Years ago I always booked rooms on the Las Vegas strip because you could stay at places like the Sands, the Stardust, or even the Desert Inn for under $50. Ah, how things changed! Before I knew it the Mirage was booming and then along came the Venetian, Treasure Island, then Wynn, and there were no deals anymore, just $199 and higher rooms (God forbid I should stay on a Friday or Saturday) and $75 breakfasts (really, three of us, for omelets, toast and OJ). Whew!
I've been called plenty of things over the years, especially after sucking-out on the river to make a flush and knock a set of aces on their respective keesters, but nobody ever calls me cheap. Funny, because I really am. I want a deal! I've spent years and years finding casinos with specials, table games with bonuses that were too good to be true, and late-night breakfast 99-cent meals. Alright, call me frugal.
And now I'm happy. The best part of the economy going a bit South and casinos struggling to fill their rooms was the realization by most Las Vegas clubs that they needed bodies, even if it meant the room rates had to suffer. So now you can book a room at dozens of clubs in Las Vegas for under $50 a night. In many way's it's just like the old-time owners knew in the '60's and '70's, the casino drives the profits. Every department does not have to show a profit! Just get bodies in the door so the casino can make the cash.
Summer in Vegas is hot - triple digits is not rare, but you can still walk the Fremont Experience and get a $2.99 shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate casino because the 10-story overhead dome they built in 1995 shades you from the heat. And, you can find 5-cent video poker, $5 blackjack, $2 craps, and buy Pina Coladas from the vendors on the street and get buzzed to the begeezus while listening to music that is getting too loud for my aging ears.
Then, you can book a room at the Golden Gate for $39 mid-week and slip down to the Golden Nugget and play some poker. Feel free to call three bets with a flush draw, you can afford it now!
Comments
Nice Article – I believe downtown is the Rodney Dangerfield of Las Vegas. I have found the downtown merchants and casino to be more welcoming and customer oriented than the strip. I go to the strip but I feel more comfortable with downtown. From the elegant to the budget conscience, from the Main Street Station to the El Cortez, downtown has it all.
With 19 Casinos in MN I find it difficult to justify $400.00 Air, $200.00
a nite Rooms to Gamble, Shows and Tournaments etc.
Wake Up VEGAS
I used to be there 4 or 5 times a year
Not any more
Too Greedy today
When snow is in the air in MN you can still walk downtown Vegas without a jacket!
We always book rooms downtown and spend most of our time there. It’s the closest thing to the old Vegas as you can get. We do reserve some time to visit the strip but limit our play. It’s too commercialized and I just hate handing over money to the greedy Corporate owners and shareholders trying to get rich.
Last time there (Feb. 2012) stayed at the Nugget downtown. It’s a good place to stay. Pizza at the Main Street Station micro-brewery, a stop at the Las Vegas Club, drinks at the top of Binions, etc. Great fun.
I know from Minnesota casinos! Unfortunately the state controls how tight the video poker is and the Indian casinos are forbidden to offer any games where the gambler actually has a statistical advantage. But even with all that they have slightly better odds than some of the Strip video poker I’ve seen (7-5 JOB or 6-5 Bonus Poker – horrible!). Unfortunately the state promised to let the Indians have a monopoly and it will probably be that way forever.
I’m going to Vegas in three weeks and am getting four nights for free and three discounted nights. We will be in two different casinos but they are both nice. It’s amazing kind of offers you can get with just a little play these days. Wish us luck!