Planning a Vegas Trip...Questions

[Jeffage]

Hey Everyone,

I am still a Vegas virgin but I'm proud to announce that my first (of many I'm sure) trip to the Sin City will be in Mid July of this year. I can't wait! My question is this...the deals I have found on Expedia (roundtrip air from DC and 4 nights hotel) are between Mirage at $570 per person and Harrah's at $482. On the map of the strip I looked at Harrah's appeared to be right next door to Mirage. Is this the case? Is it worth staying there or should I pony up more to stay at Mirage. I will be playing between 10-20 and 20-40 Hold Em on this trip most likely with some 8-16 and 6-12 probably thrown in. Let me know what you think. Also, are the waits usually really long at Mirage/Bellagio on weekends? What are weekday games like? Thanks, and looking forward to meeting some of you guys.

Jeff

[Barry]

Hey Jeff -

I have just returned from my trip to Vegas.

I stayed at the Bellagio for $129 weeknights and $199 weekends. I know that the Mirage poker rates are less. Your best bet would be to call the Mirage poker room and ask about the poker rates. At the Bellagio they want you to play 6 hours a day to qualify for the rate.

I was there during WSOP week, so there was a lot of action going on. The games varied from wonderful (very loose, passive) to wild to rock gardens, and that was just the 8/16 at Bellagio. The 10/20 at the Mirage was pretty good the times I played there. I have heard that the 15/30 at the Bellagio was a pretty good game, but the 20/40 at the Mirage was tough.

The rooms get full around 10AM and there's a wait from then on and it's really crowded at night. I waited an hour to get into a game one night. There were usually 2 8/16 games going and maybe 3 15/30's (Bellagio) and 2 10/20 and 1 or 2 20/40 games at the Mirage.

I'll post a full trip report when I get the time in the next few days. Also I'll be back in Vegas from July 18-25.

[sucka]

The Mirage casino rate is $89 a night.

They have some deal going on right now that's $75 a night Sun-Thurs. It's considerably more on the weekends.

I'd suggest Bally's. It's right across the walkway from the Bellagio and maybe a 10 minute walk to the Mirage. It's very centrally located so it's easy to get just about anywhere pretty quickly.

If you plan on playing a bunch at the Mirage I can't express how nice it is to stay where you play. There's nothing better than wrapping up a session during the wee hours of the morning and heading straight to the elevator.

So, if you can swing the few extra bucks - stay at the Mirage - it will be worth it if you plan to play alot there. Even from the Mirage you are looking at about a 10 minute walk down to the Bellagio so that might be a good solution.

In my experience the Mirage waits have been pretty reasonable. On any weeknight you can expect to get a seat fairly quickly - within 15 minutes or so tops. On the weekends the room starts to get packed in the early afternoon and stays that way until 4 or 5 am.

Our last trip down was during the WPT at the Bellagio so the poker room was busting at the seams. I went over there with some friends on a friday afternoon and the wait was 30 deep for the 4/8 game and 16 deep for the 8/16. Ugh. That's not typical - but in my experience you can expect to wait there more frequently than at the Mirage.

BTW. the 6/12 at the Mirage is usually a really good game to play in - lots of loose players with too much pride to sit at the 3/6 tables. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

Anyway, just my .02. I hope you have a great time (I'm sure you will) and look forward to the trip report!

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Vegas in July. Sizzle. Sizzle. Harrah's is across the street from the Mirage and Bellagio. Check out Treasure Island. You might get a reasonable rate, and it's connected to the Mirage by a tram which will minimize the amount of time you are outside in the heat.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Jeff:

harrahs is directly across the street from The Mirage. So it is conviently located for thie poker room. It is also about a ten minute walk to The Bellagio.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Vehn]

by the way the requirements for the poker room rate at the Mirage is 6 hours weekdays 8 hours weekends.

[David]

Vegas? Mid July? Orleans Open! Lotsa action at Orleans. Free shuttle to the strip (Barbary Coast-right across from Bellagio). Room rates? $35 tourney rate! Crazy to stay anywhere else at that time. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

[Jeffage]

Is that ten minute walk to Bellagio in the Vegas heat really bad or doable in July? Should I just resign myself to cabbing it or are there other ways to get there? How much would that cab set me back?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Jeff:

I would do it. Also, Summer nights in Las Vegas are quite pleasant.

best wishes,
Mason

[M2d]

Jeffage,
the key, I've found, to getting from one casino to another in the vegas summer heat is to take advantage of the AC inside. from harrahs, I'd make sure that I spent minimal time on the sidewalk and maximum time going in one casino side door and out the other side. makes the walk longer, but you can't beat that hoover dam powered AC.

[sucka]

bah!

My wife and I were there last July and sure, it's hot. I live in central texas where the humidity really screws things up. I'd much rather be walking around in Vegas in July than in Austin or Houston where it's 99 degrees with 84% humidity.

You'll break a little sweat but it's not that bad. Like Mason said - the evenings are wonderful and more than make up for the high heat during the day.

[sucka]

cab fares are reasonably cheap - but not as cheap as hoofing it. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

It's going to cost you ~$2 just to sit in the cab and then it goes from there. I recall on our last trip taking a cab to and from the Mirage to the MGM and it ran me about $6 plus a tip. So, it's not too bad.

Since it's your first time there - you'll be doing a little more walking around than you think as you'll be curious to check things out. If you are hanging out at the Mirage there's no doubt you'll end up moseying over to the Venetian - a trip well worth it. If you are a Margarita fan there's this little mexican place inside on the canal that serves up one of the best margarita's I've ever had - it's vanilla bean flavored and is amazing! Ah, go ahead and order the pitcher!! /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

[balt999]

The nights are very pleasent in Vegas...although it hit 114 today....just be prepared.

[Jeffage]

Thank you everyone for your comments! I'll post more details on my trip when it gets closer, but it's looking like it will be in the July 17th-21st range. Appreciate all the advice, and I'll see some of you there I'm sure.

Thanks,
Jeff