Las Vegas - Would you please help me select among these strip-hotels?

My friend and I are going to Las Vegas for two weekdays in September. We are looking for a great experience and have never visited before (we are both around 30). Neither one of us are looking to spend a lot of money so it'd be nice if you didn't feel that everything in the hotel is out of reach. Still, we are happy walk several blocks to get to cheaper, fun places if staying at an expensive resort.

These are the bookings I am holding, which ones should I cancel?



MGM Grand, Grand Tower room, $49 per night including $35 food credit
Encore, Resortsuite, $94 per night
THEHotel, Thesuite, $95 per night
Palazzo, Standard suite, $99 per night


I'm leaning towards Palazzo as it would be fun to try a real (?) luxury hotel. Then again I am wondering if it is worth the extra $50 per night plus extra food cost compared to MGM.

I've been reading reviews of the hotels but thought perhaps some more knowledgeable people here could make some recommendations based on the prices we have?

A trip report will of course follow.

Well, if you want luxury, forget MGM. It's a nice place but can't compare with your other choices. I'd go with Encore, Palazzo a close second. TheHotel is kind of a tough location compared with the other two 5*.
Really though, all of your listed places are great. If your not trying to impress a date, maybe just save the $ and do MGM.:)
Enjoy!

My friend and I are going to Las Vegas for two weekdays in September. We are looking for a great experience and have never visited before (we are both around 30). Neither one of us are looking to spend a lot of money so it'd be nice if you didn't feel that everything in the hotel is out of reach. Still, we are happy walk several blocks to get to cheaper, fun places if staying at an expensive resort.

These are the bookings I am holding, which ones should I cancel?


For sure cancel MGM and THE Hotel. Both are at far south end of strip.

Recommendation for true luxury would be Encore. But rooms at Palazzo are larger. Both are pretty much in the same location so it won't matter much in terms of accessing/walking to other locations, though Palazzo is a little closer. Get the half-off show tickets (they have a booth at the mall across from Wynn), food court at the mall for cheap eats, and Treasure Island and Mirage for inexpensive restaurants. Enjoy your stay.

I'm with kingalien - Palazzo or Encore hands-down.

I'd go Palazzo - it really is closer to center Strip and you'll want to check out a bunch of that stuff on your first visit. If it were your 3rd of 4th visit, I'd go Encore first, The Hotel second.

MGM Grand's location ain't that bad, there's a lot of stuff on that corner.

But I'd pick Palazzo too. You might even be able to get Venetian for $10/night cheaper. If you stay in the main tower in an upgraded room, not much difference between that and Palazzo. Lots of cheap(er) eats at Venetian.

But I'd pick Palazzo too. You might even be able to get Venetian for $10/night cheaper. If you stay in the main tower in an upgraded room, not much difference between that and Palazzo. Lots of cheap(er) eats at Venetian.

^, just don't get talked into a room in the Venezia tower.

I've stayed at Encore and Palazzo in the last year.

Both are very nice, but I thought the rooms at Palazzo were much nicer.

As far as cheap food, there's a food court in the Venetian. I didn't find it on my first trip, and I can't recall the secret to getting there on my second trip.

The Grand Lux Cafe was also really good, and relatively cheap compared to other restaurants in either hotel.

As far as cheap food, there's a food court in the Venetian. I didn't find it on my first trip, and I can't recall the secret to getting there on my second trip.


Second level, Canal Shoppes, before the entrance to parking garage. The escalators outside the main floor elevators of the Venetian will take you up to the second level, walk towards parking garage and make the first left.

While I really like THEHotel, it's not a good choice for your first trip due to locale. I'd vote for the Palazzo as the rooms a spacious, the property is interesting and it's a relatively short walk to the Mirage, TI, and Caesar's Palace & Forum Shops.

Palazzo, Standard suite, $99 per nighthow did you get that price?

how did you get that price?

Maybe rates in Euro??

Maybe rates in Euro??

ah, didn't see that gnopps is from finland. that explains a lot. :D

Thank you all for your replies, it is hard to decide if we should go with great price for decent or great price for luxury...

The choice is made easier when considering location. If Encore and Palazzo are better spots for beginners then perhaps we'll try that. I'll keep you updated!

As for the prices I noticed I mistyped my Encore price and corrected that. All the rates are publicly available (Encore is really $119 per night but with minus $50 resortcredit) except Palazzo which is for travel agents only. And rates are in dollars ;-)

i've not stayed at encor yet. i won't stay anywhere else but the palazzo. nice large suite with amenities. i'm sure you will enjoy staying at the palazzo.

Wanted to throw my nod to Palazzo also. We stayed at Palazzo last December and Encore in January. We liked our room in Palazzo a tad bit more with the sunken sitting area. The only issue we encountered, which I've also read in other reviews, is a noisy vent that's located above the beds.

Just to harp on some of the previous comments. THEHotel is likely too far south for the OP to bother with and I'd scratch it off the list particularly if they don't have a car. IMO, there's nothing wrong going with a $49 deal at the MGM. However, even my wife, who hates paying more dollars on a nicer hotel since "all we're going to do is sleep there", was pretty happy with staying at the Encore and Palazzo.

Alright, thanks again for the answers! I've now cancelled everything but Palazzo but will keep an eye out for deals. I'll let you know what happens!

Gnopps - Just back from 2 nights at Palazzo. You can't go wrong with this hotel. The standard rooms are huge, the casino is great and the hotel is located close enough to walk to many of the attractions that a first timer will want to see, including fountains of bellagio, volcano at mirage, pirate ship at TI, etc...

Food options at Palazzo are a bit pricey, but you can do really well without making much sacrifices. For example, if you go to the Illy Essprasamente in the Palazzo shopps, you can get an awesome fruit or chocolate crepes breakfast with capuccino for $9.95! (new discovery this trip) While Bouchon is amazing, it will set you back three times that much per person.

Another hint. Immediately sign up for Club Grazie on the Palazzo website. You might get a promo offer right off the bat that is lower than your rate, although $99 is pretty good.

Enjoy.