What's the best (cheapest) way to book Las Vegas?

[twinnersmama]

Online as a package deal ? Through TA ? Call Vegas/hotel direct ?

Any tips? ... want to stay on the strip ... will be 2 couples -- possibly more

 

[kymom99]

I booked through Delta a few years ago. It was flight, room at NYNY, and a Cirque du Soliel show for about $500 per person double occupancy. I think we stayed 3 nights. I didn't do the research, a friend of mine did, but I thought it was a good deal.

 

[KKB]

Have done Vegas 50+ times in 20+ years & only once was a package a better deal. Have stayed at most Strip properties & several downtown (only once off strip at Rio)

Check SWA, Frontier as well as all other airlines on expedia (don't forget to factor luggage in if you cannot do it in a carry on) If Allegiant flys near you check it out, too--but you have to watch their site. The ONLY thing you need to pay extra for is luggage, checked or carry on (same as Frontier). And checked can only be 40lbs. Check Spirit if near you as well.

There are always deals for rooms in Vegas. Weekdays are nearly always cheaper than weekends. Holidays or major sporting events are generally more. I start with expedia (or any major travel search engine)
Here is a site that tries to list good deals from other sites:
http://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?13-Hotel-Offers-amp-Discounts&

Stay on the strip--absolutely the best for first timers. Very walkable. You will find cheaper off strip but you will need a car, or downtown--which is great to visit for the day/evening for first timers if you have time, but take the bus (cheapest) or taxi (fastest)

Do take a look at a Vegas map before booking. Center strip is Caesars/Bellagio/Ballys/Cromwell. Anything north of the Encore is too far north. Avoid Circus Circus.

I spend lots of time at trip advisor Vegas Forum & Vegas message boards--go there for any questions.

If you give your dates & budget, I could give you some recommendations!

 

[chalee94]

the most important thing with vegas is staying sun-thursday nights only. and check the convention website to try to dodge any major conventions.

after that, check the websites for the cheaper but decent hotels on the strip (bally's/planet hollywood/harrah's/monte carlo). also when looking at flights, check out their package offers.

also, keep an eye on hotel resort fees.

 

[mymankeith]

My daughter STALKS the southwest deals page, and she happened to get an email from southwest and it mentioned a Vegas deal, and she just got back two weeks ago, and landed a deal that was 3 nights 4 days at Treasure Island, with airfair, and 1 free buffet for $315 pp. She was in shock!!!! I killed me not to go with her. LOL The very next day it was $450 pp

 

[kaytieeldr]

One thing with the hotels, package or not, is there's almost always an additional resort fee - anywhere from $5-$25.

I ended up not going, but found some great packages on Hotwire.

 

[mikehn]

Spirit was showing some incredible airfare to vegas, if you're willing to fly during mid week. As the saying goes, location, location, location. A little pricey, but the mid strip area is where you want to stay.

 

[Malela9]

I live in L.A. and we go to Vegas as a cheap getaway. My advice is:
1. Rent a car if you can. Much cheaper than the Vegas cab prices.
Also, the strip is a long walk. There are great outlets that would require a cab ride, too.
2. If you want to stay on the strip, stay away from the resorts in the middle,
Caesars', Bellagio, Paris, Wynn, Flamingo, Mirage etc.
The resorts on the ends will have lower prices.
I stayed at the Orleans (off the strip) right before Christmas for $38 a night!
Go to the hotels websites and look for prices. We have found that doing things separately is cheaper than doing a package.
Good luck!

 

[Bete]

I think you need to decide what you want to do there. Are you gamblers? Do you go to see the entertainment? Do you want great dining experiences?

If entertainment and dining are the most important then I would stay in the middle of the strip.

If you want to just gamble then it really doesn't matter where you stay.

I agree Sun thru Thurs will get you the best rates.

If you really want to budget then you can use the monorail to get up and down the strip.

 

[KKB]

You should only rent a car if you want to see some off-strip sites (Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, etc)--and honestly usually a first trip there is plenty to see just on the strip (and maybe a day downtown.) In our many trips we have rented a car just a few & only if we are heading of strip for a specific purpose. Plus if you drink, a wise choice. The strip is very walkable.

Do not take the monorail--it is generally inconvenient & overpriced. We tried it when it opened & found we could walk from MGM to Ballys as fast as it took to walk ALLLL the way back to the Monorail, wait for it, then walk all the way back to the strip from the Ballys station. Take the bus. Cheaper & more convenient.

Midstrip is a great location--Mandalay Bay to Encore is about 3 miles. If you stay midstrip, you can go south one day, north another. Easily walkable, or a $10 max cab ride if you decide to cab it back. Ballys, Flamingo, Monte Carlo are the most budgetary closest to midstrip.

I disagree that if all a person wants to do is gamble it doesn't matter where they stay. Most who are coming to Vegas (particularly for the first time) like to gamble but mostly want to see everything--and those casinos have plenty to see. After all our trips we still prefer to stay midstrip. We are also fairly loyal to the casinos that give us comped rooms & we do generally only gamble in those casinos. But we don't like to be stuck at one casino.

One thing about conventions--if it is a very very large one, you will know it as hotel prices will be through the roof. Otherwise, 10000 may sound like a large convention, but honestly there are 125K hotel rooms in Vegas, so it will only affect prices/crowds where/near it is being held.

Again--if you give your travel dates & budget I would be happy to give you more specific suggestions!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ballys, Flamingo, Monte Carlo are the most budgetary closest to midstrip.

Also Harrah's, The Linq, and Bill's. Rio isn't on the Strip, but its rsasonable and there's a free shuttle to Harrah's

 

[tj2002]

http://www.harrahs.com/vegasvacation/

Friends and family rates. Used it at Paris for my last trip. Have fun!

 

[KKB]

Also Harrah's, The Linq, and Bill's. Rio isn't on the Strip, but its rsasonable and there's a free shuttle to Harrah's

Harrahs & LINQ are always reasonable & still fairly central.

Bill's hasn't been open for a couple years...it is now the Cromwell, and rates are much higher.

Rio has great large rooms & the shuttle is nice but I wouldn't recommend for a first timer.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

If your intent is to go out there to gamble, book your room direct with the hotel. The reason is because if you have any comps they will take it off your room charge. If your intent is also to gamble, try to stick with one main group of properties, MLife or Harrahs group (those are the two main). You don't necessarily have to gamble at the resort you are staying at but keep your gambling within that group of properties.

If you booked your hotel through Expedia, they are unable to take money off your room. But they are able to if you charged stuff to your room, like restaurants.

If you aren't intending to gamble, an air/hotel package through Southwest, Allegiant or Expedia will be the best bet.

I do not recommend getting a car. It's a pain to drive. You aren't parking right upfront at places. There's a tourist bus that does the strip which is nice as you get off right in front of the hotels (some are still set back aways). If we ever want to go offstrip, to Hoover Dam, Red Rock, etc we will just rent a car for a day.

We've been going to Vegas a few times a year over the past 15 years. I think we are close to 40 trips.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I stay at the Desert Rose, it has one and two bedrooms with full kitchen. Pool, jacuzzi, and a little childs pool. There is a BBQ on site. Gym and laundry room, yet close to the airport. It is located right behind Hooters.

I always use the Duece bus it goes all the way downtown to freemont st.

There is the pawnstars shop. Go after 3, other wise the line wraps around the building. So much shopping.

The mob museum is across the way from freemont st. I really enjoyed it.

Also you can look up Groupon and Living Socials for discount stuff in Vegas.

Wear comfy shoes. And if it is warm weather carry some water.

There is the coca cola store and the M&M store. So much shopping.