Las Vegas - When to Secure Hotel Room in Vegas to Get Cheapest Rate?

Calling Vegas hotel experts:

Since all online hotel rates are seemingly high for my trip to Vegas Nov 7-9, I was wondering what the best lead time is to book and find the cheapest rate? We'd like to stay on the strip at a 4 or 5 star.

Do you continue to montior up until your flight or is there a general time period when rates come down (2 weeks out, 1 week out, etc).

Any other insider tips? We have already secured our flights, so no bundling. And we are not big gamblers, so no likely discounts there.

Thanks for any tips

I don't have an answer for you as to when to book your hotel, but keep in mind that is a holiday weekend, and it is also the weekend when they are playing the final table for the World Series of Poker so these things may increase the prices somewhat for hotels.

my philosophy is book now, then check, then check, then check again. Prices can go up too, and there is not penalty for changes or cancellations.

The general strategy is to book what you can live with now and make sure the reservation can be canceled. Most Vegas hotels will charge the first night as a deposit immediately but is usually refundable if reservation is canceled at least 72 hours ahead of time. Then about 6-8 weeks out continue monitoring the rates to see if you can get a better deal.

You can also check the latter pages of this thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=283841) or the Hotel Deals forum (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=607) for possible deals.

I don't have an answer for you as to when to book your hotel, but keep in mind that is a holiday weekend, and it is also the weekend when they are playing the final table for the World Series of Poker so these things may increase the prices somewhat for hotels.Not to mention the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (includes the SEMA trade show), which has 120,000 delegates in town. The official Aftermarket events run from Nov. 4 to Nov 7, however, many attendees stay through the weekend and fly home Sunday.

Tip: Whenever you notice higher rates (especially higher than usual weekend rates), the alarm bells should start to go off. Go immediately, if not sooner, to the Las Vegas Convention Calendar (which is maintained by the Convention and Visitor's Authority) and check your dates:


http://www.lvcva.com/meetings/convention-calendar.jsp


Plug in your dates in the appropriate fields, and you will see what trade shows or exhibits are in town on your dates, and also the number of attendees. I recommend making the beginning search date three days ahead of your actual dates, so that you can see what shows may be wrapping up on your date of arrival. For example, for November 7th-9th, you would begin your search on November 4.

The general strategy is to book what you can live with now and make sure the reservation can be canceled. Most Vegas hotels will charge the first night as a deposit immediately but is usually refundable if reservation is canceled at least 72 hours ahead of time. Then about 6-8 weeks out continue monitoring the rates to see if you can get a better deal.

This is solid advice ^ and even good advice when dealing with COMP room offers. As, just because you received a COMP offer, those rooms are still allocated (with some variation, dependent on your overall value to the casino property).

So, if you don't grab the coveted Friday/Saturday night COMP (especially at places like Palazzo) if you aren't a hugh player, it just might not be there anymore (for COMP) when you are ready to book. Also, COMP rooms have the same 72 hour cancellation policy, so there is absolutely no cost in grabbing the rooms --- except for your time. ;)

I often hold rooms for 1 or 2 weekends a month (in Atlantic City and Vegas), as I don't like to confirm my trips until 2-4 weeks out --- and at that point (especially less than a month), many of the best offers will already be booked to capacity.

Since all online hotel rates are seemingly high for my trip to Vegas Nov 7-9,

I'm also planning to be in Vegas 5th-8th, and just about to start looking for accom. Hopefully will be able to find something good.

Will let you know if I do, but judging on previous posts, I don't rate my chances highly!!

... any suggestions welcome!

I'm also planning to be in Vegas 5th-8th, and just about to start looking for accom. Hopefully will be able to find something good.

Will let you know if I do, but judging on previous posts, I don't rate my chances highly!!

... any suggestions welcome!

I recently booked for 5-9 November and the best reasonable hotel I could find was the Riviera. Expedia.co.uk have a deal on where if you book 4 nights you get 50% off the total rate so it worked out at 184 GBP when I booked for the whole 4 night stay. Looking now the same thing would be 198GBP. You can cancel at this rate but it will cost 14GBP to do so, my plan is to sit on this rate until I can find something better and if so take a hit on the 14GBP to cancel. I could not find anything on the Vegas convention calendar that week but for some reason the rates at most hotels seem to be double what they are for the week before or after.

I recently booked for 5-9 November and the best reasonable hotel I could find was the Riviera.

That's pretty good rate. I've ended up making a tentative booking at Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Salon (direct with them), for 3 nights for $US540+tax, and will continue to monitor things. Fully refundable if I change my mind. [although as I've pre-paid the first night, I'm sure to be hit with currency conversion costs if it's refunded]

I avoided the "Circus Circus", 3 nights for $US242 (inc tax) deal through Expedia though :)

I avoided the "Circus Circus", 3 nights for $US242 (inc tax) deal through Expedia though :)

^ Excellent decision :).

I recently booked for 5-9 November and the best reasonable hotel I could find was the Riviera..... I could not find anything on the Vegas convention calendar that week but for some reason the rates at most hotels seem to be double what they are for the week before or after.http://www.lvcva.com/meetings/convention-calendar-results.jsp?SHOW_DETAILS=false&PAGE_REQUESTED=3&whichDept=

You should keep checking the prices change often and many times you'll find an offer with a better price than the one you've already booked. After I book I keep checking sites that post the hotel promotion codes that the hotels send out and wait to see if a better offer comes by, so I would advice to keep checking for better deals just up to your trip dates.

good resources for promotions are fatwallet.com (http://www.fatwallet.com) and smartervegas.com (http://www.smartervegas.com) (you book direct from the hotel websites)

Yes, I ended up saving $200 on a three day stay at Mandalay Bay by canceling and rebooking a couple of times.

I find Embassy Suite has very good weekend rates as they are "business hotels". Unlike hotels on the Strip, Embassy Suites weekend rate is lower than weekday. Embassy Suite also included hot breakfast and NO slot machines/casino.

I'm also planning to be in Vegas 5th-8th, and just about to start looking for accom. Hopefully will be able to find something good.

... any suggestions welcome!


If downtown is your thing Alpharooms.com are doing excellent rates on the Golden Nugget around these dates, much much cheaper than I've found elsewhere. Booked a double room for the 5th-7th Nov for £54 GBP per night inc all taxes/fees!

If downtown is your thing Alpharooms.com are doing excellent rates on the Golden Nugget around these dates, much much cheaper than I've found elsewhere. Booked a double room for the 5th-7th Nov for £54 GBP per night inc all taxes/fees!

Pretty good rate! I'm a Vegas newb, so Strip it is for me this trip (although staying near the airport for certain reasons a couple of nights!)

Ended up changing my Vegas dates - now there 4th Nov-7th Nov, with an airport overnight on the 8th.

Bill's are now down to $120/$120/$130 (+tax) for those nights, (which is $100+tax less than what I booked at).

Any other recommendations stripwise which might come close $wise? Or best way to approach Bills and ask for a "refare" :)

I've re-booked with Bill's, it shouldn't be a problem.

A long time ago, I signed up for the email lists of every hotel that I'd be willing to stay at in Las Vegas. Mostly you save a few bucks or have some freebies thrown in. Periodically, some are exceptional. I usually book a few of these for a week long period, and then once I've found flights, or truly decided to go....I adjust the time frame to encompass the dates I'll actually be flying.

I scored a $60/night deal for my birthday weekend, which is usually at around $150-$300 with the rodeo in town :)

Looking at dates for the PBR over the next few weeks, hotel rates have dropped dramatically and even all PBR tickets are half price via Travelzoo!

Seems waiting until the last minute is the best way to get the cheapest room rate!

Looking at dates for the PBR over the next few weeks, hotel rates have dropped dramatically and even all PBR tickets are half price via Travelzoo!

Indeed rates are dropping... more to do with a lack of visitors than anything else I suspect.

Bill's for my trip is currently $80/$120/$120 (+tax), which is a huge drop from what the original rate was about a month ago.

Aus_Mal

Tropicana has rooms for average of $55/night for your dates and Excalibur has rooms for average of $70/night for your dates.

I would FAR recommend these over Bills. Excalibur is the nicer option of the three...

Aus_Mal

Tropicana has rooms for average of $55/night for your dates and Excalibur has rooms for average of $70/night for your dates.

I would FAR recommend these over Bills. Excalibur is the nicer option of the three...

And I would FAR recommend Bills over either Trop or Ex. Both of those are away from center Strip. Bill's is wonderfully situated to access Bellagio, Mirage, Bally's, and Paris.

I would FAR recommend these over Bills. Excalibur is the nicer option of the three...

And I would FAR recommend Bills over either Trop or Ex.

Thank you both for your comments. Decided against both the Excalibur and Tropicana for many reasons - mainly location and general comments online.

Still on the lookout! Rates do seem to have come down a little more, although they now seem to pretty fixed. Wish the Australian Peso was a bit more healthier. Every day currency changes seems to add another 5% or so onto my holiday cost!

Thank you both for your comments. Decided against both the Excalibur and Tropicana for many reasons - mainly location and general comments online.

Still on the lookout! Rates do seem to have come down a little more, although they now seem to pretty fixed. Wish the Australian Peso was a bit more healthier. Every day currency changes seems to add another 5% or so onto my holiday cost!

Two weeks ago I stayed at Ballys and played craps at Bills