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Harrah's for free vs. MGM for $286

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by way2busy, Feb 16, 2013.

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  1. way2busy

    way2busy Tourist

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    I read the thread about Harrah's but I just need comparisons. We have stayed for free for our last several times in LV----NYNY, Luxor, MGM, Bellagio, Mirage, The Hotel, Monte Carlo, Mandalay Bay, Paris, TI, but the offers are drying up now. We have also stayed at Excalibur a couple of times back when we had to pay for it but we probably wouldn't stay there again unless it was a last resort. For our next trip in April, so far, we have gotten only 1 night offers from MGM, NYNY, Mirage---- 2 nights at The Orleans, and 3 nights at Monte Carlo. We prefer to stay at the same place at least for the first 5 nights. Sooo, right now we have MGM for $286 total for 4 nights and 1 night free or we can stay at Harrah's for free for the first 5 nights. We stayed at MGM on our last trip and LOVED it. How does Harrah's compare to MGM or any of the other places that we have stayed before. We like playing Triple Threat in the Harrah's casino but we also love to play at NYNY, Luxor, and MGM. Being in the middle of the strip is not a big deal. Having a decent, nice, clean room IS a big deal. So, which would you choose?
    Thanks!
     
  2. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    If you LOVED it, then pay the money and take the hotel you loved.

    But before you do, call a host. My offers on the MLife website are very similar to yours...one or two free nights and then a discount. When I called a host at Mirage, he hooked me up with two nights in a suite and some F&B.

    It's sad, but the MLife site is just so bad that you can't trust it.
     
  3. Jenx72

    Jenx72 Tourist

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    We just got back 2 days ago from Vegas. The first 2 nights were at Caesars comped,then 4 nights comped at Harrah's. Im sure many would disagree with me but i actually like staying at Harrah's better. We had a nice clean room with a strip view. Didnt pay extra for it we were just given it. Caesars was very nice,but just way to overwhelming for us. Our next trip in October we will either stay at Bally's,Harrah's or Paris
     
  4. sybgal

    sybgal VIP Whale

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    Location means much to us & Harrah's is near so much to see & do...plus we love Free....lol....we would stay at Harrah's. It is smaller and easier to navigate. If you really love MGM and are happy there paying ...go for it.
     
  5. vokalml

    vokalml Low-Roller

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    Free is always better. I have been in a harrahs room and I thought it was nicer than Ballys. I always choose free over paid cuz if ur in ur room longer than to sleep you not doing Vegas. Exception is a suite or Cosmo room. Also the way I look at it is what could u do with that 280 dollars. Go to a nice steak house. We went to stk and are still talking about how great it was. I would choose harrahs and take that money and do something fun that u will remember
     
  6. KellyLovesVegas

    KellyLovesVegas Earthling/retired space nerd

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    I'd vote for staying at MGM since you stayed there and loved it.

    From the website below (which shows the average standard room sizes for many of the Las Vegas hotels) the average size of a standard room at MGM is 446 sq ft. The average size of a standard room at Harrah's is 340 sq ft. Most of the hotels where you previously stayed have larger average room sizes than Harrah's.

    http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com/ratings.htm
     
  7. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    I think the question comes down to MGM for $286 or Harrahs for free? Right?


    MGM is a bit nicer than Harrahs. With 20 trips to Vegas, you probably know that. So, I guess it depends on how much the room is worth to you (not any of us). Do you think maybe you can get some room charges comped off if you do stay at MGM? Do you have any express comps that can pay for that?
     
  8. way2busy

    way2busy Tourist

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    I guess my main question is for those who have actually stayed at Harrahs and at one or more of the others that I named and can tell me what the rooms at Harrahs are like. I have looked at the pictures on line but that doesn't always show what you really get. They can make those pictures look better than they really are. Are they more along the lines of Excalibur, Monte Carlo, Paris or are they better or worse than any of those? I really want to choose the free room at Harrahs but I am nervous about how the room is. We really don't spend a lot of time in the room besides sleeping and showering but I still want it to be decent---not extravagant but nice and clean and looks decent.
     
  9. shokhead

    shokhead No big spender unless eating drinking having fun!

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    Harrah's for free then monorail to mgm.
     
  10. Terry Benedict

    Terry Benedict VIP Whale

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    I am actually choosing Mirage for $300 over CET comps for two reasons. The first part is because we haven't stayed at Mirage yet. The second is because of their pool. I feel good about the value.
     
  11. KKB

    KKB VIP Whale

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    Mirage? where did that come from?

    MGM is OK to me--too big, too far south. Rooms decent.
    Harrahs--I like the easier strip access & that end of the strip. I find the rooms to be solid; I haven't stayed in MGM since renos began...but I'd say the rooms were comparable before.
    I am nearly always about free...
    BUT if you prefer the south strip & love MGM & don't mind spending the $300 on it, then stay there.
     
  12. Julie888

    Julie888 VIP Whale

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    You've had several Vegas trips and likely will have many more. You may not get the free offers from Harrah's again - they may be just testing the waters.

    So if the room isn't the greatest, so what. You won't do it again. At least you can say you tried. If it works out fine, then next time you will have your own values to know what you prefer.
     
  13. Nittany1

    Nittany1 VIP Whale

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    If you plan to use the pool at all choose any of the other properties you mentioned other than Harrahs.
    Worst pool on the strip of any of he major properties.
    Other than that it depends on whether location is more important than the nicer hotel.
    For me,I have stayed at MGM and Harrahs several times and I would choose MGM.
    Way more to offer than Harrahs.
     
  14. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Of the hotels you've listed, I've only stayed at Monte Carlo.

    The room at Harrah's was a little smaller than the MC room, and had the tub/shower thing going on, but was otherwise pretty comparable. If money was the same, I'd stay at Monte Carlo. But if Harrahs were cheaper I'd stay there.
     
  15. way2busy

    way2busy Tourist

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    Thanks for the replies. We have decided to stay at Harrah's the first three nights and then 3 at Monte Carlo. Both are free and as others have said free is good. This way I can deal with the unknown a little better. We will only be at Harrah's for three nights. We stayed at Monte Carlo many years ago and were fine with the room then. Hopefully it will be as good this time. Then we still get to check out Harrah's. As Julie888 said, this may be our only chance to check it out.
     
  16. shokhead

    shokhead No big spender unless eating drinking having fun!

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    :thumbsup::beer::thumbsup:
     
  17. way2busy

    way2busy Tourist

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    Update!!!

    Yay!!! We went on the totalrewards site and put in both of our account numbers and we had 3 nights comped in the Roman Tower king room and the Forum Tower king room. The Forum room looks way nicer (newly renovated)and I read somewhere that their pictures are pretty true to what the rooms look like. Soooo, we chose the Forum room. :) Awesome!! We have never stayed at Caesar's. It pays to keep checking. We usually just check under my husband's number because that is the card we use the most. We saw that you could put in a companion's number and decided to give it a try. They didn't tell us over the phone that we had that offer.
     
  18. Username

    Username VIP Whale

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    We LOVE MGM Grand....it was our home hotel/casino.....we liked the location near Hooter's and NYNY...but when the resort fees started we moved on to CET properties....but then last August after not playing at MGM properties for almost 2 YEARS they sent us our VERY FIRST comped room offer....but only for 3 days, however it included $50 in play and 2 for 1 Brad Garret tickets.....airfare was VERY cheap the week we wanted to go....very unusual for us....so we went and had a FANTASTIC time at MGM Grand.....but now come Easter we got 5 free nights at Harrah's so that's where were going.......if and when CET does implement resort fees....then we will have to re-access our options.....but if CET Properties continues to offer FREE (my favorite four letter word) rooms, then it's a no brainer for us....

    BTW we love to hang out and eat and DRINK at the Oyster Bar in Harrah's Hotel
     
  19. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    No kidding about MGM offers drying up.
    If the offers are important to you then stay at Harrahs and use your player's club card.
    At MLife we get less offers each year and they say we gamble less each trip when in fact we actually gambled more.

    Gave PH a try which is part of CET and the same as Harrahs. After our first official stay we get more offers in 2 weeks then we get in 1 year from MLife.

    For MLife we only qualify for the base room comped at NYNY, but at PH our host said he will attempt a suite for our next trip.

    PH location is perfect on the strip and so is Harrahs. MGM is not as good and Luxor as well as Mandalay Bay is terrible if you do like to walk the strip.
     
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