Planet Hollywood or MGM 8 night trip

Hi,
Im heading to Vegas with my husband for 8 nights in June, we can't decided between Planet Hollywood, and MGM. We've been quoted for the MGM (room only in a Petite King room) and PH includes breakfast (Hollywood Hip room) the MGM is costing an additional $90 for the entire stay,

It's our first time in Vegas, would love to know what you think, would it be very expensive to upgrade to breakfast at the MGM when we arrive? Or what are the chances of a comp upgrade to include breakfast??

I'm swayed by the pools at the MGM because we're there for 8 nights, I think it'd be nice to hangout there. But Im being put off by having to fork out for breakfast ontop of the room cost.

What do you think??
Thanks

 

If you are at all concerned with a good pool, then you are going to want to pick MGM. It is an excellent pool and among the top in the City. The PH pool is dissapointing at best. I too would be tempted by the breakfast offer, but if you are a serious pool person, you would likely be dissapointed. Play around on google and you can see some images.

Not sure about a COMP upgrade, maybe give them a call, cant hurt ot ask.

 

I am taking a wild guess the OP is from Europe - though it does not matter.

Rooms in Vegas generally do not cover breakfast. It is extra. And, there are a million options for breakfast from McDonalds to Buffet to Sit Down to Fancy.

Also, for 8 nights, I would consider doing two different places, just for a change of pace. MGM is towards the south end of the strip, maybe the 2nd half of near Mirage, etc?

As to suites - make sure you know what you are getting. Many suites in Vegas are just larger rooms. They do NOT have a separate bedroom area.

 

The Petite King are what was known as the west wing rooms, very small. MGM is a better property overall in my opinion. It is a little further from the center of things however than PH. Great pool. PH is closer to the center of things.

The ONLY breakfast inclusion that I have ever seen ( and RARELY hear of) is a voucher for coffee/muffin at a coffee cart. Due to the breakfast thing, I am assuming you are booking through a 3rd party. I would recommend you book directly through the hotel if possible. It is cancel/refundable up until a few days before arrival and IMO you get a better room booking through the hotel compared to a 3rd party site. I would recommend you check for specials by looking in the left hand column here or go to smartervegas....book directly with the hotel and have a great time. First timers are in for a shock!

 

lol yep, greetings from Ireland
is the MGM very far down the strip? we have some friends staying at Ballys and others staying at the Excalibur while we are there so we plan to meet up in the various hotels on different nights of the trip. Initially it was the centre strip location of planet hollywood that attracted us. But I think MGM looks nicer, but I am concerned about adding the cost of breakfast, what sort of budget are you talking for eating breakfast out?
Have any of you stayed at PH - whats it like? Also are all of the hotels/ casinos super smokey?

Thanks for your advice, really appreciate it

 

You would be right in between your travelling companions and an easy walk to either. You would practically be right across from Excalibur. MGM is a nicer resort, for sure. I like PH, but its a hipster type crowd with loud music in the Casino, MGM is more of a Resort vibe. MGM is huge!!, be prepared to walk a lot, the pool is at the back of the property, it is gorgeous. For two people to eat breakfast out, $20 to $30 USD would do it. You can eat much cheaper if you take the McDonalds route or something like that. We like a good sit-down breakfast to start the day though.

The hotels on the LV strip have the best smoke systems in the world, they are not smokey, some off strip places are though.

 

I (48, 2 meters tall and in good health) can walk from Bally's to MGM in about 15 minutes, but that's a good pace.

If my choice was only one, and one only, for that period of time, I would choose MGM.
PH isn't huge, it's just a little confusing, but you would have the place wired in a few days. MGM is massive, it can take you days to really get the layout down, and you have so many good food choices, you can easily eat in a different decent restaurant almost every day, and not eat the same place twice.
Also, CaptainRon is right, MGM has a much better pool and pool area, leaps and bounds better. PH pools are boring, MGM pools can keep you busy.

I like PH (I also like MGM), I like the vibe there, I like Paris next door, but in your shoes, I'd stay at MGM.

 

Generally MGM is the better property overall with the Pool. I prefer Planet Hollywood except for the pool, so take that in consideration. Planet Hollywood is in the center strip next to Bally's and Paris, with Bellagio and Caesars across the way. If you stay at PH there are many more dining options including Paris which is right next door along with Caesars. I stayed at MGM many years ago when MGM was the Wizard of OZ (inside joke), but the rooms for the most part were wonderful. Also keep in mind that MGM is huge property which is good and bad. But whether you stay at MGM or Planet Hollywood it's all good. You can walk from MGM to anywhere on the strip, you can take the bus anywhere, you can take the free Tram from Monte Carlo to Bellagio, you can take the Monorail from MGM all the way up to Sahara, etc. There are many options available no matter where you stay. Heck, you could stay at Planet Hollywood AND MGM for 8 days. Here is a video you might like because it's someone living in Vegas and she walks from the Tropicana all the way up to Wynn with stops at each hotel, shopping, etc. along the way: http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=17&threadid=319348

 

If you have friends staying at Excalibur and Ballys, BOTH PH and MGM would be the natural meeting spots, since both are between the other two hotels.

You'll get various opinions on MGM's location. Most people call it 'south strip.' But it's the very northernmost hotel on the 'south strip.' And it's pretty much next door to PH (although there are a couple of retail places in between.)

Since you're paying for your room through a third party provider, you won't get your room comped. So if you gamble significantly, there's a very good possibility that you can have some of your food and beverage comped off at the end of your trip. I wouldn't count on it, but at the same time, I'd charge my meals to my room and make sure to ask at the end of the trip. Since you're there for 8 days, even if you gamble just a couple hours a day you're likely to see some benefit. In that regard, MGM will be better, because MGM properties are much better about comping things after the fact than CET properties.

One thing nobody asked yet...how old are you and your husband? PH tends to be a younger crowd than MGM. If you're in your 20s, I'd give a lot more consideration to PH.

 

this might be a stupid question, but do you have to be resident to go hang out at the pools of the various hotels?
I'm also hearing alot about this $20 trick - is it a myth???

 

As a rule, you have to be staying at the hotel to use the pool, sometimes they will let you get by this for a price, usually $15 or $20. LV pools are notorious for changing the rules almost daily about this, I tell everyone if you are super concerned about a particular pool, stay at that resort. I tried to get in at MGM a couple summers ago when staying at NYNY and was told flat out, NO!

The $20 "trick" does work, just dont count on it, individual hotel, vacancies, etc. etc. all play a part in how effective it is.

 

Breakfast:
You can eat at McDonalds for under $5. Handful of other fast food for under $10 each.

Buffet is more like $25-$30 I think. But, if you eat later you will also have lunch food and can really eat a ton of food. Vegas buffets are BIG.

There are lots of other places to eat around $15 - $20. And fancier for lots more.

You can also pick up some snack foods at the drug store on the strip and keep in your room if you want a little something in the morning before you get going.

Buffet price list at MGM. Also, PH runs a all the buffets you can eat for 24 hours at a good price. I have seen similar at SOME of the MGM properties as well.

As to location, check out a map to get some bearings. MGM is diagonal from Excal. Bit of a walk, but not terrible to PH.


Zoom in and out on this map. to see where things are. By the way, the labels are sometimes not exact, but close.

 

Thanks for all the info, I think we're going to go with the MGM, and hope for an upgrade or discounted meal plan when we get there, rumours over here are that the Rolling Stones will be there in June, which would be pretty cool.

 

You will be fine at MGM.

As to meal plans - not sure any such thing exists. Besides, with well over a thousand options up and down the strip, you would not want to be tied into eating at one hotel anyways. If you are a half hour walk away and want to eat, why go all the way back to MGM?

Most of the big hotels have 15-20 food options. The street between MGM and Planet Hollywood probably has another 20 places to eat. The shopping mall next to PH has another 15 or so places. It is endless.

Okay, maybe not a thousand options but I bet between Wynn on the North and Mandalay Bay on the south, there are well over 500 places to eat.

 

Excuse me! MGM is not "pretty much next door to PH"!!! It is about a ten minute crowded walk through the ugliest part of the strip with nothing to see and lots of porn slappers.