I'm a single male in my mid 30s and I intend to travel to Vegas alone. I have some vacation time set aside and I'd like to spend a week in Vegas to get away from it all, especially my busy work schedule. What I'd like to do in Vegas is to: (1) play Texas Hold Em (small tournaments instead of high stakes table games) (2) enjoy some good buffet food (3) take in a good show or two (4) have some fun with women who are age appropriate for me and NOT professionals (5) try some stand-up comedy - are there any open mic nights on the Strip? I would like to stay at a nice hotel on the strip...any suggestions? I'm somewhat flexible in terms of when to take this trip - I could go anytime before the end of the year (late December 2013). When is the best time to go to Vegas and when are air+hotel package rates the cheapest?
1. MGM Grand 2. MGM Grand 3. MGM Grand Anyone 20-40 should stay at MGM. Good value and most people are 20-40. They just renovated most of their rooms if not all of them. I am not sure of the status of all the rooms being renovated, but I think they are done.
My top two thoughts were Planet Hollywood and MGM Grand, in that order. I'm pretty sure there aren't any open mic nights on the strip, but there might be at some locals clubs somewhere in the city.
I would probably say Aria. High rated poker room, plenty of single people, good buffet, near a couple other good buffets, and near good shows (haven't seen Zarkana yet)
This is why I said "Cosmo and the area around it". Part of my reasoning was also that I would expect the room to cost less at Cosmo than either Aria or the B. You are probably used to receiving comped rooms ...
There are a ton of WSOP bracelet satellites and a series called the daily deepstack at the Rio. According to 2p2 posters, the 3:00 PM $235 deepstack gets enough runners to spit out a $30,000+ first prize (don't do a deal if you final table it, Caesars Ent/Rio doesn't accomodate deals and you can get hit with a large W2G). I'm not sure if this is the first year for daily deepstacks at later times, I imagine they get quite a few runners as well. The 9 AM turbo mega sat pays a $500 lammer for a $75 entry fee. The later mega sats payout lammers too, and they sometimes replace those mega sats for the special events (like the $10k heads up). I've never been to the Rio to stay, so try the strip hotels. Honestly, just go during the WSOP, they're pretty awesome for small stakes tournaments.
The catch with Aria and Poker is what he's looking for...small tournaments. That's not really Aria, comparatively speaking to other properties.
Cosmo rack rate is often higher than Aria or Bellagio. Actually had just been pricing them out before a comp came and it was sort of: Aria $129 Bellagio $159 Cosmo $180 or in that general range for a regular weeknight. thank god for comps!
With those kind of weekday prices, then V/P would move into consideration. I signed up for a players card from them that I've never used (actually I don't think that I ever even picked it up) and I usually get $129 offers for weekdays with an occasional $109 thrown in.
Definitely use your players club card. I have been to vegas once in my life so far, stayed at Aria (absolutely was my favorite casino during our trip, room was fantastic as well). Since going just that one time I get offers ALL the time, get 3 to 4 free nights and airfare, (going end of july for free, airfare included). Have been to Beau Rivage in biloxi twice in the past year for free also, hotel and airfare.. they are always sending us offers for free airfare and hotel stays to places all over the us, its been great!
Thank you all for your suggestions. Maybe I will try MGM Grand or PH, or perhaps I could stay at Aria but play my poker at Caesar's Palace. I'm leaning towards taking a trip to Vegas by myself sometime in October. I was told by someone at work that the Vdara might be a good choice but I don't know. I've been to Vegas one time before for a short trip and stayed at Mandalay Bay. It was OK but a bit too far down the southern end of the Strip for my tastes and I felt a old compared to the other guests (many of them were Spring Breakers from California).