WHY is the Flamingo rate so good???

hi there booking a trip with my bestie 1/31-2/3. Suddenly the rate at Flamingo is SO good $125 plus tax and suckie resort fee (with GO room strip view$(312). Even the linq- my usual home base- is way higher . I've avoided the 'dirty bird ' since less then stellar experiences in previous years ( looooooog check in line, bathroom issues, dirty etc) but I'm tempted. Thoughts?

 

I am assuming that rate is the whole stay? There is a new sale on bookings that starts today. Perhaps that is the reason.

 

The linq is just SOOOO much better than Flamingo, at least for me. Better bars, cleaner, more open space. At night, it's a little sleepy but it's otherwise very nice. I would continue checking as the rates do drop. I've cancelled and rebooked numerous times to save as much as a couple hundred dollars. For example, I've rebooked my recent trip to AC 6 times to save 250. My last trip to Vegas I rebooked 10 times and saved 190 a room. More money for gambling!

 

I think Flamingo has fallen in the CET pecking order. Harrahs is redoing and renamed a tower, so they can charge a bit more now while Linq went through their change and move up in the pecking order before that.

I saw the same for rates for my last trip. I originally wanted to stay at Linq, but Flamingo had much better rates at pretty much the same location. I could have gotten Rio for much less, but I'd rather stay on the Strip.

As for checkin lines, I said the hell with that and used their kiosks to skipped the lines. If you just want your room without trying for an upgrade, that is the way to go. Just remember to do so after 12:30 or the kiosk will ask if you want to check in early... you know, for a fee.

 

Agreed I LOVE the Linq. I also book and rebook over and over ! I don't recall a kiosk at Flamingo last time but I'll check if this is the way I go

 

We added a couple nights at Flamingo to our trip at some point last year. After doing the same with LINQ the trip before, I would have to say that I agree with the above posters, its fallen in terms of its status, and is in need of a redo. That said, our room was adequate, the location is great, and we always wanted to stay there as it still has a bit of that "old vegas" feel with the pink neon.

There is a check-in kiosk (several of them) at the rear of the check-in queue, and when we were there they were really pushing people to use it. We opted for the $20 trick (and got a nice upgrade), but the kiosks seemed easy if you were just looking to get in quickly.

 

Flamingo rates generally become lower than any CET property except Rio in months where the pool is closed.

Many people ignore the crap rooms and stay there for the location and the pool. In the winter, all that is left is the location.

And Rio must have a convention or something for those dates, because its rates are abnormally high.

 

Bally's Jubliee rooms are worth checking out if you can get a good rate. I didn't mind them. Be warned: I didn't really like the other tower at Bally's...don't think it compares.

 

I actually thought my room at Flamingo was much better than the one I had at Bally's-bed was much more comfortable. I know it gets a bad rap, but I didn't think the Flamingo was too bad-the elevators the bad part, of course

 

I always see complaints about the long check-in lines at the Flamingo, and slow elevators and so on. why don't they (CET) do something about it? where is the pride of ownership?

 

My check in went very well...I don't think the line was long, but the elevators were an issue-there were times I walked by and seen groups of people waiting, and it looked like they had been waiting for more than a few minutes

 

You shouldn't feel scared to ride an elevator

 

Thanks for the replies! I booked the rate $312 for three nights (after tax and suckie resort fee). Wanted to lock it in and I'll keep exploring !

 

They ARE doing something about it, can't remember where I read it but supposedly starting sometime next year or so CET will be starting a more or less complete reno of the entire property from the casino up. Possible that rates are low due to this...don't quote me on that though. Rate could also be low because the Flamingo is, sorry to say, a bit of a dump. The rooms aren't SO bad anymore but the casino and amenities aren't up to Vegas standards, and haven't been for a while.

 

I believe at least 2 of the 3 elevator banks have been redone (that was as of about 8 weeks ago - possibly all redone by now) at Flamingo.

Still trying to figure out what people are trashing with the casino. The layout, carpet, most machines etc were all redone in the last year or so. Amenities? Has a nice spa, food venues out the door at Linq alley, etc. Wonderful steakhouse.

 

Go rooms are still pretty nice, imo. The place may be the lowest on the CET Strip totem pole, but rooms are still better than the old IP! Espcially the Go rooms! And I really love the location. And I can easily walk to TAG from there or the full pay VP at Cromwell...I'm not that lazy...hahaha

And not so great hotel rooms are important to us in Vegas. Less money on hotel = more trips!

 

On our last stay there, the room we had (just west of the main bank of elevators) was actually quite nice. There was also evidence of elevator upgrades, at least on the main bank.

 

I believe I read somewhere that this is the 70th anniversary (and just checked opened Dec 26 1946). I thought they were planning some sort of anniversary deal to celebrate this and the renovation was part of this. I think the casino was much better and much less smokey in August.................Rick

 

The Spa elevators had a big sign saying they were doing work on those elevators, though I didn't see anyone doing anything with those and they had 3 of the 6 shutdown all weekend, then started using 2 (5 running) more on Tuesday. For a majority of the trip, there were almost always 10-20 people waiting to go up these elevators.

 

Don't forget the College dorm move in trick if you are checking out in the morning or even going down for breakfast-use the 'up' button to avoid a full elevator of suitcases going down. You will likely spend less time going up & stopping at a floor or two than you will waiting for an elevator to stop coming down that has room for you.