I was going through total rewards but only checked the third week of October.

I was hoping to get a reasonable rate at Harrah's, Flamingo or Bally's but couldn't.

I do hope there is a center strip location that remains open for low-budget tourist.

Silver 7s or Tuscany will I guess in the future be a next cheap option.

Silver 7s is not such a bad location, better than the Stat. Its a 20 minute walk
to the strip on a fairly safe route or you can take the 202 bus a 14 minute ride.
There is a bus stop in front of Silver 7s hotel on Flamingo Rd.

Tuscany Hotel is a bit closer to the strip (down the road from Silver 7s on Flamingo) and is also very cheap. Has big rooms.

I have had friends stay at both these hotels without issues.

Don't stay at Silver Sevens or whatever they're calling that dump now. Just book Gold Coast and be done with it.

Isn't that near where Tupac got shot? At least nobody famous got shot outside the Strat.

This.

Are you sure? And anyway it only one shooting. I've walked by it many times.

It makes me sad to read of 2P2ers announcing they'll be traveling long distances to come to Las Vegas and they've reserved a third-world sewer of a hotel. Spend the money upfront and get something nice. Then win the money back in the casino. The fkip side of this is to stay in the cheapest room possible and to then lose the money you could have spent on someplace decent. I guarantee you you'll prefer the first way to the second.

Case in poiht: Lots of debate recently about the merits of Howard Johnsons across from MGM Grand (HoJo == Days Inn == Motel 6). We needed a staycation, so we booked the MGM. We paid about exactly the same price as one of those flophouses across the street. We didn't bring much money, but we won some money; we ate at Emeril's for lunch and CraftSteak for dinner, We wound up getting an RFB comp based on our play.

And some poor schmo is going to sit for 17 hours on a flight so he can then spend his vacation at Stratosphere or HoJo's, even having to pay for his room.

No, he got shot on Flamingo between the strip and Paradise.

I don't think you understand the fact that these 'sewer' hotels are portrayed as being nice on websites.. people post here to get recommendations from people that have actually been there to see with their own eyes..

I think I have decided on gold coast, I can see the extra per night will be worth it..

Just to clarify, I doubt eco74 or I would actually ever recommend the Gold Coast but given the choice between the two selections you made, the Gold Coast is the better choice.

If you are a poker player looking for reasonably cheap but better accommodation than your choices why not try the Monte Carlo which is very close to the Aria poker room. You will probably break even hotel/transportation given the cab fares you will likely be taking to and from the GC because the GC is not on the strip and in relative terms not that close to any of the good poker rooms.

ftr

If I was speaking Aussie, I would basically say don't stay at the ****ing Gold Coast Bruce.

Don't be mistaken, Gold Coast is hardly a luxury hotel. It's clean for the most part, and the casino is decent although there's no poker room. It's location is both a strength and a weakness. During the WSOP it's a strength, being across the street from the Rio. Otherwise it's a weakness, being several blocks off the Strip, although being a part of the Boyd group, it has a free shuttle to the Orleans and Strip. Worst case, you could walk across the street and catch the CET shuttle at the Rio.

I can certainly understand the desire for a budget hotel, coming all the way from halfway round the world and probably staying long enough that a "small" difference in daily rate adds up. Remember to account for the resort fees that hotels might charge. Many will be shocked at how dumpy a hotel might be considering it's Vegas and glamorous and all that, but there are a lot of crapholes in Vegas, even with glamorous sounding addresses.

edit to say: check the resort fees! At least Gold Coast resort fees are fairly cheap, while Monte Carlo resort fees are $20 a day, iirc.

yep monte carlo is way out of budget.. I checked the gold coast resort fees and its cheaper than the average.. G/C is only like 25mins walk to Aria so I don't see what the big deal is.. Walking around a place you've never been is not that big of a deal to me.. and as you said there are a few free shuttle options..

Well you have made up your mind so go with it. The GC is definitely your best choice given the places you've mentioned.

The main point is you will be in Vegas and that's a great start. Enjoy! Wishing you lots of run good.

For rhose who haven't stayed at the Gold Coast and for the Aussie traveler consider that the casino is large and rooms are every bit as nice of better than the Monte Carlo, bally's, Harrahs,and Treasure island, to name a few that I've been in recently.

The buffet prices are outstanding ranging from $7 for breakfast to $12 for the evening buffet. Get the player card and there is a $1 discount for the buffet. At the sports book there are $1.50 hot dogs during the afternoon with $1 sodas if desirable. Waiting times are minimal for the eateries except for Ping Pang Pong which has the reputation of being the best Chinese in the city. I tried once but I didn't have the patience for the lines.

The pool is small but wet and the gym is small but adequate . About the distance from the strip this costs you about a 20 minute ride to Bally's and if you wish you can walk to the strip (not I, but you). As I mentioned if returning after 12:30 AM then you'll have to cab with about a $12 with tip but it depends upon where you are on the strip .
Recently stayed at the Monte Carlo and couldn't get into the Starbucks line even in mid afternoon because of the numbers. the coffee bar at the Gold Coast is easily accessible with no wait time. Breakfast at the buffet is of course the bargain with eggs, pancakes, sausage, french toast, etc..etc..etc.. and of course coffee.

No, I don't shill for the Gold Coast but it is well taken care of and if you've stayed at the Orleans, which is owned by the same company that owns the Borgata, there is no difference other than the size of the Orleans which is much bigger.

Sorry, finis.

I wouldn't go that far, but I do agree that since the shuttle goes there anyway, the Orleans is worth exploring. It has a wider variety of cheap food than the Gold Coast, bowling, movie theaters, and most importantly, a large and busy poker room.

I prefer staying at the gold coast to the orleans. The orleans is definitely worth checking out.

im thinking of staying at rio for 1 week during wsop. is rio a dump? ive only been to rio once and played a cach games but didnt explore the hotel or see any rooms.

it looks on par with ballys, flamingo etc and worse than ph, mirage etc

If you do that walk once, you won't do it twice. Street view it. And don't go over the Flamingo overpass if you walk it.

I'm not still trying to dissuade you from GC, just hoping you understand that you're getting a place that is not that near the action, and is separated from the strip by a fairly ugly and traffic-clogged chunk of land.


You've got it about right in that range. It's a dump to some, not to everyone, but it's nobody's idea of a luxury hotel anymore (although it used to be). It's fine during WSOP. Just lock your **** up.

Just curious how would you walk from GC to Aria without going over flamingo overpass? Surely not some lonely dark back road right?
I have never walked across the flamingo overpass but from what I have heard and seen driving across it hundreds of times, I wouldn't. if I didn't have a car I would take the free rio shuttle to bally's and walk from there.

As far as staying at Rio, I have spent probably close to 100 nights there(cheap weekday prices) and have always been happy once you know what to ask for.

Nice floor to ceiling windows, nice view if you ask for it, refrigerator in all rooms, safe in all rooms for no extra charge and rooms are large.
I never had anything stolen and I kept a good amount of cash and anything else valuable that would fit in safe when I was not in room. And had maid service every few days.

Las Vegas is one of the more dangerous cities for pedestrians. If your going to walk, at least use pedestrian only walk ways.

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Here's my take, and I'm a cheapskate that is more than willing to walk/take the bus/take a shuttle.

I'd never walk from GC to the strip. Too many sketchy people and lunatic drivers.

The Gold Coast is a much better place to stay during the WSOP than the rest of the year from a poker perspective because it's walkable to the Rio, but if the WSOP isn't happening, there isn't any advantage to being close to the Rio.

Besides the Boyd shuttle that goes to Orleans/Bally's, you can walk to the Rio and take CET's shuttles to either Harrah's or Bally's. The problem with both shuttles is that they only run to about 12:30 or 1 AM. After that, you'd have to either have a bus pass and take the Flamingo bus or take a cab.

I'd recommend the Orleans over GC when the WSOP isn't happening. Rates should only be marginally higher at the Orleans, room quality is slightly better at Orleans IMO, you still have access to the Boyd shuttle, you have access to more restaurants (although Ping Pang Pong at the GC is great), you have access to stuff like bowling and a movie theater, and you have access to one of Vegas's busier poker rooms, albeit one full of angry douchebag locals.

If you do stay at GC, there are no in-room safes but you can get a box at the cage. That's what I did for my cash during the series this past summer. Orleans has in-room safes IIRC, with the usual caveats about using them.

It is a dark lonely industrial back road which would be harmon to polaris which is also dark and lonely would never ever consider walking that. Flamingo would be much safer.

Where I stay depends on how long I'm staying and what the rates are for the hotel which change a lot. If its just a couple days I'll stay at a nicer place. If it's two weeks, I'm a lot more price sensitive at a place like GC, excalibur, etc.

Always stay on the strip...no matter what