vegas this year?

akkenny

just wondering who is goin to vegas this year, when your goin? best airlines for cheap flights? im goin to be booking soon so anyone who knows what airline is cheapest and what accomadation you think is best for value. just a run down on vegas for who ever is goin?

Havana Hope

I am going July 1st to 15th. I have booked Mirage using a 35% off promo code 35VOLCANO on the reservations page. Averaging $90 a night with taxes which is excellent for a 4 star property centre strip. I am flying Virgin Atlantic thru Gatwick, a bit more expensive but at least you arrive at a decent hour 1.30pm and departure is 4pm. I checked Aer Lingus who are partners with Jet Blue and that is about Euro900 buy arrival is late and departure is very early.

Hank Scorpio

There was a massive thread on exactly this topic not so long ago, try searching or scrolling back a few pages

LTL

Havana Hope wrote: »

I am going July 1st to 15th. I have booked Mirage using a 35% off promo code 35VOLCANO on the reservations page. Averaging $90 a night with taxes which is excellent for a 4 star property centre strip. I am flying Virgin Atlantic thru Gatwick, a bit more expensive but at least you arrive at a decent hour 1.30pm and departure is 4pm. I checked Aer Lingus who are partners with Jet Blue and that is about Euro900 buy arrival is late and departure is very early.

Those prices for flights sound crazy. If your at all flexable with dates then search on gohop.ie and you'll find flights for as little as 400euro return stopping for an hour in new york. I just went a month ago and booked through gohop and got flights for 470euro and a group of my friends are going in 2 weeks for euro480 through aerlingus.

I stayed in the MGM for 4 days and Mirage for 3 days and found the MGM to be a much better hotel and casino with similar prices to the Mirage at about $100 a night. Both rooms i stayed in were very nice though,just thought the MGM offered more.

If your interested in playing some poker the MGM poker room was nice and always busy while the Mirage card room was a bit slow and didn't have many tables going but in saying this i was there in the absolute off peak time of year but still would prefer the MGM poker room (lions beside it aswell).

malinh

We booked flights on ebooker with Us airways for 356 euro all in. They seem to be available for different dates aswell. Try Vegas.com for some good deals on hotels

Icarus152

Ditto Ebookers.The GF and me got 5 nights in Mandalay Bay around Paddy's Day for €793.Flights are via Gatwick then direct to Vegas with Virgin.The direct flight makes a big difference to transit time,IMO.

5starpool

ebookers not great for end of June-ish to mid July which is when most going from here would be going I'd imagine.

malinh

Our flights are direct from Dublin with one stop over in Philly. We actually searched through cheapflights.ie which was a little cheaper than going with ebookers direct.

Ace Reporter

If you are going for the WSOP and want to be close to the action, you can get a good deal right now at the Gold Coast Casino, right across the street from the Rio. Check out Hotels.com or Expedia.com. Twin room is working out at around £27(sterling) inc taxes, per night, average. Would be good to get a crowd of Irish hanging around Gold Coast bar at night!

akkenny

i was just checking a few different airlines there for dates in june and couldnt get anythin cheaper than 650 euro but delta have one for 530 including taxes and charges with one stop over in atlanta, seemed pretty good considering what i paid last year. us airways and aer lingus i found to be very expensive and last year i went with virgin and didnt like the 10 hour waith in gatwick the night before was to much of a risk to get the 7.00 flight i think it was to get the 8 to half 8 flight to vegas. as for accomadation i stayed in the flamingo last year and was less then 100 dollars a night and is right in the heart of the strip.

Icarus152

akkenny wrote: »

last year i went with virgin and didnt like the 10 hour waith in gatwick the night before was to much of a risk to get the 7.00 flight i think it was to get the 8 to half 8 flight to vegas.

We got caught on this before,worried about missing the connection we booked a room near Gatwick and stayed the night before.Total waste of time,agreed. This time we booked Dublin-Gatwick-Vegas with the one agent (Ebookers) so if there's a problem the onus is on them/the airline to sort us out.*


*in theory anyway.

5starpool

Virgin are still around the 500 stg mark for End June to mid July, but as mentioned above, there is the flight transfer issue.

Hotels though should be much cheaper this year than last year. I remember seeing a few weeks ago that the Flamingo could be booked from June 27th - July 11th (sam sample dates as I was checking flights for) for something like $60 a night or so, much cheaper than last year, and all hotels have similar reductions in their rates, so even somewhere like the RIO itself is 30% cheaper than previous years.

5starpool

Just checking gohop there and continental Dub-Newark-Las 27/6 - 11/7 is only €537.77

Now that is a good price. You could conceiveably get 2 weeks centre strip hotel and those flights for around €1k

Edit: Flamingo available for those dates (14 nights) for $793 or ~€620 at current exchange rates.
More Edit: Ballys available for $52 a night avg, and the Rio for $91 :eek: Some great deals compared to previous years. Pity (from that point of view) that the dollar costs 20% more than it did last summer.

akkenny

delta have a sweet deal i think 537 everythin included, dublin-atlanta-vegas with a 3 hour layover which seems perfect and then looking at gold coast which people have been saying its very under rated and most of the irish crowd will probably be there as the same as last year, 2 stayin in one room works out at 60 euro a night through hotels.com and as a lot of you know is directly beside the rio. think ill be booking that very soon

Adrock-aka

Booked a trip for April 19th-26th. Found out the WPT Championship $25,000 + 500 buy in on the 18th-25th! Hopefully I can hang around the rail and stare at the backs of some of my favourite poker personalities. :pac:

Ive no clue, is there any way of getting close to spectating at these type of events!? I plan to be playing a lot anyway so its all good.

Aer lingus has a good deal at the moment i think for a return flight. Im going from Texas so im not 100%

Ace Reporter

akkenny wrote: »

delta have a sweet deal i think 537 everythin included, dublin-atlanta-vegas with a 3 hour layover which seems perfect and then looking at gold coast which people have been saying its very under rated and most of the irish crowd will probably be there as the same as last year, 2 stayin in one room works out at 60 euro a night through hotels.com and as a lot of you know is directly beside the rio. think ill be booking that very soon

standard room still being quoted at just over€30 per night average on hotels.com

5starpool

Ya, €32 (€35.70 incl tax/chg) per night avg for the Gold Coast on hotels.com now, so be sure to look around before you book Al. I'd still prefer to stay in Ballys for ~€46.70 incl tax/chg due to the centre strip location, and prety much the same price for the Flamingo.

ditpoker

i stayed nearer to downtown last year, in the stratosphere and got a room for 2 for $30 a night. and played most of my poker downtown in the golden nugget or binions. ok, it doesnt have the glitz and glamour of the strip, but poker was softer and more in budget, i felt.

Adrock-aka

Which did you prefer golden nugget or binions? I'm looking to play some of the softest 1-2 sessions over there I can find. Anyone have any favourites!? Im staying midstrip so is the mirage/mgm any good?

barrera

Adrock-aka wrote: »

Booked a trip for April 19th-26th. Found out the WPT Championship $25,000 + 500 buy in on the 18th-25th! Hopefully I can hang around the rail and stare at the backs of some of my favourite poker personalities. :pac:

Ive no clue, is there any way of getting close to spectating at these type of events!? I plan to be playing a lot anyway so its all good.

Aer lingus has a good deal at the moment i think for a return flight. Im going from Texas so im not 100%

Like you, by coincidence I found myself there last year for this event which was in the Bellagio. Call up early in the week and book your tickets to view feature / final table later in the week. You can wander in and around the tables in the early days, but there didn't appear to be any loitering beside tables going on, and I imagine it is not encouraged.

niborm

Adrock-aka wrote: »

Which did you prefer golden nugget or binions? I'm looking to play some of the softest 1-2 sessions over there I can find. Anyone have any favourites!? Im staying midstrip so is the mirage/mgm any good?

Pretty much all 1/2 games are super soft. You'll rarely have more than one or two players at your table who are any good, and if you do, just leave as there is waaaaay too much choice. Game selection is more to do with how nice the room is, how frequently you like your beer, and the food options. MGM is good in this regard as the buffet is tasty enough.

Adrock-aka

Cheers barrera i'll look into that, the final table would be cool to watch. I see what you mean niborm cheers for that.

Just so happens I like my beer QUITE frequently! I'll make sure im up a good bit before indulging tho!

pocketdooz

I'm going Al, but not sure yet when. I'd love to go for 2 weeks but will have to see with work if that's possible. Otherwise it'll be 10 days. I'm trying to round up people to go with but most can't cos of money/work/gf/lack of love of poker etc. Not bothered about being there during the ME but if I can I'll be doing that.

Will keep checking back this thread for good deals.

Ace Reporter

Just a thought. Anyone travelling to USA from now on must complete an entry form online before they depart. Link below
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html

That is anyone travelling on a temporary visitors visa waiver.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

ah Vegas i will not be indulging in you this year

POKERKING

goin june 27 back the 14th july somethin like that, giot the flights for 300e on united airlines a few weeks back, looking at staying in ballys or the luxor as they seem the best value, muct check out gold coast se what its like seems a decent price buut whats location like bearing in mind im not specifically goin for wsop?

POKERKING

Harrah's on the strip looks good, cheaper than gold coast works out at 47$ a night on average, similar enough price to ballys, would anyone recoomend either?

Ace Reporter

POKERKING wrote: »

Harrah's on the strip looks good, cheaper than gold coast works out at 47$ a night on average, similar enough price to ballys, would anyone recoomend either?

Never stayed or played there myself but the location is pretty good. Right across the road from the Mirage and Ceasers Palace, within walking distance (if you can stand the heat) to Bellagio or Venetian. Plenty of poker action in all of these spots. Also, there is a regular free shuttle bus from Harrahs to the Rio and back, if you want to check out the WSOP action.

reilly110

stayed in ballys last year for over a month -rooms are bigger and better quality than gold coast and harrahs is a dive

very good central location on strip-

valor

5starpool wrote: »

Ya, €32 (€35.70 incl tax/chg) per night avg for the Gold Coast on hotels.com now, so be sure to look around before you book Al. I'd still prefer to stay in Ballys for ~€46.70 incl tax/chg due to the centre strip location, and prety much the same price for the Flamingo.

if I try to book any extended stay it wont let me, is that just me or any body know why?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

valor wrote: »

if I try to book any extended stay it wont let me, is that just me or any body know why?

It was the same last year you will need to extend and pay for it when over there, i think rag2gar had the same issue

Ace Reporter

valor wrote: »

if I try to book any extended stay it wont let me, is that just me or any body know why?

Vegas hotels not geared up for extended stays. Try booking in chunks or on different sites. Hotels.com and Expedia.com have same deals for GC.

fiddlesticks

ditpoker wrote: »

i stayed nearer to downtown last year, in the stratosphere and got a room for 2 for $30 a night. and played most of my poker downtown in the golden nugget or binions. ok, it doesnt have the glitz and glamour of the strip, but poker was softer and more in budget, i felt.

Nit...

5starpool

Vegas hotels don't let you stay more than 30 in a row nights afaik. If you are booking 6 weeks say, then book one night somewhere else in the middle and the rest in 2 bookings maybe?

bigslick

Pretty sure will be jetting off this year for week holiday. Which would people recommend the continental flight from Dublin to Newark and then onto Vegas, or the Virgin flight to London and then onto Vegas?

Virgin is bit expensive but i hear its worth the extra.

nicnicnic

apart from ebookers what other reputable sites should i be looking at for flight hotel deals

bohsman

bigslick wrote: »

Pretty sure will be jetting off this year for week holiday. Which would people recommend the continental flight from Dublin to Newark and then onto Vegas, or the Virgin flight to London and then onto Vegas?

Virgin is bit expensive but i hear its worth the extra.

Problem with the Virgin flight is getting to London the night before to check in on time, other than that its well worth it. Im probably gonna go with Aer Lingus, Dublin to San Fran then a seperate cheap flight onto Vegas. Have only heard bad things about Continental.

Jesus Wept

Clint Powers wrote:

apart from ebookers what other reputable sites should i be looking at for flight hotel deals

www.gohop.ie are worth a look too

5starpool wrote: »

Vegas hotels don't let you stay more than 30 in a row nights afaik. If you are booking 6 weeks say, then book one night somewhere else in the middle and the rest in 2 bookings maybe?

I think they just don't let you book more than 30 days in one booking?
Though if you called them up I imagine they would.

Is there more to this? Some reason they don't/can't actually let you more than 30 nights?

bohsman

nicnicnic wrote: »

apart from ebookers what other reputable sites should i be looking at for flight hotel deals

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055070441 Should find something in one of those. I think Id rather be booking flights and hotel seperately tho.

dK1NG

bohsman wrote: »

Have only heard bad things about Continental.

I had a very bad experience with them last Summer.

Left Shannon on time, 45 mins later we had to turn back due to technical fault. Stuck on runway for approx 90 mins, then we had to get off and wait in the terminal (with no facilities whatsoever apart from a toilet) while the technicians made some final adjustments. The steward told me straight out as I was disembarking that the plane would not be going anywhere, yet we were still made to wait another 8 hrs before this was officially confirmed. At least he was honest about it, that left an awful bad taste in my mouth.

Anyhow, we ended up staying the night in Ennis rather than go back home to Limerick. Great night, which will live long in memory.

The next thing though we were scheduled to be collected from the hotel at 4.30am, arrived down at reception then only to be told no thats wrong, bus would not be arriving til 9ish. Got to Shannon later, and yet more delays with the plane. We eventually took off around 5.00.

They did sort out our internal flights etc, but that didnt make up for losing so much of our hol. Week in Vegas tehn onto Cancun for anothe rweek.

Leaving Cancun, we checked in for the full journey back to SNN- well, my three mates did. They couldnt check me in fully for some reason, I was told I'd have to check in when I arrived in NY. Got to NY and turns out the onward flight was overbooked! I was fuming at this stage. Further, despite being told that the bags were to be auto transferred to teh SNN flight, my mates (by sheer chance) found out that their bags had in fact been taken off at NY and were waiting to be collected. Oh, and the bags had been destroyed during the flight too - destroyed in some 'fish' smell type thing (cant describe it any other way).

Eventually, I got a seat on board the flight home. Thats the end of it, no more bad experiences - you would think. One final nail for me - the air hostess somehow managed to spill a drink all over me when serving hte person next to me (even though I was in the window seat, far away from her!).


Overall, you could say it wasnt the most pleasant of experiences flying with Continental. (Or, as they were called when I worked in Shannon, C.u.n.t.inental!)

hotspur

Slightly tangential but I thought this was an interesting article on the economics of Vegas hotel occupancy figures and rates:
http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?ContentId=177506&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Featured_Story&utm_campaign=3-23-09

5starpool

The-Rigger wrote: »

www.gohop.ie are worth a look too



I think they just don't let you book more than 30 days in one booking?
Though if you called them up I imagine they would.

Is there more to this? Some reason they don't/can't actually let you more than 30 nights?

I think there is something to do with residency? If you stay more than 30 nights in one hotel you are classed as a resident rather than a visitor. I must try and find out more, but that is in my head for some reason.

Edit: Couldn't find anything in 5 mins so I gave up.

bohsman

AFAIK it has to do with squatters rights aswell. I had to move hotel, even when I got there they wouldnt let me stay the extra couple of nights.

ditpoker

binions 3rd annual poker classic is up...

http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_classic.html

the ventian deepstack 2009...

http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Gaming/PokerRoom/Deep_Stack/DeepStackIII_09.pdf

bohsman

Not even going to look at the schedule after seeing the "optional" $10 bonus chip option.

thechamp87

ditpoker wrote: »

binions 3rd annual poker classic is up...

http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_classic.html

the ventian deepstack 2009...

http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Gaming/PokerRoom/Deep_Stack/DeepStackIII_09.pdf

how long is the clock in these venetian tourns does anyone know?

5starpool

thechamp87 wrote: »

how long is the clock in these venetian tourns does anyone know?

The 330 and 550 games were 40 mins last year, the 1k ones 60 mins. They skip a couple of levels though so it gets very crapshooty coming towards bubble time in the 330 one I nearly cashed in. Standard is pretty horrific though, so not much different to home really.

bigslick

I'll be over from 29th May to June 5th. Hoping to play few of Venetian games and few Binions classic's.

Anyone know if satellites are done for every WSOP event? Or is it only the bigger ones? As dont have the cash to be playing the $1000 event but wud take shot at $100-300 satellite for it or others.

5starpool

I think the have regular sng sats that can be used as credits for any event, but I didn't play any of those. FAirly sure they will be running the whole series though. Anyone better placed to answer this definitively?

bohsman

Yea, they have sngs for tournament chips, cheapest one is 125 in with 2 $500 tourney chips and $100 cash for the winner, plenty of deals being done.

bigslick

bohsman wrote: »

Yea, they have sngs for tournament chips, cheapest one is 125 in with 2 $500 tourney chips and $100 cash for the winner, plenty of deals being done.

Soft or full of SnG experts?