Which Vegas Hotel & Does This Sound Doable?

[simba_one]

OK, so we have our holiday to SoCal booked for next July/August and will be staying at the Sheraton Park, Anaheim for our entire 3 weeks. However, we REALLY want to do Vegas (there's a helicopter tour over the strip at night advertised in the Virgin Holidays brochure which looks amazing - and is unbelievably priced!) so are considering booking a night at a hotel and driving over there EARLY one morning (6/7am?), staying that night and then leaving around 6/7pm the following day. We don't want to see everything (obviously we wouldn't be able to even if we did) Vegas has to offer... just want to visit a few of the bigger hotels, do some shopping and take in the atmosphere really. No shows or attractions.

We're looking at staying at the Luxor but have read several bad reviews on it and are wondering whether it'd be a good decision? Considering we're only staying one night, would anyone suggest we stay at another hotel to make the most of our time in Vegas? As I say, the rest of the holiday is already booked therefore we'll be losing a night at the Sheraton back in Anaheim so don't really want to stay at one of the more luxurious/expensive hotels. The prices at the Luxor seem very reasonable.

I reckon we'll have around 5 or so hours the first afternoon (heli tour in the evening) and then practically the entire day on the day we'll be leaving. Does what we want to do sound doable? How quick can you tour the hotels on the strip?

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Danauk]

Personally I would not stay in the Luxor for one night if you want to make the most of your limited time in Vegas, I would choose a hotel more centrally located on the strip (perhaps the Paris or Harrahs which might be cheaper.) The strip is longer than what most people think and you will not be able to see all the hotels in one day. I love just looking at the hotels in Vegas but perhaps with your limited time I would just stick to looking in the themed ones (NYNY, Bellagio, Venetian, Ceasers, Paris etc.)
The drive from DL will take quite a few hours and I personally would not want to drive to Vegas for one night as there is so much to do/see there beside gambling. But if your heart is really set on it then go for it.

 

[Pakey]

I also would not stay at the Luxor. We have also stayed at Bellagio, Cesars, NY NY, MGM, Treasure Island, Mirage, Paris, Monte Carlo. Have visited, walked through, eaten at, all of the others.

Out of these, I hated Paris the most. The noise was terrible, could not sleep. We could hear the elevator doors, our neighbors, etc. Perhaps for one night it would not matter for you. It is more centrally located and probably the least expensive in that section of the strip.

For the price, I did like NY NY. It's not as centrally located but DH and I are walkers and we can walk the entire strip more than once in a day. MGM has the monorail in back of it so even though it's not central, it's easy access to catch the monorail to head further down.

You will have a very difficult time touring many hotels in part of a day. They are huge, there is a lot to see. I would plan on picking a section and seeing just those. I would make sure to take the time to see the Bellagio fountains. They are gorgeous and not much else compares. Inside, I think that the Venetian is now the most amazing to walk through.

If you are going for one night only, do not pick a weekend night. Pick something mid-week and crowds and costs will be lower.

 

[BelleM77]

Try Planet Hollywood, it's centrally located, newer and has decent rooms (I stayed there when it was the Aladdin). Plus, the times I've checked out room rates, it's been cheaper than nearby hotels.

I've never stayed at the Luxor because I'm not big on the theme and where it's located. I have, however, stayed at the Mandalay Bay which is next door. My biggest complaint is the distance from the center of the strip. Whenever we left the hotel, it was a pain because it seemed to take forever to get anywhere.

The MGM is my personal favorite and they do have the monorail. The only problem is that the monorail only runs on one side of the strip and it's hassle to get to the other side. Try to find a way out of Harrah's to get to the Venetian was a PAIN.

You can definitely see the bigger hotels in the amount of time you will be there. You can probably even skip some of them because although they are big, there isn't much to see. The Wynn is a perfect example. It's a gorgeous hotel and I love to stay there but there isn't much to see. I'd say check out the Bellagio, Caesars and the Venetian for sure, anything else you would have time to see would be a bonus.

Have fun!

 

[simba_one]

What great advise from everyone... thanks SO much!!! We definitely have a clearer idea of what we're going to be able to do now and what we should see.

We're definitely NOT staying at the Luxor then... it was really just the theming which made us want to stay there but after taking into account what hotels we'll be visiting when we're there (I think we will just stick to the themed ones so (time permitting) Venetian, Bellagio, NYNY, Caesars Palace and Paris), we've decided on staying at the Planet Hollywood. It's a little more expensive but the rooms look AMAZING!!! We looked into the MGM but were put off by its size - I know no Vegas hotel is small but the MGM looks monsterous!

We're thinking of going on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 and this is what we're planning on doing...

Leave Anaheim around 6am and drive to Vegas. Apparently it takes around 4 and a bit hours on a bad day (?) so I'm saying 5 to be safe. So, we'll hopefully be checked in at the PH and ready to start exploring by just gone 12. We'll check out the shops at Miracle Mile, and will head back to the rooms late afternoon and get ready for the helicopter tour and then be in the lobby ready for the transportation to the airport. Apparently it's 2 hours door-to-door so hopefully we'll be able to get back and then catch one of the showings of the Bellagio Fountains (they run until midnight right?) and after that, head to the Stratosphere to check out the views from the observation deck there (open until 1am right?).

Following day we'll briefly visit the Venetian, Bellagio, NYNY, Caesars Palace and Paris (in that order - if we run out of time we'll have to cut out what we haven't seen) and then head back to Anaheim. We'll take a break from exploring the hotels early afternoon and head back to the PH to check out and then carry on. We're also gonna have a late Disney day the day after so we can leave pretty late.

Does that sound realistic? How long will it take to get to each of the hotels I've mentioned? Can we walk to most of them? The only one we'll have to take the monorail to is the Stratosphere right?

 

[1andrea]

NYNY is not in the area of the Bellagio it is near MGM so is a good walk away, the other hotels you are going to look at are near to each other and are central.

 

[jlima]

Does that sound realistic? How long will it take to get to each of the hotels I've mentioned? Can we walk to most of them? The only one we'll have to take the monorail to is the Stratosphere right?

Check the hours for the monorail; and check the hours for the observation deck at Stratosphere. Also, the monorail will only take you to The Sahara and you will have to walk through The Sahara and about a block and a half, in a not-so-great neighborhood, to get to the Stratosphere. I would take a cab from PH.

 

[simba_one]

Check the hours for the monorail; and check the hours for the observation deck at Stratosphere. Also, the monorail will only take you to The Sahara and you will have to walk through The Sahara and about a block and a half, in a not-so-great neighborhood, to get to the Stratosphere. I would take a cab from PH.

We looked into just how far the Stratosphere is from PH and realised it wouldn't be anywhere near door-to-door using the monorail so are going to, as you suggested, take a cab. We wouldn't be using the monorail for anything other than that so can save by not using it. I've read on TripAdviser that the area the Stratosphere is in is less than desireable so think cabbing it is the only way.

We booked everything today goodvibes) so we're trying to decide on a definite plan... check-in, take a look around the MM shops and hotel in general then (depending on what time our tour is) watch the Bellagio fountains and head for the observation decks at the Stratosphere. If the tour isn't until late, we'll just do the fountains before the tour.

How long does it take (and how hard is it) to get from PH to the Bellagio?

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

We LOVE Las Vegas! Hubby and I go at least two or three times a year! As long as you are in good shape, you shouldn't have much trouble getting from casino to casino, as long as you break it down into sections. That way you can see what you want at the south end of the strip, then move the car to the center and then last but not least to the north end. The South end and the center are considered to be the "newer" part, with most of the higher end stuff to be found there. The farther north you head on Las Vegas Blvd, towards Downtown, the older it gets. (And some would say more seedier as well).

Here is a link to a map of the Strip. http://www.vegas.com/lounge/map.html

As you can see, the Bellagio and Planet Hollywood aren't all that far apart. Remember though, you are travelling in August and it can get miserable HOT there during the summer. Don't be surprised if it's over 100 degrees F while you're there. The good thing is that the Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay are all connected to each other, either by a walkway inside the casinos, or by a shuttle. Treasure Island and the Mirage are also connected by a shuttle. Bally's and Paris are connected by an interior walk way as well.

Hope this helps!

ETA - I don't think you're really going to get much of a view of the strip from the Stratosphere, more likely just a really nice view of the mountains. Which maybe is all you really wanted anyway.

Husband says the following - You can skip Bally's, the Monte Carlo, Imperial Palace and Harrah's. There's not much there to see and you don't want to waste the short time you have. If he were you, he'd stick to the casino's from Mandalay Bay to the Venetian, minus the ones previously mentioned, and even if you've decided not to stay at the Luxor you should still see it. Not to mention they have a pretty good breakfast buffet! But the buffet we like best is at the MGM.

 

[jlima]

How long does it take (and how hard is it) to get from PH to the Bellagio?

It's practically across the street but PLEASE use a protected cross walk or a pedestrian overpass to get there. The fountain show is about every 15 minutes; I would look at their website for information, or while you're in your hotel room, just dial 0 and ask your hotel operator to transfer you to Bellagio and ask their hotel operator what the schedule is, when you get there.

There is a lounge in the Bellagio called Fontana Bar that has an outdoor patio. A lot of people go out there for drinks and to watch the fountain show. There's usually a line, but people usually get in, watch one or two fountain shows and then leave. If you have the time, that might be a possibility, instead of standing on the sidewalk and watching from the front of the hotel.

 

[simba_one]

Thanks for the great advice jlima and Lovin' Lorne!! Thread has officially been printed and will be taken with us!

I seriously can't wait to see Vegas. It looks amazing! I know I'm not going to want to go back to Anaheim after our visit - and that's saying something...

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

...use a protected cross walk or a pedestrian overpass to get there.

Those overpasses are the best thing they've EVER come up with, if you ask me. I remember what a nightmare it was trying to cross before them. It didn't even matter if you were in a crosswalk and had the light, the taxis would still try to run you over. Add in Joe Tourist who tries to drive and watch the action at the same time, and you coulda been killed.

Love love LOVE those overpasses.