Las Vegas on the Cheap – Cheap Hotels

In these days of credit crunch and high gas prices I thought I would write a few posts showing how to save money in Las Vegas and still have a great trip and am kicking it off withover 40 trips to Vegas some on a large budget and some on very small budgets a post on Cheap hotels.

I have stayed at almost every property from Bellagio, Wynn and Encore to Excalibur, Circus Circus and Sahara. I have eaten at places on every level of the spectrum from Eiffel at Paris LV and Mix at Mandalay Bay to Peppermill and the Circus Circus buffet. I have had best seats at Cirque Shows and front row seats to Vegas “A list” headliners I also been to shows where tickets cost $5. Whilst I would not say that my most enjoyable ones have been the ones where I have been on the tightest budget I have still had great trips without, spending  very much money. I have discovered that the cheapest options do not always save the most money, in this post I hope to give you some pointers from my experience on how to get the most out of a trip to Las Vegas when on a budget. You can make huge savings  on how you book and when you come there is a post all ready on this here.
 

Your room will take up some of your budget but not as much as you think, in Las Vegas there are rooms that will suit every pocket and in most cases you generally get what you pay for. Now the cheapest rooms on the Strip can  be found at Rivera, Circus Circus , Sahara and Stratosphere. The problem that you have with all of these resorts is that the location will mean that you will end up spending money on transportation to get to the parts of the strip that you want to be at, even if you buy monorail or Deuce bus passes the cost of these can be as much as the difference between staying in one of these hotels and staying at a better hotel in a better location.

Excalibur, Tropicana, Bills, and Imperial Palace are the cheap options with good locations Luxor is also worth a mention as some of the offers  that  they have make bring the prices on a par  with these. I have stayed at all of these hotels and unless there is a great offer on at Luxor Excalibur is my budget choice. The rooms are large  and the hotel is clean, not too smoky and it has a great location., with good staff, good cheap eats and also they have some of the best offers around offering not only rates as low as $25 per night but also often include food or entertainment credits. I once stayed at Excalibur on a $40 a night rate for 2 nights this included 2 free buffets, 2 free spa passes, 2 free drinks and some 2 4 1 coupons the value of this  was about $120, more than I paid  for  total for my stay. Wherever you stay if you get any extras included make sure you use them millions of dollars worth of these coupons are thrown away each year.

If you get a very good rate at an expensive hotel you will spend more money than you would if you stay at a cheaper hotel, as everything is more expensive, coffee, breakfast, water or soda in the shop and of course meals and drinks at the bar. Even if you try not to spend money you will spend more if you stay in an expensive resort than if you stay in a cheaper one.

You can of course stay in a cheaper hotel Downtown (Fremont Street) or off Strip, whilst I will on a longer trip have a  couple of nights downtown its not where you want to stay for your Vegas vacation. I have stayed off Strip once and would not do it again as it just does not fell like you are in Vegas and the transportation to where you want to be is inconvenient and can be costly.

To find out how to ensure that you get the cheapest possible rate read the post here

Las Vegas Best Secrets for Summer 2009

Darin Feth is a long term Las Vegas resident and president and CEO of the Award Winning Nite Tours International the world’s largest Club Crawl Company above all of this he is my friend. I asked Darin to give me some of the insiders tips and recommendations as to how to enhance the Vegas experience and this is what he has said.

NightLife, Night Clubs I like are Prive, The Bank, PURE, LAX, XS and Lavo. Best Come Back club I would have to say Studio 54 at MGM Grand great music. Best Bottle Service price is PURE Night club at Caesars or ROK at New York New York Hotel. Best Ultra Lounge Tabu, Caramel, Mist or Blush All GREAT!

Cool places the Mob hung out. Everyone wants to know where the Vegas Mob hung out. So, hit up Capozzoli’s Italian Restaurant, Piero’s Restaurant or the Peppermill. You can still feel the mob atmosphere Dining Experiences.

For class and a view I would pick Eiffel Tower at Paris Hotel, or the MIX at The HOTEL Mandalay Bay. Buffet my choice is Bellagio and for Steak Nin9e Steak House in the Palms and Brunch at Simons at the Palms pool.

Pool Parties. This is a toss-up as I love to go topless (if you know what I mean), Bare Pool at Mirage, Wet Republic at MGM or Nite Tours pool bash once a month at Morea Pool

Online Show Tickets. Go to “Vegas on Demand” purchase tickets for all shows, your tickets can go to your cell phone! Or ½ off tickets is great for left over seats that have not sold the day of the show.

Shows I Like. My buddy Louie Anderson at Excalibur, La Reve at Wynn, Phantom of the Opera at Venetian, (my neighbor) Steve Wyrick Magic Planet Hollywood, Penn & Teller.

Best Limousine service. Nite Tours 33 passenger nightclub on wheels or Nite Tours 16 passenger high-end Mercedes limo or Celebrity Coaches, Lou at Earth Buses or Peter Lee at Las Vegas Limousine.

Best hangover cure. Drink LOTS of Water, Gatorade, Rockstar, eat ginger, or just start drinking again! You can always find a drink 24/7 in

Vegas Free Shows on the Strip. Bellagio water show with music, the new Volcano at Mirage, Pirate show at TI, watching the drunks walk the strip is always good entertainment or the Bible thumpers yelling out “You are a Sinner”.

Best deals I have found on hotel rooms., Monte Carlo $49, Mandalay Bayall inclusive deal $99, , Luxor form $50, MGM Grand I like going to “Vegas Uncovered” for the best hotel deals.

Cool place to spend the day.Besides pool parties you should see Red Rock Canyon for hiking or the Grand Canyon. Rent a Ferrari or Lamborghini had and go for a ride!

Great Discounts for Las Vegas Shows In cluding La Reve at Wynn

Goldstar offer great discounts for shows in Las Vegas there are always more dates than first shown and the beauty is that you know what you are paying and can book your tickets before you leave home.  On my last trip we saw Meserised and Steve Wyrick real Magic, I would see Steve Wyrick every trip but would not see mesmerised again even if it was free (and it was via goldstar last time)

Sin City Comedy with Burlesque Group Sin City Dollz and the Country’s Top Comics
V Theater at the Miracle Mile Shops (Las Vegas, NV)
Tuesday, Jun. 2 @ 9:00pm
Wednesday, Jun. 3 @ 9:00pm
and 60 more dates.

Full Price: $60.00    Our Price: FREE – $30.00
Rating:

Beautiful girls and famous comedians take the stage when this hilarious show combines sexy burlesque with world-class stand up comedy in a choreographed production of music and fun. Hot ladies of the Sin City Dollz perform seductive dance numbers and two headliner comics keep audiences rolling in the aisles. Learn More

Acrobatic Spectacular Le Rêve at Wynn Las Vegas
Le Reve Theater (Las Vegas, NV)
Thursday, Jun. 4 @ 7:00pm
Thursday, Jun. 4 @ 9:30pm
and 82 more dates.

Full Price: $141.90    Our Price: $82.50
Rating:

Le Rêve (The Dream) offers breathtaking performances in an intimate aqua theater in-the-round. This stunning show was created by Franco Dragone, whose signature brand of visually stunning and innovative entertainment is at the core of the production. Learn More

Steve Wyrick Real Magic: International Magician of the Year in Vegas
Steve Wyrick Theatre (Las Vegas, NV)
Tuesday, Jun. 2 @ 9:00pm
Wednesday, Jun. 3 @ 9:00pm
and 49 more dates.

Full Price: $92.00    Our Price: $50.00
Rating:

Steve Wyrick Real Magic is a Vegas-style magic spectacular, featuring beautiful sets, talented dancers and International Magician of the Year Steve Wyrick performing spectacular large-scale illusions and remarkable close-up magic. Wyrick has recently been seen on The Late Show with David Letterman, VH1, and more. Learn More

Penn & Teller: Famous Magic/Comedy Duo at the Rio
Penn & Teller Theater at The Rio (Las Vegas, NV)
Tuesday, Jun. 2 @ 9:00pm
Wednesday, Jun. 3 @ 9:00pm
and 58 more dates.

Full Price: $85.00    Our Price: $52.80
Rating:

The Rio presents the famous duo of Penn and Teller. Known as the “Bad Boys of Magic”, their irreverent, edgy, and hilarious performances have earned them countless TV appearances, as well as their own show on Showtime. Learn More

Blue Man Group: Las Vegas’ Mega-Hit Show at The Venetian
Blue Man Theatre (Las Vegas, NV)
Tuesday, Jun. 2 @ 7:00pm
Tuesday, Jun. 2 @ 10:00pm
and 42 more dates.

Full Price: $101.85 – $142.00    Our Price: $65.11 – $89.20
Rating:

One of the biggest theatrical hits of the last two decades, Blue Man Group presents their unique and wildly imaginative stage show at The Venetian. Audiences worldwide have experienced and loved their exuberant, blissful combination of hilarious performances, fabulous visual effects, and Grammy-nominated music. Learn More