Las Vegas - MGM Grand - which room is better, "deluxe" or "west wing tower"?

I have a choice between a "Deluxe" room or a "West Wing Tower" room. Which is better and what's the difference?

Also, where is the lowest cost place to book a room at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino including flights? Through MGM's web site itself? Expedia? etc? I see the MGM web site has a section for promotion codes but I don't know of any. Where would I find one?

Also, which of the following hotels has the best pool facilities? The MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay (seems a bit too far away),or the Flamingo (seems to have the best central location)? By "best", one high-on-my-list attribute is least crowded. I'm not at all interested in getting into pools and spas teeming with guests. Just not my thing. I actually enjoy *swimming* not just standing around. And a crowded spa isn't my idea of a good time either.

My wife and I would be staying in Vegas mid-May. Not sure if that makes a difference for pool crowds at various resorts.

Anyone here ever stayed at the MGM Grand in a non-suite room?

Take the "deluxe" room. The West Wing rooms are smaller and won't be suitable for you unless possibly if you are a single party animal. I don't know the answers to your other questions, except the MGM pools are fine for swimming.

Take the "deluxe" room. The West Wing rooms are smaller and won't be suitable for you unless possibly if you are a single party animal. I don't know the answers to your other questions, except the MGM pools are fine for swimming.

Thanks mbstone.

I have a choice between a "Deluxe" room or a "West Wing Tower" room. Which is better and what's the difference?

Also, where is the lowest cost place to book a room at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino including flights? Through MGM's web site itself? Expedia? etc? I see the MGM web site has a section for promotion codes but I don't know of any. Where would I find one?

Also, which of the following hotels has the best pool facilities? The MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay (seems a bit too far away),or the Flamingo (seems to have the best central location)? By "best", one high-on-my-list attribute is least crowded. I'm not at all interested in getting into pools and spas teeming with guests. Just not my thing. I actually enjoy *swimming* not just standing around. And a crowded spa isn't my idea of a good time either.

My wife and I would be staying in Vegas mid-May. Not sure if that makes a difference for pool crowds at various resorts.

I'd take the deluxe as well, the West Wings are far away, very small, and not sound proof at all. You'll hear everything and everyone, and vice versa. The West Wing's look good, but they're hyped up by MGM for a reason.

Anyone here ever stayed at the MGM Grand in a non-suite room?

Another vote for Deluxe. ONLY plus of West Wing is that rooms are closer to las Vegas Blvd if you want to walk the strip. Deluxe elevator bank is closer to checkin, valet, and coffee shop. Size matters.

Another vote for Deluxe. ONLY plus of West Wing is that rooms are closer to las Vegas Blvd if you want to walk the strip. Deluxe elevator bank is closer to checkin, valet, and coffee shop. Size matters.

Thanks Peter and Bobu. I booked the Deluxe.

The Deluxe rooms in the Grand Tower are much better. The rooms are larger and include an in-room safe. (In fairness, West Tower might also by now include a safe, but a few years ago, it did not).

This is not directly relevant, but you should know that you can check into the hotel at the airport. When you get to the baggage claim level, which you have to do whether or nor you have baggage to claim, look for an MGM Grand checkin counter. You can get your keys right there. After getting your keys and getting to the hotel, just go right to your room.

This is not directly relevant, but you should know that you can check into the hotel at the airport. When you get to the baggage claim level, which you have to do whether or nor you have baggage to claim, look for an MGM Grand checkin counter. You can get your keys right there. After getting your keys and getting to the hotel, just go right to your room.

Good point on all MGM checkin. At the airport, the line has never been more than a person or two deep. At the Hotel, the lines are much longer, even for "invited guests", and the checkin area is so large that line management is impossible.

Depending on your plans, you might want to look at the prepay options for internet or meals on the booking screen. The other thing that might make sense is the Prima program. You pay a good bit in advance for non-room expenses but get some good meal/bar discounts. It can work out if you are with a larger group that expects a largish bar or restaurant total.

Thanks Peter and Cogitate for the great advice. Check-in at the airport could save my wife and I a huge amount of time and hassle after a long flight in from North Carolina.

My new dilemma is that, on Expedia, where I originally priced things it, I had the choice between "Deluxe" or "West Wing/Tower" hence my question. I ultimately booked a hotel + flight vacation package through Southwest (cheaper and had all non-stop flights vs. Expedia's offering). Thing is, at check-out, I only had the choice of a Deluxe King or Deluxe Queen room. It didn't say where the rooms were. I believe my wife may have seen somewhere on MGM's web site that they advertise "Deluxe" rooms in both areas. And that the price of the rooms were the same, in any case, for both the West Tower rooms and Grand Tower rooms.

Anyone have the email address of a hotel manager, or other appropriate person at MGM, I can send my request to? Would rather email than call. I've had good luck in the past emailing hotel managers to confirm the type of room I'm getting if it's ambiguous (often the case with 4 star hotel bid price bookings on Priceline).

There was a place to add a Special Request during check-out via Southwest. But I believe those don't get read until check-in time. And I'd rather have earlier confirmation via MGM staff before I leave North Carolina. Anyone have an email contact that would be appropriate for my request?

Thanks again for all the great info you've all offered.

The offer, by the way, was code: JACKPOT100 at the following URL:

http://www.southwest.com/html/travel-extras/promotions/jackpot-100-off.html

It came in at around $200 cheaper than Expedia. I do have a new dilemma though--decided after booking that I wanted to delay my return flights so I can see more national parks in that part of the country. Different issue hence a new posting. Here it is. Anyone have expertise changing return flights on Southwest Airlines when it's a Southwest vacation package?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards/1187421-changing-return-flight-southwest-vacation-package.html

MGM won't guarantee bed types, but the place has so many thousands of rooms that, unless they are 100% full, they should be able to accommodate your request. Save your $20.

MGM won't guarantee bed types, but the place has so many thousands of rooms that, unless they are 100% full, they should be able to accommodate your request. Save your $20.

Thanks again mb.

I would imagine that Southwest would be pretty flexible with changes. If you do end up changing your flights, you might want to price out your package with Signature at MGM. You mentioned that you don't like crowded pools. Signature has private pools that are rarely crowded and the rooms are nicer as well and include a kitchenette. Its about a 5 minute (air conditioned) walk to the MGM casino.

I would imagine that Southwest would be pretty flexible with changes. If you do end up changing your flights, you might want to price out your package with Signature at MGM. You mentioned that you don't like crowded pools. Signature has private pools that are rarely crowded and the rooms are nicer as well and include a kitchenette. Its about a 5 minute (air conditioned) walk to the MGM casino.

Thanks lax. I'll give that some thought.

Anyone know if, in addition to checking into the MGM at the airport, can I also check *out* at the airport? Or do they have express checkout where I can call the night before I depart and let them know I'll be leaving at time X? The latter would help if I want to get started on my follow-on journey / if I'm stuck paying for additional hotel nights I can't use.

I know with some hotels and some packages, if you try to check-out early (as in a day or two early), you enter some sort of crazy penalty phase and pay dearly for it.

. . . Also, where is the lowest cost place to book a room at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino including flights? Through MGM's web site itself? Expedia? etc? I see the MGM web site has a section for promotion codes but I don't know of any. Where would I find one?
. . . . . . . . .
My wife and I would be staying in Vegas mid-May. . . .

Have you checked into usairwaysvacations.com? From Raleigh-Durham for May 17, I am seeing, as an example, two nights at the MGM Grand for 504.31 plus resort fee, not including optional add-on of travel insurance or van transportation from airport. Or, on May 8, two nights, 429.31. Resort fee is $18 per night plus tax only on the resort fee. (Evidently hotel and airport taxes are now included in the overall package fee, which is a change.)

As another example, four nights, starting May 8, 540.31, at the MGM Grand, regular room ("Save 30% Grand Tower" the website says).

We have always been happy with USAirwaysvacations packages, YMMV. For us they have been convenient and lower than the other options we checked, sometimes considerably lower. A lot would depend on your city of origin, of course.

Have you checked into usairwaysvacations.com? From Raleigh-Durham for May 17, I am seeing, as an example, two nights at the MGM Grand for 504.31 plus resort fee, not including optional add-on of travel insurance or van transportation from airport. Or, on May 8, two nights, 429.31. Resort fee is $18 per night plus tax only on the resort fee. (Evidently hotel and airport taxes are now included in the overall package fee, which is a change.)

As another example, four nights, starting May 8, 540.31, at the MGM Grand, regular room ("Save 30% Grand Tower" the website says).

We have always been happy with USAirwaysvacations packages, YMMV. For us they have been convenient and lower than the other options we checked, sometimes considerably lower. A lot would depend on your city of origin, of course.

Thanks SkepicCallie but we've already booked a non-refundable package. Will check out USAirwaysvacations for future trips. The total was $977 (not including $18/nt resort fee) for 5 nights at the MGM Grand including non-stop RT flights from RDU to LAS for 2 adults.

If the package you found for $504, total price (not per person) was for two nights at MGM Grand plus RT airfare, then that's quite a bargain! Airfare is more than $250 per person RT. A lot does depend on the day of the week. Standard MGM rooms seem reasonably priced Sun to Thu, then more than double for Fri and Sat. Our stay includes a Fri and Sat, so that's reflected in the package we got.

I am, however, still looking for things like free coupons books I might be able to get snail mailed to me (broken printer at the moment). Anyone know of any? Think it might be fun to play the "get stuff free" game if that sort of thing even exists these days in Vegas. My wife and I don't expect traditional comps because we're not likely to spend more than USD $50 each gambling for the whole trip.

It was per person. :(

We go during off season, especially times like between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when rates are very low. May looks very expensive.

I'm trying to extend my stay in Vegas for two more days. On the Southwest package deal I got, I'm able to change hotels. Two additional days at the MGM would cost me ~$200. Then I'd have to pay the "$18 + tax" resort fee X 8 days = $144 + whatever the tax rate is (what is it?). So, I'm looking at $344 extra. If I switch to Harrah's, the additional hotel cost is only $111 extra. But there's no resort fee. So if I choose Harrah's, I should save $233 if I've run the numbers correctly.

Now, I know I'm giving up a great pool complex if I switch. But I'd be gaining a great mid-strip location. And I realize Harrah's is older. But one of my main objectives in extending the trip is so I can do two overnights--one to see Death Valley and one to see Zion/Bryce.

Doing two overnights means:

1) Paying for a new out-of-town hotel nights
2) "Eating" the cost of two Strip hotel nights that I've already paid for (and must pay for as part of the package deal; I couldn't simply extend the return flight dates and not purchase additional hotel nights).

To some $233 is a drop in the bucket for LV. It's not to me. It could equate into some additional very nice meals; it could pay for the out-of-town hotel stays. It could pay for a week's car rental.

What do you all think? I'm leaning toward Harrah's. It gets a 4.1 rating on Expedia (respectable). And it's within walking distance to so many nice places. I don't spend much time in hotel rooms anyway.

If I'm not staying in one of the truly upscale hotels, then does it much matter if I'm staying at the MGM Grand (*not* the Signature) vs. Harrah's? One place I refuse to stay, though, is the Imperial. Also has the stellar location that Harrah's does, but reviews of the Imperial on FT and elsewhere seem to be overwhelmingly negative. Please someone tell me that Harrah's is at least a notch up from the Imperial.

Again, a slightly older property with a smokey casino doesn't bother me. Esp. since I'd likely be spending much of my time exploring the surrounding hotels and also Death Valley / Zion / Bryce. To me Vegas will be more of a curiosity. The real attraction is the natural beauty and ghost towns in the area.

Switching to New York New York across the street from the MGM would also be cheaper than extending my stay at the MGM. But due to a $15/fee resort fee, Harrah's is the winner on price.

[QUOTE=moretimeoffguy;15980080And it's within walking distance to so many nice places. I don't spend much time in hotel rooms anyway.
[/QUOTE]

I think you just answered your own questions. :)

Are you doing the overnights in Death Valley and Zion in the middle of your stay meaning you will be leaving Harrah's room unoccupied for two nights? Why not just do one night unoccupied, do the second overnight stay at the end of your 6 day stay and when you return to Vegas do a different hotel? It would be cheaper than $233 you would have to pay by tacking on two nights that you won't be using anyway. Do it midweek and the prices should be low.

I think you just answered your own questions. :)


Maybe, but I like double-checking with the collective wisdom that is Flyertalk. :-)


Are you doing the overnights in Death Valley and Zion in the middle of your stay meaning you will be leaving Harrah's room unoccupied for two nights? Why not just do one night unoccupied, do the second overnight stay at the end of your 6 day stay and when you return to Vegas do a different hotel? It would be cheaper than $233 you would have to pay by tacking on two nights that you won't be using anyway. Do it midweek and the prices should be low.

Great idea and I'd really love to do that. Problem is, with the Southwest package I'm locked into, I have to purchase hotel days to coincide with the return flight date. I could throw away the return flight portion and receive Southwest credit, but then I have to pay for what now seem to be costlier one-way flights home.

The deed is done. I booked with Harrah's. Also saved around $40 with a 7 day car rental through Budget over a 5 day rental with Fox.

I'm sure Harrah's will be fine for my purposes.