Hotwire Hotel: Strip South 3*+, semi-flexible dates

[Donkey Pong]

This site looks like exactly what I need! I really hope you guys can help me.

I fly a couple times a decade, and have never personally paid for a hotel room. Work, or my parents paying when I was a kid, covered all my hotel stays. So, I'm a babe in the woods here. Hence my post.

A good friend of mine is having a really fancy party at MGM Grand on the night of 6/29. I need to be there by the 29th, but if it's not too costly, getting there on the 28th would be cool too. Weekday rates tend to be drastically cheaper from what I've seen. I plan on being plenty hung over on the 30th, so no morning flights would work. Early on 7/1 is fine. I will be going back and forth between CMH (Columbus, OH) and LAS (McCarran). It doesn't have to be non-stop, but Southwest has a hub here and they tend to have non-stops for cheap. I am willing to stay anywhere within walking (or stumbling) distance from the MGM Grand. I've seen a few decent deals for Luxor, and I doubt I would have issue staying there even though it's gotten some flat reviews.

If I can get away with under $600 for flight and hotel, I'd consider it a win. I did register for M-Life, the club card for MGM brand properties which includes MGM Grand (natch), Luxor, Aria, Bellagio, Monte Carlo, NY NY, Excalibur and Mandalay, with a few others too. There are discounts offered, but I'm not sure how to tie that in with airfare effectively.

Recap:

Walking distance of MGM Grand

$800 for the package is prohibitive, sub $600 is preferable

Hotel will be used for sleeping only, needn't be super fancy

M-Life discounts might help?

Thanks in advance for your help and guidance. :)