I'm going to be in Vegas for my 10th wedding anniversary in January. I'm arriving a few days before my wife so I can play some poker.

Room-wise, I just need a disease-free non-smoking place to shower and sleep. I was totally fine staying in the tower rooms at the El Cortez last summer but for this trip I want to stay on the strip.

I'm finding reasonable and just about equivalent $$$ rooms at Harrah's, Imperial Palace, Flamingo and Bill's. The only way of differentiating I can think of would be the pools. Can anybody compare the pools at Harrah's vs. Flamingo? Which one is quieter / more boring / more deserted Sunday through Thursday?

I'm over 40, quiet, not opposed to making new friends but definitely not going out of my way to mingle / people-watch / hook up / whatever. Like, which pool would be a better place to nap or read a book? Or are they both going to have the ****ing Baha Men blasting at 110 dB?

Never been to either but from reviews and pics the pool at Harrah's is more quiet compared to Flamingo.

My ranking:

1) Flamingo (most or all rooms recently updated)
2) Harrah's
3) Bill's (Never stayed there FWIW but it cant be worse then IP)
4) IP (Very distant last place)

There is a massive construction project going on between IP and Flamingo and behind that may be annoying if your room faces that way.

Pools are closed in January. Low temps in the 30s and 40s.

Weird. That's colder than I remember, but I guess it has been pushing 10 years since I went in January.

I'm struggling to think of anything else to give a rip about. Do any of my picks have free fitness centers and/or mini refrigerators in the standard rooms?

nope

I missed the January part of his question. Avg high here is 58 in January. The pools do not reopen at the hotels until April, or maybe late March.

All have pay fitness centers but no resort fees. Think it's like $10 a day at flamingo.

Kinda early to lock yourself in to a room now for January. If you do book now make sure it's refundable cause if you lock in now at say $150 a night somewhere and then come Nov you see the room is $60 a night you're gonna be pissed.

As others have said, it's pretty cold here in January, if you're sitting at the pool at that time of year make sure to bring a heavy coat and some ice skates.

I'm seeing prices more like $52 for the nights I need to book (Sun-Thu) - does it go down much from there?

Thanks for all the advice, guys!

Most hotels will let you cancel bookings up until three days before check-in.

You can book now, if you get a better deal just cancel and rebook.

In April I reserved a Go room at the Flamingo for a week in August at a price of $700+.

I've cancelled and re booked three separate times since then for a better rate.

I just stayed at the Flamingo and overall it was an enjoyable experience. Any Harrahs property is going to have f'n awful customer service...they don't have a clue and don't give a ****. Know that going in, first of all. It was f'n hilarious, the Flamingo has a 12 elevator alley, but only 1 elevator ever worked during Memorial Day weekend. We would just stand in front of it every time and bingo, we were always right. Oh, also, on my 4th day, there was no hot water and again, nobody is gonna give a ****.

I've stayed at all your choices...Bills actually isn't bad and might be right up your alley. Shortest walk to the casino/strip, etc. Room were remodeled a while back...flat screen TVs, etc. I actually like their cafe.

Flamingo (Go Room)
Bills
Harrahs























ip

Try Tropicana, nice rooms, not that expensive. and close to MGM en Aria

Boring (i.e. the-best-surprise-is-no-surprise) hotel with pool in January, try the Doubletree Club just south of the airport (a quick commute to/from all casinos via the airport tunnel). Pool is heated and open until at least midnight, even in January when every casino pool is either closed, or closes at 5P. Reasonable room service.

+1 on bills. Stayed there a few years ago. Rooms were quite nice staff was friendly and casino is fun party atmosphere. No pool but guest can use flamingo pool next door.

One question I have is where you're staying when the wife comes to Vegas. Why not bite the bullet and stay solo at the same hotel room where you'll be staying with her later?

10 years is one of the milestone anniversaries and staying in the same room will allow you to make a memory for her. You could meet her at the airport with flowers, take her to the hotel in a limo, and have a surprise waiting for her in the room.

What are you trying to say about Aria?