best places to stay in vegas?

was going to take a week off in April and head down to Vegas for my first time to check out the strip, place a few wagers at some sports books and just curious if anyone has any good recommendations where to stay !

Wt are you looking to do?

in 2011 my friends and I went on an extended weekend out there. We stayed at Aria. Place is beautiful. Only like 5 years old and about a year old when we went. So it was all clean and new looking which is always good. The casino games were good they have tables all over and lots of games to chose from. The sportsbook and Racebook is decent. Not great compared to the other big ones. Its kinda small so it gets packed on sundays. Idk if it was just b/c it was the NFL's first sunday or if its usually like that (we went first weekend of september). The racebook on the other hand is actually good. I went on a little roll and won like $1300 and the either hostess or waitress lady came up to me and asked me if i wanted to set up a line with a personalized electronic betting machine or something. I politely declined lol cuz i knew where that would lead me. Still the lady marked two seats and reserved them for me and my friends with my name on it, kinda felt cool like poppa georgio. lol  The rooms were unreal. electronic blinds that open w a remote insane. We ate at a steakhouse called jean george or something was really good, like $100 steaks all al la carte. So bring some cash lol. I was on such a roll i booked a haircut in the spa area, friggin coolest haircut experience, $75 a def over priced one but still pretty neat.

My recommendation is to do as much NON GAMBLING activities as possible. Trust me you can gamble and bet anywhere, but you cant take the desert, mountain views with you home. We booked a dune buggy excursion which was like $300 a person for 2 hours riding these buggies in sand and hills and mountains. They take you across the las vegas speedway track too, you dont realize how big that thing is until you're on it. They even come to your hotel to pick you up and drop you off. Cant beat that. Go to shows, take a walk down the strip, watch the belagio water show, take pictures, and enjoy yourself. Dont wrap yourself up in too much gambling. As I kinda did at first. I won $800 in the first 2 hours i got there paid for my plane ticket, then went around the hotel got drunk. won big at the racetrack and then handed it all back on sunday for the nfl games.

Also, for partying. Def go to the Palms at the rooftop bar/club. Tip the guy controlling the line cuz if you're a guy you'll wait about 2-3 hours to get in. My friend tipped him $100 bucks n he let us skip the entire line. Take the elevator up and your on the rooftop partying. You honestly cant beat it. The view on that top is priceless. The lights, everything ahhh i wanna go back.

I went this year at the end of July-early August. I stayed at Planet Hollywood just because my girlfriend had a free hotel stay there with her pure romance business. I am going again in April as well 25-29. We are staying at the Mirage. I haven't been there, but does look nice online. I do recommend shows, parties, etc. It will be my girlfriends birthday on the 27th so we definitely be getting a cabana. There is tons to do!

There is a Vegas forum with a ton of good info.

Like someone said what do ya want to do, budget, pool, etc. End of April the weather is normally perfect.

Excalibur Hotel

Westgate sportsbook is good. Went 3 weeks ago, part of it still under construction but you can't beat the tvs, wraps the entire room and they can put whatever in whatever size up they wish. I used to go to Mandalay Bay but no improvements over the last 10 years that I can see and tvs getting bad.

It isn't the cheapest but I like the Palazzo.  Rooms are great.  Really cool sportsbook amphitheatre restaurant at Lagassi's stadium.  It's connected to the Venetian so you have all the shows and shops and restaurants of both because it's connected.  The pool is shared between the two also, I should say pools though, there are several and you'll get lost walking around them all.  The owner Sandy Alderson is a real person though with online gambling and poker but he is against socialism and the growth of government so I guess it evens out

Agree with "J" on Excalibur being a dump. It would compare to someone asking where the nicest places to shop are and directing them to Marshall's.

If you want to check out the strip, you could stay on The Strip. There's a site called cheapovegas that................well, you can guess.

i think im going to try the mirage !

^ let us know in an update how it goes. i love updatez

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