Hey,

Me and a few Norwegian and Swedish plan on traveling to Vegas to play the WSOP for a few weeks this spring. We are considering our options as to live in a more expensive hotel close to the Rio or in an Airbnb further away which would be cheaper. What is in your experience the most optimal solution considering price, travelling time, comfort and so on?

If it's first time to Vegas, stay on the Strip to see the absurd circus that Vegas is. People that have been knocked out or whatever, can play in the various casinos, that are mostly in walking distance.

My usual answer: If you plan to only go for WSOP and be a poker nerd, stay at the Rio for the convenience. Otherwise, stay on the strip to enjoy the maddness. If you are after comfort and plan to stay longer than a week, renting a villa with friends is the best option, but you have to be ready to commute.

If you're ONLY playing WSOP events or cash games at the RIO then stay there.

If you intend to check out other properties you'd be better served staying somewhere like Harrahs or Ballys on the strip. The RIO is NOT convenient for walking to anywhere really, while staying at Harrahs or Ballys you can walk to multiple properties fairly easily.

I agree with the posts so far but they really didn't answer your question. My thoughts:

Price: airBnB will be cheaper and more room.

Traveling time: not really an issue depending on where you airBnB as the Rio is off the strip enough to make driving to it pretty easy. Really don't recommend staying on the strip and renting a car.

Comfort - vey subjective but I'd lean towards the airBnB option. Some hotels are very comfy, some are not so much. The Rio isn't well known for luxury or comfort but wins on WSOP convenience hands down.

Hope this helps and good luck!

The main issue being in an airbnb is transportation. If they don't rent a car, they have to count on rideshare or taxis. Maybe by October things will be better, but when I was in Vegas in March getting a taxi to come to you other than a hotel was tough. After waiting for an hour and a half and no taxi I walked over to a hotel (off-Strip) that was able to get someone to pick me up.

I think the question is, are Europeans allowed to enter the US in Sept./Oct.?! There is still the US travel ban

3 Greek guys praying for this ban lift m8. :-)

Good Luck ! The whole world is praying for Covid/Delta to go away .

It all depends on how is epidemic doing now till September!

I personally love getting off the strip and into a house with my friends and a pool. It makes Vegas feel a lot more human. You'll probably need a car if you go that route though.

I haven't checked but I heard that airbnbs were a lot more expensive this year.

Much, much, much, much, much more expensive. As are extended stay hotels for that period. As will be everything else, down to and including beer and hot dogs. Bring money. Lots and lots of money.

I live four hours away in Bakersfield and I am happy to say I will be going to Vegas for my first time and during the WSOP - see you there maybe, safe travels!

Stay at the Rio, Ubers are a mess this year in Vegas.

You'll be waiting 20min+ and pay 2x (at least) normal price almost everyday.

I believe the extended federal unemployment benefit is set to expire in early September. In theory, that is why so many ride-share drivers stopped working... cause they could make more by not working. And hopefully, if they go back to working then the insane lack of availability and cost per ride will also be improved. Hard to say whether all that happens within a month before the WSOP, but I think at this point its fair to presume the ride-share scene should return to some level of normalcy in that general timeframe. I doubt prices will come all the way down to pre-covid levels though. They haven't for anything else to my knowledge.

Really depends on your comfort levels.

An AirBnB could be more relaxing after a day of poker but you will have to deal with transportation. This has been an issue recently and if you are not renting a car im not sure if its worth it.

A more expensive hotel near Rio will still require transportation but likely much easier to get an uber/lyft. Iv been to Vegas four times this year and transportation has been a nightmare. The last time I decided to just drive instead of flying as I could not even find a car to rent.

The Rio is old and outdated but if planning on playing mostly at the RIO it can be well worth just staying there. I much rather stay at the RIO as during longer breaks I can just pop up to the room and relax, and maybe take a quick shower to unwind. The comfort of this is well worth putting up with the more outdated room.

+1 You stay at the RIO for convenience not comfort, not Casino ambiance, not fine dining, not the night life.

I'm staying at Gold Coast for 4 days (without a car). I would like to buy groceries for most meals, rather than eat in restaurants. Any suggestions on where I can easily pick up a few things? Or should I just google the nearest grocery store and take a cab or uber?

Not my first WSOP, but my first WSOP trying to eat modestly.

I always used Smith's Food and Drug store on Decatur Blvd which is less than 2 miles. Also used either Uber or a friend who had rental car

+1

Im actually staying at the Bellagio, for a bachelor party, so just wondering if its close enough that we can walk back and forth to the RIO?

It’s little over a mile

There's a Green Valley Grocery (which is really just a convenience store) on the corner of Valley View and Twain (about half a mile away). I've walked there from the Rio in the past.

Probably not the best idea to do this walking late at night. You know Gold Coast doesn't have refrigerators in the rooms?

Should be okay, I'm guessing a mile or two from door to door. Walking back alone late at night is not the best idea, you go through some poorly lit areas. Get one of those retina-burning flashlights and carry it with you. They're fairly cheap.

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I stayed there in June and requested a refrigerator at the time of checking and was delivered in 15 minutes. No charges as I explained them that I need to keep my medication and milk …