Reid DeCardes: Best Time to Visit LV

[Reid DeCardes]

What period is the best time, hotel-wise, to visit Las Vegas? I'm looking at mid-September.

I'd like to stay at a nice hotel to treat myself well. Any opinions on the hotels? I was thinking of Green Valley Ranch or Red Rock.

Any opinions?

Thanks!

[Bettie]

> What period is the best time, hotel-wise, to visit Las
> Vegas? I'm looking at mid-September.

The only real downtime in Vegas is around Christmas. Mid-September is actually prime convention time, so expect it to be pretty busy.

> I'd like to stay at a nice hotel to treat myself well.
> Any opinions on the hotels? I was thinking of Green
> Valley Ranch or Red Rock.

If those are your preferred hotels, you shouldn't have problem with convention-goers because they're too far from the Strip, though each regularly hold smaller events. You may even get some competitive rates to lure people off the Strip. Or, they may jack you, knowing that the Strip is full with businessmen.

While GVR is very nice and has excellent access to the highway so that you can get to any other casino in town in less than 15 minutes (I should know; I live a block away), Red Rock is even more beautiful and has a much nicer pool, including a topless area. Plus, if you're here to have fun and not just play, you're next door to Red Rock Park, with hiking and horseback riding.

Bettie

[Orca]

This should be under a new heading, but what about some of the best steakhouses in town?

Thanks!

[Wildcard]

Venetian, Paris, Mandaly Bay, or Mirage should meet all your expectations. I have always enjoyed the Mirage, and the pool area can provide some eye-popping scenery.

The attached link will give you an idea of convention activity by month.

GL, enjoy.
WC

Convention schedule for Vegas

[ausgmblr]

> What period is the best time, hotel-wise, to visit Las
> Vegas? I'm looking at mid-September.

> I'd like to stay at a nice hotel to treat myself well.
> Any opinions on the hotels? I was thinking of Green
> Valley Ranch or Red Rock.

> Any opinions?

> Thanks!

Try the cheapovegas.com web site to compare hotels for all criteria, quality rooms, svc, buffet, value pool, etc..
As for best time pull up reservation the price tells you the busier days. Examaple weekends always highest.
I'm staying Paris 8/15-8/19. I'ts up at the top of the strip but further research it has a shuttle down to the other Boyd corp owned properties. The hotel web sites are given on cheapovegas web site then the hotel web site calendar shows what dates are already sold out. A few are stops on the rail line. I also bought the LasVegas Adviser
$30.00 to get their discount coupons worth way much more. Has 2-1 show tickets, free buffet/2/1 buffet/meal tickets,
$5.00 match play coupons. Also Vegas4visitors.com.
Have a very good trip in September.

[Bettie]

This question was answered by the Las Vegas Advisor yesterday as its QoD (Question of the Day), so I'm going to post the answer here. I can't link you to the site because archives are only accessible by members. I've put some notes in myself, also, in italics.

Q: Can you recommend 3 or 4 really good steakhouses for the money in Las Vegas?

A: We couldn't possibly narrow it down to three or four! Steakhouses are the longest-lasting restaurants and, probably, the most crowded cuisine category in this traditional meat-and-potatoes town. But the thumbnails of the following ten steakhouses will narrow it down for you and point you in a direction that you can pursue.

Old Las Vegas

Bob Taylor's Original Ranch Steakhouse is about 15 miles north of the city (take US 95 to Ann Road, go west for a half-mile, and turn left on Rio Vista; it?s three-quarters of a mile at 6250 Rio Vista St., 702/645-1399), but it?s been in the same location since 1955. It?s famous for its mesquite-grilled steaks, ranch-style dining room with Old West memorabilia and movie posters, and a 32-ounce New York strip; if you finish it, your dessert?s on the house.

The Golden Steer isn't much younger; it opened on West Sahara just west of the Strip (look for the big gold bull on the sign) in 1958, 702/384-4470. Although you won?t know it from the outside, the Steer is cavernous; lots of small intimate rooms break up the space. It features a Rat Pack look: dark-wood interior, red leather booths, and stained-glass. Steak, ribs, and game are the mainstay of the huge menu. The food is huge too -- and not as expensive as most. [Bettie's Note: This place was known as one of Elvis' favorite restaurants when he performed here.]

The Steakhouse at Circus Circus, 702/794-3767, is a big surprise. After muscling through the madness of kids, clowns, and casino, you enter the cool, quiet, and dark restaurant; it's one of the most extreme and immediate transitions in Las Vegas. Everyone raves about the steaks here: They're aged in a glass-enclosed walk-in for 21 days, then grilled over mesquite in the open kitchen. And the prices are good. [Bettie's Note: I keep hearing great things about this place, but I loathe the casino and can't bring myself to try it out.]

Non-Strip Casinos

Two LVA staffers recently ate at T-Bones Chophouse at the Red Rock Resort, 702/797-7595, and loved it; they weren't surprised, since this place is garnering rave reviews both public and private. In fact, they liked it so much they closed the place! You can sit at the piano bar, on the outside patio complete with a firepit, or in the main dining room. T-Bones is already known for bone-in steak (with a 48-ounce T-bone option), but there's also lamb and seafood; the wine list is monumental.

At the other end of the spectrum, the coffee shop at Ellis Island (on Koval at E. Flamingo, 702/733-8901), isn?t a steakhouse, but it serves the best steak in Las Vegas for the money: $4.95. It?s a 10-ounce filet-cut sirloin (thick), grilled to order and served with a big house salad, garlic green beans, potatoes, and rolls. This is a $20 meal, at least, anywhere else in the country. [Bettie's Note: This used to be a regular meal for us when we played there. Good stuff!]

The Ranch Steakhouse at Binion's, 702/382-1600, fits in a number of categories, actually: venerable, view, and quality. It's been around forever; it was in the original casino, then moved to the top of the old Mint tower when the Binions took over the Mint in 1988. The steaks and prime rib here are huge. [Bettie's Note: I love this steakhouse, and they regularly serve excellent seafood. View is great, too.]

N9NE at the Palms, 702/933-9900, is where publisher Anthony Curtis winds up, more often than not, when he has a taste for a good steak. It can be noisy, but the filets and ribeyes are renowned; you'll also like the Garbage house salad (a little bit of everything) and lobster mashed potatoes.

Strip Casinos

Charlie Palmer Steak, 702/632-5123, is in a nice room off the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel in the Mandalay Bay building. Palmer is known for searching far and wide for the best and freshest ingredients. All the beef here is black Angus, dry-aged for 21 days. He's also known for signature potato creations, such as steak fries, baked truffle potato, Yukon Gold potato pur?e, and three-cheese potato gratin.

Prime at Bellagio, 877/234-6358, decorated like a 1930s-style speakeasy, is located lakeside with views of the fountains. The menu is changeable and small (for example, a veal chop, lamb chops, a filet, and a porterhouse in the meat department), but whatever they're serving, you can be sure it's among the best in town. [Bettie's Note: The one time I ate here it was Thanksgiving, so I didn't have steak, but it's a beautiful restaurant and everything was delicious.]

And finally, there's Delmonico's at the Venetian, 702/414-3737. This steakhouse has a big rep, thanks to the fame of executive chef (and owner) Emeril Lagasse's ubiquity on the Food Channel. The signature dish is a bone-in prime-rib 22-ounce steak for $48. No sides, just the slab. This place is expensive, but from everything we can tell, it's worth it.

[Bettie]

> I'm staying Paris 8/15-8/19. I'ts up at the top of the
> strip but further research it has a shuttle down to
> the other Boyd corp owned properties.

Not only is the Paris NOT at the top of the Strip, but decidedly lower middle, it's also NOT owned by Boyd properties. You can always head next dor to Bally's to catch a shuttle to the Rio, though.

Seems like you got some bad info, or perhaps something was lost in translation, as English doesn't seem to be your first language.

Bettie

[Reid DeCardes]

Thanks for the various answers. Red Rock is booked on 2 of the days I'd like to be there. Too bad, but what can you do. I may hit GVR or one of the Strip hotels.

I've stayed at Caesars Palace, Luxor, Alladin and Hard Rock. Caesars was nice but I didn't pay for it, it may be more than I want to spend. Luxor I liked but out of the way for walking. Alladin was okay, I renamed it the Bin Laden. Hard Rock was great but I felt too old and it was out of the way.

Also thanks for the Steakhouse answers. That is good info!

[Reid DeCardes]

Just wanted to follow up on where I stayed. I ended up at the Paris Hotel. The price was good for the location and I like Mon Ami Gabi a lot. The rooms were nice, clean and I had no problems with anything. I was concerned because I read reports that the rooms were starting to get long in the tooth and in need of a makeover. I did not have that thought after staying there.

In terms of location it was good for poker for me. It was a good level of play for a relative beginner. I played $2-$4 at Ballys and $3-$6 at Paris. I learned a ton and it solidified several issues for me.

[mdlbj]

I played in a few no limit poker tournys there 40 - 60 buy in.. Good group of people..

> Just wanted to follow up on where I stayed. I ended up
> at the Paris Hotel. The price was good for the
> location and I like Mon Ami Gabi a lot. The rooms were
> nice, clean and I had no problems with anything. I was
> concerned because I read reports that the rooms were
> starting to get long in the tooth and in need of a
> makeover. I did not have that thought after staying
> there.

> In terms of location it was good for poker for me. It
> was a good level of play for a relative beginner. I
> played $2-$4 at Ballys and $3-$6 at Paris. I learned a
> ton and it solidified several issues for me.