Las Vegas - Venetian or Bellagio

Bellagio, but only if lakeview.

Was disappointed with their rooms. Small, unimpressive, uncomfortable. Plus, you get something they are well aware of: sink gurgle. Someone elses uses their sink, your sink starts gurgling.

If Bellagio lakeview not available, go with Venetian. Nicer rooms.

Bellagio is flooded with tourists from the other hotels, so lines for everything are long. Assuming you are not a casino guest, you end up waiting in line with everyone else. Unless Bellagio creates 3 lines - casino guest, hotel guest, or visitor, there is no reason to stay there.

Bellagio pool area is very well done. Need room key to enter.

You can usually get a room at the Venetian on priceline for around $125. Good hotel at a good price!

You can push Venetian down to $99 + fees for weeknights on PL when bidding less than 7 days in advance, but it takes time and patience along with backup plans in case those cheap rooms don't come available.

how are you able to specify the Venetian when bidding on Priceline? aren't you at risk at getting one of the many other strip hotels?

Venetian has got the better rooms by far, but Bellagio is a lot more happening at night -- and the gambling is better at Bellagio...

Bellagio is also much more centrally located on the Strip, which is a plus to me. Also, if you get a room at Bellagio, make sure you request a room in the newer Spa Tower. The rooms are nicer (and more sound-insulated).

are the spa towers along the left side of the hotel complex when you are looking at the front of the hotel from the fountains?

how are you able to specify the Venetian when bidding on Priceline? aren't you at risk at getting one of the many other strip hotels?
If you read up on some of the bidding strategies for using PL, there are ways to select or nearly select the specific hotel you want.

how are you able to specify the Venetian when bidding on Priceline? aren't you at risk at getting one of the many other strip hotels?

The Venetian is truly a Priceline special case. It appears to be the only 5-star option on the strip using PL. There have been rumors from time to time that Bellagio has also participated on PL, but no one has ever substantiated them.

So, go to PL, choose ONLY a 5-star property on the strip, and bid. If you win, you're 99.9% assured it'll be Venetian.

Bellagio HAS been substantiated on Priceline. But it comes at a higher price point. Those $99 wins will be at Venetian.

I love the Venetian. With $99 rates for a Five Star on Priceline I have been very happy very often.

When the cheap rates for Five Star at Priceline at 99 dollars per night are gone, 175 dollars on Priceline gave me the Venetian even during busy convention periods.

Bellagio HAS been substantiated on Priceline. But it comes at a higher price point. Those $99 wins will be at Venetian.

Thanks Gleff! What higher price point, in particular?

are the spa towers along the left side of the hotel complex when you are looking at the front of the hotel from the fountains?

Yes, the Spa Tower is on the left side if you are facing Bellagio from the Strip. It's almost 1000 rooms and it opened in December of 2003.

Bellagio, but only if lakeview.

Was disappointed with their rooms. Small, unimpressive, uncomfortable. Plus, you get something they are well aware of: sink gurgle. Someone elses uses their sink, your sink starts gurgling.



Are you referring to Venetian or Bellagio?

I had a very unimpressive stay at the Venetian from 12/26 - 30 and we had loads of sink gurgle. Also, the walls are very very thin. Our neighbors' sound effects were not much appreciated at 2:00 am. We were in the old tower - no sure if the situation improves in the Venezia tower.

I'll be back at MB for my next visit.

...I'll be back at MB for my next visit.

Done Bellagio and Venetian. MB ^ Way cool!

M8

just came back from a two night stay at Bellagio and was totally unimpressed.
Maybe we had high expectations of such a high end hotel, but the rooms (we had two rooms) were small and nothing special about it. The bathroom was a little bigger than a normal standard room. It was noisy in the hallways when guests were out and every time our neighbors went in and out of their rooms, we could hear everything. We also did not like that the maids were rolling their noisy carts at 8:30 am in the morning. How ridiculous is that? Again, with the non sound proof rooms, we could hear everything the maids did.
Also, as "non invited", but paying guests, we were not treated any differently than any other person off the street.
We had to wait hour and a half at the overpriced buffet. Even our kids (7 and 11) were $26.95. The food was not fresh (sushi tasted like it was made in the morning and had been sitting out for a while), and there was not one piece of chicken to be found in the whole buffet. Believe me, both my husband and I tried several times around that buffet. The service was okay, but it felt like they felt that we should be honored to be at Bellagio and that we should not expect exceptional service.
We definitely would not stay at Bellagio again, for the price.

just came back from a two night stay at Bellagio and was totally unimpressed.
Maybe we had high expectations of such a high end hotel, but the rooms (we had two rooms) were small and nothing special about it. The bathroom was a little bigger than a normal standard room. It was noisy in the hallways when guests were out and every time our neighbors went in and out of their rooms, we could hear everything. We also did not like that the maids were rolling their noisy carts at 8:30 am in the morning. How ridiculous is that? Again, with the non sound proof rooms, we could hear everything the maids did.
Also, as "non invited", but paying guests, we were not treated any differently than any other person off the street.
We had to wait hour and a half at the overpriced buffet. Even our kids (7 and 11) were $26.95. The food was not fresh (sushi tasted like it was made in the morning and had been sitting out for a while), and there was not one piece of chicken to be found in the whole buffet. Believe me, both my husband and I tried several times around that buffet. The service was okay, but it felt like they felt that we should be honored to be at Bellagio and that we should not expect exceptional service.
We definitely would not stay at Bellagio again, for the price.

We stayed there in the Fall of '03. We had a corner suite. Larger room than the standard. We were surprised when we did see the size of the standard room. No noise, probably because we were in a corner. We did not like Caramel or Lights, their uber/ultra lounges. All the music was techno or hip-hop and way too loud. Several people in Caramel complained to the DJ, including me, to no avail. Lights was horrible, we stayed less than 5 minutes. Good thing I didn't have an Uzi :eek:

We liked the decor and the casino layout. The buffet was good, but not as good as we got at Aladdin's. I liked their poker room very much, and that is about the best attribute I found at Bellagio. It was nice to experience the place and say that we have been there. Casino in general I give a ^ , but because of the small rooms and the uber/ultra lounges a :td:

Rooms are nicer at Venetian, but I hate the casino layout and I think the gondola thing looks stupid.

M8

We stayed at the Bellagio a couple of times, first in a "regular" room and then in the Spa tower. Really could not tell much difference. The view of the fountains is overrated, IMO. After the first time you see the fountains, each subsequent viewing gets less and less compelling. After a couple of days, who cares. Once again, JMO.

The biggest disappointment with the Bellagio is the service. Here you have this gorgeous hotel with this awesome lobby and grounds and the service is mediocre. Cocktail service in the casino is sporadic. The lines are long everywhere. Just look in the lobby for check-in or concierge. The lines for taxis at prime times are ridiculous, also.

We just went to Vegas last month and stayed at Caesars. What a difference. Bigger rooms (particularly the bathrooms) and better service. The next time we will probably stay at the Venetian or Wynn.

It's true what you said, SlickRick, that the service is so mediocre. For
a luxury hotel, you would think that the people that work there would be
friendly and be extra helpful, but it is so not the case. I think that we
had such high hopes that it being a luxury hotel, we would somehow get
this exceptional service, but that was not to be seen at all. Perhaps that
is why we were so disappointed. It felt like I was at any other hotel, and that
even though I was a "non-invited guest", but still a paying guest, the
service just wasn't exceptional and that we were not made to feel special.
I can get lousy service anywhere else!!

It felt like I was at any other hotel, and that
even though I was a "non-invited guest", but still a paying guest, the
service just wasn't exceptional and that we were not made to feel special.
I can get lousy service anywhere else!!

How true... this is one of the biggest problems, IMO, with service overall in Las Vegas -- and especially at the "upper end" properties. Seems to me that "non-invited" guests are 2nd rate, in many instances. This is much more extreme than the standard difference in treatment at hotel chains, between frequent guests [say hilton diamonds] and regular non-elite guests.

While not a justification, I think that these properties don't really care about their non-comp customers --- and simply put, while they will gladly give you a room on the weekend for $400 [or even a great discount mid-week] -- I really think that their expectation is just that... that you are getting a room.

Since the "invited comp guests" are often so over the top at these properties, I think they have trouble focusing on everyone else. The attitude seems like a "why should I worry about you..." when we have this guy who will drop 50K or 100K in the weekend.... and even if you are at the lower end of the spectrum [say $100 average bet at a place like Bellagio] ... they are much more concerned with a guest who plays returning, than they are about a non-gambling guest returning. In the long run, they make much more money from the returning gamblers... and if they are happy, they tend to wager even more ! :D

Maybe this is why I refuse to stay at Bellagio... they really don't appreciate my play... so, I go elsewhere... and the great thing about Vegas is that even a 2nd rate casino strip property still has really nice suites and really great room service...and at least 1 really good restaurant.... when I'm looking to spend a lot on a hotel, I rather drop $$$ in NYC at a real luxury property...

...and the great thing about Vegas is that even a 2nd rate casino strip property still has really nice suites and really great room service...and at least 1 really good restaurant....

So very true! Which is why we like exploring Vegas on our various trips there.

M8

I really like the mini and tower suites at TI when they're on sale. Both have his and her marble baths, you don't have to walk through the entire casino to get to the room elevators, and they have finished the walkways connecting the hotel to Fashion Mall as well as Wynn's.
But my favorite pool is at Bellagio. Mandalaybay's pool looks great, but the teenage lifeguards are like nazis with their whistles.