Vegas hotel recommendations?

abbalish

H is about to start traveling for work quite a bit so we're taking a trip to Vegas for some quality time together between his travels.  Neither of us have been before.  We'll be going from November 6-10.Does anyone have any recommendations?  I've been doing research online and so far the frontrunners are the MGM Grand and the Palms.  We'd like to keep the price to $130/night or so.  We are planning on drinking, gambling, etc. but are not the type to stay up all night partying.  I'd love to hear any personal experiences with either of these places, or any other recommendations.  Thanks!

ThePinkSuperhero

We stayed at the MGM and really liked it.  It's on the end of the Strip, so you're not right in the middle of things, but you could always walk, or take the train from the station right in the hotel.

bbyckes

Manadaly Bay.  I love staying there, but I don't know if it's in your price range.  I thought the Hard Rock was okay too, the rooms are nice.

smokeybailey

We like staying downtown at the Golden Nugget. Does the $130 a night include food, gambling, etc?  I would never play at most of the strip casinos.  I am with the PP on being a cheap @$$.  We like to play at Casino Royale with the $3 craps.  Woohoo!  The palms is WAAAY off the beaten path so if you want to "see" the strip, stay on the strip.  If you want old school, stay at the Nugget in one of the upgraded rooms.  You can get a GREAT room at a great price.  I am a big fan (obviously).

abbalish

No, I mean $130 just for the room.  I actually was just looking at the Golden Nugget's website...looks pretty cool!  How is the location?

nicoleabrock

The Golden Nugget is not on the strip.  It is 20 min taxi ride from the strip.  It is in old downtown Las Vegas which is still cool but I personally prefer to stay on the strip because there is a lot more action.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I LOVE Paris Las Vegas. It's my favorite hotel there. But I think it's a little more than $130. MGM Grand is probably your best bet because it's on the strip. The first time in Vegas, if I were you I'd just walk up and down the strip, visiting the casinos. The Palms is several blocks away.I love downtown Las Vegas - it has an older, grungier feel - but I'd save than for the next trip. Or take the bus down Las Vegas Blvd and visit while you are there. The hotels downtown are cheap (and the buffets are cheaper), but for your first experience, I think staying on the strip is the way to go. I'm not usually an all-night partier, either, and I slept fine when I stayed at Luxor, in the actual pyramid part, facing the pool of Mandalay Bay. It's certainly no quieter on the strip than anywhere else you'd want to stay in Vegas.

smokeybailey

The GN is downtown.  Again, it's very "old school" but that's what we liked about it.  We went to the cheesy night club there a couple nights and gamed at Binions and the Cal.  (Did quite well, I might add).However, if you are going for glitz, glamour, big clubs, etc. then Downtown is not the place for you.  We are big gamers so we like DT better.

abbalish

Hmm.  Downtown does actually sound more our style...we're not exactly the glitz & glamour type.  But I do sort of feel like for our first time maybe we should experience the Strip.  It sounds like the MGM Grand would be a good option.

smokeybailey

Also, I should add that I live in LA and go to Vegas frequently.  I was there last month and stayed at the LV Hilton (the Elvis one).  I would not recommend that but the monorail is oh-so-cool.  I am going next weekend and staying at the Hilton Grand Vacations up near the Sahara and Riviera because it was the best buy so we could be close to friends at the Wynn/Encore.  As such, I think that I may not be objective.  I have stayed at the MGM, The Hotel at Mandalay (BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL), the Luxor, Planet Hollywood (when it was the Aladdin), Monte Carlo, Hooters (when it was the San Remo), the Boardwalk (with its half craps tables), Excalibur and visited rooms in half a dozen more hotels.  I always felt like I wasn't getting any value for the cost.  That's one of the reasons we like the GN.  We want the room to be nice.  We are past the whole "you just need a place to change" phase.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

Smokey - I love Binions. I find the cocktail waitresses to be sort of grumpy and it cracks me up. Maybe because I ask for a drink when I have, like, $5 in the big wheel.Abba - any of the main strip hotels would be good for you. Stratosphere is down further towards the downtown vegas side, but there's a bus that runs from downtown all the way down the strip, too. And there's a tram that connects a bunch of strip hotels. I'd stay away from Circus Circus (it's known for being cheap, and I hate clowns) and Excalibur (also cheap, and all my friends who have stayed there have said it's just okay).

smokeybailey

Abba, if you are not going strictly to game and relax then definitely stay on the strip.  I'm not a big fan of the MGM though.  I definitely felt it was overpriced.  Keep in mind that the monorail runs from MGM to the Hilton with a sh!tload of hotels in between so you can pick anything in between and be a quick ride from anywhere (except DT, the Palms, etc.).

smokeybailey

MsMery-when we were DT last December, we decided that when we retired, my girlfriend and I would be old grumpy cocktail waitresses and our men would be wizened BJ dealers downtown.  We had a blast at the Cal.  I don't care for the stratosphere.  We were just down on that end of the strip last month and it was a little sketchy.  The strip bus sucks at night.  Go with the monorail.  Circus Circus sucks in all kinds of ways and the Excalibur did have sucky rooms.  The spa was nice though.Abba-look me up on Facebook and I can mail you with opinions (as I have a bunch...) of locations etc.  Sasha is also a good one to page because she lives and works there.

abbalish

I think I just found you on there and sent you a request...my name's Abbie.  Thanks for all the advice!

J&K10910

I'm a little late, but we stayed at the Palace Station and LOVED it.  The room was kind of small, but how much are you in it?  The bathroom was big, and cool.  There is an EXCELLENT mexican restaurant and brunch buffet (prices reasonable) and the price on the hotel rooms is a lot cheaper than the "bigger names."  It's a little off strip but they have a shuttle.  I also won $100 at the casino there on the slots.  Can't complain

smokeybailey

Just saw you...we're now friends.  message me and i'll tell you what i know...FWIW, my BF stays at a Station hotel in Henderson when he goes for work.  It works for him...

steffenfam

Golden Nugget is our favorite.  Even though it's downtown it's a nicer hotel than many hotels on the strip, cheaper too.  Plus better deals downtown re: food, gambling, etc.  But it's not the strip, some people really turn their noses up if you're not on "the strip". 

mocha beans

We stayed at the Nugget as well.  Very nice, not terribly pretentious.  Freemont Street is pretty nice, more relaxed feeling, not as rush rush, easy to wander from casino to casino, not as much of a hike as getting around on the Strip.  Next time we're staying on the Strip though, because there is a lot more to do and see.  I want to stay at the Luxor next time, it seemed to be reasonably priced.  I'd love to stay at the Bellagio or Wynn, but I'm not sure if I can convince FI to spend the money.

SassyPantsMcGee

I'm super late on this, but we just went to Vegas on our honeymoon.  We stayed at the Mirage, and we loved it.  The room was really nice, and it's right in the centre of the Strip.  Everything was close by.  The prices were reasonable as well.  Our room was about $120 per night.I've heard good things about Caesar's Palace and the Venetian, although the Venetian is more expensive.  We almost stayed at the Luxor, but I'm glad we didn't because it was kind of out of the way.  This was our first time there, and it was nice to be right in the middle of things so we could easily walk from place to place.  On our next trip I'd be more open to staying some place farther from the middle, like Mandalay Bay, which it also supposed to be really nice.  I also can't recommend the Beatles Love Cirque de Soleil show.  It was incredible!

Golfer'sLady

I'll be there then too!We'll be at the MGM Grand, they have great deals going now. The Palms is fun but we wanted to stay on the strip for this trip.Check out www.smartervegas.com for good promo codes/deals.

missy68

I stayed at, and was married at, the Luxor, 3 weeks ago.  DH and I had a pyramid room.My parents had a two-room suite in the tower. Their room was WAY nicer than ours (and way pricier). The tower rooms in general are more expensive than the pyramid rooms.I think our room rate was $60 for the weeknights and $140 for the weekend nights (Friday and Saturday). Those can vary, though.The only thing I didn't like about our room was that we didn't have a bathtub. Both bedrooms in the suite had spa tubs. Color me jealous.Luxor has an EXCELLENT buffet, a cafe with pretty good food, a GREAT steakhouse - Tender (my after-reception dinner was there for 16 people), and their current exhibits are Bodies in Motion and the Titanic. Walking distance of the MGM, and we actually walked up from the Venetian and the Imperial (much easier in tennis shoes than heeled sandals).

Carebear517

Do NOT stay at Palace Station or the Stratosphere. The Stratosphere is a pretty long walk to any other casinos.The Palms is off the strip but probably only a $10-$15 cab ride. It is a nice hotel and has a young crowd there. MGM is nice and a good central location. My fave hotel is Harrah's. The outdoor bar (Carnaval Court) they have is awesome and handsdown my fave place on the Strip. Downtown is awesome, Golden Nugget is a really good suggestion and the vibe downtown is a lot more laid back, cheaper gambling too. But don't venture off of Fremont Street because the surrounding neighborhood is a little shady.

zitiqueen

DH and I are Vegas veterans and I would never tell a virgin to stay anywhere but the Strip. It should be the law that virgins have to stay on the Strip. We always stay downtown because we like to drink, gamble and eat and that's it, but again, we're not virgins. Save downtown for your second trip (but visit on this trip). Avoid the Stratosphere and Circus Circus like the plague. In fact, stay as close to mid-Strip as possible. You know what hotel gets geat reviews? Bill's. Seriously. No pool (not that it matters in November) but the rooms get rave reviews and the hotel itself isn't a behemoth like MGM or Caesars, and the location can't be beat.Check out www.cheapovegas.com for fair, honest room reviews and direct links to all the hotel websites. You'll be there on a weekend and weekends are naturally higher in price, but you should have no problem finding a lower price than $130 a night. And as the old saying goes, nobody goes to Las Vegas to spend time in their room. You just need a place to keep your clothes and sleep.

bjporter88

I'm sooper dooper late on this, but DH and I just went to Vegas in September and stayed at the Signature at MGM. I cannot say enough awesome things about that place. It is a heavenly oasis in the midst of the Vegas chaos. It is right behind MGM, so the strip isn't far at all and there is no casino, so it is quiet and relaxing, plus smells amazing! It is a condo hotel, so the rooms are amazing and huge, all with either kitchenettes or full kitchens. The beds are out of this world and the service blew us away. I'll stop raving and let you do your own research. Go to tripadvisor.com and look at all the reviews. I believe it is the #4 rated hotel in Vegas right now. Have fun!

Kristin789

We've been twice, and we stay at the Mirage. Good prices on rooms, it's beautiful (big makeover 2 years ago), and right in the middle of the strip. The Palms is off the strip and you'll spend all your time getting to and from the strip - not good. The MGM Grand is way way way down on one end of the strip. We went all the way down there this summer to see Ka, the CduSoleil show - which was fabulous - but could not imagine staying all the way down there for a vacation. My mom and I stayed in Circus Circus and were assigned a room in the way back barracks in with army personnel using those back hotel room buildings as auxiliary housing. We went back up to the front desk and they would not give us another room, nor reassign us to another hotel that's owned by the same ownership group. Another time, my mom and I stayed at the Golden Nugget, which is the best of the hotels in the old downtown area. But that area is run down and the nightly crowd looks like a combination of grandparents from Fort Wayne Indiana in plaid shirts and big belt buckles, and goth teens who are bored. NMS.