The Vegas Guide Thread (tips & tricks)

[Gallant Pig]

The One and Only Vegas Thread Version 0.2

Click For Last Thread (check page 9 for an El Scorcho LV trip detail)

• I'm a Vegas Newbie! Help!


• Where Are The Best (Most Expensive) Places To
  Stay?


• Where Are The Best (Most Affordable) Places To
  Stay?


• Where Are The Best Places To Stay In Terms Of Location?


• What Is The $20 Bill Trick And How Can I Make It Work
  For Me?


• What Are The Best Shows In Vegas?


• Where Can I Find Vegas Deals?


• Where Are The Best Places To Eat At In Vegas?


• What Is The Best Length Of Time To Spend In Vegas?


• Where Are The Best Places To Gamble At In Vegas?


• What Days Are Best For Staying In Vegas?


• How Can I Get Comps?


• What Are The Best Games To Play?


• Do You Always Double Down On Eleven? (gambling
  strategy)


• The Long Relationship of Other Forum & Vegas


• Tell Me About Vegas Strip Clubs


• Transportation in Vegas (taxis, transports, etc)


• Family Things To Do In Vegas (new)


• Best Ways To Get To Vegas (new)


• Best Times To Go To Vegas During The Year (coming soon)


• Golf In Vegas (new)

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Vegas Newbies!

First of all, read over this entire thread to get a good idea of what Vegas
is all about. After you check it out, it's good to Las Vegas forums here is
one: Las Vegas Info.net After
you check that out, look into getting a book. Lonely Planet makes great travel
books, here is their Vegas website: Lonely
Planet Vegas Guide. Check out more Vegas Newbie links below.

• http://www.go2lv.com/


• http://www.vegasguide.com/


• http://www.lvol.com/


• http://www.ilovevegas.com/


• http://www.vegas.com/


• http://www.pcap.com/lasvegas.htm (Las Vegas Leisure Guide)


• http://www.whats-on.com/


• http://www.angelfire.com/tx/roboworld/casino.html (Very nice, very complete albeit an ugly site)


• http://www.onroute.com/stay/lasvegas/lasvegas.html


• http://povonline.com/LVAdvice.htm


• Top 10 Vegas Guidebooks


• http://www.lasvegasmaps.com/ (maps maps and more maps)


• http://www.amazinglasvegas.com/


• http://www.worldexecutive.com/cityguides/las_vegas/


• http://govegas.miningco.com/


• http://meetings.sixcontinentshotels....ons/las_vegas/


• http://www.travel2vegas.com/latimes.html


• http://www.lasvegastripreport.com


• http://www.bigempire.com/vegas/gamblecheap.html


• http://dinesite.com/search/city-13835/prc-2/?&t=590778
  


• http://www.tripreservations.com/lasv...&Referrer=2097
  
  

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Where Are The Best Places To Stay?

The Bellagio is definitely the best
hotel in Vegas. It features a wonderful fountain show that people come from
all around The Strip to see. They have a great pool area as well as a upscale
nightclub, shopping area, restaurants. Their buffet is one of the best in Las
Vegas, at around $20 per person, you can eat excellent food. The casino itself
isn't know for being family friendly, which can be good or bad depending on
your situation. They also have the Cirque Due Soleil show "O", which
many consider to currently be the best show in Vegas. Their prices start around
$80 for Sunday-Thursday, while Friday-Saturday the price starts around $120
and up. The location is very good with easy access to the south end of the strip.
Check their web site for more information.
Here
is a personal picture thread from pictures of the Bellagio.

The Mirage is another great hotel. This
is a bit cheaper than Bellagio and more family oriented. It has a tropical theme
that makes the outdoor pool is excellent. However it did seem a little crowded
(it could be bigger for sure). The buffet isn't the best, but it supports a
lot of people. It is more affordable than the Bellagio's, but not as grandiose,
and often times busier (like during lunch).

The Flamingo: "I think the location
is ideal - within walking distance of Bellagio, Paris, Caesars, and The Mirage.
Plus it is right next door to Drai's (in the Barbary Coast), a great after-hours
club. It is moderately priced and if you don't have to gamble a ton in their
casino to get the VIP rate. However, if you go mid-week, the rates on the fancy
hotels should be economical unless there is a big convention in town."
- Red
Dog

The New York
New York: "I stayed at NYNY once back in nov 2000 but the pool wasnt
open so dont know about it (yet, cause I'm staying there on my trip in 3 weeks
)

As for food, the little walk thru pizza place is awesome, one slice (about
a 6" across wedge) is enough for a meal or two slices if you are very very
hungry. If you like mexican then Gonzalez Y Gonzalez is where you need to go.
They have long island ice teas made in this huge glass (like 32oz size) for
$5 and two of them will put even a big drinker in the hurt locker. The food
is really good and decent prices, dinner for 4 with drinks was about $100 before
tips.

I really like the blackjack, pai gow poker, roulette, ect pits cause they have
TVs in the corners so you can watch the games as you play. The sportsbook isnt
very good, it's really small sorta on a corner and the few chairs are always
full. I don't play slots so I can't really comment on them." - Borst

Review By El Scorcho:

Official Website: http://www.newyorknewyorkcasino.com

Location: South Strip, Las Vegas Blvd. & Tropicana Ave.

Rating: **** (four stars out of five)

Cost: $59-79 most mid-week dates, $119-159 most weekend dates

El Scorcho's Grade: A-

Personal History: I've stayed there twice for a total of four nights. First
trip was in May '02, Second trip was August '02.

Accomodations: B+ -- Very good. As you can see in the pic, there are many different
towers, each resembling a famous New York building. Rooms are large enough to
sleep four comfortably. Bathrooms average size. Tile floor keeps body cool if
you are too drunk to crawl to your bed. Walls have enough insulation to ensure
a sound sleep. Decor is traditional New York decor. Beds are comfy. Air conditoners
pump out a lot of cold air if need be! Only thing that keeps from an A+ grade
is that rooms are not all the same. Some are absolutely huge and others are
much smaller, but still not bad. Only other gripe I would really have is that
you have to go on a nice hike through the casino just to get to your room, as
the elevators are nowhere near the main desk.

Gambling: A -- NYNY is by far my favorite casino. Extremely high ceilings.
Always feels like 7pm on a Saturday night, even if it's 4 am on a Tuesday morning.
All your favorite table games are played here. Table minimums run $5 on most
of them, unless it's prime time (evenings) then most table minimums run $10.
Hundreds of slot machines, ranging from nickels to high limit. Only complaint
with this casino is that it is easy to get lost in it because there are no corridors.
It is one big pit. Easiest way to get around is to get to know the perimeter
of the pit.

Food/Drink: B -- No buffet at NYNY. American food (America), Italian food (Il
Fornaio), Coney Island Pavillion upstairs has a Nathan's Hot Dog fast-food place
and a Haagen-Dazs ice cream shop. Gallagher's Steakhouse downstairs. Mexican
food (Gonzalez Y Gonzalez) and Chinese food (Chin Chin Cafe) also exist downstairs.
However, the three best things about the food and drink here is the pretzel
stand upstairs (best pretzels on the planet, trust me and dek), the Starbucks
coffee stand upstairs, and the fact that the Times Square bar sells fresh imported
Krispy Kremes every morning. All three of these are perfect for the next-morning
hangover. America has some really good breakfast food. Have not eaten at any
of the fancier restaurants due to budget restrictions. Ok to be honest, I never
eat at nice restaurants in Vegas. I can stay at home and do that if I wanted
to.

For the sports nut, ESPNZone is connected to the resort as well. Food there
is your typical brewpub food and there are more TVs and sportstickers than you
can shake a stick at. Upstairs at ESPNZone is their sports gaming arcade. Pricey,
but it's a load of fun and was home to DVDTalk's first ever annual meet.

Nightlife/Entertainment: N/A -- Personally, I have never experienced the nightlife
that NYNY has to offer. There is a Coyote Ugly bar downstairs, a Times Square
bar that is in plain sight of the casino and features live singalongs most nights,
Rita Rudner performs in the Cabaret Theatre, and of course, the Big Apple bar
which is a little more laid back than the Times Square bar.

Family appeal: B- -- Pool is small and on the west side of the building. Ends
up being in the shade until the sun starts to set. Roller coaster is much too
short and much too uneventful for the price they charge ($15 for 2 rides, at
last check). For kids, there is a very large arcade upstairs. ESPNZone's arcade
is just as large and offers more things for the bigger kids in the family, in
addition to the adults that are kids at heart.

Misc: A+ -- NYNY has, in my opinion, the best location on the strip. While
most north strip casinos are spread apart and require a good 1/4 mile walk (at
least) to get from one to another, the south strip is different. A walkway takes
you directly from NYNY's casino to MGM Grand's casino. Another walkway takes
you directly to Excalibur's casino. Excalibur and the Luxor is connected by
a walkway as well. From Luxor, you can take the tram to Mandalay Bay. Thus,
you have five total casinos with very slight walks in-between and you don't
have to deal with the traffic signals below.

New York New York also features Airport check-ins, if interested.

The marketplace downstairs that surrounds the casino is a sight to behold.
You are entirely indoors, yet the surroundings make you feel like you are actually
walking in downtown New York. Fire escapes, trash cans, newspaper boxes, replica
apartments, cobblestone streets, etc. This place did it right when it came to
giving it a New York feel.

Not sure if it's still there, but on my last visit there was a WTC tribute
memorial outside on the corner in front of the mini-lake/Statue of Liberty.
On the fence are literally hundreds of signs, t-shirts, pictures, etc. of fire
departments and police departments around the country -- and probably even the
world. It's a very poignant memorial and is something that should definitely
be seen, whether you choose to stay at NYNY or not.

Here's the complete list

Upscale

• Bellagio


• Caesars Palace


• Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas


• Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas


• Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino


• The Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino

Just Below Upscale

• Aladdin Resort & Casino


• Bally's Las Vegas


• Excalibur Hotel & Casino


• Flamingo Las Vegas


• Golden Nugget Hotel


• Las Vegas Hilton


• Luxor Hotel & Casino


• MGM Grand Hotel & Casino


• Marriott JW Las Vegas Resort, Spa & Golf


• The Mirage Resort & Casino


• Monte Carlo Resort & Casino


• New York-New York Hotel & Casino


• The Palms


• Paris Las Vegas


• Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino


• Treasure Island at the Mirage

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Where Are The Best (Most Affordable) Places To Stay?

"... on a budget, I would suggest Luxor or Excalibur. Then you are a VERY
short walk to Mandalay Bay, NY NY, Tropicana and MGM. VERY nice corner to be
on. You can now walk INSIDE between Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay. It is
like one HUGE hotel." - Sdallnct

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Where Are The Best Places To Stay In Terms Of Location?

The hotels on the South end of the strip are the best places
to stay if you want to go to a lot of different casinos. The mid end of the
strip is less dense and you have to walk farther to get around. The north end
of the strip is the worst in terms of walking around, but more affordable

• Map of The Vegas Strip


• Map of Vegas Downtown


• Map of Off Strip Area

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What Is The $20 Bill Trick And How Can I Make It Work For Me?

Basically you slip the hotel guy who checks you in a $20. Here are some threads
about this issue:

Question
about the Vegas money slip trick.

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What Are The Best Shows In Vegas?

The Cirque Du Soleil shows are the hottest tickets in Vegas. "O"
is at the Bellagio and runs over $120 for a good ticket. It is based entirely
around water and their most expensive show yet. The other, Mystere,
is at Treasure Island and is about $80 a ticket for a good seat. There is one
opening up at the New York New York hotel this summer.

Here are some other shows:

• Info On Penn and Teller Live


• Blue Man Group


• Misc. Information on Shows


• Guide to Las Vegas Shows (very good)

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Where Can I Find Vegas Deals?

• http://www.cheapovegas.com/


• http://www.vegaswatch.com/


• http://www.vegas.com/traveltips/guid...ainhunter.html


• http://www.vegas.com/index.html


• http://www.expedia.com/daily/guides/p/LAS/default.asp


• http://www.ablasvegas.com/


• http://www.whats-on.com/

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Where Are The Best Places To Eat At In Vegas?

"Rio has a GREAT seafood buffet that includes some sushi. You can catch
a FREE shuttle to RIO at the hotel across from Caesars. Don't remember the name
of the hotel right off...I'll get back to you..."

"The buffet at Mandaley Bay is awesome. And if you ask you can get a table
with a beautiful view outside."

Here is a long list compiled by Pedagogue:

Food Rankings:

http://www.ratelv.com/buffets/buffetrank.html
(Buffet Ranking)

http://www.travel2vegas.com/travelplanning.html

Good Food Deals

http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/topten.cfm

Food Listings & Costs: (I got this at the end of Feb. '03)

Bally's -STRIP

Sterling Brunch

Sunday - 9:30am to 2:30pm - $49.95

Beach -OFF STRIP

Sunday Gospel Brunch

Sunday - 12:30pm - $15.00

Bellagio -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday- 8am to 4pm - $18.50

Binion's Horsehoe -DOWNTOWN

Seafood Dinner Buffet Seafood Dinner Buffet

Friday - 4:30pm to 10:30pm - $14.95

Bono's -In the Stardust -STRIP

"Real Chicago Food!"

Great food- Great Prices

Boardwalk Hotel & Casino-STRIP

The strips only 24 hour buffet featuring:

Steak & eggs breakfast- $5.99

Brunch- $6.99

Dinner- $8.49

Boulder Station -BOULDER STRIP

Seafood Dinner Buffet Seafood Dinner Buffet

Friday - 3:30pm to 10pm - $12.99

Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 7am to 4pm - $7.99

Broiler Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 10am to 3pm - $14.99

Caesars Palace -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday- 8:30am to 3:30pm - $14.95

Prime Rib Dinner Sunday

thru Thursday - 4:30pm to 10pm - $13.95

Seafood Dinner Buffet with 1 Lobster

Friday & Saturday - 4:30pm to 10pm - $25

Castaways -OFF STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 9am to 3:30pm - $6.95

Circus Circus -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Sunday - Seatings at 9:30am, 11:30am & 1:30pm - $19.95

Ellis Island -STRIP

All You Can Eat King Crab Buffet

Wednesday - 5pm to 11pm - $19.95

Excalibur -STRIP

Prime Rib & Shrimp Dinner

Monday thru Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $8.99

Friday & Saturday - 11am to 11pm - $8.99

Sunday - 11am to 10pm - $8.99

Prime Rib & Shrimp Dinner

Monday thru Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $8.99

Friday & Saturday - 11am to 11pm - $8.99

Sunday - 11am to 10pm - $8.99

Fiesta -OFF STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 7am to 3pm - $7.99

Seafood Dinner Extravaganza

Wednesday - 4pm to 10pm - $13.99

Prime Rib & Crab Legs Dinner Buffet

Friday - 4pm to 10pm - $9.99

Festival Buffet Breakfast

Monday thru Friday - 7am to 10:30am - $3.99

Lunch - Daily - 11am to 2:30pm - $6.49

Dinner - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday - 4pm to 10pm - $8.99

Hawaiian Luau Dinner Buffet Monday - 4pm to 10pm - $11.99

Gardunos Margarita Brunch Sunday - 10am to 3pm - $10.99

Fitzgeralds Holiday Inn -DOWNTOWN

Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 7am to 3pm - $7.99

All-You-Can-Eat Filet Mignon Dinner Buffet

Nightly - 4pm to 12am - $7.99

International Lunch Buffet

Daily - 11:30am to 3pm - $5.49

Flamingo Hilton -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 9:30am to 2:30pm - $14.95

Seafood Spectacular

Friday - 4:30pm to 10pm - $12.95

Fremont -DOWNTOWN

Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 7am to 3pm - $8.99

Gandhi India's Cuisine -OFF STRIP

Indian Lunch Buffet

Monday thru Friday - 11am to 2:30pm - $7.45

Saturday & Sunday - 11am to 2:30pm - $8.95

Golden Nugget -DOWNTOWN

Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 8am to 3pm - $10.95

Harrah's -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 10am to 4pm - $12.99

Imperial Palace -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Saturday, Sunday & holidays - 8am to 3pm - $10.15

Prime Rib Dinner

Nightly - 5pm to 10pm - $9.45

India Oven -STRIP (just off Sahara Ave.)

All-You-Can-Eat Indian Lunch Buffet

They have the best Palak Paneer in the city- staff favorite!

Monday thru Friday - 11am to 2:00pm - $7.50

Saturday & Sunday - 11:30am to 2:30pm - $8.95

JW Marriott (formerly The Regent Las Vegas)-OFF STRIP

Sunday Champagne Brunch

Upstairs Market Cafe

Sunday - 10:30am to 3:30pm - $19.95

Add a Lobster Buffet

Daily - 4:30pm to 10:30pm - For $5 additional cost to the

$13.95 dinner buffet you can have a whole lobster too.

Kung Fu Plaza -OFF STRIP (in China town)

3505 S. Valley View

Great Thai and Chineses with a great vegetarian selection.

With big portions and inexpensive prices, this is a staff favorite.

Lady Luck -DOWNTOWN

Prime Rib & Seafood Buffet

Wednesday & Friday - 4pm to 10pm - $11.95

Prime Rib Dinner Buffet

Saturday thru Tuesday & Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $8.95

Las Vegas Hilton -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 8am to 2:30pm - $11.99

Main Street Station -DOWNTOWN

Steak & Scampi Buffet

Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $10.99

Seafood Buffet

Friday - 4pm to 10pm - $13.99

T-Bone Steak Night T Bone Steak Night

Tuesday - 4pm to 10pm - $10.99

MGM Grand -STRIP

Grand Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 9am to 2 pm - $32.50

Early Bird Sunday Brunch

Sunday - 9am to 1pm - $22.95

Mirage -STRIP

Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 8am to 3:45pm - $14.50

Monte Carlo -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday & holidays - 7am to 3:30pm - $10.99

New Frontier -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 7am to 3:30pm - $7.95

Seafood Buffet Seafood Buffet

Friday - 4pm to 10pm - $14.95

Midnight Prime Rib Buffet

Friday & Saturday - 10pm to 7am - $6.95

Nevada Palace -OFF STRIP

Seafood Buffet Seafood Buffet

Friday - 4pm to 10pm - $9.99

BBQ Buffet

Saturday - 4pm to 10pm - $6.99

Continental Buffet Sunday - 4pm to 9pm - $6.99

Orleans -OFF STRIP

Seafood Buffet Seafood Night

Monday - 4pm to 10pm - $13.95

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 8am to 3pm - $8.95

Palace Station -OFF STRIP

Seafood Buffet Seafood Buffet

Friday - 4pm to 10pm - $11.99

Steak Buffet

Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $9.99

Baby-Back Ribs Baby Back Ribs

Tuesday - 4pm to 10pm - $9.99

Guadalajara Lunch Buffet

Monday thru Saturday - 11am to 3pm - $5.99

Guadalajara Dinner Buffet

Monday thru Saturday - 4pm to 9pm - $7.99

Guadalajara Margarita Brunch

Sunday - 11am to 3:30pm - $8.99

Rio -OFF STRIP

Masquerade Village Seafood Buffet (RIO)

Lunch- Monday thru Friday - 11am to 3pm - $18.95

Dinner - Monday thru Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $24.95

Friday - 4pm to 11pm - $24.95

Saturday - 3pm to 11pm - $24.95

Sunday - 3pm to 10pm - $24.95

Brunch - Saturday & Sunday - 11am to 3pm - $23.95

Carnival World Buffet Breakfast(RIO)

Monday thru Friday - 8am to 10:30am - $7.95

Lunch -Monday thru Friday - 11am to 3pm - $9.95

Dinner - Monday thru Friday - 3:30pm to 11pm - $12.95

Saturday - 3:30pm to 11:30pm - $12.95

Sunday - 3:30pm to 10:30pm - $12.95

Brunch - Saturday & Sunday - 8:30am to 3:30pm - $12.95

Riviera -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 10am to 3pm - $7.99

Roast Baron of Beef Dinner

Nightly - 4pm to 10:30pm - $8.99

World's Fare Buffet Breakfast

Monday thru Friday - 6am to 10am - $6.99

Saturday & Sunday - 7am to 10am - $6.99

Brunch - Monday thru Friday - 10am to 2pm - $7.99

Saturday & Sunday - 10am to 3pm - $7.99

Dinner - Nightly - 4pm -10:30pm - $8.99

Sahara -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 8am to 3pm - $7.99

Sam's Town -OFF STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 8am to 3pm - $7.99

Seafood Night

Tuesday & Friday - 4pm to 9pm - $12.99

San Remo -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 6am to 2pm - $7.95

Sante Fe -OFF STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 7:30am to 2:30pm - $8.49

Seafood Extravaganza Night

Thursday - 4pm to 9pm - $10.99

Ti Amo's Jazz Brunch

Sunday - 11am to 4pm - $14.95

Silverton -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 7am to 3pm - $7.99

Americana Seafood Buffet

Tuesday - 4pm to 10pm - $11.99

Americana Filet Mignon Buffet

Wednesday - 4pm to 10pm - $9.99

Americana Prime Rib / Chinese Buffet

Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $9.99

Sunset Station -OFF STRIP

Feast Around The World Breakfast

Monday thru Saturday - 8am to 11am - $3.99

Lunch - Monday thru Saturday - 11am to 3:30pm - $6.49

Dinner - Nightly - 3:30pm to 10pm - $8.99

Brunch - Sunday - 8am to 3:30pm - $7.99

Stratsphere -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Lunch

Sunday - 11am to 4pm - $8.99

Seafood Fantasy Dinner

Friday & Sunday - 4pm to 10pm - $11.25

Texas Station -OFF STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 8am to 3:30pm - $7.99

Steak Dinner Buffet

Friday- 4pm to 10pm - $10.99

Prime Rib Dinner Buffet

Saturday - 4pm to 10pm - $10.99

Feast Around The World Breakfast

Monday thru Saturday - 8am to 10:30am - $3.99

Lunch - Monday thru Saturday - 11am to 4pm - $6.49

Dinner - Sunday thru Thursday - 4pm to 10pm - $8.99

Treasure Island -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Sunday - 7:30am to 3:30pm - $9.99

Tropicana -STRIP

Champagne Brunch Champagne Brunch

Saturday & Sunday - 7:30am to 1:30pm - $9.95

All-You-Can-Eat Prime Rib & Shrimp

Thursday thru Tuesday - 4:30pm to 10pm - $11.95

Seafood Buffet Wednesday - 4:30pm to 10pm - $14.95

All-You-Can-Eat Prime Rib & Shrimp

Thursday thru Tuesday - 4:30pm to 10pm - $11.95

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What Is The Best Length Of Time To Spend In Vegas?

"3 days. But that's just me, my bankroll, and my gambling habit. 2 days
doesn't satiate my gambling itch and 4 days drains my bankroll too much. So
it all depends on how much you want to gamble and how much you can afford."
- El
Scorcho

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Where Are The Best Places To Gamble At In Vegas?

"As for best game-play. I really like Flamingo - low minimum tables are
usually easy to find. I actually like Bellagio and Venetian - they are high-end
hotels for lodging but the have very reasonable table minimums and excellent
drink service. The Bellagio and Mirage have my favorite sportsbooks." -
Red Dog

"In general, the downtown area has the best slot payouts in the city.
On the strip, however, casinos like the Boardwalk, Tropicana, etc. (the lower
rate resorts) all have the best payouts. However, those payouts are based on
the long term (millions of spins). You'll only be there for a couple days, so
long term trends won't matter to you. My personal favorite is the NY NY casino.
But you should walk around and find ones you like." - El
Scorcho

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What Days Are Best For Staying In Vegas?

"Sunday thru Thursday if you want the low prices, available comps, etc.
Friday-Saturday if you're a people watcher and don't mind the 2x/3x hotel rates.
Fridays and Saturdays draw in the mini-vacation crowds and the people driving
in from California/Arizona." - El
Scorcho

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How Can I Get Comps?

Free
Casino Drinks?

"...to get some comp tickets to the shows, you generally need to bring
the casino a good amount of daily action. $25 a hand at blackjack for 4 hours
is something that should get you some comp'd tickets. If you plan on playing
red chips all night ($5) don't expect anything but some free well drinks and
maybe a buffet pass. Of course, the nicer the casino, the more action you'll
have to bring them in order to get show comps. For the Bellagio you'll probably
have to double or even triple your bet per hand."- El
Scorcho

"Pit Bosses generally won't rate you for comps if you're only betting
$5 a hand, although you can get lucky if it's late at night and the casino is
dead. Generally you have to bet $10 a hand to get rated by the pit boss. $25
a hand for 4-5 hours a day will most likely get you a free room comp. Remember,
you don't get comps if you don't ask. Always ask the pit boss for at least a
food or a drink comp before you leave (after sitting at a table for at least
an hour)." - El
Scorcho

"You don't need to stay at the MGM to get comps. You just need to play
at the MGM to get comps there. I think you might be able to play at the Mirage,
Bellagio, or any other MGM*Mirage-owned casino to get comps but I'd ask the
pit boss first.

I would imagine that a few hours of playing $20-25 hands and some schmoozing
of the pit boss will get you a pair of tickets. Comp tickets for shows are usually
great seats as well" - El
Scorcho

"The big casinos don't bother with rating you unless you play at least
$25/hand. At MGM if you strike up a good conversation with the pit boss they'll
give you VIP passes to the buffet if you're betting less than $25 a hand."
- rabbit77

The following is pulled by El
Scorcho from a Vegas Message Board:

"I visit Las Vegas about every 6-8 weeks. Since my buddy and I both live
in L.A., we focused our research on room comps (rather than cashback, or comped
meals.) Specifically, our goal was to find how much "coin in" it took
per pay to generate good mail offers from different casinos.

During our two weeks of research, we took careful notes, played mostly $0.25
video poker, always used our slot card, concentrated most of our play AWAY from
The Strip. We also made an attempt to introduce ourselves to the casino or slot
"Host" at each casino and asked questions about their comp policies
whenever possible.



COMPED BASIC ROOM (COIN-IN PER DAY)



Gold Spike $1,000

Fremont $1,000

El Cortez $1,000

Palace Station $1,500

Sante Fe Station $1,500

Silverton $2,000

Texas Station $2,000

Arizona Charlies-EAST $2,500

Terribles $2,500

Fiesta Rancho $2,500

Plaza $2,500

Main Street Station $2,500

California $2,500

Suncoast $3,000

Castaways $3,000

Boulder Station $3,000

Four Queens $3,000

Fitzgeralds $3,000

Las Vegas Club $3,000

Gold Coast $3,500

Key Largo $3,500

Circus Circus $3,500

Stratosphere $3,500

Sunset Station $3,500

Boardwalk $3,500

Sahara $3,500

Westward Ho $3,500

Fiesta Henderson $3,500

Sams Town $4,000

New Frontier $4,000

Arizona Charlies-West $4,000

NY-NY $5,000

Las Vegas Hilton $5,000

Stardust $5,000

Orleans $5,000

Tropicana $5,000

Golden Nugget $6,000

Treasure Island $10,000

Palms $10,000+

Rio $20,000

Green Valley Ranch $25,000



Most of the above will send mailers with REDUCED rates for rooms with a much
lower daily amount. My experience is you will receive an up front room comp
from the hotel, if you've given them that $$ amount in action previously."

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What Are The Best Games To Play?

" Nothing beats Pai Gow Poker at the Bellagio....for the reason you mention
and because it is right next to the door where the waitresses go for drink service.
I call those Bellagio pai gow tables - the 'drinking' tables. You can sit there
forever playing PGP and get wasted. Of course then you start missing straights
and flushes in your hand and think that Joker is 100% wild." - Red Dog

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Do You Always Double Down On Eleven?
(gambling strategy)

Always baby, always. Check out these links to get a good idea of when to hold
'em and when to fold 'em. The most important part of gambling is gambling within
your limit. Don't gamble money you don't have and don't expect to go to Vegas
and win any money.

• http://www.thewizardofodds.com/


• http://www.palaceofchance.com/


• Newbie Guide
  to Black Jack

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The Long Relationship of Other Forum &
Vegas (not so long anymore a bunch of it got wiped out)

• Booking a cheap trip to Vegas


• Places to stay in Vegas


• Las Vegas New Years Pictures


• Card Counting Strategy


• Craps Dice Setting

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Tell Me About Vegas Strip Clubs

Check This Thread

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Vegas Transportation Info

Usually a car rental isn't necessary unless you plan on taking a trip to the
Grand Canyon or maybe going downtown. Valet parking is free at most major casinos
if you rent a car. If you do take a cab, watch your ass, here are some suggestions
below:

"If you plan on taking a cab to and from the airport, it usually helps
that you drop some lines about how this is your 5th time here this year or something
like that. If you give any sort of indication that this is your first time here
ever, you're more prone to have the cabbie take you on the "scenic route"
and thus, give you a hefty cab fare." - El
Scorcho

"And for taxi from airport unless you're staying at Mandalay Bay or Luxor
tell them NOT to take the tunnel. They always ask if this is your first trip
cause then they figure you don't know that it's a scam to take the tunnel, they
make it sound good by saying I'll take the new tunnel out of the aiport to avoid
traffic." - Borst

"Some of the taxi drivers in Vegas are pure evil. Olympic Gardens is my
favorite strip club in Vegas by far. Almost every time I have taken a cab to
go there, the cab driver tries to convince me that other clubs are better. Why
do they this? Because almost every club besides Olympic Garden gives the drivers
kickbacks for passengers they bring to the their club." - Red
Dog

Vegas Car Rental Sites:

• http://www.las-vegas-car-rentals.com/


• http://www.allstatecarrental.com/ (vegas oriented)


• http://www.bnm.com/vegas.htm (misc car rental vegas links)

Vegas Taxi Sites:

• http://www.thevegasguide.com/taxi.html (great site if you plan on using taxis)


• Misc. Taxi Resource (very good)


• http://www.go2lv.com/taxi.htm (very good)

 

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Family Things To Do In Vegas

Vegas has two faces, one where adults can have a great time without kids, and
one where a family can hang out with their kids having a good time. Hopefully
this will help you take your family to Vegas and have a good time.

• Family
  Guide to Vegas at Vegas Tips.com


• Family Guide to Vegas
  at Epinion


• http://www.romantic-lasvegas.com/las...ily_travel.htm (general family guide)


• http://www.all-lasvegashotels.com/family.html
  (Family Vegas Excursions)


• Family Fun in Vegas


• Family Attractions in Vegas


• Star Tribune Article on Vegas Family Vacations


• Family Vacations

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Best Ways To Get To Vegas

Ways to get to Vegas are numerous. Checking the various travel sites linked
below will help you get there cheaper. Watching out for using priceline during
busy times of the year, if the flight is overbooked you will be the first to
get bumped.

• Expedia.com Vegas Section


• PMTravel.com Vegas


• Priceline.com


• Travelocity.com


• HotWire.com


• Orbitz.com


• Travel.com


• http://www.travelworm.com


• http://www.travelaxe.net


• http://www.tripreservations.com/lasvegas

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Golfing In Vegas

Stay away from The Desert Rose (or as I call it The Stinking Rose), it's an
over-priced crap hole.

If you go golfing, go as early as possible. Get the earliest tee time if possible,
and be first out with a riding cart. You'll be glad you did. The sun is very
strong and the air is very dry. You will get dehydrated unless you drink a lot
of water on every hole.

Here are some Vegas Golf Guides:

http://www.lasvegasgolf.com/

http://www.waltersgolf.com/

http://www.vegasgolfer.com/

http://www.golflv.com/

http://www.golfinglasvegas.com/

 

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Las Vegas - When to Visit

Although Las Vegas is a round-the-clock destination, it’s not necessarily
a great round-the-year one. It gets over 100 degrees from June through September,
and the winter temperatures only average about 55 degrees, so spring and fall
are best.

This is especially true if you’re taking trips out to the Hoover Dam,
Bryce or Zion National Parks, because you’ll want to be outside comfortably
for hours at a time. Of course, if you spend all of your time in a casino or
at the shows, the temperature outside doesn’t really matter.

Find out if there are any big conventions coming into town during your stay,
because that could really impact room availability and rates.

Source: http://travel.lycos.com/traveltips/ht_whenusa.asp

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[Gallant Pig]

Sorry about the formatting guys, the forum software makes it difficult to format thing nicely from an html editor.

[Deftones]

hey gallant, you might want to pull that link about d_s guide to vegas. there are some hardcore porn pics in the banner ad up top. unfortunately i had to see it.

[Gallant Pig]

point taken

[El Scorcho]

Damn I feel like a co-author.

[Red Dog]

I wouldn't put Caesar's in the upscale category with Bellagio, Venetian and Mandalay.

[Chrisedge]

Can I recommend the Hard Rock Hotel? This is by far my favorite place to stay in Las Vegas. While it's off the strip, located at Harmon and Paradise, it is still within a $5.00 ride to the corner of MGM/NYNY/Trop/Excalbur. It is the BEST eye candy hotel in Vegas. While it is a small hotel/casino, and it's comps program is non-existent, it still screams "fun in Vegas" I usually don't end up leaving if it's a short trip. (2 days) I just got back from an entire week there.

Food Choices at Hard Rock:
Mr. Luckys: (open 24/7) Great cheap food (not "Vegas" cheap, but good) Great Chocolate Shakes, and the "famous" Off the Menu, Steak and Shrimp for $7.77. I eat here most of the time.

AJ's Steakhouse: Good steaks but expect a "Mortons/Ruth Chris" kinda bill for dinner. Super atmosphere, 50's old school style lounge.

Nobu: Fantastic (but over priced) New Age Japanese restaurant. Stick with the "unusual" stuff and you will be pleased. The "regular" style Japanese stuff was below average.

Simon: Only place I haven't tried. Small menu, I'll hit them up next time.

Gambling at HRH:
Most tables start at $10 at night, (Non Auto Shuffler Blackjack, etc..) You can find Super Fun 21, Auto Shuffle Decks usually during the day for $5.00, sometimes at night I can find them too. I have gotten, Single Deck, Regular BJ at night in the "circle bar" for $10.00

Comps: They do have a "Backstage Pass" comps plan. Mostly a mailing list, their own dealers admit it's not really very good, because they draw the crowd they get without comps. If you sign up, you get a bunch of coupons (free starbucks, free shot glass/deck of cards, etc.)

Pool: One of the BEST in Vegas. Sand/Regular Bottom, great Cabanas ($100-$125 per day) big, but gets crowded, they started a wristband program because of all the non-guests showing up. I would rank this pool 2nd/3rd to Mandalay (maybe Trop too, because Trop has a 24/7 pool) Best Eye Candy in Vegas here though....

Staff/Other Stuff: First Class, mostly young people, that are super nice. Great music playing 24/7 throughout the entire property. Small enough to separate from your friends and you can still find them in 60 seconds anywhere in the casino. Has a club, Baby's but I never been in there, heard it's fun, good crowd, not the best in Vegas though. It's also right across the street from Club Paradise. Plus MANY great bands play at the insanely small venue there, "The Joint".

For more info http://www.hardrockhotel.com

[Red Dog]

Frankly, I can't stand the Hard Rock, but to each their own. The gambling is awful - as far as minimums and getting on a table, drink service is poor, comps are lousy and the sports book is pathetic. Yes there is great eye candy but you can get that at any of the great clubs (regular and after hours) in Vegas. When I stayed there in March 2001, it was sausage city at the pool - the only women there were the waitresses. Worst of all, you are off the strip.

I think the Hard Rock is a nice place to check out for an evening but I recommend against staying there, unless you are in your 20s and don't really plan to gamble much.

[SpaceBoy]

Originally posted by Red Dog
Frankly, I can't stand the Hard Rock, but to each their own. The gambling is awful - as far as minimums and getting on a table, drink service is poor, comps are lousy and the sports book is pathetic. Yes there is great eye candy but you can get that at any of the great clubs (regular and after hours) in Vegas. When I stayed there in March 2001, it was sausage city at the pool - the only women there were the waitresses. Worst of all, you are off the strip.

I think the Hard Rock is a nice place to check out for an evening but I recommend against staying there, unless you are in your 20s and don't really plan to gamble much.

I agree w this. I think it's just a good trip for a night. Not worth staying at imho, esp for the money, you can stay somewhere on the strip much cheaper.

[Red Dog]

Originally posted by SpaceBoy
I agree w this. I think it's just a good trip for a night. Not worth staying at imho, esp for the money, you can stay somewhere on the strip much cheaper.

Actually I think rates at the Hard Rock are rather reasonable. That is one of the few positives about it. Of course, it should be cheaper since it is off the strip.

[El Scorcho]

Hard Rock hurt itself by being off-the-strip and by having an incredibly small casino. Red Dog is right, though, you can find eye candy at any 4* and 5* casino on any given night. Plus, I don't really fly to Las Vegas to look for eye candy -- I can go to any club in my own city if I wanted that.

[El Scorcho]

Personally, I'm still waiting for a DVDTalker review of The Palms. I hear they have the loosest slots of any 4* and 5* casino.

[chucks888]

Rating out of the hotels I've personally stayed at:

Bellagio
Paris
MGM
Mandalay
Luxor
Caesar's

Caesar's was by far the worst. Our 'view' from the room was literally into a wall. Sort of like an alley way, with stairs. Like a mainainence crew exit or something. I'm amazed they actually built a window to this view. What a joke.

Bellagio, Paris, and Mandalay were most enjoyable.

[Chrisedge]

Originally posted by El Scorcho
Red Dog is right, though, you can find eye candy at any 4* and 5* casino on any given night. Plus, I don't really fly to Las Vegas to look for eye candy -- I can go to any club in my own city if I wanted that.

Not like the HR

I agree with the minimums. But I have always been able to get on the cheaper ($10) tables on any night at HR. Comps suck. And Drinks? No casino I've ever been to is quick. HR is small and they have more waitresses per sq ft than most of the bigger casinos. I can drink plenty for free at HR.

I do like the fact that it is smaller. You can spread out, but still get back and find friends quickly. That might be a negative to some, but anytime I go to another casino (outside of the Palms) it is old ladies with walkers and their ruby slipper shopping bags. UGH, get me back to the strippers and bikers at the HR. I still think the crowd there is VERY unlike any other casino. Palms was close...I just got back from a week there (HRH), and it was not sasuage city at the pool...

Hotels I've stayed at:
Manadalay
Luxor
Trop
MGM
IP
Golden Nugget (many times here)
HRH
Flamingo
LV Hilton
Alexis Park
JW Marriott
Stardust
Desert Inn
(I think that all of them)

[Red Dog]

Originally posted by Chrisedge
UGH, get me back to the strippers and bikers at the HR.

Silly me. I go to Olympic Garden to see strippers.

Bikers? Why would I want to see bikers? This is a selling point?

[Chrisedge]

Just the different crowd I guess. Bikers usually bring chicks with them, grandma's bring....


What do Grandma's bring?

[Deftones]

Originally posted by Chrisedge

Hotels I've stayed at:
Manadalay
Luxor
Trop
MGM
IP
Golden Nugget (many times here)
HRH
Flamingo
LV Hilton
Alexis Park
JW Marriott
Stardust
Desert Inn
(I think that all of them)

damn, i think you've got me beat. Here's my list of places I've stayed:

Mandalay Bay
Luxor (2x)
Tropicana
MGM (2 or 3 times)
NY NY
Monte Carlo (2 or 3 times)
Imperial Palace
Bellagio
Paris
Venetian (at the end of September)

[El Scorcho]

Hotels I've stayed at:

Bellagio
Luxor
Imperial Palace
Travelodge \m/
NY NY (2x)
MGM Grand
Riviera

Hotels I've been 86'd from:

Stardust

[briank]

well with a few negative reviews of Caesar's I'll give a positive.

I've stayed in their Petite Suites and Palace Tower Rooms.
If you are going to stay there you MUST get the Palace Tower!

Very nice rooms with two person jacuzzi.
Great view overlooking the swimming pools, Bellagio Fountains, and Paris.

They've treated me well there and continue to send me offers for free Room/food/beverage every month.

But still can be a bit expensive for some, and the construction still has some work to be finished (......some day).

I also enjoyed the Bellagio, and the Tower Deluxe rooms at the Mirage.

Also stayed at Harrah's and Treasure Island and both were "take it or leave it" fine hotel, but nothing really memorable that said "MUST GO BACK HERE".

[nevermind]

I don't know about the Palms slots, but the Video Poker kicked my ass . I like the place, but it was much better on a Sunday afternoon/evening than on Saturday night. Saturday night was basically a bunch of punks getting into shoving matches, club lines so long you couldn't get into a restaurant, Blackjack tables were three people deep, etc. Sunday was much nicer, IMO.

If you play Let it Ride and must play the bonus "bet a buck to win a bundle" (which you shouldn't), the Palms is the only place I saw that paid you on any winning hand on that bonus (1:1 for 10's or better). Many other places don't start until 3 of a kind, I think (5:1).

[Y2K Falcon]

Originally posted by El Scorcho
Hotels I've been 86'd from:

Stardust

Ahhhh... Good times. Good times.

[spankyj]

Well - although I haven't been to the Palms yet - a friend of mine just came back from a Vegas trip over the July 4th weekend. When I talked to her, she highly recommended going to the Palms for their loose slots. She won $180 on a nickel machine.

[Sdallnct]

Got back from Vegas on 7/18 after a 4 night trip. Thought I'd throw in some notes.

Flight - SWA from PHX to LV @ $58 RT pp (net only fare)
Hotel - NYNY @ $59.99 per night (snail mailed me a post card)
Show - Rita Rudner @ aprox $40 per night

This trip was just wife and I (not kids). This was to be a nice relaxing trip to have some fun.

Typical SWA flight. Security is much improved at both PHX and LV. Upon return we had NO wait at all at secuity in LV. We did have to wait about 20 minutes for a cab at LV airport. We did not get a car. Other then to and from the airport, we took a taxi only once. We only went as far as Aladdin north.

NYNY. We wanted to stay in the south end of the strip. We originally booked a 69 net fare, but about 3-4 weeks prior to our trip we got a snail mail post card from NYNY (we had never stayed there before) for 59, so called and switched.

When I tried the $20.00 trick it ALMOST worked. He was going to upgrade me to a suite, but not jucuzzi suite. But while we were talking the only suite room with a king bed he had left, got taken. I did ask for a room with a view and he said he would, so left him the $20.00. We had a great view right on the corner behind the statue. So we could see Exalibur to the right and MGM to the left.
Standard room was nice. Even a little large. Nothing special, but nice, clean and up to date.

Couple of things: We arrived at 12:30 and they let me check in and get a key. Had the room not been clean I still could have checked in and picked up a key in another spot. This is important as around 2:30-4:00 there is a HUGE line for check in. ALSO, I did not know it, but if you get a snail mail post card from NYNY and use that to book are are considered a VIP guest. So you can check in and out at the "invited guest area". This is huge. No wait. After checking in a the normal spot I went over to the VIP area and talked to them, and while they did not have rooms to upgrade me, they gave me a pretty good coupon book.

One disappointment was the dueling piano's bar was closed for renovation. To bad. We were looking forward to that. However, NYNY has a new Irish Pub. Nine Fine Irish Men Pub. We really enjoyed it. Great fish/chips (well fries weren't that good, but the fish was excellent). Live Irish music every night but Wednesday. We went every night late for a drink and listen to a few songs. Good fun. HIGHLY recommended.

Our coupon book gave us free cover for Coyote Ugly. So we did check it out. Thankfully, we had the free cover (normally $10.00 per person). Yea, probably just getting old (I'm 39, wife is 41). Not our cup of tea. I couldn't fight my way to the bar to get us a drink and the music was real annoying. No seating. Sure the girls were attractive and fun to watch. But for us not more then 10-15 minutes. Not recommended (but admittedly could be our age)

Did the roller coster. Fun. One warning. Of course, you are tied in tight, but your head can roll around pretty good. My wife about lost a diamond ear ring when her head hit the side of the padding. Didn't hurt her, but the backing of the earing popped off. But it is a decent roller coster and recommended.

We had diner one night over at Coyote Cafe @ MGM. AWESOME. In particular recommend the queso with chiriso. YUMMY. Had a snack one day at the Pub in Monte Carlo. Not really impressed. For some reason, Monte Carlo just doesn't do it for me. Had lunch once at La Salsa at Aladdin. Good and wife loves those rita's. BTW, many stores have closed and are closing in the mall in Aladdin. But still a lot there. Talked to 1 or 2 folks about plans for Aladdin, but all were tight lipped.

We did go to Studio 54 @ MGM on tuesday night (Vegas service employee night). We stayed a couple of hours. Mainly people watched. It was fun. Amazing to me, is we got there right at opening (10 I think). We were one of the 1st in. But with in 45 minutes that place was packed and totally rocking. Recommended.

We also saw the free Bird Show @ Tropicana - No worth the trouble. We did FINALLY get to see them feed the Lions at MGM, something we had never seen before. That was kind of cool.

Rita Rudner was good for the money. Small, cozy theater. And you can turn it into a good deal by using your left over ticket to get a ticket for BOO (late night show) and Roller coaster ticket for like $20.00 pp. Was a good show, recommended.

Oh, for gambling. We don't gamble much. We lost right at $125 over the 4 nights/5 days. But think we only gambled about $225 total. NYNY has penny slots, so my wife did that some. I did a couple of table games (BJ and roulette), and a few slots.

[Deftones]

how did you get RT from PHX to LV for $58?

My parents just bought tix for the family for a trip at the end of september and they were $130.

I'm going the weekend after also, so if I can find $58 tix, tjat would be great!

[MJKTool]

I would say the Palms was one of my least favorites.* Its just way to small compared to the rest. After walking not really long each one us had the "thats it?" feeling.

*My hatred towards the Kings does not cloud my judgement on this hotel