Need suggestions for Vegas hotel stay

[JohnGerman]

I am thinking about taking a long deserved vacation to Vegas in late June, for about 3-4 days. Haven't been to Vegas for almost 7 years! I wonder if you guys have any suggestions on which hotel I can stay?

 

My requirement is pretty simple: a fairly nice hotel, most preferably on the Strip, and reasonably inexpensive. I saw a promotion by Treasure Island for $79 a night, but when you add up those ridiculous "resort fees,", a four-day stay adds up to about $520, which is somewhat surprising as I had assumed it would be cheaper in Vegas. I have never stayed at Treasure Island and its level of "niceness" is just about where I am thinking about. Do you guys have any suggestions or opinions?

 

By the way, I saw an ad for "LINQ" with cheaper rates. Is that the old Imperial Palace? That hotel was certainly a dump. Did they renovate it and make it better? Anyone has stayed there?

[+ azdr0710]

I am thinking about taking a long deserved vacation to Vegas in late June, for about 3-4 days. Haven't been to Vegas for almost 7 years! I wonder if you guys have any suggestions on which hotel I can stay?

 

My requirement is pretty simple: a fairly nice hotel, most preferably on the Strip, and reasonably inexpensive. I saw a promotion by Treasure Island for $79 a night, but when you add up those ridiculous "resort fees,", a four-day stay adds up to about $520, which is somewhat surprising as I had assumed it would be cheaper in Vegas. I have never stayed at Treasure Island and its level of "niceness" is just about where I am thinking about. Do you guys have any suggestions or opinions?

 

By the way, I saw an ad for "LINQ" with cheaper rates. Is that the old Imperial Palace? That hotel was certainly a dump. Did they renovate it and make it better? Anyone has stayed there?

 

yes, LINQ is the old Imperial Palace....I don't know if the rooms have been upgraded since the name change, but my stay there about six years ago pre-LINQ was only average, as you suggested......

 

if you're able to travel on weekdays, that will help a lot in getting a lower hotel rate.....prices are much higher on Friday and Saturday nights.....try to avoid a large convention time

 

yes, the resort fees are high and I think almost all the Strip hotels have them now.....just gotta accept it....you can ask what is included in the fee at check in.....also, be ready for parking fees nowadays at some hotels if you rent a car.....

 

use hotwire or priceline for good rates......I'd stay with a "four star" category hotel at hotwire to be in the Treasure Island-level......remember that you may not know your hotel until purchase at hotwire - just choose four- or five-star in a mid-Strip location and you should be fine

 

check out @not2rowdy 's excellent thread here and the links he has.....good stuff

 

https://m4m-forum.org/threads/2018-las-vegas-events-2nd-qtr-apr-jun.134800/

[+ TylerandAce]

yes, LINQ is the old Imperial Palace....I don't know if the rooms have been upgraded since the name change, but my stay there about six years ago pre-LINQ was only average, as you suggested......

 

if you're able to travel on weekdays, that will help a lot in getting a lower hotel rate.....prices are much higher on Friday and Saturday nights.....try to avoid a large convention time

 

yes, the resort fees are high and I think almost all the Strip hotels have them now.....just gotta accept it....you can ask what is included in the fee at check in.....also, be ready for parking fees nowadays at some hotels if you rent a car.....

 

use hotwire or priceline for good rates......I'd stay with a "four star" category hotel at hotwire to be in the Treasure Island-level......remember that you may not know your hotel until purchase at hotwire - just choose four- or five-star in a mid-Strip location and you should be fine

 

check out @not2rowdy 's excellent thread here and the links he has.....good stuff

 

https://m4m-forum.org/threads/2018-las-vegas-events-2nd-qtr-apr-jun.134800/

Excellent advice. I used to be able to negotiate the resort fee down when they first started opting not to charge things to the room, but it’s not possible any more. Other mid-priced acceptable places are Monte Carlo, Mirage (which I like a lot) and Planet Hollywood. And actually Tropicana has been revitalized and is a good value. Avoid Luxor, Excalibur, New York New York, Circus Curcus like the plague. The SLS can be a good value and they even have a Hilton Garden Inn on property. I love their restaurants and the casino isn’t too big.

[seattlebottom]

I liked Excalibur. It's a no frills kind of place and I think that the thunder from down under perform there. Stratosphere has a relaxing oxygen bar. I prefer the downtown area myself and the Plaza is a neat if not great place to stay.

[JohnGerman]

I thought all those male strip shows were targeted for female audience? You can't go there by yourself as you would be just so out of place... Any gay strip shows?

 

 

I liked Excalibur. It's a no frills kind of place and I think that the thunder from down under perform there. Stratosphere has a relaxing oxygen bar. I prefer the downtown area myself and the Plaza is a neat if not great place to stay.

[+ TylerandAce]

I thought all those male strip shows were targeted for female audience? You can't go there by yourself as you would be just so out of place... Any gay strip shows?

Lots of guys go to those shows. Not just for girls. Piranha Night Club has the closest thing to a gay version of the show...mostly gogo dancers and drag, though.

[+ Avalon]

I've only been to Las Vegas once for a weekend in the late 80s. I stayed at the Motel 8. I enjoyed the Liberace museum. There was a desk that belonged to Tsar Nicholas II.

 

As a coincidence that Sunday night there was a made for tv movie about Liberace airing.

[LaffingBear]

Treasure Island is a good location. My first ever LV visit was there, 20+ years ago. Rooms were fine... dont know what its like since divested from the MGM group.

 

I have comp offers, although I am anything but a player. So not a good source for rates. But I considered a Harrahs offer for a free room - a studio/suite, highly recommended by reservation agent for all Caesar's properties - but I stayed somewhere else. After playing a bit in Harrahs, glad I didnt stay there... felt like a dump, incredibly smokey, etc. They even have a restrictive free-drinks policy while playing at the tables, something I didnt experience at Paris or Planet Hollywood, two other Caesar's properties.

 

Friends in the know recommend Paris. And Ballys, as long as a recently renovated room. The Caesars and MGM websites have all started promoting "recently renovated" in describing some rooms/towers on their giant properties, so its easy to identify.

 

And, the rooms at LINQ are reportedly nice, new, but small and spartan.

Edited May 22, 2018 by LaffingBear

[+ Avalon]

The Liberace museum has long since closed. The Harley Davidson café has closed also, as well as the zoo, the Sands, and the marshmallow factory blew up since you were last there.

 

That's too bad.

[+ GregM]

There's only one decent hotel that has no resort fee and that is Four Queens in downtown. It's not swanky but its decent. I'm staying at Luxor and Hooters this week. If you want I can put you and let you know how they are.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[Racketjock]

I have stayed several times at the Hard Rock Hotel Suites Tower. It is different than the casino, but they send out email rates routinely for $49/ night and often with a meal voucher for on property. Rooms are VERY nice, huge, and have the biggest bath tubs and showers I have ever seen. Its only a couple blocks off the strip, convenient to the airport.

[+ tassojunior]

There's only one decent hotel that has no resort fee and that is Four Queens in downtown. It's not swanky but its decent. I'm staying at Luxor and Hooters this week. If you want I can put you and let you know how they are.

 

Hugs,

Greg

 

I can tell you Hooters is awful.

[+ GregM]

I can tell you Hooters is awful.

How so?

 

Hugs,

Greg

[+ E.T.Bass]

Treasure Island has Cirque du Soilel's Mystere. a fun, clever show that's been around a long, long time.

I've only stayed at Bellagio on the strip, but it was a friends comp. Bellagio is not very economical but it's nice.

 

http://www.tix4tonight.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/mystere-las-vegas-show.jpg

[jvanchicago]

I've stayed at several resorts on the strip. From the ones I've stayed at, Mirage was definitely the nicest. Planet Hollywood is also great-all of their rooms were renovated within the last year or two. NYNY is alright if you upgrade to the better-than-standard room; Luxor is good if you do a tower room vs pyramid room (unless you get the new Cleo pyramid room which was recently renovated). Didn't care for Excalibur-so many kids around there, and definitely outdated.

A great deal I found downtown was actually the Downtown Grand. Got it on Priceline last year in July for around $25 a night (plus the resort fee)-probably one of the nicest/cleanest places I've stayed, if you're willing to go the downtown route.

[+ tassojunior]

How so?

 

Hugs,

Greg

 

Hooters is a step below Motel 6. As a matter of fact there's a gigantic Motel 6 by Hooters that is much nicer. Hooters is much like a typical truck-stop motel. Just an oozing of cheapness. I prefer my guys that way, not my hotels.

 

No experience with the Luxor.

 

The Hard Rock really is 4.5 stars, $39+, across from gay motels, 1 block to Piranha, THE gay bar with strippers, the Grove, the best pot store, etc. Plus you can self-park for free in the Paradise Garage and the Paradise Tower is extremely nice.

 

IF you must stay on the Strip the only valid reason is the fountains and the view of them is just as good from several hotels, not just Bellagio. (not Paris-obstructions). Planet Hollywood is very cheap and just had a fantastic reno. Give a $20 tip at check in and get a fountain-view room--amazing rooms and view.

 

Be aware that at Strip hotels you and your car will be at a huge distance. Valet parking is a must, even if not required.

 

Also understand cheap hotel rates disappear on weekends when LA moves to LV. $40 rooms at Hard Rock or Planet Hollywood become $400. There's a whole other topic on cheap-on-weekends LV hotels.

Edited May 22, 2018 by tassojunior

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

If you keep in mind that Vegas is no longer a deal, you'll be fine. One way or another, they'll get you to part with your money.

[+ sniper]

If you can pick your days right there are still cheapish rooms to be had. But it's not the bargain it was 15 years ago for sure.

If spa cruising is your thing, you want Mandalay Bay.

If you go to Luxor, stay in the tower not the pyramid.

Mirage is nice but rooms are small and I didn't care for the bathrooms.

[+ GregM]

I just posted some pics of the Cleo room in the pyramid at Luxor. It's not super fancy but it is nice and the bed and pillows are comfy. The pics are in my IG link below.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[+ GregM]

I liked Excalibur. It's a no frills kind of place and I think that the thunder from down under perform there. Stratosphere has a relaxing oxygen bar. I prefer the downtown area myself and the Plaza is a neat if not great place to stay.

 

I prefer dt too. The hotels and casinos are so much easier to maneuver in and you can see outside depending where one is sitting. That won't happen on the strip.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[Pepper Young]

I stayed at The Linq last year. The rooms were small but modern and comfortable. I thought the location was good.

[LaffingBear]

Ill ask here, because I saw a mention go by on another thread, asked for more info, but no response. Found nothing on property website, websearch, etc.

 

Does anyone know anything regarding the Flamingo pool events including gay themed days or events?

[LaffingBear]

Ill ask here, because I saw a mention go by on another thread, asked for more info, but no response. Found nothing on property website, websearch, etc.

 

Does anyone know anything regarding the Flamingo pool events including gay themed days or events?

[+ sniper]

No idea about Flamingo, but Luxor has a gay pool party every Sunday during the summer.

[+ sniper]

No idea about Flamingo, but Luxor has a gay pool party every Sunday during the summer.