It's been ten years since I've been to Vegas. I have tickets for Donny and Marie at the MGM Hotel in July. What hotel would you recommend? I tried to do some research using priceline.com and vegashotelhunt.com last night. I'll be there Thurs-Mon. It seems like I can get a reasonable rate on Thurs. and Sun. but the rate skyrockets on Fri. and Sat. I'm not familiar with the layout of the Strip. Do I need a rental car?

At the 4 corners where MGM is located, you also have NYNY, Tropicana and Excaliber so to got to MGM, you just use the walkway over the highway.

One hotel away from Excaliber is the Luxor and down a bit from NYNY is Monte Carlo

Those are all really easy walks to MGM

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We stayed at the NYNY and loved it. We walked over to the MGM and had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We got a rental car to go to the Hoover Dam and get to the hotel from the airport and back again. There is a beautiful pool at the NYNY, and we won on the slots there ;-) there is a lot to do there, and you can easily walk the strip from there.

ETA: this hotel has a roller coaster in it, too.

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I went a few years ago and stayed at Circus Circus. It is not the best hotel on the strip, but we only paid $40.00 a night. It was very clean and comfortable. We really didn't spend much time in the hotel only because it was our first time there. We got a rental car because we wanted to go see downtown and some places off of the strip. Whatever you decide I am sure you are going to have a great time!! ENJOY!!

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Just a few questions.
What is important to you in a hotel?
Great nightclubs?
High end restaurants?
Wonderful pool area?
Exclusive spa?
Is being on the Strip hugely important to you?
If you have the rental car would you use it to sightsee ?(if you don't plan on leaving the strip, probably don't need)
I think knowing the answers to these questions will get you better opinions.

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Definitely think about the Venetian, Cesars, or Wynn....they are a couple of my faves. MGM is nice too...Venetian is my fave!

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Shauna

We just went in Jan, We stayed at the MGM Signature. What a wonderful place. All rooms have a jacuzzi, kitchen, livingroom and a HUGE shower. In the bathroom is a flat screen TV so you can sit in the tube and watch TV. We also had a balcony over looking the strip on the 33rd floor.

This hotel is behind the MGM Grand and has no casino inside and is gated. You must have a key to enter the hotel and any guests must be on a list that your provide. It has numerous pools and is just gorgeous. Really Really close to everything you just take a moving sidewalk and boom your in the MGM Grand.

We enjoyed it because of the lack of casino. It is also completely non smoking. I like to be able to go to the casino when I want but not have it in my face when I want to just relax.

I only stay at the Wynn when I have to go to Vegas.

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We have stayed at Circus Circus (got married there almost 10 years ago), Excalibur , The Mirage, a sleeze bag motel off the strip, Treasure Island. Have always wanted to stay in the pyramid at the Luxor but have not yet. We liked the rooms in Treasure Island were big and had nice bathrooms. The Mirage was nice also.

Good luck on your hunt.

We got married at Circus Circus 16 years ago! We have been to vegas twice and both times stayed there. It's an oldie!!

I would say it depends on what you want to spend, and if you want to be right on the strip. Off strip hotels like the Orleans are reasonable and they do have free shuttles to the strip. Personally I love staying right on the strip and a decent reasonable hotel is Harrahs. We also like Bally's because their rooms are large and it connects to Paris, which is not that far from MGM.

No offense to anyone but I would never stay at Circus, Circus. It has really deteriorated and is way off strip.

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Since the room is not very important to us we stay at the Imperial Palace. Middle of the strip across from Caesar's. Nothing great, but the rooms are clean and cheap. (This is one of the older hotels, the rooms are much like you would find at Motel 6 or Comfort Inn) We get our room comp'd because we've been going there for 15 years - but the rooms run about $35-$40 weeknights and $70 Friday and Saturday.

I would love to stay at one of the higher-end Hotels like the Bellagio or Venetian, but since I only go to the room the shower and sleep, I'd rather spend my $$$ at the casino and on shows.

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Mary

We went to a wedding in Vegas last Halloween and stayed at the Bellagio. We really loved it, but at $450 per night, we were really happy someone else paid for it!

I agree. My parents just stayed at Circus Circus in April and said they would not recommend it for the reasons you stated.

I have stayed at the MGM, Bally's. Luxor, Mirage,Mandelay Bay, Excaliber, Paris, Harrah's and Planet Hollywood. I have been to Vegas a lot and would recommend that you stay on the strip. As someone else stated the MGM has several hotels nearby. I would check MGM, Luxor, NYNY and go by price. That way you can easily walk to the MGM.
My favorite hotels there are Bally's (large rooms), Paris(beautiful), Mandelay Bay(beautiful, but to far south), and the Mirage.

We love downtown. My favorite is the Golden Nugget but I have stayed at some of the old properties, too. Yes, I have stayed on the strip a dozen times but I prefer downtown. When I want to go to the Strip casinos, then we hop on a bus and off we go. I just can't justify the prices of the strip.

We still go to Ellis Island for a couple of beers and a decent dinner at the "old" prices but we have to be careful not to mow over any of the grannies with their walkers. The food at the cafe in the Nugget is surprisingly good.

We rent a car because we like to go to the red rock canyon to get some walking with rock gazing. We drive to the outer area casinos like Boulder Station- oh was is that one with the stage show suspended from the ceiling?- darn can't think of it.

We have taken the flight over to the Grand Canyon and we have driven to Hoover Dam and Death Valley.

I love all the entertainers downtown. Lon Bronson is one of our favorites but he is no longer at the Nugget. I love walking along the street and seeing all the different acts- like the spray can painters. There is always something going on and you can walk from one casino to another in two minutes and then there are the laser show on the overheard scene every hour...or is it every 30 minutes. Any way it is a lot of fun.

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Lyn Clarke

I haven't been to Vegas a lot....when I have gone, we have stayed at the 4 Queens (I think it is called downtwon area). The rooms are very inexpensive and you'll get to see the light show.

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Is it the Rio you are thinking of with the show on the ceiling?

I think she's talking about the shows on the dome over Freemont Street. :

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I got married at the MGM 4 years ago and we stayed there. It was great. Last summer, we went back and stayed downtown at the Golden Nugget. I loved it. If we go back, we'll stay downtown again. We road the bus (Duece) to the strip one day and got a days pass and went to a show at NYNY one night. Have fun!

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Oh she said this We drive to the outer area casinos like Boulder Station- oh was is that one with the stage show suspended from the ceiling?- darn can't think of it.
So I thought she meant hotels that had the show on the ceiling lol.

OMG we did the Deuce bus to go from the strip down to Freemont Street. It took FOOOOOOOEVVVVVER!!! I swear a 10 minute drive took 90 minutes on the bus. It seems like they stop every 10 feet...LOL

Next time, it's a cab for me!!

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Price is a concern - what do you think of:

Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall
Arizona Charlie's Boulder - Casino Hotel, Suites, & RV Park

I hated Las vegas....too hot, too far to walk around in the stinking heat, carb laden fattening food.(buffets)...JMO
plus I hate gambling
JMO, but I dont think I would accept a free trip to Vegas

Both Sam's Town and Arizona Charlie's are on Boulder Hwy which is no where near the Strip or Downtown. But if you will have a car, Vegas is fairly easy to get around.
Both of the two mentioned are considered "locals" casinos. Not fancy but good value.

If price is a concern, and you want to be near the Strip I would look into Terrible's. It is two looong blocks off the Strip and also considered more of a locals joint. But again not luxe but a nice hotel.

Hope this helps.

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My favorite is Caesars Palace. We stayed at the MGM once and had a bad experience where our room was not cleaned. A lot of people love it but that was not our experience. After complaining we were offered a free stay for our next visit but we did not return during the time frame.

If you plan to stay on the strip the whole time then you will not need a rental car. Traffic is heavy enough that it is faster to just walk or ride the monorail. The Donny and Marie show should be great! What a blast from the past! If you plan to go any other shows then I would recommend the George Wallace late night show at the Flamingo. With a Thursday through Monday stay you should have a great time.