las vegas questions.....

[tink9285]

My husband and i are going to Vegas in Aug. We will be staying at Planet hollywood. I am looking for advice. Any information would be helpful. Buffets, shows ect.. Also where does everyone get the coupons for the buy one get one free buffets? Thanks....

 

[amery]

For starters, bring very comfortable walking shows and wear breathable fabrics all day long.


If anyone says 'yeah, but it's dry heat.....', respond in kind by saying 'yeah, so is my oven...'. It will be 100+ degrees likely most of the time so do keep yourselves well hydrated. Take advantage of the new monorail as it that will cut your walking and commuting down considerably.

As for shows, it really will depend on your interests. You can visit vegas.com and get up to date information for each resort or simply go to that resorts website. There are certain themed casinos that you should visit (MGM, Caesers, Luxur, New York - New York, just to name a few). For meals, I would highly recommend any of Emeril's places but you will find equally spectacualr dining in the resorts such as Spago.

if time allows and sight seeing is your bag than go to Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. There are MANY tours to choose from. At the end of the strip is the Stratopshere Tower. Do take the ride and enjoy the spectacular views from the type. For an added addrenaline rush, try the ride at the top.

 

[hddanis]

The Paris' buffet. I recommend it to EVERYBODY! 5 star buffet! Breakfast and dinner (although I really love their breakfast.) Inexpensive and amazing food quality. Made to order eggs, omletes, crepes (chocolate banana, carmel apple, just to name a few) several types of sauage and potatoes, belgian waffles, pancakes, yummy smoked trout....Oh man, now I gotta go back!!!! Dinner's very good too, Prime rib, rack of lamb, crab legs, shrimp, kabobs...Bit more expensive than breakfast but worth every penny. Yummy, Yummy desserts.

As for shows, if you can swing O (cirque de soleil) it's phenomenal..Pricey and hard to get tickets for, but one of the best there is there.

A good show with dinner is at Excalibur. It's a jousting tournament (Think Medival Times, Vegas style) The food was pretty good there as well. Not sure if Mama Mia (I think that's right, is still there, but that's supposed to be a good dinner show too)

If you like seafood, the Rio has a great seafood buffet. it's HUGE!

The Veneitian has the Grand Lux Cafe...which is operated by the Cheesecake Factory..Need I say more? Don't let the word Cafe fool you. They have a decent breakfast as well, fabulous dinner and desserts. There's also a Cheesecake Factory there as well (Ceaser's Forum Shops) Yummy, but you'll find cheaper meals elsewhere and the food will be just as good.

As for the heat, as someone who was born and raised there..I'd take that dry heat of this nasty humidity any day of the week....But it WILL be hot...VERY, VERY hot in August...Depending on what type of climate you're used to, it coud be a shock to your system...be sure you're very hydrated before you even get there.

Have fun! I'm jealous. aven't been "home" in over 2 years!

 

[rach2674]

We lived there for 5 years and didn't go to the strip much, but the few times, we liked the Bally's buffet. I think it's about 16.99 and they have prime rib and crab legs. Very good. Some buffets are ridiculously expensive and not any better, IMO. I also liked the buffet at the Palms. I know they've redone it, so not sure how it is now, but I think it's expanded, so should be good still. Some places you can get coupons just for signing up for their players card and earning a certain amount of points. Station casinos were usually good for that type of thing. Palms used to give away a lot of stuff too. The major casinos are too hard to get any freebies because they take so many points.

Most shows you can't go wrong with. They have so many big productions there that it's just a matter of what type of show you like. They have something for everyone.

Also, don't think you can walk from one end of the strip to the other. Sometimes it doesn't look that far from one casino to the other, but it is! And it will be very hot. Like the other poster said..and oven! That's the only way to describe it. They do have a monorail for the hotels, but you still have to walk through a good part of the hotels to get to them. Cabs can get very expensive. I also think there's a trolley or bus that runs up and down the strip. It all depends on what you want to spend and how much you're willing to walk.

Have fun and good luck!!

Rachel

 

[carrie6466]

As someone who goes to Las Vegas every year (was just there in the end of March) I always get the buffet coupons out of the free magazines. Most of the hotels have racks of them near the check-in desk or some places put them in your room. I've never stayed at Planet Hollywood, but have stayed at Treasure Island, Excalibur, Harrahs, and Tropicana. Mystere was an amazing show if you want to do Cirque. I've seen most of the 'big' shows over the years and a lot of the production shows, as well. You can email me if you'd like carrie6466@aol.com. It is hot, really hot, but as another poster said, I'll take it over hot and humid any day. Drink a lot of water

Carrie

 

[antmaril]

I agree that you must wear VERY comfortable shoes. You will do a ton of walking and it will be HOT, HOT, HOT!

My DH and I have been to Vegas many times, most recently in March. We always thought the best breakfast buffet was at Paris, but now we have a new favorite - The Wynn. Hands down, the best breakfast buffet we've ever had.

I highly recommend the Cirque Shows - particularly, Mystere, LOVE and "O". I've seen them all more than once. If you are Beatles fans, LOVE is fantastic.

Have fun!

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

I am trying to go to Las Vegas August 2 - August 5th. We want to stay at Planet Hollywood, but it jumped up $50/person on Expedia so I am hoping it will go back down and am patiently waiting. Did you get a good deal for Planet Hollywood?

 

[mom2jacob]

There is a buffet at the Rio that is really good. It has like 15 different food type stations. It is always a must for us to go there.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Keep in mind that if you book a package and not directly through the hotel they can't comp you for any part of your hotel room and are unlikely to upgrade you, etc. You can still get comped for meals, etc.

BTW, the 2007 Entertainment has Planet Hollywood Restaurant coupons good at all locations, two of them for $5 off $20 purchase.

 

[rflorek]

I like the breakfast buffet at Paris. Didn't care for the buffet at the Rio - I've had better in Atlantic City.

Also, don't think you can walk from one end of the strip to the other. Sometimes it doesn't look that far from one casino to the other, but it is!

I've walked the ENTIRE Strip (one-way only), but it was in December when it's much more comfortable. It is do-able - at least in one direction!

 

[Goofy&Sleepy]

We too are looking at going the first part of August (actually WON FREE tix last year in the TIDE TO GO game online, which I found out about on this board)! Don't know yet where to stay & it's so confusing trying to figure out how to get the best deal--been to many sites. Are the best deals on the indiviudal hotel sites? Seems that way I think?

All help & all the responses to this thread are very helpful!

thanks.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I like the breakfast buffet at Paris. Didn't care for the buffet at the Rio - I've had better in Atlantic City.



I've walked the ENTIRE Strip (one-way only), but it was in December when t's much more comfortable. It is do-able - at least in one direction!

Yeah. Local residents (who usually get a really good deal on it) aren’t overly impressed with the Rio buffet either. Just for the record, ‘the entire Strip’, generally considered to run from Mandalay Bay at the southern/bottom end to the Stratosphere at the ‘top’, is three miles.

 

[hockey mom]

Go for the steak special at Ellis Island. It is a short walk down Flamingo between Bally's and Bills. You get a great steak with all the trimmings for $4.99. They also have micro brew which hubby loves. Our bill for 2 with a beer was $13.87.

Make sure you get a players card and check with players club before you check out to see if you have earned any comps.

Something free and great entertainment are the dueling piano's at Harrah's.

 

[KellyluvsDisney]

As someone who goes to Las Vegas every year (was just there in the end of March) I always get the buffet coupons out of the free magazines. Most of the hotels have racks of them near the check-in desk or some places put them in your room. I've never stayed at Planet Hollywood, but have stayed at Treasure Island, Excalibur, Harrahs, and Tropicana. Mystere was an amazing show if you want to do Cirque. I've seen most of the 'big' shows over the years and a lot of the production shows, as well. You can email me if you'd like carrie6466@aol.com. It is hot, really hot, but as another poster said, I'll take it over hot and humid any day. Drink a lot of water

Carrie

Yes..definetely get the free coupon books. You can find them just about everywhere. We paid for several things that would have been free had we used a coupon.

We are not show people so we didnt see any shows, but you will love Vegas! I was sent there for a work related meeting last year and have been back twice since then for pleasure.

 

[KellyluvsDisney]

We too are looking at going the first part of August (actually WON FREE tix last year in the TIDE TO GO game online, which I found out about on this board)! Don't know yet where to stay & it's so confusing trying to figure out how to get the best deal--been to many sites. Are the best deals on the indiviudal hotel sites? Seems that way I think?

All help & all the responses to this thread are very helpful!

thanks.

Yes... in my experience the hotel websites thereselves offered the best deals. We really lliked the Monte Carlo. It is a really nice hotel that you can usually get pretty reasonably. We stayed at the Luxor in April and while it was nice it was a long walk just to get out to the strip.

 

[JandJ]

I was there for the first time in March, so I don't have a lot of experience, but one thing I enjoyed was The Deuce bus. It runs up and down The Strip wth stops in front of every casino and attraction and it's only $5 for 24 hours of unlimited rides. You can get on and off as much as you want. As other posters have said - that next casino looks close but it's not! If you ride it up and down you can see the whole Strip and there are always people on the bus (locals and tourists) who can tell you what stuff is and places to check out.

I did walk from The Venetian to Excalibur and back one day, but it wasn't too hot out, in the heat of summer I wouldn't have done it.

I enjoyed the M&Ms World and the Grande Canal Shops and the Forum Shops (couldn't afford anything there but it was fun to look). DH and I liked the Fremont Street Experience at night - so much going on and a cool light show overhead among the old casinos. That was cool. My favorite meal was breakfast at the Grand Luxe Cafe at The Venetian. I didn't really like the dinner buffet at The Rio, but I wasn't very hungry and DH had a bad cold so neither of us felt we got our money's worth - if you do it, don't eat all day and then you'll likely enjoy it more! I don't know if it's there, but when Planet Hollywood was The Aladdin (it was still Aladdin in March) they had a Brazillian place for dinner - billed as "an endless parade of meats carved tableside" - it was awesome! We got a 2-for-1 coupon and honestly I would have still loved it if we'd paid full price. It was delicious!

Have Fun!!

 

[Bren's Mom]

Oh and I forgot to mention...be sure to spend an afternoon or evening 'downtown'...and don't miss the Freemont St Experience. VERY Cool! (And if you are Trekkies you'll love the Star Trek experience at the Hilton.)

 

[rflorek]

Yeah. Local residents (who usually get a really good deal on it) aren’t overly impressed with the Rio buffet either. Just for the record, ‘the entire Strip’, generally considered to run from Mandalay Bay at the southern/bottom end to the Stratosphere at the ‘top’, is three miles.

3 Miles? Really? I had no idea it was quite that long.

I was staying at the Mandalay, and we walked all the way to the Stratosphere (even took the elevtaor to the top!). Then we took the trolley back - too tired to walk - now I know why!

 

[katerkat]

Just subscribing for ideas... What about the "stuff" in the hotels? I know we want to go to see the aquarium and dolphins at the Mirage. I think the white tigers are there too? And there's lions somewhere?

We're going in August too and are still hunting for a hotel. I don't know if I want to stay just off the Strip for a cheaper rate since we're bringing the little guy (and Grandma to babysit at night) and need two rooms. I want to see O and Spamalot so need to save on the hotel!!

 

[GatorMickey]

I really like the breakfast buffet at the Luxor - not too expensive either. Can fill up in the morning, skip lunch and then have a big dinner. Favorite dinner buffet was at the Aladdin (now Planet Hollywood, so it might not be the same).

One of my favorite things we did on our last trip was rent a car for a couple days. The first day we went to Hoover Dam and then drove around Vegas for awhile. We enjoyed having the car so much that we rented it for a second day and drove to Disneyland. I had never been there before so this was a great unplanned trip!

Remember that your depth perception is off when you are looking down the strip. That casino down the strip looks really close but then you keep walking and walking and walking.......and you are still not there.

Have a great time! I know I can't wait to go back!