ellinj

Closest would be Mirage and Bellagio. Personally I like the Mirage better. Bellagio is too full of Looky Loos, but Mirage you will need to walk through the Forum Shops, but at least its in the A/C.

gooselee

Re: the questions from the other thread about refundable mlife rates and deposits taken at time of booking - I've always thought that it was pretty standard for LAS hotels to take a first night's deposit at time of booking, even on fully refundable rates.

I'm not sure why, but maybe they have a higher rate of people booking way in advance and then changing/cancelling a few days out, and it's a way to do better capacity control. Or maybe they just know they can do it and enjoy some extra profit from the float.

In any case, I've booked several MGM properties in the past via mlife.com and have pretty much always had to pay the first night upon booking. However, I've also cancelled a few of those reservations and had the deposit refunded within a day or two.

In one case, I noticed that the room rate had dropped after my initial booking, and called to get the new rate. Instead of just keeping my deposit and applying it to the new booking, they refunded it, and then charged another deposit at the lower rate.

Of course, those are just my experiences, and YMMV.

Firewind

gooselee, my experience fully tracks yours. Has almost always been the m.o. of Las Vegas hotels since I can remember. I think it's the clientele. I mean, the hotel would rather have customers' money upfront, rather than to deal with no money at the end of the customer's stay after they've lost it all. Even if it's only one night's worth, it gives the impression that the customer's into them. I've always had the deposit refunded with no hassle as long as I complied with the terms for cancelling. YMMV re the last point.

BAGoldBoy

I am going to Las Vegas twice in July as part of a TP and Mattress run. The T&C's state the benefits for GP Diamond members wont start until August

Looks like it will HP for me.

AKCuisine

I just finished making a reservation for this fall.

For the MGM Grand, the rates on the Hyatt website appear to be the same as those found on the main MGM Grand website. But the rates are not the same as those offered on the MLife website.

As an MLife member I was able to book a Tower Spa Suite on MLife for substantially less than a regular Grand King room on the Hyatt website.

If you are already an MLife member it appears to pay to compare across the sites since ultimately the benefits will be the same.

LASUA1K

Why oh why stay at the dumpy hyatt place that is usually more than any of the strip hotels. The stays count today, some benefits will be later.

millere2

The T&C say that standard rooms only for points bookings.

FD1971

Sorry, but I did not really talk about Atlantic City or some indian gambling halls in the middle of nowhere, more about a place with a portuguese-chinese history.

Vegas is not what it used to be due to two main reasons. The average Joe Smith with his 2003 Corolla does not come that often or at all anymore and Jack Highroller is off to other, even more upscale locations, this is especially the case for highrollers from Asia.

The margins are still high, so Vegas will be able to continue, but it has lost its iconic ´must go´status.

And the ability to burn Hyatt points for standard rooms does not really change that.

And it is somehow telling, if good old Jeff Zidell makes a big deal out of it.

The fact that this news item resulted in two dozen responses over several days so far is also telling more than thousand words, not to mention the discussions in the original thread

Most of the rats have left the ship, but Jeff and our loyal moderators are still manning the bridge.

Isn´t that what true loyalty is all about

Firewind

Actually, there were a lot more comments and a lot of compliments, some criticism, and fine points questioned and answered in the first thread before Mr. Zidell started this second one about it. I suggest that a lot of the contributers on that thread just didn't feel like repeating themselves. Myself, for instance, to the effect that the joint venture is just between the two loyalty programs. Also, I suggest that the point was pretty well developed in that one that it makes little sense to burn points in Las Vegas.

FD1971

Come on, 8k for the Excalibur is one of THE deals of the (young) century that will be tough to beat in the next years, if not decades, to come

Youpaiyou

I currently have Sapphire status with Mlife. In August, I'll have Platinum status with Mlife due to my Diamond Hyatt status. I have a Vegas trip planned for November. As AKCuisine pointed out, reservations through the Mlife website are much cheaper than hyatt.com and the Aria website.

Should I book now through the Mlife website or wait until I'm Mlife Platinum?

iflyjetz

If it's a cancellable rate, I'd book now. I've booked cancellable rates plenty of times and cancelled the reservation in favor of a new one when better rates became available.

AKCuisine

Bookings on either the Hyatt site or on MLife require only a one-night deposit and are refundable up to 48 hours prior to travel. I suggest booking now at your Sapphire rate then checking back later to rebook at a lower rate if that becomes available.

I anticipate attaining Hyatt Diamond status prior to our trip later this year. My plan is to delay doing the status match to MLife until that time, since my Hyatt status will be a bit higher than MLife status. This might translate into either a lower rate or better benefits.

Youpaiyou

I took your advice and I booked it. I'll watch the rate (especially after I do the Hyatt status match) and rebook it if the rate drops.

JackE

I go to Vegas 2-3 times a year and during those times there are plenty of visitors. I've seen it dead (during the financial crisis) and what I see now is completely different.

Of course there are more consumer choices; there are more choices for entertainment dollars of all sorts.

Anyone who doesn't like the new partnership can simply ignore it. I for one appreciate the ability to work on Hyatt status without having to stay at the HP. Not slamming HP, as that still has its place.