I'd check for any codes on SmarterVegas if you don't have status.

Actually just realised it was the SmarterVegas site I was using and it links to the Totalrewards site for the booking.

I booked at the Rio about 2 weeks ago and just called the reservation hotline to see if the rates had changed. They said no, not unless I wanted to change rooms for the first night of my stay (and then move to another room on the second night). I said no thanks, and then the operator told me she could remove $3 from my booking anyway. Hooray, I saved $3.

Now if I can just find a diamond member to check-in with me and knock out those $125 in resort fees, I'll be all set!

Edit: I'm not planning to have much of a food vacation. Just eat to live, while playing a tourney or two and lots of cash. Can anyone recommend a meal pass or buffet pass or anything like that? Last time I was in Vegas I got comped a lot for food, but I don't think that happens as much any more for someone just playing poker. Or would I do just as well to buy whatever when I get hungry and not worry about a meal pass?

If you are just eating to live getting a buffet pass would be worthless to you. Might as well just hit a food court when you get hungry.

Be aware that the previously reasonably priced food court at the Rio has jacked prices up to match the Strip. If you want to eat cheap, you'll have to wander across the street to the Gold Coast.

Flamingo FAB room vs Golden Nugget Carson Tower anyone?.. Price is pretty much the same?

Also, how is the Golden Nugget pool and downtown poker scene?

I think you've got to decide first if you want to stay on the Strip or Downtown. Nothing wrong with Downtown but that's a totally different scene than Flamingo center Strip. Poker Downton seems ok at times but again you are talking about 2 poker rooms (is that right? Just 2...) compared to nearly every casino on the Strip having a room.

Again, not trying to be rude at all and I can't personally compare the 2 rooms but Downtown vs Strip is basically 2 different worlds that both have casinos. And yes you can get a cab/Uber back and forth but that's a pain if you do it every day.

Yeah, i know the difference as ive been to Vegas a lot of times, but i have never stayed at either hotel, i would prefer to stay on the strip, but if the Nugget and the rooms there are much better, id stay there.

I just want to stay by the pool during the day and grind a lot of Poker later.

Makes sense.

As someone who really enjoys Downtown and the low rolling old school nature of it.....I can't imagine staying down there vs the Strip. Or let me rephrase that....I could imagine staying there 2 nights and then 3-4 on the Strip but staying Downtown for the whole trip wouldn't be my first choice.

Again, to each his own. And I'd poker is important, the Strip wins by a mile.

The Nugget pool is very nice IMO.

Nugget is very nice, and the uncapped 1/2NL there is very soft, but the rest of the area is busto. Flamingo is not as nice, but way better located, imo. Both have very good pools. As someone who usually stays downtown, I'd still recommend Flamingo over GN if they're coming in at the same price.

I stayed at Gold Coast about 3 weeks ago here's my short review.

Pro's:
Quiet hallways. Most of the occupants are senior citizens so the peace and quiet was nice.

Cheap. I booked my room 4 months in advance and they were about $30/day. They also didn't charge me the $17 resort fee for some reason.

Ping Pang Pong as said by was earlier posters is really good. Also very reasonably priced.

The bowling alley. This place is huge. It's a great place to get away from the poker tables for a wile and have some fun with friends.

Location. Was nice to be walking distance from the Rio during the WSOP.

Cons:
The air conditioner made a lot of noise the first day so I didn't sleep well. Somehow it fixed itself by the 2nd day without me calling for maintenance.

The design of the shower is such that water leaks easily which was a minor slight annoyance.

The room service is terrible. Not 24 hrs and you can only choose from the restaurant TGIF and it's terrible food. I would compare it to an average Denny's.

No poker room inside the casino .


Overall I would say if you can book this place for $40/day or less it's defiantly worth the money in my opinion. It's an old school casino/hotel built in the 80s so don't expect much. I would give it a 7.2/10 overall

Planning a trip in October

Stayed at Caesars two years ago and loved it. Looking for a slightly longer stay (5 days) this time and a different resort. Probably 3.5* - 4*.

Harrahs, Ballys, MGM, Monte Carlo, Paris, Planet Hollywood are the examples we're looking into in terms of location and price.

Important factors: wifi (i.e Monte Carlo doesn't iirc which sucks), pools (should have a good selection, hopefully stay open in October), meals (fine dining not necessary but lots of buffet/cafe/restaurant options), location (walkable to most other properties on strip necessary). Bonus if $20 trick has high success rate

Staying Sunday-Thursday so looking at ~$100 night

Advice?

Enjoyed Bellagio, got offered an upgrade to a suite for $120/night, managed to get him down to $65/night. Not sure if that was good negotiating skills (doubt it) but in hindsight was worth it.

Staying Sunday-Thursday so looking at ~$100 night

Advice?

TI, unless you're married to the rewards program. Great location, Wynn and Venetian across the street for poker and all sorts of restaurants. Fashion show mall if wife want to shop next door. Pool smallish, but in Oct on a weekday should be fine. Batting about 75% on the $20 trick, but if you want to try it DON'T book on Expedia, book on their website. Oct 10-14 $101 a night as of today.

MM MD

TI seemed quite a ways past the Mirage and even Venetian, am I remembering wrong? We'd want to walk the strip every day

Was right next door to Mirage and opposite Venetian iirc.

Yea I guess you're right

Tram connects TI and the mirage, ped bridge outside TI goes directly into Venetian

If the pool is a big deal it may be a deal breaker - the TI pool is pretty small but you can rent a cabana for half what it would cost at the Wynn or Bellagio. The TI restaurants are nothing special, but as noted the V and Wynn are across the street with lots of choices. In terms of walking my wife and I do a bar crawl pretty much every trip from TI-Aria and back hitting Bellagio, Caesers, Mirage and the V.

MM MD

I'm actually seeing pretty legit expedia deals right now.

Sun-Thurs dates like Sep 4-8 or Oct 9-13.

Including flights from Detroit

Bellagio: $700 CAD
Vdara: $594 CAD
Mirage: $615 CAD
Venetian: $764 CAD
Aria: $672 CAD

Ranked in order of value:

Vdara (far and away the leader)
Aria
Mirage
Bellagio
Venetian

Isn't vdara gaming-free and a block away from the strip? Those are kinda deal breakers for me

But might have to look into Aria or Mirage

Vdara is right on the strip; technically it is gaming free, but it's part of the City Center complex which includes Aria, and is right next to Bellagio and Metropolitan as well.

So what makes it a tier above the rest? Rooms? Pools? Food?

He wasn't necessarily saying Vdara is the best property, but that it was the best value at the prices you listed. Since it has the cheapest price, it could be the same quality as the other places and be the best value.

That said, I haven't stayed there, or even been in the building, but it is a newish building and has a very good reputation as a hotel.