My room at Flamingo had couch, chairs, fridge etc. This was in June as well. I might have got lucky somehow IDK, I booked a cheap room and they upgraded me for free.

Just back from a week and stayed at The Orleans. This is the third time I have stayed there. I have also stayed at Venetian, Bellagio, and Flamingo. This time we chose Orleans because of the parking and resort fees on the strip. Parking at Orleans is free. We valet the car for a $2.00 tip in and out. Great service.

I asked for a refrigerator on arrival. Cost is $15.00 total for all the nights and it was delivered in 10 minutes to our room. The resort fee was $12.95 per night and included Wi-Fi in the room. I live just outside of Boston and worked on-line several hours each day. Speed and access was better than I get at home, and that is good service.

Last stay at Orleans was 4 years ago; it was smoky and tired. They must have done the place over, the smoke was almost nonexistent and the place was spit shine clean. From the hotel, to the common areas, to the casino, to the room and bathrooms, spotless clean and I’m a complete dick about everything not being clean.

The room cost us a total of $469 for 6 nights. Saturday to Friday. Check in was easy and fast. We had room service breakfast 4 times and it was very decent every time. 2 other days we did the buffet, this was above average. I had the cook make an omelet, and also fry up the hash and potato that was in the warming trays. He did without an issue and it was fantastic. Very pleased. Also mowed at the food court 3 late nights…very satisfied.

Finally the room: the room is good size and comes with a sitting area. The bed and pillows were comfortable. The room had a Couch, chair, and coffee table. Great size and value. Very pleased, will not hesitate to recommend and return again. PS: I’m a heavy traveler and total ass, I expect things to be right, somehow, they got it right.

Hope I remember this in the future. Beats my usual routine of buying a styrofoam ice chest and keeping it filled with ice.

That is my playbook as well.

Has anyone noticed pricing for rooms much higher across the board than in years past? The same room in the same time period I paid $340 for 6 nights last year is over double that this year.

Every room I look up is up 20-35% compared to last year no matter the hotel.

It's been the pronounced Vegas trend the last 2 or 3 years. Discounted rooms for the WSOP are quite a bit higher than a few years ago.

Thoughts on best cheap hotel near the south end of the strip? I'll be staying for work in Mandalay Bay, but heading in early a couple of nights for fun.

Hooters?

Luxor/Excalibur are both pretty cheap. I stayed at Excalibur a few years ago. I'm sure there are many options about it in this thread. My opinion is it is a bed. Room was clean, but overall the entire hotel just had a "I need a makeover" feel. I would not stay there again because I like nice, but it is a clean cheap bed and I had a great view of the strip.

They seem to have jumped recently, but I can't complain. I have a stretch of 15/19 nights comped, with the other 4 being M-Th, so paying $411 (incl. RFs) for those 19 nights while getting $70 in food & chips... and that includes EDC weekend.

The Excal pretty much needed a makeover the day it opened. It's basically a medieval Circus Circus. No surprise, since it was built by Circus Circus. It has the paper thin walls of Circus Circus too.

Luxor >>> Excalibur IMO. Excalibur just feels gross to me. Luxor is usually only a few bucks more right?

They're right next door to each other

Are there any tricks/tips to try for last minute discounts on the higher quality resorts?

I have a booking/price I'm really quite happy with for 7 nights in late June - 650inc tax and resort for King room at Linq. Not an ideal property for me - last three trips have been Wynn and Vx2 as I do like a decent pool and gym and nicer surrounds, but for the price for me on a WSOP solo trip, it'll be ok. But I'd jump at a better property if a really good deal came up. I remember years ago wifey and I got a last minute deal on the Wynn that was crazy cheap, albeit that was the day before and I'd probably need 48 hours + so I could cancel my Linq booking

Given I wouldn't want to chop and change resorts through my stay I figure I'm probably resigned to Linq or paying 100+ extra per night which I won't do, but I figured I'd ask if there's a particular site I could check/any timing tips ?

I stayed 13 nights at Encore last year during the WSOP and I was charged 25 bucks for a mini fridge... for my entire stay.

The Wynncore discount rates are up significantly during June. (EDC weekend excluded, cause that's always pricey)

I find it weird that Wynn is more expensive than Encore.

I like to think that people have finally figured out that even though Encore rooms are bigger and have a nicer layout they often have poor AC and get too much club noise and therefore Wynn's newly-renovated rooms are better value...but it probably has nothing to do with that.

I was looking at prices last night and Encore was more expensive.

Encore just redid all their rooms within the last 18 months. Club noise is certainly issue, especially at both resorts. I think the strip view rooms at Encore have to deal with XS's noise where the cheaper Wynn rooms w/o a strip view get that noise. Never really had a problem with the AC at Encore, although they set the default temperature fairly high. I always get rooms facing the lovely Fountainblue resort, so noise is never an issue.

My only real knock on Encore / Wynn is their mattresses are total garbage. Uneven and sunken because of too many overweight rich people sleeping in them. I split time between Aria and Encore last year and the difference was night and day.

Maybe their marketing promos offer higher "discounts" at Encore.

PH is almost done w renovation and all rooms have a mini fridge

anyone stayed at Mirage? I've currently got 660 inc tax & fee at Linq, about double that at Venetian but could get Mirage for about half way in between for 7 nights in late June.

the rooms look like they've been refurbed but it's the one resort at that part of the Strip that I've never considered/read many reviews on

I don't need 'luxury' but want a good clean, quiet room, a good pool and gym and some good food options and less human detritus than I experienced in Harrahs the time i stayed there

It's definitely a big step up from Harrah's. The regular rooms are just regular rooms, compared to something like Bellagio or Wynn. But the remodel they had a few years ago jazzed them up quite a bit from what they were before. Although Steve Wynn built the place before the Bellagio, it's not super luxe like his latest hotels and the rooms aren't as big as the Venetian. Personally I wouldn't pay the difference in the price for the Venetian. Heck, even if you felt you couldn't stand to eat anywhere but the Venetian it's just a short walk over the bridge.

i'm staying two nights at mirage again this trip and have stayed there 3 times

i recommend it. greta location and nice hotel

Coming Monday July 3rd-Friday July 7 and have a few questions. Some pertinent background:

- Just wife and I this trip and she's a slight hotel snob. She has stayed at Aria (Happy w normal king room) and Mirage (Felt the suite and casino were outdated).

- She prefers to try a new property.

- Needs a 'nice' pool - My best guess is 'nice' means large, plenty of lounge chairs....Mirage pool was ok, loved Aria pool. I thought the opposite so you can see we are sort of guessing here on what 'nice' means She liked the locations of both hotels as we like to walk the mid-strip/explore/etc. Both of her trips have been in July so she is familiar with the heat.

Narrowed down to:

Bellagio $614
Aria $550
Venetian $673
Mandalay Bay $340
Delano $430

Price isn't the main factor for the above 5 properties (Wynn was $990 and Cosmo was $855 so price was a factor with those). I've stayed at all except Mandalay Bay/Delano - never even been in. Now that I think about it I've never been further south than NYNY.

-Are the Mandalay Bay or Delano normal king rooms in the same league as B,A,V?

-I assume the pools will be packed July 4th week - will Mandalay be more full of kids w the wave pool/river/etc? Would you deem the Venetian and Bellagio pools 'nice'?

-I know it's a hike to midstrip. As stated above, we are familiar with the heat but that's just too far to walk. Is the tram a viable option to compensate for the distance? We've ridden the tram from Monte Carlo to Bellagio before. I know there is a section we'd have to walk from Excal to NYNY (or monte carlo?). Anyone used the tram at MB to Bellagio?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

"-I assume the pools will be packed July 4th week - will Mandalay be more full of kids w the wave pool/river/etc? Would you deem the Venetian and Bellagio pools 'nice'?"

Yes, in fact too many kids was a big turn off for my wife and I, all your needs considered I would go with the V.