Getting around - Monorails

There are a number of monorails and cable car trams of sorts that run in different parts of Vegas, and whilst each of them can be used for certain purposes, unfortunately the Vegas planners – and casino owners – haven’t had the foresight to fully integrate the monorails into a joined-up transport system. Think of the London Underground operating different lines, but without the ability to change lines at the same station - very annoying.

The following list is a rundown of the various monorails currently running in Vegas and how best to use them.

‘The’ Vegas Monorail

This is the official monorail in Vegas – not to be confused with some of the other short-hop monorails listed below - which runs from the MGM Grand at the south end of the strip to a stop at SLS at the north end.

Starting at MGM Grand there are stops at Bally’s/Paris, Flamingo, Harrah’s/The Quad, Las Vegas Convention Centre, Las Vegas Hotel (off strip) and SLS.

The two stops south of the SLS (the remodelled Sahara) are the Las Vegas Convention Centre and Las Vegas Hotel (previously the Las Vegas Hilton). Unless you’re heading to an event at the conference centre or really need to go to the Las Vegas Hotel, again I really wouldn’t recommend you head this far north. Yes, the SLS stop can be used to walk further north if you’re heading up to the Stratosphere, but the area around the SLS is not particularly nice and not one I’d recommend walking around, particularly after dark.

Taking the above into account, the monorail effectively runs as far north as the stop at Harrah’s / The Quad.

As if the station issues weren’t enough of a worry, another downside to the Monorail is that it runs at the back of the hotels it stops at, so once you’ve say disembarked at Flamingo, you then need to walk all the way through the back of the hotel and through the Casino before you can get onto the strip.

So it’s fair to say that the idea behind the Monorail is somewhat flawed as it only offers minimal benefits, but that said I would definitely use it in the following scenario.

A route map of the Las Vegas Monorail

If you’re staying at MGM Grand and frequently wish to head to around mid-strip - i.e. the areas around Flamingo and Harrah’s stops, then the Monorail could be the best solution for you. Taking the monorail from the MGM stop to Harrah’s takes in the region of 10 minutes and is far quicker than having to walk from your room, all the way through the MGM Grand onto the strip in order to get The Deuce.

If you are planning to use the Monorail for quick-hopping from MGM Grand to mid-strip – or vice versa – just make sure you buy a ticket type that you’re likely to get most use from as it’s not the cheapest way to get around the strip.

Tickets for the Monorail can be bought at all of the stations and prices are as follows:

• Single ride - $5
• 24 hour ticket - $12, i.e. if you buy at ticket at 2pm, it will be valid until 2pm the following day
• Two day pass - $22
• Three day pass - $28
• Four day pass - $36
• 7 day pass - $56

It’s also worth looking out for ticket discounts which are frequently published in the free Vegas guides you’ll see lots of in Taxis and at Monorail stations themselves.

Further details of the Las Vegas Monorail can be found here: http://www.lvmonorail.com/

Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur Monorail.

This free monorail runs between the three hotels listed above until the small hours of the morning. If you’re at Excalibur and wish to travel down to Mandalay bay – or vice versa – then this monorail is a useful way of getting between them.

One thing worth pointing out, however, is that if you’re travelling down from Excalibur, the monorail doesn’t stop at Luxor as it logically should. Instead, you need to wait for it to head down to Mandalay bay, before turning back for its stop at The Luxor. Why I may hear you ask? Well these three hotels are all owned by the same operator – MGM Resorts – who would hate for you to potentially leave out a visit to Mandalay Bay where you may wish to explore and possibly spend some money; hence, the reason for taking you to Mandalay Bay first – crafty isn’t it (and who says Vegas isn’t about money!).

As a side discussion to this summary of the Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay monorail (and to throw in my two pennies worth), it is a real shame that the planners and moneymen (i.e. hotel operators) couldn’t join up this short monorail from Excalibur across the road to the MGM Grand where the main Vegas Monorail starts. Now I’m no town planner or logistics expert, but it’s painfully obvious that the two sections could be joined up relatively easily and I’m sure this would give so much benefit to the three hotels sat at the south of the strip detached from the majority of the action.

Aria/Monte Carlo – Crystals – Vdara/Bellagio Monorail

This free monorail (well, it’s a cable car really) operates around the City Centre complex (collection of huge glass buildings in between Monte Carlo and Bellagio).

This monorail will only really be of benefit if you’re staying at one of the named properties or planning to visit them in quick succession.

Mirage – Treasure Island Tram

Whilst this free, single shuttle run only operates between these two hotels, it can prove to be really useful if you’re staying in one of the properties and wish to hop north or south between them and nearby attractions.

For example, if you’re staying at The Mirage, you just walk out of the main entrance, head left and you’re on the tram in a couple of minutes and arrive at TI in no time. From here it’s only a 10 minute walk up to Fashion Show Mall or Wynn.

Getting around - Buses in Vegas

The Deuce is a fully air-conditioned, golden coloured, double-decker bus that runs 24 hours a day from the south end of the strip (just past Mandalay Bay) all the way to downtown at Fremont Street and vice-versa. For those of you wondering where the term ‘deuce’ comes from, it’s term used to refer to the number two in casino card games.

The Deuce offers a great way for first-time visitors in particular to sit back and take in the view of the entirety of the strip whilst cooling off from the heat outside. It’s definitely a hit with tourists and is somewhat of a party bus, especially if you get a driver who fancies themselves as a bit of a comedian as they’ll frequently call out funny little quips along the way.

Deuce services are very frequent – every 5-10 minutes – and stops are located a few hundred yards apart along the busiest parts of the strip which is great if you’re looking to hop-on The Deuce and get out of the heat. However, it’s not so good once you’re actually on the bus as the stops come up so frequently and at peak times – e.g. early evenings - the bus can be stopped for up to 5 or 10 minutes whilst people hop on and off. It’s not uncommon to find two Deuces queued up at the same stop due to the congestion of people waiting to get on.

The first time I visited Vegas in 2008, The Deuce was still relatively new and somewhat of an unknown quantity and I’m sure the passenger numbers were nowhere near what they are today. However, more recently when I’ve travelled on The Deuce I’ve been frustrated by just how long it can take to get from A to B, but if you’re a first time visitor don’t let this put you off as it is a good way to get around – especially given the price.

The Deuce also has a sister bus called the Downtown Express (previously called the Gold Line). This bus runs on the same route as The Deuce but with a few key differences; 1) it uses a single deck bendy-bus and; 2) it stops less frequently than The Deuce and 3) it only runs between 9am and midnight.

Route map for the Deuce and Downtown Express

The less frequent stops on the Downtown Express are great for getting to your destination that bit quicker, just be sure to check that the Express stops close to where you get off.

To travel on The Deuce of Downtown Express all you have to do is buy a ticket from one of the machines located at all the stops. They’re easy to navigate, and you just have to select which duration of ticket you need, how many you’d like, insert your cash and collect the ticket.

As The Deuce and Downtown Express are both run by the same operator (RTC Transit), you can use the same ticket for either service.

Prices for travelling on The Deuce and Downtown Express are very reasonable and priced as follows:

• $6 for a 2 hour pass
• $8 for a 24 hour pass, i.e. if you buy a ticket at 2pm, it is valid until 2pm the following day
• $20 for a 3 day pass

Getting around - Walking

Walking many not sound like the most adventurous way of getting around on your holiday, but you will be amazed just how much walking you end up doing in Vegas – you’ll clock the miles up in no time! For example, in most of the mega-resorts, it’s typical for the walk from your room out onto the strip to take around 10 minutes – possibly more if you’re staying somewhere like the MGM Grand. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that you have some comfortable footwear to take with you. Again, this really does emphasise the importance of location for your Vegas stay – why make things unnecessarily difficult for yourself by staying at an out of the way location?

However, walking around Vegas doesn’t have to be seen as a negative of course. In fact, exploring Vegas on foot is the best way to take in all the sights of the strip. If you’re a first time visitor, I would highly recommend heading out and following your nose to explore as much on foot as you can. Simply walking between a few of the resort on the strip will enable you to take in so many different sights and sounds of the Strip that you wouldn’t otherwise get to enjoy if you headed everywhere directly by at taxi.

If you do have the time and are physically able, I would certainly recommend walking as much of the strip as you can, in particular the areas in between the cross-roads at the MGM Grand / New York New York up toward the Wynn. Of course, if you do walk up one side of the strip on a given day, there’s nothing to stop you from putting your feet up and taking the Deuce, Monorail or a taxi back to your base hotel. 

Arriving - How to get a 'free' room upgrade

Probably the best tip you'll leave on your trip

The $20 trick is a known ploy used by ‘people in the know’ to try and grab yourself a ‘free’ upgrade to a superior hotel room that would otherwise have cost a fair amount more to pre-book. This surreptitious trick at the hotel front desk is widely accepted by many of the strip hotels and whilst it won’t guarantee that you get an upgrade, there’s certainly no harm in trying. The trick works like this:

• Before reaching the hotel’s front desk for check-in, place $20 inside your passport by the photo page ensuring that it sticks out from the top. When reaching the front desk the assistant will greet you and ask to see your id. As you hand over your passport politely ask; “I was wondering whether you may have any complimentary upgrades available?” At this point the assistant should notice that there’s $20 peaking out of your passport, and with any luck they’ll respond with something along the lines of; “oh, well I’ll certainly see what I can do for you sir/madam”.
• At this point you’ve cleared the first hurdle in that they’ve already acknowledged that they’re trying to help with your request. 

At this stage, you can start being a bit more direct and request something specific. For example, I recently stayed at the Mirage where we’d just booked a standard King size room. Now if I’d not mentioned anything at check-in, there’s a good chance that we’d have been allocated a room on a low floor facing the highway to the back of the strip. Having asked whether there were any upgrades available I then proceeded to ask if there were any good strip view rooms available which would have cost at least a further $200 over the 5 nights we were there. Bearing in mind this was a Saturday - typically the busiest day at the hotel where there was likely to be little availability - the lady proceeded to inform us there was a poolside view room available which was available immediately (this was at around midday), or if we were willing to wait a couple of hours she could allocate us a room on 14^th floor with a panoramic view giving great views both north and south on the strip. We opted for this option which meant all we had to do was leave our baggage with the left luggage attendant before calling back a couple of hours later to pick up our key. This was a really good result and meant we ended up in a room with a great view which would have cost substantially more had we have booked it directly upfront.

Of course, it is worth mentioning that there’s no guarantee that the $20 trick will work, but there really is nothing to lose. If they’re unable to offer you an upgrade – either because of a lack of availability or due to hotel policy – then you’ll simply be politely declined and given your money back.

It’s also worth pointing out that it may be advisable to offer more than $20 depending on how long you’ll be staying in that hotel. In the example above, as we were checking in on a Saturday and staying for 5 nights I believe I offered either $30 or $40 in my passport.

In summary, if you’re planning to try the $20 trick just bear in mind:

• Do your homework in advance of what type of room you’d like. E.g. a high-floor, strip view, pool view etc.
• If the check-in assistant is playing ball, don’t be afraid to ask for the specific room type you’d like, but be reasonable.......
• You’re only likely to be upgraded by one room type category, i.e. if you’ve booked a standard king size room, don’t be expecting to be upgraded to a high-end suite!
• There are of course no guarantees that the $20 trick will get you any upgrade, let alone the room you want. If you had your heart set on a lake view room at the Bellagio and you’d be bitterly disappointed if you didn’t get it, then you may wish to consider booking that room type outright.
• It is well know that the $20 trick does not work in all hotels, e.g. the MGM Grand is known for not playing ball.
• If there are no room upgrades available, ask if there is anything else that they may be able to offer. E.g. we once had our resort fee waived at Encore whilst getting some free drinks vouchers – again, this more than outweighed the $30 we ‘donated’.

For more details of the $20 trick you can visit the Twenty Dollar Trick website

Arriving - Tipping in Vegas

Tipping is different in America.....

Attitudes to tipping in Vegas - and America in general - are different to those in the UK and other parts of the world.  Here in the UK, you go out for a meal and expect to tip, usually in the region of 10%.  In Vegas tipping extends beyond just leaving a few dollars behind when you’ve had a meal. 

As a general rule, if you’re received any kind of service, a tip will be expected.

Before going into detail my first 'tip' would be to ensure that you have plenty of dollar bills available for when you arrive in Vegas.  You’ll soon need them for taxi drivers, left luggage / bell boys, check in assistants etc.

Now, onto tipping information in general.

In a lot of instances tipping makes perfect sense.  You receive a ‘free’ service from someone who’s doing their job, so why would you not offer some kind of monetary reward?  Let’s say you’re sat at a slot machine in a casino, the cocktail waitress asks if you’d like a drink, you order a beer and within 5 minutes she’s brought you a nice cold bevy without you having to move from your chair.  Now in my view the waitress has more than earned a tip so I’m more than happy to give her a dollar or two (as an aside to this, if you're planning to stay at that slot machine or blackjack table for a while, it's worth tipping a few dollars per drink as she's likely to return that bit quicker).  Oh and if you're wondering why drinks are 'free' in this scenario, well let's just say that the casinos know that their customers are likely to be more liberal with the cash they're spending on their gambling once they've had a few drinks to settle their nerves. 

In other instances the implied need to tip really is a bug bearer of mine.  For example, I’m now standing at the bar queuing to be served.  The busy bar tender eventually turns to me after leaving me waiting for a few minutes and asks what I’d like; “A bottle of Coors Light please” I reply (virtually all beer is 'light' in the US).  Once the formalities of showing my photo ID are out of the way, the bar tender quickly turns, grabs a bottle of beer, pops the top and places it in front of me before informing me; “That’ll be $7”.  Ouch, not only is the drink not cheap, but once my change has been left on the counter (always in small bills so there’s no excuse not to tip), if I don’t leave a dollar or two I’m likely to get a ‘rolling eyes’ look for being part of the ‘cheap-skate Brit’ brigade.  And therein lies my bugbear.  Why should I feel obliged to tip when in reality I’ve had to wait to be served before asking for a straight forward choice of drink that the bar tender is employed to provide to me and does so within 10 seconds?  I’ve received no real personal interaction, no help or advice, yet I'm still obliged to leave a tip.  It's not like I've even asked for a complicated cocktail to be made up.

Ok, so now here is my confession.  As a seasoned US and Vegas traveller I’m more than aware of the tipping situation and do now leave a dollar per drink even when I’ve queued at the bar.  You may call me a mug for going against my principles, whereas I’d say I’m trying to go along with the customs of the country and don’t was ‘us Brits’ to get a bad reputation.

Anyway, the moral of this little tale (rant) is to be prepared to tip for almost every little service, which in turn can lead to you burning through dollar bills like they’re confetti.

To balance the debate I will say, however, that when it comes to other tipping scenarios where you do actually receive genuine service, as a rule, the service you receive in America far exceeds that which you’re likely to receive in the UK and other parts of Europe, and if that means leaving a few extra dollars, well, I think that’s a price worth paying.  For example, if you go for a meal the chances are the waiter or waitress will greet you with a smile on their face, be pleasant, properly introduce themselves, take you through the specials, ask if you’d like a drink, any advice on the wine list etc, all with a genuine enthusiasm – it’s almost as if they know that the quality of their service will impact the tip they’re likely to receive!  But think about it; how often do you really receive service in the UK that actually enhances the enjoyment of eating out?  Yes, the waiter in Vegas is playing along, acting almost, but to quote a saying I once heard; “I’d rather be greeted by someone with an insincere smile than by someone with a genuine frown”.

Of course, it should be noted that this excellent customer service comes with an expected price.  Whilst in the UK a 10% tip is seen as the going rate, in the US, a ‘good tip’ is considered to be in the region of 18-20% so please do bear that in mind.

Having covered cocktail waitresses, bar men and restaurant service, it’s worth pointing out that tipping does not stop there.  Left luggage, bell boys, tax drivers, limo drivers, shuttle buses, tour guides, concierges, shoe polishers – you name it, they all appreciate (read expect) a tip.

For a full in depth summary of tipping etiquette and example rates, this link provides some useful information.

Arriving - Transferring to your hotel

You've come a long way!

The quickest and easiest way of getting from Vegas's McCarron Airport to your hotel is via a taxi (cab). Simply head out of the terminal and join the well organised queue and wait for one of the assistants at the front of the line to direct you to a taxi.  Even in peak rush periods you shouldn't have to wait longer than twenty minutes to reach the front of the queue.

Once inside the cab you’ll obviously state the hotel you’re heading to, but in addition to this it’s advisable to state to the cab driver explicitly that you want to go “the shortest route and not via the tunnel”.  The tunnel is on the freeway which loops round from the airport before reaching the Strip and will add a fair few miles onto your journey. Instructing the cab driver will avoid you getting ‘long-hauled’ by any unscrupulous cab driver who is out to prey on your naivety in not knowing the best route to get you to your hotel. Don’t be put off if the taxi driver replies with the old story of “oh, but there’s road works” or “the traffic will be busy”, just politely reply by saying “that’s fine, we’ll take our chances”.

For details about ‘long-hauling’ you may wish to read further details here.

As a general rule, a taxi ride from the airport to a mid-strip location will likely cost around $20-$25 plus tip (see additional post for details regarding tipping).

Also, don’t forget to grab a couple of the free tourist guide booklets which virtually all cabs have stocked by the passenger seats. Whilst these little magazines contain adverts for lots of things you won’t be interested in, you’ll occasionally find something that catches your eye, not to mention there some of the useful vouchers that will give you money or ‘2 for 1’ type offers. Oh, and that’s why it’s worth grabbing a couple of the booklets. If you do find an offer that’s of use to you (e.g. a discount on a monorail ticket), you might as well double up on it (or more if there’s more than two of you).

Hotels - Monitoring prices & how to book

How to get the best deals on hotels

Whilst it’s not only possible to get a great deal on hotels, you should consider it your duty to make sure you get a good deal! However, there are a few catches to be aware of:

• The best hotel promotions are unlikely to appear until much nearer your arrival date. Therefore, there’s absolutely no rush or need to book a hotel in the near future.
• The majority of hotels now charge a mandatory ‘Resort Fee’ of between $10-$20 per room, per night (plus 8% sales tax). Unfortunately, if you do stay in one of the hotels that demand a resort fee, there’s no way of getting around this ludicrous tax. The only benefits they provide are; free local calls, free WiFi access (unlikely to be hi-speed), free access to the gym and a free news paper.
• Regardless of where you stay, generally speaking the cost of hotel rooms will (at least) double in price over the weekend. Therefore, the same room costing $60 per night during the week can easily increase in price to over $160 per night when all the west coast American weekend visitors invade the city. Therefore, if you’re plan is to stay in two hotels over your trip, it may be advisable to offset costs by staying in the more expensive hotel during the week.
• As a general rule of thumb, you get what you pay for. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure that you’ve researched the hotels you’re considering staying at (Trip Advisor provides invaluable information) to weigh up whether or not you’re getting a good deal.

Just like trying to book your flights to Vegas, booking your Vegas hotel can prove to be something of an art-form as prices can fluctuate wildly depending on many factors including day of the week, month, whether there’s a major convention at the hotel, whether there’s a big event on etc.

As a result, one person checking into the same room type on the same day as another person could quite easily have paid twice as much for their room. And of course if you’re staying in Vegas for a few nights or more this price difference can quickly start to add up.

Once you have decided on say, two or three hotels you would consider staying at, my advice would be to begin monitoring prices on a daily basis. If you’re not travelling for a few months then I would definitely advise biding your time before you book, especially before you have monitored the price for a few weeks to get a good appreciation of what the current rates are. Of course, if you’re planning something of a late trip then your options are limited somewhat, however, don’t panic as there are still options open. In fact, leaving your hotel booking to the last minute can result in you getting a bargain as hotels would rather charge a lower rate and have a customer for the night than having a spare unoccupied room.

I have attempted to summarise my key bits of advice below:

• Use price comparison sites - price comparison sites provide an excellent single search facility across a number of recognised travel agents (Expedia, Opodo etc).
• Check the hotel’s direct rates - I have rarely found a hotel to offer much better rates than those found through third parties, however, booking directly with the hotel has the advantage that you only pay a one night deposit and you’re free to cancel your reservation and receive your full deposit back without penalty. This can be a great benefit if you see a direct rate you’re happy with, pay the deposit, and if you subsequently see a better offer, you’re free to cancel your original booking. If you are planning to follow this strategy you may also wish to follow the hotel on Twitter and Facebook as you may find some further offers promoted through there.
• Check prices frequently if not daily - once you have a good understanding of what rates a given hotel is charging, you’ll be able to see when the price drops and you’re getting a bargain!
• Book and don’t look back - once you’re happy that you’ve found a good deal, don’t hesitate, book it! But then once booked, don’t check back on the prices (unless you've reserved a room directly with the hotel)

Hotels - My personal recommendation where to stay

If there was just one hotel I would recommend? 

So far I’ve suggested that the Strip is the location you should head to as a first time Vegas visitor and provided an overview of the main strip hotels and advising not to pick one too far south or north – so where does that leave to stay? Well, that is a very good question!

In the area I’ve advised to stay on the strip I have personally stayed – sometimes on more than one occasion – at MGM Grand, Bellagio, Mirage, Venetian and Encore and they’re all excellent hotels in their own right, each offering different pros and cons depending on what you’re looking for.

So which single hotel would I choose as the ‘best’? Well this is a very subjective question and if you ask 10 people you’re likely to get 10 different answers, but for what it’s worth, my best ‘all round’ hotel/resort destination to stay at would be The Mirage.

Before explaining my reasons why The Mirage is my favourite ‘all-rounder’ I do want to stress that this is purely my own personal view based on my preferences, likes and budget.

The Mirage

The Mirage was the first mega resort casino to open on the strip in 1989 and was the brainchild of Steve Wynn who is accredited with being the pioneer for transforming Vegas into the global destination that it is today.  Wynn went on to develop Treasure Island, Bellagio, The Wynn (obviously!) and Encore.

The observant of you will already have noted that as The Mirage is 25 years old it certainly isn’t the newest resort on the strip, but you wouldn’t necessarily notice this as all (well, most) of the resorts continually modernise and reinvent themselves every few years with room upgrades, new shows, restaurants and updating of amenities.

The Mirage is a 4-star resort and has everything you could want for a first time trip to Vegas, and here is a summary of some of the reasons why I would personally choose it as my number one pick:

Location – The Mirage is in a perfect location on the narrowest part of the strip which means it’s easy to cross the road and access The Venetian, Harrah’s (and its Monorail stop), Forum Shops at Caesars and Caesars Palace. It’s also connected to via a free tram to Treasure Island which runs every few minutes. From TI it’s easy to get to Fashion Show Mall and Wynn.

All-round ‘ambiance’ – this is certainly something subjective and is difficult to measure or quantify, but in my mind there’s just a nice vibe around The Mirage. It knows it’s not the most posh resort on the strip, nor does it try to be – it’s just a place where people can go, have a good time, wear a football jersey or a dinner jacket and in neither case would you look or feel out of place.

Size – whilst The Mirage is by no means the smallest resort on the strip (it has over 3.5k rooms), it feels much more compact than many other resorts which seem to sprawl with the intention of not wanting you to leave the property. The Mirage is different. From your room, it is easy to take the elevator, cross the casino and be out on the strip within 5-10 minutes.

Rooms – all rooms were refurbished around 2010 so they still feel relatively new and have all necessary mod-cons (WiFi, flat screen TV, USB sockets etc). Think of them being modern and clinical in a Holiday Inn way.

Eateries – The Mirage has a great range of mid-range eateries combining nice restaurants with more casual establishments, coupled with a number of cheap cafe style options which are great for breakfast or lunch.

The pool – the pool and surrounding landscape at The Mirage is great. From the flowing waterfall, the beautifully landscaped areas and palm trees and non-rectangular shaping of the pool, the Mirage pool is a very nice place to spend a leisurely day.

All-round ‘ambiance’ – this is certainly something subjective and is difficult to measure or quantify, but in my mind there’s just a nice vibe around The Mirage.  It knows it’s not the most posh resort on the strip, nor does it try to be – it’s just a place where people can go, have a good time, wear a football jersey or a dinner jacket and in neither case would you look or feel out of place.

Price – oh yea, I guess I shouldn’t forget this! Price obviously plays a big part in helping make a choice on where to stay and The Mirage will hopefully not let you down. As mentioned monitoring hotel prices and striking to book at the right time is somewhat of an art form, but provided you do your research, you can look to book rooms at The Mirage at a very reasonable rate.

Hotels - Strip hotel reviews

The following list is my own personal opinion of some of the main hotels along the strip based on a combination of first-hand experience of staying and/or visiting them and further information and feedback I’ve gleaned over the past few years.

I should also state that whilst I have used the hotel’s actual star rating as a guide, I have adjusted some ratings slightly to try and give a truer reflection. For example, both the MGM Grand and Luxor are technically 4 star properties. However, in my mind the MGM Grand is a superior property in terms of its all round amenities and rooms (since they’ve been upgraded).

These are the main hotels and resorts listed in order from the south to the north end of the strip based:

Mandalay Bay (4.5 star)

For - Pool, Casino, lovely all-round property, goo range of restaurants, big suite rooms

Against – Location

Would I stay there? – Yes (I have), would do again if a very good deal was available, but offers very hard to find here

Luxor (3.5 star)

For – cheap, certainly not the worst 4 star resort on strip

Against – it’s had its day, dark casino

Would I stay there? – No, I’d find a comparable price in a better location mid-strip

Excalibur (3 star)

For – very cheap, easy access to Mandalay Bay Luxor, NYNY and MGM

Against – Not the best all round location, lacks glamour, budget end resort

Would I stay there? - No

New York New York (4 star)

For – Great party vibe, lots of American style eateries, fun for younger crowd, relatively cheap

Against – not best suited to couples or older travellers, can be over boisterous

Would I stay there? – Yes, if on a trip with the boys and the price was right

MGM Grand (4 star)

For – great pools, recently refurbished rooms, good all-rounder, easy access to Monorail

Against – too big for many, takes a long time to walk from room to strip

Would I stay there? – Yes, I have and would do again

Monte Carlo (4 star)

For – location, recently upgraded rooms, good food court for cheap food, nice pool, tram connection to City Centre and Bellagio

Against – rooms a bit tired

Would I stay there? – Yes, I’d definitely consider it at the right price

Mandarin Oriental (5 star)

Unable to comment as never visited. However, understand it is a top-end, non-casino hotel aimed particularly at the business traveller

Planet Hollywood (4 star)

For – Location, great party atmosphere, good option for the younger crowd

Against – Possibly too lively and boisterous for couples and those not looking to party

Vdara (5 star)

For – modern, lovely rooms, a non-casino option if that’s what you’re after

Against – you’d miss that true Vegas experience

Would I stay there – no, despite how nice the property is, my personal preference is for a casino hotel

Aria (5 star)

For – very modern property with all mod-cons and great facilities, monorail to Bellagio and Monte Carlo

Against – not much, although staying in the City Center complex may leave you feeling slightly detached from the action

Paris (4 star)

For – a nice all-rounder, good location, nice French feel and eateries

Against – Nothing in particular, possibly lacks a bit of x-factor for the prices usually found

Would I stay there? – Possible at the right price, but if price is approaching comparable to The Venetian, I’d definitely stay there

Bellagio (5 star)

For – reputation, location, recently refurbished rooms, beautiful resort with pools to match

Against – It’s been surpassed by other properties in the luxury and ‘wow’ factor stakes

Would I stay there? – Having stayed there once, I don't think I'd stay again. I’ve nothing against the Bellagio at all, it is beautiful, but I’d choose another high-end property instead next tine.

Bally’s (3.5 star)

For – mid-strip location and as a result may suit those on a budget

Against – Bally’s is very ‘vanilla’ – I can’t think of what its selling point is

Would I stay there? – No. I don’t necessarily have anything against Bally’s but it has never crossed my mind once to stay there when there are so many other options

Flamingo (3.5 star)

For – location, pool (but it can get crowded)

Against – Many rooms are tired, opinion seems to be to go for a GO room (although they look a little garish for my taste)

Would I stay there? – No, pretty much as per my comments for Bally’s

Caesars Palace (4.5 star)

For – history, lovely sprawling property with Caesars Shoppes Mall adjoining

Against – reputation resulting in inflated prices. Be wary of which tower/room you book as many rooms are old and not reflected in their price

Would I stay there? – Yes, I think if the price was right in one of the newer towers/rooms....which is a big if

The Linq (3 star)

For – Considerably better than it's predecessor Imperial Palace.  An option for those on a tight budget who want a great location

Against – This hotel was previously Imperial Palace and although the place has been completely renovated, the phrase ‘lipstick on a pig’ springs to mind

Would I stay there? – Pretty certainly not

Harrah’s (3 star)

For – Bustling budget end property, more old-school Vegas feel, great location, hidden gems of restaurants, Monorail station

Against – the rooms don’t appear to be anything to write home about

Would I stay there? – Probably not due to the rooms, but I like visiting here

Mirage (4 star)

For – pretty much everything, my personal all-round favourite property

Against – Maybe the bathrooms are a little small (that’s how nit-picky I have to be)

Would I stay there? – Absolutely yes, and have done on 3 occasions and wouldn’t hesitate to go again

Venetian (5 star)

For – gorgeous property, something for everyone, all-suite rooms, lovely pools, great restaurants

Against – Having stayed here twice I really would be splitting hairs to find fault

Would I stay there? – Yes, I’ve stayed twice and wouldn’t hesitate to go back a third time

Palazzo (5 star)

For – see Venetian (its sister property)

Against – possibly slightly too far north on the strip for a first-time visitor

Would I stay there? – Yes, but I think I’d always just favour The Venetian due to its location

Treasure Island (4 star)

For – A good 4 star all-rounder (don’t let the cheesy facade put you off!), nice rooms, good atmosphere, free connecting tram to Mirage

Against – nothing in particular,

Would I stay there? – Yes, although unless the price was markedly cheaper, I’d choose the Mirage

Wynn (5 star)

For – gorgeous 5 star property with amazing rooms, think 21^st century Bellagio

Against – maybe too high-end (read snobby) for some if high-end designer shops aren’t for you

Would I stay there? – Yes, although I’d likely need a good deal to lure me to its north-strip location

Encore (5 star)

For – sister property of the Wynn and equally as posh, particularly as the already amazing rooms have been refreshed

Against – another 5-10 minutes north up the strip from the Wynn

Would I stay there? – Yes, and I have. The hotel is gorgeous, but I would need a very good deal to lure me back so far north up the strip

Circus Circus (3 star)

For – very cheap (Vegas's original Mega Casino grind joint) but not much else (aside from the steak restaurant which is supposed to be excellent)

Against – a fair bit, not a great property and in an even worse location

Stratosphere (3.5 star)

For – Cheap, not too bad a hotel, however;

Against – bad location and you would need a bus/taxi to get to the heart of the strip