Priceline Hotel: Need help and advice for first Vegas trip

[monkey999]

Hi,

This will be my first trip going to Vegas and I would like a few pointers on where I should stay, things to do and places to visit. My dates are May 17-23, and I noticed someone has won the Wynn for this period. I tried today via your PRICELINE link and started at $90 and immediately got a counter offer of increasing it to $166. That is way off from my original offer. My budget is $100/night and I'm hoping to get a 4-5*. I checked some other hotels sites for rates and I find that its really expensive for that week. Is there anything special going on? Do I really need to be on the strip? Is north better than the south end? Do I need a car rental? My main purpose is just to visit around take in some shows. I'm not much of a gambler but I heard the casinos are an attraction itself.

Thanks in advance

[thereuare]

There are two moderate/large conventions taking place during your stay, one is 22K and the other is 50K. Vegas can absorb both fo these and there will still be plenty of rooms available for rent, but this does take a large chunk of rooms off the market and is likely why you're seeing higher than usual rates.

Yes, as a first time visitor you do need to be on the strip (or at least walkable to it) and just about anywhere from Mandalay Bay to The Wynn should be fine (although ideally at the South end (ie- Mandalay Bay) i prefer to not be south of NYNY/MGM Grand). If you don't intend to sightsee you can probably do without a car.

Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option.

HOTWIRE does have a 4* Center Strip hotel for $89/nite which matches the Treasure Island (Casino, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Center, Business Center, Golf, Spa) and that would be our best guess... which seems like a good deal vs. the currently offered $179/nite rate at their own website. Thoughts on this property?

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[monkey999]

Splitting the bids is not an option. We would rather pay more than go through the hassel of checking in and out.

Normally Treasure Island would be fine, but I just got back from the caribbean and I'm all caribbeaned out. I wouldn't mind visiting there but I'd rather not stay for this trip, though the tripadvisor reviews are very good for this property.

I have the impression I'm bidding a bit too early. I still have about 4 months to go. I heard somewhere that the hotels usually do an assessment on occupancy and adjust their rates every 90 days accordingly.

[thereuare]

The theme at the Treasure Island is more pirate oriented than Caribbean, and it's actually fairly dark inside vs. the light blues and pastels that i would tend to think of when i think of the caribbean.

I heard somewhere that the hotels usually do an assessment on occupancy and adjust their rates every 90 days accordingly.

Hotels assess occupancy levels and adjust rates daily is more like it... especially in Vegas where they have sophisticated software programs that are constantly adjusting rates based upon up to minute occcupancy levels.

Keep us updated.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[monkey999]

Just to give an update. I've been bidding 5* up to $100 with no luck, almost daily. I've been getting an one time offer to up my bid to $146, which I've declined.

I've booked a cancellable reservation at MGM Grand $76/night. It seems to be a pretty good deal and the reviews are quite good. I'll still continue to try to book a 5* for under $100, but if things don't work out, it'll be the MGM.

[thereuare]

Please note, as per our support page, that we're an affiliate of the MGM Grand and all of their porperties... please use our links in the support page for your hotel direct purchase.