Another Impossible Where Would You Stay Question?

Ok, so I know everyone's circumstances are a bit different, but there's so much insight out there, I really wanted to get the VMB'ers opinions on this one. Please forgive my long-winded detail - I figure if anyone can sympathize with my Vegas obsessions it's you guys. If you were me, what would you do?

Late 40's solo male, been going to vegas couple of times a year for 25 years. Over the last ten years, I've had to reduce my visits to once a year because of time constraints, so I'm even fussier about getting my trip choices right. I come every year for a four night stay built around a poker event at WSOP. Since I like to use every moment of my non-poker time to get my Vegas fix (gambling, food, casino hopping), I prefer a hotel which is in the center-strip area, with a luxurious room, decent late-night restaurant choices, good gaming options, and a swanky-feeling casino. I play mostly BJ (50-100/hand), but have been enjoying penny video slots more and more on recent trips, just to unwind, particularly Willy Wonka, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, that sort of thing. I particularly like the $50 face-down BJ game that they offer at Venetian, but I haven't seen it much elsewhere at my level at play (sometimes there's a good $25 face down game at the Flamingo). I used to get significant (at least for me) comps at CET, MLIFE, V/P, and a couple of teaser offers at Wynncore, but my offers have dried up significantly over the last few years as my trips have become more poker focused and I've become less of a complete degenerate gambler. Since I don't get to come often and I'm a room snob, I will only consider staying at Venetian/Palazzo, Wynn/Encore, Bellagio, or Cosmopolitan.

I can afford to pay rack rates for these places, so money isn't a huge issue, but I also hate to pass on a good deal, or to feel like I'm getting ripped off or undercomped. As it turns out, the days I'm looking at (Wed-Sun) are crazy pricey for the weekend days. Here are the offers/prices that I'm considering:

Venetian:
First two nights comped, second two nights for a total of $998 plus tax & resort fees.
I enjoy the Venetian. The rooms are nice, the location/restaurants are good, but I've stayed there a bunch over the last few years, and it feels a bit "tired". Also, I've given them a decent amount of play over the past couple of trips, and feel particularly undercomped there. My host is a twenty-something that couldn't seem less interested in my business. This has been my "go to" place for a while, but I feel ready for a change.

Bellagio:
Fountain View King: $50 resort credit, first 2 nights comped, next 2 for a total of $590 + tax & resort fees.
I like the Bellagio location, good poker room, nice casino feel, decent slots, but table games are just meh. I've stayed here four or five times in the last ten years, and feel like the rooms (while nice), aren't what they once were. Not the wow factor that I used to enjoy there. The comps are very fair considering my declining play there, but I feel like I always get shafted when I pay extra for a fountain view and it's more a view of the air conditioning ducts.

Wynn/Encore:
I get zero offers from here any more, and their back-end comps have been virtually non-existent at my level of play. The only reason I'm considering it is because they have my absolute favorite rooms in vegas. Just love the feel of them. Location is not super convenient though, and the gaming options at my limits aren't great, so I'd do most of my gambling elsewhere (which is fine since they're never comping me anyway). The best rate I can find for my four nights is $1,346 plus tax and resort fees. This is the "Screw it, I'm in Vegas might as well splurge", option. In addition to the cost, the downside here is that I wouldn't have a strip view, which I'm pretty interested in.

Cosmopolitan:
Never stayed here before, but really starting to like the vibe of the place. Played a bunch of slots here on my last trip, and think they have the best slot choices on the strip (for me). Wasn't crazy about the BJ game there, but it was ok. Restaurants are fun, and location is good. I know nothing about the rooms, and the pics I've seen online seem kind of dark. Can't tell if they're modern swanky, or modern bleak. The views are obviously spectacular (if you get a fountain view), and the terraces seem awesome. I got in touch with a host there about matching some of my Venetian or MLife offers, and this is was the best they could do:
Terrace Studio, Fountain View, first two nights comped, next two for a total of $840 plus tax and resort fees.

I'm tempted to give Cosmo a try, enjoy the view, and see how it feels. But I'm eager to hear everyone else's thoughts, particularly people who have stayed in the rooms at all of them. Which one of these would you go for if you were me, and why???

Thanks in advance to the VMB'ers. You're the best!

 

I would def utilize your Cosmo offer.. The rooms, vibe and atmosphere are superb. Comps are on par with Venetian. Wynn Stinks when it comes to comps and the property at this time is "far away" from all of the action mid strip.
I would also recommend spreading your gambling to Caesars properties which are all mostly mid strip and room comps are
very abundant vs other gaming companies on the strip. Caesar Palace rooms are on par with Venetian and Bellagio rooms.
let us know what you decide.

 

Cosmo all day and it’s not even close tbh. It’s got the vibe you want and it’s easy walking distance to aria, pretty good for you since it’s the epicenter of on strip poker during the series. Maybe I’ll run into you at the WSOP

 

also I would consider adding Aria to your list. People seem to prefer it over bellagio these days and the poker room is waaay better than bellagios.

 

Thanks Lmarl! I agree that Wynn is where all good comps go to die, for non-high rollers. Wish I still enjoyed CET properties (used to love staying at Paris when it first opened), considering the comps there have always been pretty easy for me to get. Alas, I don't enjoy any of their hotels any more, at least not the rooms. I gave it one last shot with a stay at Caesars a few years ago. It was my first stay there, and will be my last for sure. Hated it. Of course, others see it differently, so to each their own

Jacu, thanks too! I like Aria as well, have stayed there a couple of times, and for me it's kind of similar to Bellagio. I can get it for a bit less than Bellagio, but no fountains view, and city center location is a bit less convenient for me than Bellagio and Cosmo. The one thing I do like about the Aria though, is the smell! Whatever they're piping in through their ventilation system is bliss (it seems even stronger at Crystals). I'm embarrassed to admit I bought a pack of absurdly priced scent sticks from the gift shop a few years ago to have at home. In case you're curious, the scent is called "Orchid", and when I take a whiff of one, I get my Vegas insta-high

That's actually one of the concerns I have about the Cosmo, is that the area between the Boulevard Tower elevators and the Wicked Spoon Buffet had kind of a sewage-ish smell the last time I was there? Has anyone else run into this? I'm hoping it was a one-time thing as I do have an overly sensitive sense of smell.

Hope to bump into you at the WSOP! Poker room is definitely nicer at the Aria. Sadly I'm a LO8 player, so the game tends to be better at the Bellagio during the series. If I played NLH, I'd be at the Aria and the Wynn non-stop.

Already getting pumped!

 

One consideration is the time you will be playing poker. If you are playing in a wsop event, then that’s at least one full day away from the casino you are staying at.

My suggestion is to “go cheap” on poker trips and step up on other trips.

 

I love the terrace studio. It's a very close second to the terrace suite for me. The rooms are newly renovated and are dark swanky. It feels posh to me. And you have to do the fountain balcony at least once. I'd do that and if you get some back end comps yay! if not, not a bad deal. That sewer smell is a vegas thing I think. It seems to pop up all over and then it's gone the next time. I can't stand it, I have the worst gag reflex so I avoid it as much as possible and I have not noticed it on the second floor. One trip it was bad near the bathrooms on the Bene side and never again.. so while I couldn't promise you it won't be there but probably not. The worst was when I stayed at NYNY and the hall by the elevator stunk sooo bad, I never wanted to go again.. now I think it's a vegas whack a mole thing haha.

 

This pretty much sums it up...go Cosmo.

 

I tend to use two comp nights at Cosmo then two at Palazzo. Is that an option for you?

 

How many days a year do you spend in Las Vegas or on vacation in general? If money is not a significant issue and you don’t have all that many days off, I’d want to spend them at the hotel I liked best in the room I liked best. You only live once. Pick where you really want to be without regard to comps and then angle to spend as little as possible doing what you want.

I get that comps and bargain chasing are major Vegas and VMB sports, but make sure you don’t diminish any of your experience.

We can probably get a comped room at almost any casino hotel in Las Vegas, but we stay at Wynn in a suite because we like it much better than anyplace we could be for free. We get lots of comps, but that’s not our decider.

 

Okay I have to ask if you are staying 4 days and several of those offers are two days then pay for two...why not stay on a comp two days at Cosmo..then move to Bellagio for 2 days comp?

 

That's what we are doing next week. 1st 2 nights at Bellagio then last 2 nights at Cosmo. It's an easy 5 minute walk.

 

It reads like the comp offers are all midweek, and he wants to stay through the weekend.

 

Probably Cosmo. Something new, get yourself on their radar, 5% rebate on hotel spend in the form of points.

If you haven't already, you'll reach Sterling tier basically just on your spend, which will give you an additional free-lance comp night to use on a future stay (within a year).

They dumbed down the room decor when they renovated, but they're still good-sized rooms (I've never stayed at Wynn, but have stayed at B, Cosmo and V/P multiple times) and you like the casino.

 

I’d also add cosmo seems to be particularly generous with room comps lately, they’re going pretty hard on player retention, personally I think every VMBer needs to be on their radar.

 

Cosmo all day every day.

 

We always stay at Wynncore......comps or no comps.

 

it depends upon how much you like places, but I wouldn't spend $400-800 ish more to stay at the Wynn.

You could also do 2 days free at a nice place then slum it for two days at a lower tier CET joint.

 

I'd go with Cosmo

 

If I understand you correctly, you get two free nights at Bellagio and two free nights at Cosmo. Split the stay between those two, that way you will not pay for hotels and you will get to stay at Cosmo which seems to be what you want.