.