We're wondering which is a better option to choose. We are looking for a "resort" style vacation in September or early October where we can get ample and sun and pool.

In the past, we've typically done the Mexico AI thing but we're not drinking as much as we used to. We were in Vegas last month for 4 nights and we couldnt get enough of the place. We got the $59/night special at the Aladdin and typically ate at the buffets and used coupons. We also checked out the Orleans and for the price the food was ok.

We don't wish to break the bank and would like to do some sightseeing which we didnt do last time.

When would be the best time to look for hotel specials for the fall? I was thinking as a last resort, to stay at the Orleans since they often have $48/night specials but I don't know how their pool area is. The Monte Carlo didn't have a very good pool layout since the sun was often blocked by the building early in the day. I think we shouldnt stay there.

If we do do the AI thing, we have thought about doing Cuba because of the cost.

Any suggestions?

hmmm. to me, it sounds like you are trying to decide between apples and oranges. it depends on what you want.

as for vegas hotel rates, i would see what you can find now, book a refundable rate (i.e. not through travelocity, etc.), and check back periodically as your dates approach. chances are good that rates will go down as the hotels get a better estimate of their occupancy rates. For hotels with good pools in your budget, look at Flamingo and Tropicana.

for an AI, I assume you aren't American if you are looking at Cuba? I'm not familiar with it. I know that DR is cheap, but I've never been there either. I have done AI in Jamaica, and was very happy with everything - beaches were beautiful & value was good.

good luck.

I agree that you are comparing two completely different types of vacation.

If you choose Vegas consider Mandalay Bay and Rio as they also have great pool areas. I would avoid Tropicana as it is closing at some unadvertised date in the near future.

I am not personally a fan of all inclusives. I prefer to have the freedom to choose local restaurants and activities rather than staying at one location.

The reason I am comparing the two is because of the cost and sun/pool factor. Not to mention some of the food deals to be had. Vegas is not a foreign country for us like Cuba, Mexico, or the Bahamas. We didnt visit Vegas to gamble but really for the glamour, sightsee and the decadence.

Staying at the Aladdin for 4 nights only wet our appetite to come back and just relax/getaway without having to go very far. We are from the west coast. 4 nights was definitely not enough. Cost and convenience is a very big issue.

The hotels in Vegas are comparably priced to hotels back home and with deals or promos tend to be cheaper. We would like to spend no more than $100/day per person for meals, lodging, and airfare. Like everything, cost and value comes into play. There are some AI deals to be had that are in our budget.

For us, the two options aren't really that different. Both can provide us with the opportunity to relax and do what we want. But, there are more people looking for hand-outs in Vegas than at all-inclusive resorts. In Vegas, it seems like you need to tip for everything. At an AI, it's included and you are not obliged to tip like in Vegas. Since we tend to eat at the buffets in Vegas, not restaurants, the two options are quite comparable.

There are pros and cons to both an AI and a Vegas Vacation. We still haven't decided since we're not getting much feedback. Most people can't relate or understand going to Vegas and NOT gambling.

The reason I am comparing the two is because of the cost and sun/pool factor. Not to mention some of the food deals to be had. Vegas is not a foreign country for us like Cuba, Mexico, or the Bahamas. We didnt visit Vegas to gamble but really for the glamour, sightsee and the decadence.
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There are pros and cons to both an AI and a Vegas Vacation. We still haven't decided since we're not getting much feedback. Most people can't relate or understand going to Vegas and NOT gambling.
I'm still stumped by what kinds of suggestions you're looking for. You've been to both AI's and Vegas, so what kind of info can we offer you that you don't already know?

I'm also not even sure why you brought up gambling since no one even mentioned it. I usually don't gamble during my trips to Vegas. It didn't even cross my mind as being an essential part when answering your question.

There are definitely some sightseeing opportunities in Vegas that you won't get anywhere else. But I'm not sure which types appeal to you. Seeing the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Hoover Dam are attractions to some. But walking through the Bellagio, dining in the Venetian, and visiting the top of the Stratosphere are the sightseeing attractions to others. At some AI resorts, sightseeing isn't an option at all. At some others, it's cost prohibitive.

One distinct difference that I see between a Vegas vacation and an AI resort is the likelyhood for meeting and socializing with new people. While you may meet some folks around the pool in Vegas, you are not as likely to see them again day after day or to end up dining with them. Whereas many AI resorts provide a more structured socializing atmosphere that encourages you to get to know the other guests.

I don't find the handouts too difficult to deal with in Vegas. I don't give out $20 tips when I attend shows. I don't tip $20 for special dinner seating. I don't give bribes for room upgrades. I do tip $1 - $2 to valets when picking up my car, though most of the time I self park. I tip the customary 15 -20% for acceptable or better dining service. I tip my hotel maid the same as I do in any other city. I tip $1 per drink if I'm served free drinks in the casino.

Vegas is not a foreign country for us like Cuba,well, if vegas isn't a foreign country, that means you are American which would preclude you from going to Cuba. But, i'm guessing from your handle that you are from Vancouver. If that's the case, I would say treking cross-continent for a short getaway in the Carribean would be a waste. same reason why i wouldn't go to Hawaii for 4-5 or even 7 nights. Maybe check Cabo or Acapulco?

sc flier, we're looking for accomodations that are decent and that won't break the bank and that won't require us to take a cab everywhere. going to the hotel lobby's is definitely what we think of when it comes to sight-seeing. Visiting hoover dam and grand canyon is not a must do.

Basically, we are wondering if we can stay at an a resort style hotel with a heated swimming pool, sun, and not overly crowded so we dont have to wrestle our way to get a lounge chair. Our budget is around $100/night per person including airfare, meals, from Vancouver Canada (~$300 US/round trip). Is this do-able in late September or early October?

JerryGuitar, there are no direct flights from YVR to Cabo in the summer, only winter. A transferring flight from the US costs a lot more.

Acapulco is getting rowdy and more dangerous these days. The only other options on the west is PV or Mazatlan.

sc flier, we're looking for accomodations that are decent and that won't break the bank and that won't require us to take a cab everywhere. going to the hotel lobby's is definitely what we think of when it comes to sight-seeing. Visiting hoover dam and grand canyon is not a must do.

Maybe you should be looking into a cruise.

We thought about a cruise. But the only options are Alaska and the Mexican Riviera. We rather would not do Mexico so soon again. Alaska is almost like looking out our backdoor. Been there, done that.

Besides, with a cruise, the price per person will exceed our budget by several hundred dollars.

RIO All Suite (http://www.harrahs.com/our_casinos/rlv/index.html) might be a good option. There lowest midweek rates range from $59 to $69 using the RLVHOTDEAL code. Unfortunately, I do NOT think they show any offers for September and October yet.

The pool at the RIO is pretty good (multiple pools) and a beach area. Also, RIO has a shuttle to Harrahs and Caesars and you can now check-in at the airport. You are also a short walk (across the street) from the Palms; where you have access to another food court and movie theaters for inexpensive indoor activity. IIRC, they also have a shuttle from the airport for $8; if you prefer that to a cab (I have never used it or a cab from the airport).

Considering your budget, this might be a good place for a few days, if you can get a rate under $70. The property is a very good size, "just big enough" --- but not silly big, where it will take forever to get from your room to the pool.

Well, from a budget point of view, this is kind of hard to do. If the budget is $100 per person/per day, then your total budget is $1400 for 7 days. Subtract $300 per person for airfare, and you're down to $800. With aggressive use of 2-1 coupons, you might be able to get by on $50 per day for food for the two of you, but that means no fancy restaurants. Anyway, that gets your down to around $450 for a hotel for 6 nights.

So, your question is really - can you get a resort-type hotel in Vegas for less than $75 a night for six nights in September/October?

That's tough. Vegas is fairly popular in the fall and spring months because the weather isn't too outrageous. I think of places like the Mandalay Bay, Caesars, Mirage, Venetian, etc... as Resort-type hotels - lots of restaurants, a spa, nice pool, attractions, etc... Off strip properties, like the Rio, Palms, Hard Rock, Green Valley Ranch also qualify as resort properties. Most downtown properties do not qualify.

From the pictures I've seen, the Orleans has an o.k. pool, but it's rather basic compared to the top end places. The Stratosphere also has a fairly basic pool area, and is an o.k. property. By reputation, the Tropicana has a nice pool, but I've never been a fan of that casino or its common areas. I don't know what the rooms look like. I consider these properties second-tier quality, but they're good value and would fit your budget.

I think if you monitor the hotel prices and look for a good deal for Sun-Thurs, you might be able to pull it off. The Friday-Saturday night is going to blow out your budget, though. You might be better off doing two different hotels - a cheaper place for Friday-Saturday, and then something better at a good rate Sun-Thurs.

Your best bet would be if the Aladdin continues to offer such great rates through the fall. It's likely that they'll raise rates as the construction winds down. So, I think finding the sort of property you want at your stated budget will be tough and will require close monitoring of various deals through the summer. Most casinos haven't announced their fall promotions yet, so it's too early to tell.

Thanks for the tips. We were thinking as a last resort, depending on what's available, to stay at the Orleans and thanks to baccarat_king, the Riu. Both are very close to each other. I think I seen the Orleans for $48/night. Their buffets are also not bad and not high priced either. If all else fails, I'll keep my eyes open for an AI in Cuba, but OMG, there is nothing to do in Cuba and if the resort isn't a decent one then one will easily get sick of it quickly. From what I have heard, the food in Cuban AI isn't as good quality or in abundance as, say, Mexico.

We may splurge on the occasional fine dining in Vegas either buffet or something else but we've always been ok with buffet style dining except on a cruise. However, my waistline doesnt appreciate buffet style dining. :D

We would go in late August or early September too, but we know that the kiddies will be out of school and even though we don't have anything against kids, we know how noisy they can be so peace and quiet is also a consideration.

At the least, we would consider the Aladdin but last time, we were quite lucky that we werent bothered by the noise too much but this time, we may not be so lucky. They also tried dinging us for the bottled water in our room when we left. We werent happy about that. We did get them to reverse the charge. Maybe the maid expected a $50 tip for 4 nights?

When do the hotels typically start announcing specials for September?

Typically, they don't send out the offers until right before the season starts. For example, I'm only now receiving promotions and offers for the summer through July, though it's been a flood of e-mails and mailers lately. So, I wouldn't expect much of anything before August.

I imagine that the likelihood of noise at the Aladdin will have diminished significantly by September. They'll be in the later stages of the renovation by then, so it'll be more detail work than heavy construction. If they're still doing jackhammer work late into September, they're behind schedule.

Thanks Escog,

The construction (jackhammering) was heard for a few days starting at 7:30AM when we were there in mid April. We were on the 11th floor and we still could here it, even with my earplugs. Fortunately, it didnt last that long.