Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

[Warwick Hunt]

The wife and I are looking to head over to Sin City sometime next year and I was wondering if any Vegas Vets can gen us up. I am the only person in the history of the RAF never to go there and with only a couple of years left, I'm never going to go with work so we're looking to flash the cash and head over. We have a travel budget of around £1800 so we can stretch to staying somewhere half decent.

1) Where's best to stay? Is it worth staying on the strip or not?
2) Any good excursions worth partaking?
3) Where's worth visiting in LV?
4) Which shows are recommended?
5) We're looking at going in May. Is this a decent time to go? What kind of weather can we expect?
6) Any good restaurants and bars.
7) Any other tips/recommendations that are useful.

Any help that I get is gratefully received!

Thanks in advance.

 

[muttywhitedog]

1) Where's best to stay? Is it worth staying on the strip or not? Personally, I'd say no. There is a group of Marriotts at Dean Martin Drive, all of which are very good, and will do a military deal - they also have complimentary shuttles to the strip and the airport.

2) Any good excursions worth partaking? Go and visit Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. Go to the South Rim. Its 270 miles away, but much much better. Dont be suckered into the West Rim skywalk - its a rip off!

3) Where's worth visiting in LV? Apart from the strip, Red Rock Canyon is worth a visit. Make sure you see the old part of LV.

4) Which shows are recommended? The Cirq Du Soleil is worth a visit. You can get good military deals on many of the shows, but you'll need to ask. You can also get good deals at the Tixs Booths on the strip.

5) We're looking at going in May. Is this a decent time to go? What kind of weather can we expect? Close to 100F.

6) Any good restaurants and bars. Loads. Outback steakhouses are very good. Lunchtime buffets in the casinos are good value, but tend to be expensive at night. Diablos on the strip was one of my favourites.

7) Any other tips/recommendations that are useful. LV is the freak capital of the world - expect the unexpected and be prepared to have folk try to part you with your cash at every opportunity!

MWD - 5 times Vegas Vet!

 

[vim_fuego]

Last time I was there we used here:

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lashh-residence-inn-las-vegas-hughes-center/

About 5 mins off the strip so quieter and less flashing lights...nice suites but no idea how much as the firm was paying...the one major plus point of this gaff is this:

http://www.gordonbiersch.com/locations/las-vegas-nv

30 seconds walk from the hotel and just a top place to chill after a busy day gambling and whoring...really nice food which has that rarest of thing in Vegas 'vegetables' serve with it and it's a micro brewery so the ale is good too. The hotel is situated in the restaurant sector so spoilt for choice for food types incl just the best sushi bar I've ever been to.

 

[Downsizer]

1. I always stay on the strip. IMO try and stay central as you are then equidistant to all the action. I would never stay off strip, but plenty of others will say the opposite.

2. Grand Canyon. Hoover Dam.

3. Really depends what you like?

4. Blue Man Group is a must, and mystere is pretty good. All the shows do a F1250 discount.

5. Yep. It'll be in the 70s and cool at night.

6. Wynn buffet, NYNY gallachers steak house, Carnegies deli for awesome sandwiches, too many to mention to be honest. Coyote Ugly is good, but you MUST go to the Voodoo lounge at the Rio to watch the sun go down....and see how many witch doctors you can down.

Any more questions just ask. There is a very good thread on MSE about Vegas...

 

[Barch]

Get in touch with Phil 'Doc' Holliday at the Pallazo Hotel & Casino, he will point you in the right direction.

Doc is an ex rigger corporal from the Lightning and early Tornado days.

He is on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/phil.holliday.18?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

[SirSaltyHelmet]

Having lived there for 4 years there is plenty to do. However, you will need a car to see the stuff off the strip unless you use the helicopters (grand Canyon) or bus tours that may be available from areas on the strip.

With regard to restaurants, book early if you want something special. Gallaghers in NYNY is fab and you can get a table on the night (weekday). Ramsey Steak, The Eiffel Tower Restaurant, Stratosphere etc all require a booking in advance as they are very popular.

Temps in May are warming up and will be 80s ish.

Be careful with Hotels, they have now brought in a resort fee. This is in addition to the room rate and covers everything in the hotel
such as pool, t'interweb etc and its not optional (can be $25 a night). There are hotels with a non resort fee so worth shopping about.

If you can blag yourself onto Nellis AFB then this list may help http://nellisforcesupport.com/ITT_.html

 

[ajay]

Was there a month ago, we stayed in the Vdara all rooms are suits with kitchen and a seating area quite cheap considering you are just (50m) off the strip.
Death valley - 2hours away
Grand canyon village - 4 hours

 

[gemarriott]

Never been to Las Vegas but I can concur that the Grand Canyon village is great. For a treat try to get into El Tovar hotel for a night, but the 3 lodges are good, we stayed at Maswick lodge.Also worth the drive from there is Monument Valley, book to stay at Gouldings lodge, every room looks out on the valley. Make sure to stop for a burger at Burger in Kayenta on the way. The food is typical burger king but the place is also the codetalkers museum. Oh a big must, by a cheap cooler box and keep plenty of water, pop and especially beer as there is no beer sales on the reservations.

 

[Sospan]

Plenty of Military discounts where ever you go. Its personal but I would always stay somewhere central on the strip. Some great tips here: http://www.cheapovegas.com/

 

[Kipper Fleet Bloke]

Arrrrrrrr For dining Josette's Bistro just off the strip http://www.josettesbistro.com/ is different and a lot of fun. Be prepeared to dress up and take part in the show.
There's an all you can eat seafood buffet at the Rio, which again is just off the strip if that's your thing. The free aerial show on the casino floor is worthwhile too before you go in to trough.

 

[StickyFingers]

Stayed in the Flamingo last time I was there in one of those FAB rooms.

Right in the middle of the strip, room elevator just the other side of the casino (no massive walks to your room), no resort charge, Sin City brewery, TV in the toilet mirror so you can **** like a boss, good prices on the tables too I walked away with quite a wedge from the blackjack.

The only real problem was I was 27 at the time and I was the oldest person at the pool... That wasn't really a problem in hindsight.

I would fully recommend it there, when I got back to Vegas that's where I'd stay again.

I've also stayed at Circus Circus, it was balls.