Planning Vegas for the first time...

[The Moonk's Mom]

DH wants to take me to Vegas for my first trip...his first not going to a meeting. I am excited!!! I do need help...overplanner and all!

I have been looking online and what I have priced for air and hotel comes out around $1200 staying at Mandalay Bay. (He knows this hotel and he likes familiar! ). We are going in July (I know, I know, screaming hot!). Is there any trick to getting hotels for cheaper? Insiders please share!!!

ETA - Can you also recommend a tour company for going to Hoover Dam...he really wants to go so I would love to take him...but I want safe and dependable! And...just for kicks, what is the road like between the strip and the dam? I am terrified of cliffs...just want to be prepared...if I know in advance what it is like, I can prepare myself. (I'm really just trying to prepare for the dam itself!)

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

Mandalay Bay is a great choice especially in July. They have an amazing pool. Did you check booking directly through them or just through 3rd party? On their website they have this deal:

Summer Escape



Rates from $89.99 /night

You deserve a break and our Summer Escape is the perfect cure!

Follow the sun and beat the winter blues! Mandalay Bay's lavish lifestyle caters to your every desire. A sense of playfulness rules the season.

Our Summer Escape starts with an unheard of value*...
Includes:
- Fly Back Free Certificate ($350 value)
- $100 Cabana Credit**
- $25 Sand Dollars (credit to be used at the beach)

Promotion Runs:
3/9/2009 12:00:00 AM - 9/10/2009 12:00:00 AM

Another thing is if you do find a better rate somewhere online they have a "Best Rate Guarantee" and will beat it by 10%.

http://mandalaybay.com/accommodations/bestrate.aspx

Sorry if I wasn't much help. Have fun!

 

[Magix]

You should also sign up to recieve their email offers. I'm getting all kinds of crazy cheap offers for Vegas right now. Going in April, staying at the Golden Nugget, for 3 nights at $129 total. Going again in December, staying at the Mirage, for FREE!!

I don't recall getting anything great from Mandalay Bay recently, but it's worth signing up to see what they offer in the next few weeks.

 

[Husker Mickey]

My suggestion would be to get on vegas.com and learn all about vegas. I also subscribe to a vegas board like this one and learn a lot of insider tips. HTH!

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

Thanks for the info guys! I am still doing research...I have been reading A LOT...it kinda gets like planning WDW!

 

[jlima]

I have been looking online and what I have priced for air and hotel comes out around $1200 staying at Mandalay Bay.

How many nights; and are you staying over a weekend? Friday and Saturday are always more in Vegas than Sunday - Thursday. Are the prices you found a package through an airline or wholesaler (Expedia, etc); or did you price it out separately? Always compare the totals when you price it out separately.

Definitely sign up on their website for their emails. Have fun planning your trip!

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

How many nights; and are you staying over a weekend? Friday and Saturday are always more in Vegas than Sunday - Thursday. Are the prices you found a package through an airline or wholesaler (Expedia, etc); or did you price it out separately? Always compare the totals when you price it out separately.

Definitely sign up on their website for their emails. Have fun planning your trip!

We are traveling from Monday to Thursday to save some money...after some looking and looking and banging me head against the wall I have the trip down to $1097 Getting better! DH is not willing to give up MB...so I am hopeful for a good offer from them.

I did talk to him about our spending money...we both agreed without the kids we will eat much less...snack and coffee for breakfast, one big meal around lunch and then dessert somewhere. We gamble very little...in three years of him going he has only gambled $20 total. The only reason we are going is just to walk around really. And he wants to see the Dam...

 

[dec5girl]

I recommend going down to the pool early (before noon at least!) on your pool days. We have been in the hot season a few times and had trouble even finding one chair let alone two or more together. I haven't stayed at Mandalay Bay, but several others with nice pools and this was our experience.

Have a great time!

 

[jlima]

We are traveling from Monday to Thursday to save some money...after some looking and looking and banging me head against the wall I have the trip down to $1097 Getting better! DH is not willing to give up MB...so I am hopeful for a good offer from them.

I did talk to him about our spending money...we both agreed without the kids we will eat much less...snack and coffee for breakfast, one big meal around lunch and then dessert somewhere. We gamble very little...in three years of him going he has only gambled $20 total. The only reason we are going is just to walk around really. And he wants to see the Dam...

They will dump the rates usually less than 30 days away. I would make the cheapest reservation you can now; at a property you are willing to settle for; and make sure it has a cancel policy that allows you to get a full refund of your deposit within 3 days or 24 hours or something like that; and if you see a good rate at MB, then cancel your first reservation & book MB.

 

[dec5girl]

They will dump the rates usually less than 30 days away. I would make the cheapest reservation you can now; at a property you are willing to settle for; and make sure it has a cancel policy that allows you to get a full refund of your deposit within 3 days or 24 hours or something like that; and if you see a good rate at MB, then cancel your first reservation & book MB.

We have also done something similar to this. We book the hotel we want and when the rates drop closer to our trip we call the hotel and ask if they will give us this new lower rate. They have done this every time.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

The Hoover Dam is a heck of a lot hotter and more humid than Vegas because of all that water, especially in July. July is perfect pool weather. Drink lots of water because in July heat it's easy to get dehydrated.

 

[Sienna]

Check out smartervegas.com. They list a lot of promo codes for hotels and you might find one that works for you. That's how I found a screaming deal for our upcoming trip!