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UnhealthyJoe
Aug 9, 2012
Looking for some advice.

My girlfriend and I will be in Vegas for the end of a camping road trip in California (driving from Colorado).

We plan on being in Vegas the 21st to the 24th. She has only ever been once and it is her birthday on the 22nd. She has requested we stay in a nicer hotel (something on the strip but no like the quad or circus circus or strat...). For her birthday I would like to do a show and a nice dinner. I'm not 100% poor but I'd rather try to do it in a package that was a bit better.

Shows she has show interest in:
Blue Man Group
"O" - Cirque du soliel.

Food wise, there are so many good choice im sure we will pick something.

My question is:
Where do you think I should book a room? (she wants a large Jacuzzi tub)
Packages with dinning/shows worth it?

She absolutely loves steak, fish (but not a fan of sushi) and Italian. Recommendations?

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Suave Fedora
Jun 10, 2004
Gordon Ramsey Steak (in Paris hotel) was absolutely superb. I tasted their flank steak, Beef Wellington, bourbon creamed corn, and truffle mac n cheese and the tastes were sublime. The truffle mac n cheese may be a bit earthy for some, and very pungent, but it was fantastic in small quantities. I ordered as cost-effective as possible and my bill for one person was around $80.

TheReverend
Jun 21, 2005

UnhealthyJoe posted:

Looking for some advice.

My girlfriend and I will be in Vegas for the end of a camping road trip in California (driving from Colorado).

We plan on being in Vegas the 21st to the 24th.
MGM-RI Quick rates (total for all days):
Mirage: 305
MGM Grand Grand King:270
MGM Signature: 285
Bellagio: 477
Aria: 457
Vdara:327
NYNY:240
Monte Carlo:222

For the money , the Signature is a good deal. It's super nice. Takes about 5 minutes to get from tower 1 to MGM Grand proper but all through indoor moving walkways.

TheReverend
Jun 21, 2005

Also I realized I wasn't signed into Mlife so rates are higher than they should have been.

Sig is 228, Mirage 244, Bellagio 392, Monte Carlo 182, etc

Rotten Red Rod
Mar 5, 2002

There are a lot of really nice rooms for cheap on the strip, if you want to really save money. I had a GREAT stay at the Flamingo, even their economy rooms are freshly renovated. However...

UnhealthyJoe posted:

(she wants a large Jacuzzi tub)

... This is a wrench in the works. Rooms with Jacuzzi tubs are usually much more expensive in the nicer hotels. I'd recommend just staying at a hotel that has a pool with Jacuzzis - like Flamingo or MGM grand.

TheReverend, do your room recommendations include a Jacuzzi tub? I'm pretty sure it's mostly suites that have them, not normal rooms.

Rotten Red Rod fucked around with this message at 15:57 on Jul 16, 2014

head58
Apr 1, 2013

The suites at Elara have jacuzzi tubs I believe.

Rotten Red Rod
Mar 5, 2002

head58 posted:

The suites at Elara have jacuzzi tubs I believe.

Wow, you're right... Even the King Bed Studios have them at $109 a night. Welp! I know where I'm staying next time I'm in Vegas!

Rotten Red Rod fucked around with this message at 16:00 on Jul 16, 2014

head58
Apr 1, 2013

I stayed there a few years ago, when it was still the PH Tower(s). Possibly one of my favorite places. Here's a photo-review thing I wrote on it.

http://www.vegastripping.com/features/feature.php?feature_id=226&page=1

TheReverend
Jun 21, 2005

Signature has them in the rooms too, fwiw.

FISHMANPET
Mar 3, 2007

Sweet 'N Sour
Can't
Melt
Steel Beams
So as PH Westgate it was a timeshare, right? And Hilton bought it and just turned it into a regular hotel?
E: Looks like someone else bought it and hired Hilton to rebrand it under Hilton's timeshare brand?

strokevictim
Oct 9, 2000

Suave Fedora posted:

Gordon Ramsey Steak (in Paris hotel) was absolutely superb. I tasted their flank steak, Beef Wellington, bourbon creamed corn, and truffle mac n cheese and the tastes were sublime. The truffle mac n cheese may be a bit earthy for some, and very pungent, but it was fantastic in small quantities. I ordered as cost-effective as possible and my bill for one person was around $80.

I had the Wellington - very good. My wife had the rib cap, which was pretty fantastic. But yeah, dinner for 2 can easily hit $200.00

UnhealthyJoe
Aug 9, 2012

Rotten Red Rod posted:

Wow, you're right... Even the King Bed Studios have them at $109 a night. Welp! I know where I'm staying next time I'm in Vegas!

The only thing i find annoying is the 10 bucks a day for wifi.

Looking around at other places... after a week of camping, I will want the internet.

Taima
Dec 31, 2006

tfw you're peeing next to someone in the lineup and they don't know
Would heavily advise against going cheapskate over little things, otherwise you will go insane. I'm pretty frugal myself and quickly learned that you have to shed that line of thought right away if you're going to have any fun. $10 is basically nothing.

Taima fucked around with this message at 22:50 on Jul 20, 2014

head58
Apr 1, 2013

Also good luck finding a place that *doesn't* charge at least a $10 resort fee for internet.

BioTech
Feb 5, 2007
...drinking myself to sleep again...


head58 posted:

Also good luck finding a place that *doesn't* charge at least a $10 resort fee for internet.

MGM, NYNY, Monte Carlo, Luxor, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay, Bellagio and the Mirage all offer free wifi for 2 hours that can be refreshed when it expires. All you need is valid email address. I think it was only 256 Kbs, but I only used it to make reservations on my phone and check my email, so it was enough.

Suave Fedora
Jun 10, 2004
Paris' Wifi fee is baked into their $25 daily "resort fee". I was walked bowlegged after that one, and it wasn't due to horseback riding.

Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.

UnhealthyJoe posted:

Looking for some advice.

My girlfriend and I will be in Vegas for the end of a camping road trip in California (driving from Colorado).

We plan on being in Vegas the 21st to the 24th. She has only ever been once and it is her birthday on the 22nd. She has requested we stay in a nicer hotel (something on the strip but no like the quad or circus circus or strat...). For her birthday I would like to do a show and a nice dinner. I'm not 100% poor but I'd rather try to do it in a package that was a bit better.

Shows she has show interest in:
Blue Man Group
"O" - Cirque du soliel.

Food wise, there are so many good choice im sure we will pick something.

My question is:
Where do you think I should book a room? (she wants a large Jacuzzi tub)
Packages with dinning/shows worth it?

She absolutely loves steak, fish (but not a fan of sushi) and Italian. Recommendations?

Edit: Just saw that I'm a few days late. Hope this helps others looking into Vegas. Sorry!

When I first saw O, only the pricy great seats were available. My friend made me a deal that he would cover the difference of the price he quoted me and the actual price, and I could choose at the end of the show to pay him what I thought was fair. I couldn't jam the money into his hand fast enough. I'm a pretty sour person in general, but the creativity of cirque inspires me that in a world where so many things are quantifiable and driven by jamming up consumers, someone could create something so expressive and people would choose to spend large amounts of money on it.

As for steak, I always do Bouchon. The steak frites are great. The steak is good, but the frites are the real star of the plate-- perfect temp, oil, consistency of the potato, etc.. Also, the honey and cheese plate is also great, the foie gras is wonderful.

JaySB
Nov 16, 2006



Blinkman987 posted:


As for steak, I always do Bouchon. The steak frites are great. The steak is good, but the frites are the real star of the plate-- perfect temp, oil, consistency of the potato, etc.. Also, the honey and cheese plate is also great, the foie gras is wonderful.

So…You're going for the fries not the steak. And a cheese plate.

CUT or Gordon Ramsay is the best steak in Vegas.

Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.

JaySB posted:

So…You're going for the fries not the steak. And a cheese plate.

CUT or Gordon Ramsay is the best steak in Vegas.

It's a Thomas Keller bistro. The quality of the steak is not in question.

JaySB
Nov 16, 2006



Blinkman987 posted:

It's a Thomas Keller bistro. The quality of the steak is not in question.

I know who attached his name to the restaurant. There are much better steaks in Vegas.

Kali11324
Dec 8, 2004

This space intentionally left blank
I am in Vegas this weekend with my wife we are staying until Tuesday (at Paris). We got the Total Rewards cards. I think tonight we are going to start with some slots and then see if we can find some cheap tables to try Pai Gow for the first time. At some point we will make our way over to one of the casinos ending in Station for some cheap table and give craps a try.

Edit: I haven't been to Vegas in like 10 years. This the first time I am seeing these video-game tables for craps, roulette and blackjack. I sat and played craps for a couple of hours last night at one. I wonder how much they will catch on.

Kali11324 fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Jul 27, 2014

Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.

JaySB posted:

I know who attached his name to the restaurant. There are much better steaks in Vegas.

Yeah that's probably fair. I'm a non-taster, so a lot of what separates the good from the great is lost on me. Still, I really enjoy those sides and they're top notch. I figure the man can do with that information what he pleases. I'll have to try one of your two recommendations next time. Thanks.

Sith Happens
Jun 7, 2005

You will find that it is you
who are mistaken.

About a great many things.
Pin-up Pizza at Planet Hollywood vs "Secret" Pizza at The Cosmopolitan.

Discuss.

TheReverend
Jun 21, 2005

Also if we're doing X v/s Y discussions please add

Holsteins (Cosmo) v/s Burger Bar (Mandalay) to the discussion please :)

19 o'clock
Sep 9, 2004

Excelsior!!!
Any good karaoke bars in Vegas? I am headed there August 22-25. It would be fun to go and sing and if there is competition involved, even better.

JaySB
Nov 16, 2006



Sith Happens posted:

Pin-up Pizza at Planet Hollywood vs "Secret" Pizza at The Cosmopolitan.

Discuss.

800 Degrees > Secret Pizza > Five50 > * on the strip. Off strip Settebello > *. End of discussion


TheReverend posted:

Also if we're doing X v/s Y discussions please add

Holsteins (Cosmo) v/s Burger Bar (Mandalay) to the discussion please :)

I prefer Holsteins. Better ambiance, better shakes, better sides and the Gold Standard

19 o'clock posted:

Any good karaoke bars in Vegas? I am headed there August 22-25. It would be fun to go and sing and if there is competition involved, even better.

Ellis Island I guess has a karaoke bar. I'm sure there are others but I'm not much help

BulimicGoat
Mar 19, 2007
Couple notes from my most recent trip:

I had an offer from Cosmo, so I spent the majority of my time between there and the Flamingo for a conference. I had only stayed in a GO room before at the Flamingo and decided to go with a FAB room to save a few bills. Worst decision ever. Goddamn was it in rough shape. Even the elevators for that tower were poo poo- felt like I was on tower of terror every time.

Hit Sterling level at Cosmo, doesn't really do much except for the 2x points and 2fer1 buffet, whee. We'll see what offers I get this round from them, though.

Marquee is a lot smaller than I had imagined, but was pretty cool nonetheless. Ended up with a small table for my fiancee and I to check out Dash Berlin.

Did Picasso's Degustation menu- a very lovely meal and well coursed, but nothing that would make me want to go back for a second round. It was coursed surprisingly fast too. The wine pairing is definitely worth it.

Also tried Omae - extremely small, no alcohol license yet and they won't give you a refill of your drink, but a solid three course. Lady had the ramen (thing was huge) and I went with the omurice. Would definitely go back if I had a ride locked down. Not the most pleasant area to be waiting for a cab, although I should've planned it out ahead of time and got a foot rub while we waited.

Also threw a 4 point fire bet while I was at the Flamingo- was close to getting the five point too.

BadTitude
Feb 15, 2003

Not so curious after the war.

So I've been reading this thread and trying to find the cheapest (but not super cheap) way to stay out in Vegas with a group of 6 people. My girlfriend and I were going to get out our room but think we are just gonna share now for cost efficiency. Then I started thinking about 2 room places and the sort, does anyone have any recommendation on cheaper two room places on the strip? I'm going Oct 3-5 so a weekend unfortunately.

Sith Happens
Jun 7, 2005

You will find that it is you
who are mistaken.

About a great many things.

JaySB posted:

800 Degrees > Secret Pizza > Five50 > * on the strip. Off strip Settebello > *. End of discussion

Thanks! I'll see if I have time to run the gauntlet.

Ally McBeal Wiki
Aug 15, 2002

TheFraggot

Leather Daddy posted:

So I've been reading this thread and trying to find the cheapest (but not super cheap) way to stay out in Vegas with a group of 6 people. My girlfriend and I were going to get out our room but think we are just gonna share now for cost efficiency. Then I started thinking about 2 room places and the sort, does anyone have any recommendation on cheaper two room places on the strip? I'm going Oct 3-5 so a weekend unfortunately.

Harrah's is pretty affordable and has rooms that share a wall / interior doors. You'd be wise to look into 2-queen bed suites at a few different places however, as they can be reasonably affordable when sharing. Many have sleeper sofas. Venetian comes to mind for this (yes, when split multiple ways, they can be shared cheaply, albeit crowded with your number of guests.)

Also, Secret Pizza. Yes. Be nice and tip them. They will be nice to you (like, 2x toppings plus an addition of fresh real mozzarella without asking!)

maskenfreiheit
Dec 30, 2004
Edit: Double Post

maskenfreiheit fucked around with this message at 21:08 on Mar 13, 2017

JaySB
Nov 16, 2006



GregNorc posted:

Are there any decent grocery stores (or just someplace I can buy a sandwich and the like relatively cheaply) near the Rio / Flamingo?

Same question goes for liquor. Google maps seems to love to direct me to casino gift shops, which I've heard are overpriced.

I hate to even answer this because WHY are you being cheap in Vegas…

There is a Subway on Dean Martin near the Rio. Your nearest grocery store is a $10 cab ride which is probably too much for you, so just sit at the penny slots and let the waitress come by and give you free drinks.

TheReverend
Jun 21, 2005

I heard the lady (June?) who ran the Laundry Room is no longer there. Is it still worth going?

Also please advise if the wife and I should or should not go to the following bars (we aren't clubbers, but we like bars).

For Views:
-Mandarin Bar
-Foundation Room

For Drinks:
-Laundry Room
-Rhumbar

For stupid tourist poo poo (It's comped, don't worry!)
-Minus5

Also feel free to add any "must sees".

JaySB
Nov 16, 2006



TheReverend posted:

I heard the lady (June?) who ran the Laundry Room is no longer there. Is it still worth going?

Also please advise if the wife and I should or should not go to the following bars (we aren't clubbers, but we like bars).

For Views:
-Mandarin Bar
-Foundation Room

For Drinks:
-Laundry Room
-Rhumbar

For stupid tourist poo poo (It's comped, don't worry!)
-Minus5

Also feel free to add any "must sees".

I still enjoy Laundry Room

Mandarin Bar is solid, one of my favorites. Foundation room is meh. Nate at the high limit room bar at Aria makes the best drinks in town. Minus5 is fun for what it is. Grab a drink at Olives so you can watch the fountains at Bellagio. La Cave is cool for dinner and drinks.

Shade2142
Oct 10, 2012

Rollin'
Recent weekend trip to Vegas a month ago:


Got bottle service on the dance floor at Dria's (Drais?) for bachelor's party of 11. My memory is fuzzy and I wasn't the one talking price, but It was somewhere around 3200-4000 initially. We ordered more bottles later though, so the final price was 6000 something. We've all been to Vegas dozens of times and agreed that was the best club night ever.


Pool party cabana the next day at Mandalay Bay and host got us a table at Tryst for 1800. Tryst doesn't do EDM, so that atmosphere was nice as I was pretty shot from partying. Still had a good time, but I personally would try club Light next time.


The total bill between clubs/cabana for me personally was about $1100 since it was split amongst 10 (bachelor don't pay).
If it wasn't a bachelor party, I would have just arrived on Friday, done Dria's then go home the next very happy. Instead of driving from LA on Thursday night and leaving Sunday morning.

MoofOntario
Jan 10, 2007

To Maintain the System the Abusive Power is Sometimes Necessary
-Pappa Brittle

JaySB posted:

I hate to even answer this because WHY are you being cheap in Vegas…

There is a Subway on Dean Martin near the Rio. Your nearest grocery store is a $10 cab ride which is probably too much for you, so just sit at the penny slots and let the waitress come by and give you free drinks.

I guess it doesn't really qualify as "being close to the Rio", but if you have a car its like a 10 min drive away: there is a pho place called Pho Thanh Huong near the university, which in my opinion at least is cheap and tasty. Another option, the novelty of which may or may not be lost on you depending on where you are coming from, is there is an In N Out on Tropicana west of the strip.

If you don't have a car.. yah I dunno.

TheReverend
Jun 21, 2005

JaySB posted:

high limit room bar at Aria makes the best drinks in town.

I know "don't be cheap in Las Vegas" is solid advice but I'm not sure I can do that one! Unless of course you're allowed to loiter in there and buy drinks from the bar (as opposed to them being comped playing 500 dollar hands of blackjack).

I'll check out the rest though, thanks!

edit: Turns out you can just go and pay to drink which I am comfortable with. I assumed if you weren't playing you needed to gtfo but it looks like spectators are somewhat welcome.

TheReverend fucked around with this message at 19:10 on Aug 5, 2014

Baddog
May 12, 2001

TheReverend posted:

I know "don't be cheap in Las Vegas" is solid advice but I'm not sure I can do that one! Unless of course you're allowed to loiter in there and buy drinks from the bar (as opposed to them being comped playing 500 dollar hands of blackjack).

I'll check out the rest though, thanks!

edit: Turns out you can just go and pay to drink which I am comfortable with. I assumed if you weren't playing you needed to gtfo but it looks like spectators are somewhat welcome.

What is the min blackjack in there? The tables outside with decent rules are like $100 last I was there, but is it really that big a jump to $500?

TheReverend
Jun 21, 2005

It was hyperbole but I think I read it was 100 a hand.

Still too much for my blood.

I was just trying to convey that if even there are great drinks there I don't think I could justify losing 100 or more dollars on it!

My budget for things is pretty respectable but I generally have a low gambling budget because it's not like you're expected to win. I just play low limits just for the fun/novelty of it. The bulk of my funds go towards shows/drinks/food/stupid tourist attractions.

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Baddog
May 12, 2001

TheReverend posted:

It was hyperbole but I think I read it was 100 a hand.

Still too much for my blood.

I was just trying to convey that if even there are great drinks there I don't think I could justify losing 100 or more dollars on it!

My budget for things is pretty respectable but I generally have a low gambling budget because it's not like you're expected to win. I just play low limits just for the fun/novelty of it. The bulk of my funds go towards shows/drinks/food/stupid tourist attractions.

Play at the tables with good rules and just do a little bit of counting, and your expectation is to break even, if not win a little. And then you get comps like crazy (although comps on the strip are a lot less generous, getting rooms is easy). Swings are pretty insane still though, you can go hours only being up or down a little, but then you can be +/-5k real quick playing 100/hand.

But all you players dropping 10k on bottle service can handle that much variance I'm sure ;)

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