Vegas 2021
- Thread starter sanaxe1
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Sorry to resurrect an old thread but i'm looking at doing a 4 night stint for our honeymoon in late July in Vegas this year.
Does a lot of the advice in this thread still stand? I see the Mandalay Bay gets recommended quite a bit.
Were looking for somewhere that has a decent pool, that is fairly modern/not tired rooms with a good view and is easy to get around from.
It's a bit of a head**** when you scroll through Booking.com or Hotels.com
The hotels we've been looking at are:
Bellagio - Newly Renovated Premier King
Aria - Stay Well Deluxe King
Mandalay Bay - Bay King or Elite Suite
These all worked out at between= £750-£950 for the 4 nights.
I've stayed at the MGM and Circus Circus before so not fussed about them.
Any thoughts on the 3 above? Or is there somewhere else that you think we should absolutely consider (in the same price bracket).
The Bellagio is the most expensive and looks lux but Mandalay looks like it has a better pool area and is incidentally the cheaper of the 3.
Does a lot of the advice in this thread still stand? I see the Mandalay Bay gets recommended quite a bit.
Were looking for somewhere that has a decent pool, that is fairly modern/not tired rooms with a good view and is easy to get around from.
It's a bit of a head**** when you scroll through Booking.com or Hotels.com
The hotels we've been looking at are:
Bellagio - Newly Renovated Premier King
Aria - Stay Well Deluxe King
Mandalay Bay - Bay King or Elite Suite
These all worked out at between= £750-£950 for the 4 nights.
I've stayed at the MGM and Circus Circus before so not fussed about them.
Any thoughts on the 3 above? Or is there somewhere else that you think we should absolutely consider (in the same price bracket).
The Bellagio is the most expensive and looks lux but Mandalay looks like it has a better pool area and is incidentally the cheaper of the 3.
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I've stayed at Aria and it is a really nice hotel in the middle of the strip. I'd look into the cosmo as it's the only one that offers a balcony (preferably overlooking the bellagio fountains) although this might cost more than those you've listed. It is a honeymoon though...
Those are all MGM properties, the Mandalay Bay isn't usually considered to be in the same league as the Bellagio and the Aria, it's a bit further south from the main central part of the strip too but it does have a good pool.
Bellagio used to be the flagship MGM property though now I believe Aria is, though I guess if it's been renovated then you can't go too wrong with either. I think the equivalents from rival Casino groups would be the Wynn & Encore and the Venitian & Pallazo, those are two rival Casino resorts each with two high-end hotels. They're both north of the central strip area.
I think if you're looking at Aria then Vdara might be worth a look too - it's a sort of condo hotel and right next door and also an MGM property, AFAIK though it has its own pool you're also able to use the Aria pool too + it is connected to the Bellagio too. As it's a smaller hotel checking in might be easier too/with less chance of big queues etc.
Also in the same central strip area there's the Cosmopolitan which overlooks the Bellagio fountains.
Been to Vegas 3 times and every time we stay at the Wynn, can't recommend it enough although I did say to the missus we could stay at the Aria one time as that looks nice (she flat out refuses to stay at the Hooters hotel!!), Mandalay Bay is quite a bit south of the strip and almost level with the airport although it is also really close to the Welcome to Vegas sign.
Last time we went (Feb before covid lock down) there was a hotel being built between the Wynn and Circus Circus (thought Circus Circus was a dump and looked really dated compared to the Wynn) so I guess that is finished now, was looking for somewhere to go for my 50th this year (really wanted Hawaii but missus says she can't afford that) so may look to go back to Vegas.
Vegas in July is hot hot hot, we've only ever been in Feb\March as I'm not keen on sun too much but know someone who went to a wedding in July and she said it was way too hot to be bearable (she also likes to sunbathe) so said she'd never go again that time of year, but like I say I've never experienced it that time of year so only passing on 2nd hand information.
Last time we went (Feb before covid lock down) there was a hotel being built between the Wynn and Circus Circus (thought Circus Circus was a dump and looked really dated compared to the Wynn) so I guess that is finished now, was looking for somewhere to go for my 50th this year (really wanted Hawaii but missus says she can't afford that) so may look to go back to Vegas.
Vegas in July is hot hot hot, we've only ever been in Feb\March as I'm not keen on sun too much but know someone who went to a wedding in July and she said it was way too hot to be bearable (she also likes to sunbathe) so said she'd never go again that time of year, but like I say I've never experienced it that time of year so only passing on 2nd hand information.
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Soldato
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Aria or Cosmo for me. It's where the best stuff goes down. I stayed in Planet Hollywood twice there in 2022 because it was just across from Aria and Cosmo and cheap. Spent all my time in both Cosmo and Aria.
Would also 100% recommend this: https://www.themagiciansstudy.com/ Get the VIP, front row. Guy is Australian and the whole thing is just so good. One of the best things I've done in Vegas
Would also 100% recommend this: https://www.themagiciansstudy.com/ Get the VIP, front row. Guy is Australian and the whole thing is just so good. One of the best things I've done in Vegas
I've been 3 times, the last being 2017. It's probably my favourite place to go but with the pound being so weak to the dollar these days I really can't justify it.
Soldato
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Wynn / Encore is the top. I love the hotel and all but my above suggestions of cosmo/ aria are just because there are more things going on in them. You have 4 hidden bars (one behind the barbers, one in the back of the mexican place, one in the back of the beauty salon and the other hidden down a hallway) in the cosmo, loads of food options. There is also a ski lodge, decent nightclub etc. so for me it wins on that part of the strip. Aria is a beautiful hotel, lovely place but nothing tops things to do in the Cosmo.
Yeah really struggling to get the Mrs to stay anywhere other than the Wynn but agreed there's not that much that goes off there (Seen Le Reve and also David Guetta's pool party in the Encore nightclub) so do have to go elsewhere, last time we were there it was a toss up between the Golden Knights (hockey) and Gwen Stefani (in the MGM) and Gwen Stefani won only for her to cancel a couple of hours before she was due on, too late to get tickets to the hockey then, fuming didn't quite cut it!!
My god I'm now looking up Vegas trips, that itch needs scratching again
Soldato
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Me and some guys I used to work with, who are now all round the world and great mates, have come up with a yearly Vegas trip to all come together for some fun! It's a great thing to have each year
Caporegime
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Nobody has mentioned The Palazzo at the Venetian. That's also nice.
But I've stayed in The Wynn and Wynn Encore and they were both pretty amazing. The breakfast buffet there was incredible if you can wangle that.
But I've stayed in The Wynn and Wynn Encore and they were both pretty amazing. The breakfast buffet there was incredible if you can wangle that.
I really like the Aria. It's modern and the pools are nice (they are shallow splash pools not really for swimming though...probably the same across Vegas I guess). Bellagio I've not stayed in but it's slightly more convenient than Aria in terms of location, that part of the strip is much more busy though IME. The Cosmopolitan has a cool vibe and is right next to the Aria, also very modern/new/upmarket.
The Wynn/Encore are the best hotels in Vegas for sure but they are quite far from the main strip and you'll end up getting taxis a lot.
Keep in mind that restaurants and basically everything else in these top hotels are incredibly expensive though. When we went in 2015 we had an amazing meal at a sushi restaurant in the Aria for about $250, and when we went back late last year similar quality was about double. 18% tip is now pretty much the lowest you can get away with without ******* people off
. Comped casino drinks also seem to be a lot rarer than before, at least in the MGM properties we visited. I suspect it's been cut back as a knock on from covid.Still love it there though!
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Of those, Mandalay all day long. Aria is basically an office for old duffers to pass brown envelopes to one another. Bellagio is nice but that's an older clientele. Keep in mind with the Mandalay that it's right at the end of the strip, close to the airport.
Depends what you want really.
Mandalay Bay is more of a "party" scene around the pool and I thought it was (even for Vegas) a bit tacky.
Biggest drawback is its down the end of the strip so its more of a walk or taxi when you go out.
Not tried the Aria - but for me the Bellagio was great (stayed there 3 times) and very central so its a short walk to Ceasars/MGM etc
Mandalay Bay is more of a "party" scene around the pool and I thought it was (even for Vegas) a bit tacky.
Biggest drawback is its down the end of the strip so its more of a walk or taxi when you go out.
Not tried the Aria - but for me the Bellagio was great (stayed there 3 times) and very central so its a short walk to Ceasars/MGM etc
That does look cool, not quite sure why they say it's invitation only when there is a link to buy tickets!
That's not true.
Soldato
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Buffets pretty much died out in 2020 sadly
I think it's all this prohibition/ secret style thing. You get txt the address the afternoon of the event and all that. It's to add to the mystery
Yeh I dont think its too exclusive of an event when you can just enquire and they tell you the code.
Current code is MERLIN for anyone interested. I'll be booking it once they open up bookings for July!
Still can't figure out where to stay. The choice is boggling my mind!
With the Wynn/Encore, are the rooms drastically better in one than another? Or is it much of a muchness? And do you get access to different things if you book either hotel?
Current code is MERLIN for anyone interested. I'll be booking it once they open up bookings for July!
Still can't figure out where to stay. The choice is boggling my mind!
With the Wynn/Encore, are the rooms drastically better in one than another? Or is it much of a muchness? And do you get access to different things if you book either hotel?
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