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Going to Vegas on a Tight Budget

Discussion in 'Las Vegas for the Frugal (not Cheap)' started by cp904211, Apr 11, 2013.

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  1. cp904211

    cp904211 Newbie

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    My husband and I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in November and we are going to go to Las Vegas to do that! :nworthy:

    The only problem is, we cannot decide on a hotel because of the money issue. I really do not want to spend too much on a hotel per night, less than $75 but I want something that is nice, too. What a dilemna!:cry:

    We don't care if it's On or Off Strip, or Downtown, since we will have a car at our disposal.

    Thank you for any input you might have.
     
  2. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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    Sounds like Hotwire or Priceline could help you get your best deal if you do not have any slot club offers or casino rates.

    Check out www.betterbidding.com, they post information about which hotels people were able to get, that priceline and hotwire typically mask. Second option would be to see if you could get a better rate doing an airfare / hotel package. For the rate you are proposing you could get a nice room at Golden Nugget or Plaza downtown easily.

    Gold Coast just remodeled their rooms and they look nice. Even Circus Circus has some really nice rooms. If you are concerned about the quality of the hotel and looking to stay somewhere with amenities on the strip. You could score a room at TI or Monte Carlo for that rate on a weekday.

    Lots of options in that price range, the big factor will be the dates you want and the quality level of the resort.

    I would check out Ratevegas.com and of course Trip Advisor. Oyster.com has great pictures of resorts that are quality and taken by people who stayed at the hotel, this way you can see what you are getting.
     
  3. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

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    What he said, and start playing myvegas on facebook. You could even find some four star hotels in that range in nov, it is a slow month. Try booking.com as well. Check out some off-strip all-suite hotels too or timeshares like tahiti village.
     
  4. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    I stayed at the Riviera on a Southwest Air package as I was on a tight budget, my room was clean and like a Holiday Inn, it worked for me.

    There's a McDonalds across the street, coffee and a breakfast burrito with a side of free wifi, $2. (but I think the Riviera now includes wifi in the Resort Fee)
     
  5. johnvic

    johnvic VIP Whale

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    I paid $50 a night for Bally's and was pleased. It's a perfect location and the room was fine. I like fancier places but I felt I got my money's worth at Bally's. One thing to check when doing the math in comparing room is if they are charging resort fees.

    I would imagine you could do well downtown but I'm not experienced in staying there.

    Also, weekends will be more.
     
  6. atcmurph

    atcmurph Watcher Of The Skies

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    There is also a chance of an upgrade, wherever you stay. Tell them about your anniversary celebration. Many people have gotten some pretty nice upgrades for that reason. :thumbsup:
     
  7. cp904211

    cp904211 Newbie

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    Thank you for the tips!

    Thanks so much for the tips! I will let you know how it goes. :nworthy:
     
  8. split10's?

    split10's? Low-Roller

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    i'm biased, as i haven't stayed on the strip for a decade, but you could likely do pretty well on that budget downtown. I'd be checking the Golden Nugget for the weekdays, and kayak.com or easyclicktravel. good luck!
     
  9. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    When are you going and what rates are you seeing? Knowing that will help narrow down the hotel recommendations. Bally's and Golden Nugget are two easy picks because they have nice quality and pretty consistent prices but if your trip is at the right time, you may find something better.


    My other suggestion would be to keep an eye on deals from Groupon and Travelzoo. Not everything they offer makes sense for a tourist but last year they had some really nice deals for some surprising places. Groupon would be better for food and shows than hotels, though.
     
  10. LolaDoggie

    LolaDoggie VIP Whale

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    Invest in American Casino Guide and Las Vegas Adviser coupons and look into available food and booze deals. Even if you end up spending the max end of your hotel room budget on the room you can probably make it up in food and booze without having to make grilled cheese sandwiches in the room with the iron.
     
  11. cp904211

    cp904211 Newbie

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    We are going in November

    We are going to Vegas the week before Thanksgiving, November 17 - November 23. I was thinking about hotels downtown, but I want to stay clear of the resort fees. I have heard they can be pretty steep. Places that we have previously stayed are:

    Stratosphere
    Sahara
    Four Queens
    Fitzgeralds
    Arizona Charlie's Boulder Highway

    We are not looking for any specific place, just something nice enough to celebrate our anniversary. We will be definitely checking out the different "eats", and I have heard of Ellis Island.

    I really appreciate all the tips. It really helps!:cheers::cheers:
     
  12. Packer Backer

    Packer Backer Low-Roller

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    a quick search on i4vegas shows the average night Downtown when booking for the week of 11/17-23 was betweeen 32 - 52 dollars with the golden nugget at 52.
     
  13. VP PLAYER

    VP PLAYER Tourist

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    Budget ideas & suggestions

    You can get a really nice clean room at Gold Coast and Rio in Nov. The are slightly off strip but have free shuttles so no big desk no cab costs. The Gold Coast had cheap buffets. 5.99 breakfast. You can even get a 24 hour pass for around 20 bucks. They have lots of max bet 25 cent slots if you want to gamble cheap.

    Cheap or free entertainment

    Indigo loung live band at Ballys
    Jazz caberet club at the Orleans
    ( shuttle goes to both places also)
    Cleopathra's at Cearars Palace
    Napolians at Paris
    Spazmatics at South Point 10 bucks includes drink
    Yellow brick road 5 bucks includes drink at South point
    1 buck drinks at Casino Royale
    Cheap beer and food at Stage Door ( behind Bills)
    Free trams starting at Excaliber, beligilio , and mirage.
    Goggle shuttle schedules many casinos have free shuttles to Nd from their casinos to avoid cab costs.
    Down town has free street entertainment

    Have fun
     
  14. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    In your budget and just glancing at Expedia, places I like include GN, Gold Coast and Orleans. The fees at the Coast places are really modest so I wouldn't exclude them on that basis. It looks like the strip joints will price themselves out when you add in fees. The Silverton is also in your range. I am familiar with the casino but not enough with the hotel to be solid on recommending it. Fitzgerald's is now the D. You may want to check out their website and see if it appeals to you. It's been revamped enough to almost be considered a new hotel but it doesn't appeal to all of the Fitz's old fans.
     
  15. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

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    prices fluctuate so always check.
     
  16. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    Just add resort fees into room prices and compare apples to apples and get a deal you're happy with:peace:

    Sign up for emails/facebook pages and see the best (non-gambler) prices for rooms -I always book directly with a hotel and have been pretty happy with the prices I've been able to find over the years:thumbsup:
     
  17. Marky147

    Marky147 VIP Whale

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    I would definitely be looking at the Golden Nugget, especially if you have a car with you.

    Being downtown would bring the rest of your costs too, I was there last year and found things are much cheaper around Fremont.

    Hope that you find something suitable, and have a great time!
     
  18. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    Monte carlo and golden nugget are both nice places.

    I would go with gn downtown because everything else is cheaper around it too.

    You will have a car so you can drive to the strip.
     
  19. ernestoc33

    ernestoc33 Low-Roller

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    Others on here have said to use a booking site. I would strongly advise against that, I have always received the best deal by booking direct through the property. American Casino Guide is a great book for lots of hotel discounts and 2for1 dinner deals. Personally I don't think LVA is worth the price, but Anthony Curtis' website is a really great resource for finding great discounts with out buying his book. My wife and I usually stay at either the California or the Main Street in downtown. The prices are always low, but the service and room quality is beyond all expectations. If staying downtown give one of Boyd Gaming's properties a try, see this website for their best offers ==> http://www.boyddowntownlasvegas.com/ My wife and I always have great experiences there, and always go back for our anniversary.

    If you are looking for something a little more upscale I would recommend the Golden Nugget(Rush Tower) or the Cabana Suites at El Cortez. I would make on strip recommendations, but I have not stayed on strip in years. A great place for a anniversary dinner on FSE would be either Hugo's Cellar or Binions Steak house, you'll love that view.


    If you give me your exact dates and your "must haves" I can do some research for you. Also how many stars do you expect from a hotel? Standard room or suite?
     
  20. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    I booked my first trip w/my g/f through Orbitz like an idiot. It's been significantly cheaper since then, partly thanks to this site:

    http://www.smartervegas.com
     
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