diff --git a/vegas_stay_options.md b/vegas_stay_options.md index 0c7b509..cfb42d5 100644 --- a/vegas_stay_options.md +++ b/vegas_stay_options.md @@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ **Guests:** 4 adults (2 couples) → 2 hotel rooms, or one 2-bedroom suite **Car available** — the group drives in from LA on Sep 30. KT & VT fly from LAS on Oct 3, while MS starts the drive back to San Francisco and returns the car at SFO on Oct 4. **Position on the Strip still matters, but hotel parking must now be included in every comparison.** -> ⚠️ **Resort fees.** Nearly every Strip casino resort adds a mandatory daily resort fee (typically ~$45–55 per room per night) charged **at the property**, on top of the rates below. For 2 rooms × 3 nights that is roughly **$270–330 extra** — enough to reverse the ranking. Confirm the exact fee on each property page before comparing. Listings marked **NO RESORT FEE** below are the ones that avoid it. +> **Prices below are all-in** — Booking.com totals including taxes and resort fees, for the whole group (2 rooms or 1 unit), Sep 30 – Oct 3. Booking quotes in CAD; USD converted at ~0.72. > -> ⚠️ **Parking.** Confirm the nightly parking charge and in/out privileges for every option. The rental remains with the group throughout the Vegas stay. +> ⚠️ **Parking** still varies: free where marked; MGM/Caesars properties (Excalibur, Luxor, Horseshoe, Flamingo, Signature) charge extra per night with the fee set at the property. --- @@ -24,40 +24,38 @@ ## Option A — two hotel rooms (classic Vegas) -*Price shown per room / 3 nights, then the group total for 2 rooms. Resort fee extra.* +*All-in group total for 2 rooms × 3 nights, taxes and resort fees included.* -| Hotel | Zone | Per room | **× 2 rooms** | Rating | +| Hotel | Zone | **All-in × 2 rooms** | Parking | Rating | |---|---|---|---|---| -| [Circus Circus](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/circus-circus.html) | North | $250 | **$500** | 6.8 (16,474) | -| [The STRAT](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/stratosphere-casino.html) | North (far) | $257 | **$514** | 7.2 (8,794) | -| **[Excalibur](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/excalibur.html)** | South | $310 | **$620** | 7.6 (30,951) | -| [Luxor](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/luxor.html) | South | $444 | **$888** | 7.4 (22,988) | -| **[Horseshoe Las Vegas](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/bally-s-las-vegas-casino.html)** | **Center** | $469 | **$938** | 7.9 (8,180) | -| [SAHARA Las Vegas](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/sahara-lasvegas-hotel-casino.html) | North | $553 | **$1,106** | **8.4** (11,717) | -| [Flamingo](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/flamingo-casino.html) | Center | $607 | **$1,214** | 7.8 (24,171) | -| [Best Western Plus Casino Royale](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/best-western-plus-casino-royalecenter-strip.html) | Center | $696 | **$1,392** | 8.0 (3,579) | +| [Circus Circus](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/circus-circus.html) | North | **$500** (C$694) | Free (1 spot/room) | 6.8 (16,474) | +| [The STRAT](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/stratosphere-casino.html) | North (far) | **$576** (C$800) | On site, fee TBC | 7.2 (8,794) | +| **[Excalibur](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/excalibur.html)** | South | **$637** (C$885) | Paid | 7.6 (30,951) | +| [SAHARA Las Vegas](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/sahara-lasvegas-hotel-casino.html) | North | **$934** (C$1,297) | **Free (self & valet)** | **8.4** (11,717) | +| **[Horseshoe Las Vegas](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/bally-s-las-vegas-casino.html)** | **Center** | **$1,025** (C$1,424) | Paid | 7.9 (8,180) | +| [Luxor](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/luxor.html) | South | **$1,056** (C$1,467) | Paid | 7.4 (22,988) | +| [Flamingo](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/flamingo-casino.html) | Center | **$1,274** (C$1,770) | Paid · 1 room left | 7.8 (24,171) | +| [Best Western Plus Casino Royale](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/best-western-plus-casino-royalecenter-strip.html) | Center | **$1,391** (C$1,932) | **Free** · no resort fee | 8.0 (3,579) | -**Pick of the group — [Horseshoe Las Vegas](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/bally-s-las-vegas-casino.html), $938 for two rooms.** Dead centre of the Strip: the Bellagio fountains are across the road, the High Roller and LINQ are next door, and almost everything in [`vegas_sights.md`](vegas_sights.md) is walkable from the door. Ratings are middling-but-honest (7.9 across 8,180 reviews) and it is far cheaper than the resorts either side of it. +**With fees included the ranking changed.** [Horseshoe](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/bally-s-las-vegas-casino.html) (centre Strip, walkable to nearly everything in [`vegas_sights.md`](vegas_sights.md)) is now **$1,025 + parking** — no longer the bargain it looked. [Excalibur](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/excalibur.html) at **$637** stays the cheapest sensible hotel (South Strip, free tram to the MGM cluster, 30,951 reviews). [SAHARA](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/sahara-lasvegas-hotel-casino.html) at **$934** has the best rating (8.4) and free self + valet parking, but sits north. -**Cheapest sensible — [Excalibur](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/excalibur.html), $620.** South Strip, connected by free tram toward the MGM cluster; 30,951 reviews at 7.6 make it a known quantity. Costs an extra ~15-min walk (or tram) to reach the centre. - -**Skip Circus Circus and The STRAT** despite the price — both sit at the far north end, where every evening ends in a rideshare. +**Skip Circus Circus and The STRAT** despite the price — both sit at the far north end, where every evening ends in a rideshare. Note MGM/Caesars hotels also take a refundable deposit at check-in (e.g. Circus $200/room, STRAT $300/room). --- ## Option B — one suite / apartment for all four -*Whole unit, 2 bedrooms, kitchen. Often no resort fee, which closes most of the price gap.* +*Whole unit, 2 bedrooms, kitchen. All-in totals, taxes and fees included.* -| Property | Layout | 3 nights | Rating | Note | +| Property | Layout | **All-in 3 nights** | Rating | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| -| **[Grand Desert Resort 2BR Villa](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/grand-desert-resort-2br-villa.html)** | 2 bed · 2 bath · 4 beds · 95 m² | **$596** | 9.6 (29) | Best value on this page — but only 29 reviews | -| [Wyndham Desert Rose 2BR Apartment](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/wyndham-desert-rose-resort-2br-apartment-with-resort-access.html) | 2 bed · 2 bath · 79 m² | **$630** | 9.0 (59) | — | -| **[Desert Rose Resort](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/desert-rose-resort.html)** | 1 bed + living room | **$599** | **9.0 (4,724)** | **NO RESORT FEE** · by far the most reviewed | -| [GetAways at the Jockey Club](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/getaways-at-the-jockey-club.html) | 1 bed + living room | $707 | 9.1 (2,859) | **NO RESORT FEE** · centre Strip, next to Cosmopolitan | -| [The Signature at MGM Grand — All Suites](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/the-signature-at-mgm.html) | Suite + balcony | $889 | 8.5 (1,567) | Non-smoking, no casino in the tower | +| **[Desert Rose Resort](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/desert-rose-resort.html)** | 1 bed + living room | **$598** (C$831) | **9.0 (4,724)** | **NO RESORT FEE** · free parking · by far the most reviewed | +| [Wyndham Desert Rose 2BR Apartment](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/wyndham-desert-rose-resort-2br-apartment-with-resort-access.html) | 2 bed · 2 bath · 79 m² | **$630** (C$875) | 9.0 (59) | Free parking | +| [GetAways at the Jockey Club](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/getaways-at-the-jockey-club.html) | 1 bed + living room | **$775** (C$1,076) | 9.1 (2,859) | **NO RESORT FEE** · free parking · centre Strip, next to Cosmopolitan | +| [The Signature at MGM Grand — All Suites](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/the-signature-at-mgm.html) | Suite + balcony | **$839** (C$1,166) | 8.5 (1,567) | Parking paid · non-smoking, no casino in the tower | +| ~~[Grand Desert Resort 2BR Villa](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/grand-desert-resort-2br-villa.html)~~ | 2 bed · 2 bath · 95 m² | — | 9.6 (29) | ❌ **No availability Sep 30 – Oct 3** | -**If the group would rather share one place** — the way they have all trip — [Wyndham Desert Rose 2BR](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/wyndham-desert-rose-resort-2br-apartment-with-resort-access.html) at **$630** gives two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen for less than two hotel rooms cost once resort fees land. Desert Rose sits on Harmon Ave, a short walk east of the Strip. The Grand Desert villa is $34 cheaper and better rated, but 29 reviews is thin. +**If the group would rather share one place** — the way they have all trip — [Wyndham Desert Rose 2BR](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/wyndham-desert-rose-resort-2br-apartment-with-resort-access.html) at **$630 all-in** gives two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen for less than two rooms at any centre-Strip hotel. Desert Rose sits on Harmon Ave, a short walk east of the Strip. The Grand Desert villa dropped off — no availability for these dates any more. The two 1-bedroom options (Desert Rose, Jockey Club) only work if one couple takes the living room — fine for three nights, worth agreeing in advance. @@ -79,4 +77,4 @@ Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Venetian, MGM Grand, New York-New York, Paris, Pla --- -*Prices checked Aug 31, 2026 for Sep 30 – Oct 3, excluding resort fees — re-check before booking.* +*All-in prices (taxes + resort fees) re-checked Aug 31, 2026 on Booking.com for Sep 30 – Oct 3 — parking fees at MGM/Caesars properties still excluded.*