Augie I thought we all agreed you're not allowed to talk about food, ever.

anybody know or at least find the same thing to be true?

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/10...011-a-1026115/ maybe

if not some random convention thats big enough to spike rates but not big enough or anyone to really care about. Or maybe that and a couple smaller conventions that together are significant enough to impact rates.

I'm going to be playing in a little private poker tournament at the Monte Carlo on June 25. BestofVegas.com wants to charge me $300 for two nights the 24th and the 25th. Does that sound about right? Is this an MGM property? I have a players card there though I haven't been to vegas for years so I don't know if that should do me any good. Can you suggest a different website that might be better?

I'll have a car so I don't have to stay at the Monte Carlo, but my preference is not to do too much driving around. But If there is someplace next door or so that you think is betteer and cheaper I'd love to hear about it. Thanks for any help.

I just checked my MLife rate calendar for those 2 days and it is showing $202 and $247! I have never seen rates that high for MC and I have a platinum MLife card.

Not sure what's going on that weekend, but rates are high at all MGM Resorts properties during that time.

Ya I thought the rates were waaaay higher than normal at all the hotels that weekend. Even the lower rate harrahs properties like imperial and flamingo are really high that weekend. That weekend alone is gonna cost me about as much as the other 24 days of my trip combined

If you're going to be there for 24 more days and have a car, I'd say look for a random motel way off-strip, like a Comfort Inn in Henderson or something.

It doesn't even have to be that far away... Kayak is showing the La Quinta Inn on 3970 Paradise for $69/night on those dates. It's not next door, but not that bad a drive and you can valet park and tip the guy a few bucks and still save significant money.

Na no car, gonna be there 24 more days but stayin at harrahs and rio on comps/reduced rates for a total of ~$500, which is like 20 bucks a night avg. that weekend im just gonna do poker rate at Aria probably which is cheaper than the rates at most strip hotels that weekend and much nicer

that's expensive for the summer

If it's the one sorta near Flamingo, I've stayed there before and that's a pretty good price. They are usually closer to $100 a night. IIRC they have free internet and a free shuttle to the strip, and I think the airport too.

A couple weeks ago I booked a stay at Mandalay Bay for June 19th-21st.

I'm a peon gambling weenie and grabbed the internet rate of $140/night. A week later, I check and see the room is now $110/night. I cancel the res and rebook it at $110. A few days later I check and it's at $130/night. I laugh and high-five myself.

Well, today I check the prices and it's at $80/night. Argh. I called room res this time and they changed my reservation to the new rate.

What a bouncing yoyo... That's borderline crazy.

Question - I'm going to be in Vegas starting in June with a car but I'll be parking OUTSIDE on the STREETs... Any tips? Am I going to burn? Is my car going to die from the heat? Is a windshield shade enough? Is there anything else I can do?

weather has been unseasonably beautiful so far... but the blow dryer is coming eventually. who knows when it will hit, but if you have good AC, you'll probably be okay. but if the weather gets up to 100+, your car will be about 150+ on the inside... at least.

Open the windows a little? If you have a tilting sunroof, tilt it up a little. They have these oven mitt things you can put on the steering wheel but you may not want to buy something like that when you will probably end up tossing it when you leave.

There are also solar-powered fans you can stick in the window openings.