Priceline Hotel: I need help/advice on Christmas time reservations

[HarryK]

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now, so forgive me if this post seems incoherent or like I'm asking for too much :)

My wife and I are planning on spending Chistmas out in Vegas with family and I need some guidance here. I've been to Vegas a number of times, but 75% were youthful trips where we'd stay at the cheapest place we could find and 25% have been paid for by people other than myself. So I'm looking for something that won't break the bank, but also nice enough for my wife and me, and close to where the rest of my relatives will be staying

I think they're going to stay in the Ballys/Paris/Ceasers intersection area. It's not imperative that we all stay at the same hotel, but I don't want to be really far away. If we're on the East side of the street, then the monorail is a help. If we stay on the West side of the street, I'm a little less likely to stay 'far' away. So I'm looking for something no further south than the MGM and no further north than the Venetian.

After reading all the posts here about the Venetian for $99/night, I started to get excited, but my guess is that over Christmas, I'm not going to find that kind of a deal.

So, where should I stay? I've never stayed there but I can get those 4-nights at The Boardwalk for a total of $240, which sounds like a steal. Unfortunately, the online reviews I've read make it sound potentially "seedy".

What about Bally's, or Caesars or the Flamingo or the Alladin? Are there deals on these places? How do they rate on a quality scale? I can spend $100/night without much hesitation and can spend more if necessary, but I'd love to spend $100 or less depending on the quality of the hotel. Heck, through Hotwire vacations I can get roundtrip flight + 4-nights at the Aladdin for $550, that doesn't sound to bad but I don't know anything about the Aladdin.

So I guess I'm trying to say that I'm looking for a good "value". Good 'bang for my buck'. The casino in any specific hotel is irrelevant to me since I figure we'll be bouncing around, but I'd like a nice room in that central area. Or, you know, a great room at the Venetian :)

Any advice for me?

Thanks

[dahammer]

definately use the links above shown below Our Exclusive (Free) Tools: that include Las Vegas Checker and EasyClickTravel Travel Search to start off with. You can easily identify the properties that are available for your dates of travel. I played blackjack at the Boardwalk, but if the rooms are anything like the casino or common areas in the hotel, I would not stay here for such a special occasion :) . If you are starting your trip from the East Coast, be aware that many of the "teaser" packages have "red eye" return flights that could have you changing planes in Chicago at 3:00 am... :)

[thereuare]

This is historically a very slow time in Vegas (picks up the day you leave) and i suspect you will ultimately get a very good deal, but it is still early. I would book something that is completely refundable and monitor rates as your check-in date gets closer.

As far as a back-up, the Boardwalk that you found is certainly cheap enough (please use our link), or a step up you could get the Mirage for $129/nite or the Monte Carlo for $118/nite.

I suspect that you'll eventually end up cancelling your back-up as rates should soften for these dates as they approach.

[HarryK]

This is historically a very slow time in Vegas (picks up the day you leave) and i suspect you will ultimately get a very good deal, but it is still early. I would book something that is completely refundable and monitor rates as your check-in date gets closer.

That's the kind of info I needed to know.

After reading about Thanksgiving being a busy time in Vegas, I thought Christmas might be the same.

I played blackjack at the Boardwalk, but if the rooms are anything like the casino or common areas in the hotel, I would not stay here for such a special occasion

Yeah, that's what I figured. I read through all the reviews for the Boardwalk on tripadvisor.com and wasn't sure it's a place I really wanted to stay.

So, how would you guys rank Bally's, Caesars The Flamingo & the Alladdin? All are nicer than the Boardwalk, I assume. Are any of those 4 markedly nicer or worse than the others?

Thanks

[thereuare]

I'm not a fan of Caeser's (the walk is too long to get out of the hotel, even with the moving sidewalk it takes too long) and they're usually not priced competitively.

Of the remaining three i would stay in any of them, but i think the quality order is: Aladdin, Bally's, Flamingo. For me it all comes down to the price of each of them. for example, Aladding may be worth $20 more than Bally's, but Bally's may not be worth $20 more than the Flamingo.

I already did check the Flamingo and Bally's for your dates and if i recall correctly they weren't that good, which is why i suggested the MIRAGE, as they were priced about the same i think it's a better quality property.

[HarryK]

It's a 3.5* for $87/night on Dec 23rd-Dec 27th

Amenities include: Casino, Restaurant(s), Pool(s), Fitness Center, Spa Services, High-Speed Internet Access, Tennis Nearby, Business Center

This sounds like Ballys to me, based on the "Hotwire Vacations" description, but I'm not sure they consider Ballys to be "North Strip". Any idea of what this hotel might be?

Also, another (the same?) 3.5* shows up with a 1-day price of $85 on just Dec 23rd but is also listed as a "Best Value". It has all the exact same amenities as the $87/night one above... but when it's $87/night it's not listed as "Best Value". Does that designation change hotels depending on what other hotels are available at the same time?

Thanks

[thereuare]

As per our HOTWIRE HOTEL LIST (second post in the thread) this is a match for Bally's, which is indeed in Hotwire's "North Strip" zone, so that would be our best guess.

The Best Value designation is a formula of price vs. star rating, relative to the other properties offered for those particular dates. So yes, the Best Value designation is 'search specific' and not necessarily associated with the hotel itself.

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[HarryK]

As per our HOTWIRE HOTEL LIST (second post in the thread) this is a match for Bally's, which is indeed in Hotwire's "North Strip" zone, so that would be our best guess.

Thanks, that's what I figured but I didn't want to 'bite' on something only to find out that I was miserably mistaken :)

Thanks

[thereuare]

If you take it please confirm that it went as anticipated.

[HarryK]

I'm back and poking around again for a deal.

So, riddle me this: Do Hotwire and Priceline prices go up as the Hotel's website prices go up?

Yesterday

- Hotwire Venetian $150/night

- Priceline Venetian, rejected my offers but offered me $160/night

- Venetian website - $179/night

Today

- Hotwire Venetian $183/night

- Priceline Venetian, rejected my offers but offered me $207/night

- Venetian website - $199/night

In the last 24 hours Hotwire's prices went up $33/night, Priceline's offer went up $47/night and Venetian's website prices went up $20/night

Are these all linked and/or do the hotels change their Priceline acceptable rates on a daily basis? And, if so, should I then just wait until the Venetian website drops it's rates before even bothering with Priceline?

P.S.: And why does the EasyclickTravel Link never let me check rates more than once? I check rates, I then change the dates and try to check again and it gives me "Information of this hotel is currently unavailable". I've noticed this before and I always get frustrated and give up on EasyClickTravel. Is this how it works or am I just always lucky the first time and then unlucky on my 2nd (and 3rd and 4th) tries?

Thanks

[thereuare]

Rates, for both opaque and traditional bookings, are driven by supply and demand, so there is a correlation... although not necessarily a 1 to 1 relationship.

Regarding EasyClickTravel... are you using similar dates when you check multiple times? That message is usually given when they have no rates loaded... usually due to a date being too far in the future or do to a backout date included in your search dates.

[HarryK]

I ended up staying at Ballys and getting the rooms directly through their site. $475 for 4 nights

No Hotwire or Priceline bargains for me on that trip.

I did try multiple priceline bids in an effort to get the Venetian.

I bid all the way up to $140/night and was denied. At that point, I gave up and, honestly, I'm glad I did.

One afternoon we headed up the road from Bally's to the Venetian and I was happy we were staying at Ballys. I didn't see the rooms at the Venetian, but I liked being more 'centrally' located at the Ballys/Paris/Flamingo/Barbary Coast/Caesars/Bellagio intersection and I just wasn't that impressed with the Venetian. Looked like a re-done Paris to me. Plus (like everything in Vegas, I guess) it takes you forever just to get INTO the freakin' building.