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Travel Forum / Destinations / USA and Canada / January 2005Las Vegas lodging alternatives in March
We had some frequent flyer points about to expire, so on a whim we scheduled a flight to Las Vegas March 11-16. We have, however, run into sticker shock trying to find nice lodging, probably due to spring break markups or some other event. As first-time visitors we have been advised to go "where the action is" but it's more important to us to have a nice (4-star type) place to stay rather than to be right on the strip. I will continue fussing with Priceline etc. but don't have much hope. So, what are some suggested alternatives to the $300/night strip hotels? We wouldn't mind staying even an hour or so out somewhere where we could explore some parks and drive into the city once or twice. It'd sure be nice to stay under $100 or so per night. Thanks JGM > We had some frequent flyer points about to expire, so on a whim we > scheduled a flight to Las Vegas March 11-16. We have, however, run [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > twice. It'd sure be nice to stay under $100 or so per night. > Thanks I think you better put your faith in Priceline, cause you're pooched for those days. And you should be quick about that, too. I see the J W Marriot Las Vegas Resort coming in at about $250, but that is it. 4* in Vegas is pricey. :>We had some frequent flyer points about to expire, so on a whim we :>scheduled a flight to Las Vegas March 11-16. We have, however, run :>into sticker shock trying to find nice lodging, probably due to spring :>break markups or some other event. The weekend before NCAA division I basketball. Try backing up a week.  SignatureBinyamin Dissen <bdissen@dissensoftware.com> http://www.dissensoftware.com Should you use the mailblocks package and expect a response from me, you should preauthorize the dissensoftware.com domain. I very rarely bother responding to challenge/response systems, especially those from irresponsible companies. > Try backing up a week. Too late. That's why I'm looking for other options. What's an interesting place to stay within a few hours' drive? JGM >>Try backing up a week. > > Too late. That's why I'm looking for other options. What's an > interesting place to stay within a few hours' drive? Rent a cabin up on Mt. Charlseton about 30 miles from Vegas. There is even a small ski area there with great snow this year. About 2 1/2 hours north of Vegas is Cedar City, UT near the beautiful Cedar Breaks national monument, Zion National Park and Brian Head ski area. > > Try backing up a week. > > Too late. That's why I'm looking for other options. What's an > interesting place to stay within a few hours' drive? What's the point in going to Vegas if you are staying an hour away? You may want to try Stateline. But again what's the point. > JGM If you're willing to stay several hours away, that opens up several possibilities. In addition to those mentioned elsewhere on this thread, you could choose St. George, UT. It's not a very interesting city in and of itself, but it's only about 90 minutes from North Las Vegas. It's less than an hour to Zion National Park, 45 minutes from Cedar City, an hour or so from the Kolob Canyons scenic drive portion of Zion National Park, 1 1/2 hours from Bryce Canyon National Park and 45 minutes or so from Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park. In addition to the previously mentioned "Stateline" [Primm, NV], you also have Jean, NV. Nothing four star there, but possibly something very cheap and just 25 minutes or so from the south Strip. I suppose Pahrump, NV would also be within an hour. That would put you in Nye County, land of legalized brothels. Also, you'd be within an hour or so of Death Valley National Park. Beatty, NV is also less than two hours away from Las Vegas. It's got good proximity to Death Valley, and also extreme proximity to Rhyolite ghost town. TK >> somewhere, say, a half-day's drive away >> for most of the week >The Grand Canyon is the obvious choice, and for good reason. Yes, the Grand Canyon would be an excellent choice. It's about a 5 hour drive from Vegas. You'd probably want to go to the *south* rim area (which is where most tourists visit anyway) as the north rim area can become snowbound in winter. Jim ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ - > We had some frequent flyer points about to expire, so on a whim we > scheduled a flight to Las Vegas March 11-16. We have, however, run [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > JGM try a vacation rental house! http://www.vrbo.com/ http://www.vacationrentals.com/ http://www.greatrentals.com/ > We had some frequent flyer points about to expire, so on a whim we > scheduled a flight to Las Vegas March 11-16. We have, however, run [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > where we could explore some parks and drive into the city once or > twice. It'd sure be nice to stay under $100 or so per night. Not sure about 4* as they get pricey especially during spring break. There aren't many places to stay away from vegas either. We like to stay at suite rentals off the strip. They're not 4* because they lack all the fancy amentities but the rooms are often superior. Huge rooms with seperate living, kitchen etc. Last place we stayed was on Vegas Blvd. about 5 miles south of the strip. Place was called Malibu Suites but not sure if they changed owners recently. You can also try getting an upscale suite at one of the Laughlin, NV casinos. Laughlin is located about 1 hour south of Vegas along the Colorado River. Harrahs and a few others have nice beaches to sit out on. Jet ski rentals are also available. Laughlin is MUCH cheaper than Vegas even over major weekends. >I will continue fussing with Priceline etc. but don't have much hope. >So, what are some suggested alternatives to the $300/night strip i haven't checked yet, but usually at excalibur and/or circus circus rates are far lower than 300/night. we've never spent more than 80/100 usd/night --even in "hot days"--. http://www.circuscircus.com http://www.excalibur.com regards, SignatureGianni Rondinini Icem s.r.l. - http://www.icem.it Tel: +39 0545 78036 Fax: +39 0545 78727 >it's more important to us to have a nice >(4-star type) place to stay rather than to >be right on the strip.... It'd sure be nice to >stay under $100 or so per night...We wouldn't >mind staying even an hour or so out somewhere I'd suggest *not* staying "an hour or so" out of town just to save a few bucks, unless it's near an attraction where you plan to spend most of your time anyway. It's just not worth the inconvenience. And don't forget that Vegas is in the desert. There aren't a lot of motels once you leave the city unless you go all the way to another town. Find a moderately-priced hotel in the city and use that as your base of operations. Look at hotels that are in the city but away from the strip, as rooms on the strip tend to be higher-priced due to their location. If you want to stay at a "4-star type" place, be very wary of bargain- priced hotels on the strip (Circus Circus, etc.) as they are cheaper mostly because they aren't as nice. Stay in another part of town where hotel prices are lower. You can find some good info about Vegas hotels at <cheapovegas.com>. You also might want to visit the Las Vegas newsgroup. Jim ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ - > >I will continue fussing with Priceline etc. but don't have much hope. > >So, what are some suggested alternatives to the $300/night strip [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > http://www.circuscircus.com > http://www.excalibur.com Without question, among the worst properties on the strip (particularly Circus Circus). The OP would do much better staying at a decent off-strip property -- one of the Station Casinos, Green Valley Ranch, etc. > regards, >> http://www.circuscircus.com >> http://www.excalibur.com > >Without question, among the worst properties on the strip (particularly it's not the bellagio, but it didn't seem me that bad. what's *so* wrong with circus circus? we spent 7 days there in 2 different travels to usa --4+3 nights-- and we're still alive and happy. we had no problems of any kind with that hotel: the only pity is that it's so far from the "center" of the strip --and we had to walk quite a bit--. i'm asking just to learn and understand, since we planned to spend 6 nights in excalibur this summer. >Circus Circus). The OP would do much better staying at a decent off-strip OP = ? regards! SignatureGianni Rondinini Icem s.r.l. - http://www.icem.it Tel: +39 0545 78036 Fax: +39 0545 78727 > >> http://www.circuscircus.com > >> http://www.excalibur.com [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > OP = ? Gianni; It's not that there are obvious "problems" with Circus Circus and Excalibur, it is just that they are older properties, geared more to families, and they are not equivalent in standards to most of the other properties. You will find more luxurious rooms and facilities at the other name properties. Since you have been there, you know what you are getting, so you will not have any issues. Excalibur is a nicer property than Circus Circus, in my opinion, and it is certainly better positioned on the strip. "OP" means "original poster" - the person who made the first post and started the thread. > what's *so* wrong with circus circus? > we spent 7 days there...[and] had no problems It depends to some extent on which section of the hotel they put you in. Some of the newer rooms are ok, but many others just aren't up to the standards of most of the other hotels on the strip. If you're curious, there are several web sites that compare the various hotels on the strip. For example: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ - Sorry, hit Send too soon. In my previous post when I was talking about Circus Circus, I was going to add that several web sites offer comparisons of the various hotels on the strip. For example, check out the comparison info at: cheapovegas.com Jim ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ - >Sorry, hit Send too soon. no problem. thank you for the link: i'll look it deeply this evening. bye! SignatureGianni Rondinini Icem s.r.l. - http://www.icem.it Tel: +39 0545 78036 Fax: +39 0545 78727 >It's not that there are obvious "problems" with Circus Circus and Excalibur, >it is just that they are older properties, geared more to families, and they >are not equivalent in standards to most of the other properties. You will ok, i understand. we used our hotel room only to sleep and store our luggage but we spent just few hours in that and a comfortable bed and a big tv with cable was enough for us. iovho, we thought that in vegas you go sightseeing, shopping, gambling, taking photos, watching shows, then we didn't mind too much "extras" or amenities offered by other hotels. being sincere, we've spent also a couple of nights in luxor [1] and yes: it was different from circus circus :) and i understand that more expensive hotels are even better [2] >find more luxurious rooms and facilities at the other name properties. Since >you have been there, you know what you are getting, so you will not have any >issues. > >Excalibur is a nicer property than Circus Circus, in my opinion, and it is >certainly better positioned on the strip. yes, it definitely is. we used to stay in circus circus because it's very el-cheapo both as rooms and as bj tables: we've played 3usd/hand at the beginning of the evening and then 5usd/hand. the average dealer was also very pleasant: we joked, we talked, we laughed... i'm not sure that a 500usd/hand table the dealer would scream for my blackjack ;) or would he? we're not "experienced" gamblers nor we play bj to win anything, but being able to play an hour with our 50 bucks instead of loosing them in 5 minutes is far funnier :) said this, we realized this summer that 5$ bj tables are also in excalibur and somewhere else and room rates are almost the same in cc and excalibur. considering the better position on the strip we plan to go to excalibur. >"OP" means "original poster" - the person who made the first post and >started the thread. thank you :) i've been reading usenet groups for almost 10 years but i still miss some abbreviations :) localized groups are 'net's ruin ;) bye! [1] we've spent 1 night in an ordinary room inside the piramid: it was very nice; but the one-bed pharaoh suite is really *astonishing*. we've been very lucky because when we moved to vegas last year we booked an ordinary room inside the piramid, but due to some conferences --or whatever else i didn't remember-- there were no free rooms (!!!) and they gave us "a free room upgrade". when the lady at check in told us our room was in west tower we got sad because we *really* wanted a room in the piramid, but after entering and seeing our suite we changed rapidly idea ;) i can't even imagine a big suite in venetian, caesar's palace, mirage... and i can't imagine somebody being able to afford it! :D [2] while walking along the strip we entered some casinos inside different hotels and at the venetian we saw some girls bringing cocktails to gamblers that we've never seen even in tv. they were something really special :) SignatureGianni Rondinini Icem s.r.l. - http://www.icem.it Tel: +39 0545 78036 Fax: +39 0545 78727 > >> http://www.circuscircus.com > >> http://www.excalibur.com [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > is that it's so far from the "center" of the strip --and we had to > walk quite a bit--. There are a number of problems with Circus Circus. It's one of the older properties on the strip. If you go over to alt.vacation.las-vegas, you'll see that, though the new tower rooms are considered adequate, the rest of the property is dirty (not just shabby, but dirty). The property makes a conscious effort to attract the family crowd and, as a consequence, it is over-run by children. The buffet is considered to be one of the worst on the Strip, if not actually one of the worst in Vegas. It's location, at the north end of the Strip, is inconvenient to all the other "mainline" casinos, except, perhaps Treasure Island, the Mirage and the Venetian. Overall, Circus Circus has the reputation of being a bargain-seeker, families-with-children, trailer-park kind of place. Excalibur is only slightly above Circus Circus. For those who need budget accomodation on the Strip, there are far better alternatives. Many people like the Imperial, though it's not one I would consider staying at. When I want inexpensive digs in Las Vegas, I stay at the Flamingo or Ballys, both of which are vastly superior to Circus Circus -- cleaner, nicer rooms, reasonable eating options, only the usual number of familes with small kids, etc. Both of them are smack in the middle of the strip, putting all the other casinos (except, perhaps, Mandalay Bay) in relatively easy walking distance. A step up from the Flamingo and Ballys would be Monte Carlo, which is only a little more expensive and quite a nice hotel casino. > i'm asking just to learn and understand, since we planned to spend 6 > nights in excalibur this summer. Excalibur, like Circus Circus (and they're both owned by the same company) focuses on the family crowd, meaning there are far more young kids than usual. Most people agree that children and Las Vegas are not a particularly good combination, not just from the standpoint of the kids, but also from the perspective of the adults who travel to Las Vegas to enjoy an adult (which does not necessarily mean x-rated) experience. Excalibur is also reported as being shabby and dirty, though not to the extent of Circus Circus. It's location isn't horrible, but it is down at the southern end of the strip. You'll have easy access to New York New York, the Luxor, MGM and Mandalay Bay. However, it will be quite a long hike to Caesars, the Mirage, and the Venetian. Seriously, I'd recommend you consider either the Flamingo or Ballys. I really think you'll enjoy your stay more. Prices will be comparable, the properties are much nicer, you won't be dodging tantrum-throwing toddlers and strollers to the extent you would at Excalibur, and you'll have better access to the rest of the Strip. Take a look at alt.vacation.las-vegas. You'll see that, though there are a few defenders of Circus Circus and Excalibur (who do so primarily by stating, "the room was clean and all I do is sleep there, so I don't care about the rest of the property), my description of these hotels represents the orthodox view. > >Circus Circus). The OP would do much better staying at a decent off-strip > > OP = ? Newsgroup-speak for "original poster," i.e. the person who started the thread. > regards! [...] >Seriously, I'd recommend you consider either the Flamingo or Ballys. I >really think you'll enjoy your stay more. Prices will be comparable, the thank you very much for your post. i read many interesting things and will change our plan. we'll check for flamingo and ballys websites for the reservation and prices --100 or 200$/night for 6 nights every two years makes no big difference for us, but this summer we'll travel with a couple of friends who can hardly save even the money for flight...--. bye! SignatureGianni Rondinini Icem s.r.l. - http://www.icem.it Tel: +39 0545 78036 Fax: +39 0545 78727 > As first-time visitors we have been advised to go "where the > action is" but it's more important to us to have a nice (4-star > type) place to stay rather than to be right on the strip. We stay at the Lucky Lady about a block North of Fremont Street. It's probably not four-star (I don't really know what that means) but it is where the action is. PeterL said: > You may want to try Stateline. That's hundreds of miles from 'Vegas. State Line (aka Primm), however, is about thirty miles from 'Vegas and has three hotels/casinos and Jean is even closer with, I think, two hotels/casinos. For additional information on hotels and non-gambling Las Vegas, please visit the Las Vegas page <http://geocities.com/iconoc/Articles/LasVegas.html> page at the site at Right in the sig. ____________________________________________________________ A San Franciscan in (where else?) San Francisco http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/ ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net > > As first-time visitors we have been advised to go "where the > > action is" but it's more important to us to have a nice (4-star [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > That's hundreds of miles from 'Vegas. State Line (aka Primm), The OP should know that you're speaking metaphorically, not literally. As you've noted, Primm is only 30 miles or so from Las Vegas. Jean is another good suggestion, situated half-way between Primm and LV. > however, is about thirty miles from 'Vegas and has three > hotels/casinos and Jean is even closer with, I think, two hotels/casinos. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/ > ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net >> PeterL said: >>> You may want to try Stateline. > > The OP should know that you're speaking metaphorically, not > literally. You should know that I am not! US Highway 50 is the main drag in Stateline. InterState Highway 15 is the main drag in State Line. From one to the other is almost 500 miles. >> For additional information on hotels and non-gambling Las Vegas, >> please visit the Las Vegas page >> <http://geocities.com/iconoc/Articles/LasVegas.html> >> >> page at the site at Right in the sig. ____________________________________________________________ A San Franciscan in (where else?) San Francisco http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/ ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net > We had some frequent flyer points about to expire, so on a whim we > scheduled a flight to Las Vegas March 11-16. We have, however, run [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > JGM What you're looking for is mutually exclusive -- low price and 4-star. Take a look at properties in Primm (formerly Stateline). It's about 40 minutes outside of Las Vegas, and features lower-priced, but new and reasonably nice, hotel casinos. Do no, however, expect the Venetian or Bellagio. You also might try the Station Casinos. These are primarily locals places, but have less-expensive hotels attached. They're scattered around the outskirts of Las Vegas. > So, what are some suggested alternatives to the $300/night strip > hotels? Thanks *very much* for all the thoughtful replies. Reading through them, I think I wasn't too clear on one thing: we don't really care too much *where* we wind up, as long as it's nice and interesting. We are not intent on gambling or even spending lots of time on the strip. We just picked Vegas on a whim, if it is not going to work out staying there, that's fine -- though we are stuck flying in there and will check it out at least for a day. In other words, I'd rather be somewhere, say, a half-day's drive away for most of the week if there is a nice place to stay and neat stuff to do, than stay in a marginal place and try to commute to Vegas every day. The advice to look over towards Zion is exactly what I was thinking -- any further specific ideas in that direction would be great. Thanks again, I'm looking into several things you all mentioned. JGM > Thanks *very much* for all the thoughtful replies. Reading through > them, I think I wasn't too clear on one thing: we don't really care too [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > great. > Thanks again, I'm looking into several things you all mentioned. Okay, that is clearer. I suppose you know that LA is only about 4 hours from Vegas - that would be half a day's drive, but I won't go there. If you like the idea of Zion, go for it. The best, really the only place to stay is the town of Springdale, right on the doorstep. There are some really nice accommodations there - the Desert Pearl, for example. If you would like to hike and gawk in the cool early spring air, the place can't be beat. Springdale is about 2 1/2 hours from Vegas jgmclean wrote: >>>somewhere, say, a half-day's drive away for most of the week The Grand Canyon is the obvious choice, and for good reason. > We had some frequent flyer points about to expire, so on a whim we > scheduled a flight to Las Vegas March 11-16. We have, however, run [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > have a nice (4-star type) place to stay rather than to be right on the > strip. I don't know of any four star hotels off the strip. Even on the strip, there are plenty of 1-2 star hotels, such as Excalibur, Frontier, Circus Circus, Sahara, Stratosphere (not really on the strip, though they claim they are). Someone suggested Stateline, which is about 35 miles from Las Vegas, but there are no four star hotels there. Similarly, in Springdale there are no four star hotels. I think that you'll have to go to Laughlin to find what you want. It's too bad that the Tam 'O Shanter is gone, a true half-star hotel. |
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