AboutSimon Weatherley Expertise I can answer any questions on any Vegas casino and their amenities, I can tell you how to get the best rates and the best rooms and advise on which hotel is best for you.
I can advise on all aspects of gaming,and comping. I am an expert in buffet dining (and it shows ;-), on trips from Vegas as well as shows and other entertainments in the City.
I can also advise on travel from the UK when to go, what to do and what not to do and can suggest other places to visit alongside a Vegas holiday.
Experience I have been to Vegas on over a dozen occasions and have stayed in many hotels on and off strip, this includes an almost totally comped 5 night stay at NYNY without gambling more than $25 per hand !
I have almost every book ever published on Las Vegas and continually read everything I can both on and off line on it.
Education/Credentials I have 6 'O' levels, a HNC, I am ITIL acredited and am a qualified martial arts instructor
Expert: Simon Weatherley Date: 6/24/2008 Subject: Planning a Vegas Trip with friends
Question Hi Simon, I've visited Vegas twice in the past, staying in the Luxor with parents when I was around 13 and 15 respectively.
I now plan to go back with a group of my friends in August of next year, staying for around 5 - 7 days. I've read many of your answers about clubs / where to stay etc. which I've found really useful, but I'm currently on with trying to devise a budget. A sort of all costs included guide for my friends, detailing average meal costs (Starters and Mains), Costs of nights out, Day trips to the Grand Canyon and Gambling etc.
I was wondering if you'd be able to provide any cost info. on the above, obviosuly not concrete figures, but a rough guide which I can provide to my friends and hopefully not deter them too much with how much the trip will cost, baring in mind that some of them are full time students.
To help you out, heres a few pointers on the kind of things we'll be looking for;
Meals: BREAKFAST; probably just the average buffet in any of the hotels. LUNCH; Typical american dining experiences such as Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe, (starters, mains and soft drinks) and then EVENING DINNERS, (most of the time simliar to lunch but with a few beers and maybe the odd slightly swankier venue)
For NIGHTS OUT: we'd mainly drink beer (8-10 pints) and the odd mixer, add onto that our club entry fee and tansport costs if required - we'd prefer nightclubs as oppose to the bar/lounges.
ACTIVITIES: Such as the rides on the stratosphere, NYNY, Circus Circus Dome, and any others you may feel are suitable for a group of twenty somethings.....
Gambling: Roulette / Blackjack minimum plays
Any information would be of great help, many thanks!!
Answer Hi Will,
Well last there when you were 15 wow you are going to have a very different holiday this time ;-)
Firstly any figures are likely to change so I will give you roughly what I paid at Xmas when with my wife. (I was last there in Feb but one of my friends won $11.5k on the first night so he paid for everything and I don’t know the cost. I will also put a few pointers on how to save money and you can ignore this if you wish.
Food
I can eat boy can I eat but when in Vegas I only really eat twice a day topping up with coffee and booze through the day and the occasional sandwich. We have a mighty breakfast this will either be in a buffet, the cheap buffets are generally nicer at breakfast than at other meals, I mean I am happy to have breakfast at the Excalibur buffet but a gun at my head would not have me eating dinner there (Excalibur B $10.99, L $12.99 D $15.99). The other option is the 24/7 casino coffee shops look at $10 -$15 per head the advantage of the buffet is that you can drink unlimited amounts of juice to wash the booze from the night before away. Sometimes we will make do with a coffee for breakfast or a Smoothie and just have lunch in a Casino coffee shop again $10-$15 each including soda. Dinner if you have had an early breakfast get in before the cut off time for lunch site there and chat for a bit there is no time limit and you will get the better food that is to be served for dinner, you can pay what you want a buffet from say $6.99 for dinner at Sahara (if you have a players card) up to over $30 at Wynn or Bellagio and everything in between. On top of eating at these places there is everything from Subway and McDonalds to $200+ per head at places like Eiffel and again everything in between.
I can’t really give you accurate figures for the costs if you look at www.vegasuncovered.com it gives the cost of all buffets in the casino review section.
Clubbing
Clubbing in Vegas is expensive cover (entrance) is from $20 and being guys you will stand in a queue for ages watching couples and mixed groups going in before you. Inside you will pay $8 upwards for a beer !! you can order table service this gives you a table in the club and you can usually avoid the queue but sadly not the cover charge you will pay anything from $200 upwards for a bottle of spirits and this will include unlimited mixers you need a bottle for every 3 people. To be honest the best way is to use something like my friend Darins www.nitetours.com takes the grief away saves you money and gives you free beers in between clubs. The cheaper way to drink is play casino games and get your free drinks from the cocktail waitress when she comes round. Cabs in Vegas are cheap I don’t think that I have ever paid any more than about $20 usually less I only travel by cab, rental car or monorail in Vegas never ever bus.
I think that we paid about $22 for the Stratsophere including one ride each you must do this, I think it was about $14 for the NYNY rollercoaster and it’s about $26 for a day pass at the adventuredome. Night helicopter flight about $59, shooting from $30 at the Gun store $15 in a cab from MGM I fired a machine gun last time ;-) A trip the grand canyon is a must you get a flight from about $100 but you may not land but its still worth it, we drove last time hired a people carrier 7 of us worked out $12 for gas, car hire and admission to the park.
Gambling
Learn Basic strategy blackjack you can get $5 tables on the Strip they were few and far between though I played $5 last couple of trips at TI, Excalibur, Luxor and Tropicana word is there is more coming back as less people are going to Vegas at the minute. I don’t play roulette as I don’t like the odds I can’t accurately advise you on the limits I am afraid. Learn to play craps (dice) before you go it’s a great game best odds and most fun.
When it comes to booking do not book a package it’s an expensive way to do things but I can’t advise you of the cost. My flights for Xmas were £910 for both of us Premium economy I booked about 6 weeks ago the flights have gone up £125 since I booked them!! If you contact me nearer the time I will certainly point you in the right direction to save money of the flights and hotel simon@vegasuncovered.com
My wife and I budget $200 each a day this gives us a little play good food, all drinks and the odd show.
There are a few of links here that may be of interest
