UPDATED 5 MARCH 2006 to remove out of date references:

I am off to Vegas in February 2005 and have been researching various accommodation and show options for my four night midweek stay.

As prices and booking options seeemed somewhat confusing to me at first, I thought I would put together this "newbie" guide with all the information I have learned in the past few weeks. Any comments/corrections are welcomed and will be incorporated into this document.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The first choice you are faced with is whether to go on or off "The Strip" officially named Las Vegas Boulevard. This is where the action is, the lights and big name casino hotels you see on TV.

Off strip is understandably cheaper than on strip BUT even if budget is a priority for you, you should consider the downsides of an off strip hotel, which may end up costing more.

Such costs include higher cab fares from the airport, cab charges during your stay (particularly in the high summer when walking more than a few hundred yards can be oppressive), the potential for a LOT of walking even in cooler weather, and for those staying just a day or two, time spent getting to and from central strip attractions.

You may also be far away from the ubiquitous "all you can eat" food troughs which are a feature of strip hotels, though the bargains here are less good than they used to be. Plus IMHO, part of being in Vegas is being in the thick of the action, walking througha Casino to your room, perhaps ina branded/themed hotel - for the most part you need to be on strip to experience Vegas full-on.

There are certain off strip hotels which have more of an "on strip" feel about them, and I would include Hard Rock Hotel, the Palms and the Las Vegas Hilton in these categories.

The re-introduction of the Monorail in 2005 has in particular made the Las Vegas Hilton a more attractive option, as it has its own station on the monorail and the regular strip service is a great benefit.

Within the strip there is South Strip and Main Strip. This list is not exhaustive.

South Strip

Mandalay Bay
Four Seasons
THE hotel at Mandalay Bay
Luxor

Main Strip

Bellagio
Paris
MGM Grand
Venetian
New York New York
Mirage
Wynn

Mid Strip

The Flamingo
Bally's
Monte Carlo
The Imperial (inexpensive/cheap)

North Strip

Treasure Island
Circus Circus (avoid)
Stratosphere (not really on strip, but great view from its restaurant)
Sahara (not long for this world)
Hilton Vacation Club
Hilton Las Vegas (off strip but in same area)

When booking your accommodation, it is important to know that Vegas, as the first city of capitalism, has an almost perfect market in hotel rooms. That is to say that a well informed consumer can be sure to get a bargain deal as information on prices and promotions is plentiful. Prices are markedly less midweek (Mon-Thurs) than at the weekend (Fri-Sun).

Having said that, there are times of the year when prices will be high, due to fights, conventions or other seasonal factors. Therefore it is often best to plan to go to Vegas and THEN set the date of your trip dependent on the bargains available. Changing your trip date a few weeks can mean the difference between a standard room at the Luxor and an amazing Suite at Bellagio, if you play your cards right!

For those not used to the plus tax pricing in the US, it is important to note that there will likely be charges on top of the headline rate you see on the hotel website, such as tax and booking fee, though these should be clearly stated just prior to the payment stage.

Note that things like breakfast, access to the gym, pool (where premium services like cabanas may be offered, too), net access are usually at additional cost unless stated otherwise.

Having roughly decided your budget, I suggest starting out at www.expedia.com which gives you a broad idea of relative prices, allows you to see maps of hotel locations, search by facilities offered and by location on the strip. You can also see images of the rooms for most hotels as well.

Then once you have an idea of the hotels you are interested in based on your tastes and personal requirements, go directly to the hotels' own websites. These usually allow pricing up to four months in advance and you can see which weeks are going to be pricier than others.

Sign Up for Offers

You would be well advised to sign up for each hotels own special offer email list. This is truly the way to get bargains in Vegas, not just on room rates in absolute terms, but also on fringe perks such as discounts in restaurants and for spa services, which can prove lucrative.

Some hotels also have a "Player's Club" or high rollers club. Even if you do not intend to gamble, it may be worth taking out a membership of these clubs (usually free online signup) as anything you have in your arsenal for establishing your credibility as a potential big spender at check in may enhance your chances of getting a better room, and some of these clubs have fringe benefits such as priority access to tickets and special offers.

If you are gambling, these clubs are an essential way to ensure your spend is tracked by your hotel, and if substantial play has occurred, the resort may offer "comps" or freebies to enhance your stay, or invite you back for free next time! Comp City: A Guide to Free Casino Vacations is a must read if you plan to return regularly, and are not averse to some responsible gaming; just avoid this is you are compulsive and/or addicted to Airline Mileage plans....! At the end of the day you get nothing for free in Vegas - you might get a free hotel room, but you will expend at least what it would have cost on the tables. But if you are gambling anyway, then with concentrating your play in a structured way you can reap rewards.

While the best deals are usually reserved for the special offer email lists, some special offers may be visible on the website booking engine itself. You should also look out for special packages, for instance spa or dining specials included in your room rate.

Shows

If you plan to visit shows or other attractions, find out which hotels these are located at and check the hotel websites for special offers. For instance the Las Vegas Hilton offers a "Nemesis Package" which effectively gives two free tickets for Star Trek: The Experience and two free dinners included with a two night stay. Hilton also has great Manilow: Music and Passion packages. Caesar's Palace offers excellent package deals for Celine Dion and Elton John.

If the main purpose of your visit is to view a show, then it may be worth staying at the hotel at which the show is playing, even if it costs slightly more, as this will enable you to book tickets through the hotel concierge service, which may get you priority seats.

This will mean better value for high price advance purchase seats as you are likely to be in the semi-VIP area nearer the stage than is available to normal punters through ticketmaster etc. It may also allow you to book lastminute for sold out shows.

Alternatively, try joining the "fan club" of the star you are going to see. Barry Manilow, Celine Dion and Elton John all offer membership for around $10 which gets you access to premium seats not available to the general public; if this is the only time in your life you will see there people perform, and you are not purchsing using a package, then it is money well spent - even if you have to bear the horror of opening circulars with glossy pics of Celine Dion for months to come!

If your interest in a show is marginal, and you do not need to guarantee best seats or a specific night for a special occassion, then there are at least two half price ticket booths on the strip which sell tickets on the night of performance, and most shows have return booths, but be prepared to queue and be disappointed, at the most popular shows.

The Booking Engines

Most hotel websites have transparent booking engines showing prices for each night stay. These are per room, per night. If you are staying in a group, do not rule out a suite with two or even three bedrooms - it may be affordable if you are splitting the cost.

If the booking engine at the hotel you would prefer to stay in shows either fully booked OR returns only the high price suite options, and you still want to stay on those dates, do not despair. Rooms are often still available on other sites (eg expedia) but you have obviously chosen a high season, and so prices will be higher no matter where you book.

One tip if you are booking a lengthy stay is to reduce the booking by a day or two. If for instance you are staying four days Sun-Thu, but on Sunday all the standard rooms are sold, the computer will automatically remove the standard room option from you pricing results for the whole stay. Removing the Sunday night may reveal that standard rooms are available for the remaining three days, meaning you can then either book the Sunday night at another property, or try and get a room using the non-hotel websites, who may have standard room availability that night.

Do consider issues like:

- smoking/non-smoking rooms. Many people have stays ruined by smoky, smelly rooms so seriously consider if you really want a smoking room if you are just an occasional smoker.

- view. Prices vary wildly depending on the view you have (usually Strip, Pool, Mountain). Make sure you are informed about what you are getting for your money. I have found some sites offer "deluxe" rooms but do not specify views and this can be an important factor for choosing to book through the hotel direct, so at least any special requests are guaranteed.

- Vegas is growing, which is great news for tourists as more capacity opens up, but not so great if you have a 24/7 view of a building site, with attendant noise, or worse your own hotel is under construction. Do check this out with your chosen hotel before committing to a reservation.

If you do end up in a noisy/smelly/grotty room, COMPLAIN!!! This seems to be the surest way of getting an upgraded room, where space is available.

Nearly There!

Well you are nearly there, you have decided your budget, hotel location, property and room type and have access to the hotel website prices and signed up for special offers.

Now you need to use the best tool on the web for comparing prices. Download www.travelaxe.com into your PC and it will update with the latest deals from all websites (expedia/orbitz etc) allowing you to compare prices and see whether the hotel rate is on the mark for your selected dates.

Note: some people have mentioned there may be spyware associated with this program I have had no problems with it myself, nor have any knowledge of spyware, but do exercise caution if this concerns you.

Personally I would take the rates from travelaxe and ask the hotels to match the rates. I would recommend this course of action as if you book direct with the hotel there is less chance of your reservation getting lost, your room being given away if you check in late and I would imagine puts check in agents in a more favourable frame of mind when it comes to offering upgraded accommodation.

But mostly, the hotel's own website is best as they will only take a deposit at booking stage, usually for one night's stay, with a no-fee cancellation policy. If you book though other websites the charges for the whole stay are usually billed instantly, non-refundable, and sometimes it can be less than clear exactly what sort of room you will be getting, with only one room category offered. Not such a good idea to book several months in advance, only to find the room rate has plummeted, but your booking is non refundable.

Tripadvisor

Once you have found the rate you want for the date you want at the property you want, pause a moment and check out www.tripadvisor.com - this will have recent reviews from people who have stayed at your property, and will offer hints about prevalence of construction noise , service, whether to get a room near the elevator/high floor or other experiences which might enhance your stay.

Priceline

Because Vegas operates in an almost perfect market already, there are fewer amazing deals IMHO on Priceline than are available in other locations.

However, deals can be had especally in low seasons and if your stay plans are flexible check priceline out, in concert with www.biddingfortravel.com which also gives information on discount codes in case you signed up after special offer emails were sent. An example of a great deal is priceline offering suites at The Venetian for $99/night. This is the only five star property presently offered on priceline on The Strip. The Westin Causuarina is also a great hotel offered on Priceline at great rates, and only short walk from the Strip.

Sweet Spot

From what I can gather, given the propensity for hotels to offer special deals which are usually released two to three months in advance of the period to which they apply, there is a "sweet spot" of between six and eight weeks before your stay which is the best time to book where you are in the best position to get a bargain.

Convention Timetable

However, it pays to check the convention timetable (available on travelaxe and other sites) to see when Vegas is busy; 10,000 people in one convention will have only minimal effect on room rates, EXCEPT in the hotel where the attendees are staying, but some conventions can be the size of small principalities (35,000+) and these should be avoided at all costs.

I have also found a great deal if you are prepared to attend a short seminar on vacation ownership (also called timeshare). These can be hard sell and are compulsory, but you get a nice suite for just $50 per night ($199 for two nights, plus $100 entertainment or gaming credit) so if you are eligible, have the time to spare, and on a strict budget then this might be an option for you: sign up by entering your address below
http://www.hiltongrandvacations.com/...e-specials.php.

If you are looking for a very sizeable room without the temptations of a casino on site, I would recommend the Hilton Grand Vacation Club on the strip - rooms all have kitchen, free wifi net access in the lobby, newly built and very competitive rates. Four Seasons also has no casino.

Also, you may be interested to note that properties in the MGM/Caesar's Group have special Check In at Las Vegas McCarran Airport; as hotel check in can often be a scrum this can be a great option if you are arriving by plane at a busy time of the week.

Other tips for economising include shopping for soft drinks, water and snacks at the many convenience stores, requesting a fridge in your room to store food/wine alcohol and bringing your own plastic cups or glasses if you fancy a drink as the hotel may charge for this especially if you need many for a large group/pre-dinner drinks party.

Some people have reported good results from tipping the check in agent and securing better views/floors or even upgrades as a result. Whilst undoubtedly the best way to ingratiate yourself with any check in agent is IMHO to be as charming, polite and amenable as possible, some monetary inducement may work, however having never tried this I would welcome hints from other FTers as to how this should be accomplished and what amounts might be appropriate.

The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas 2006 has been strongly recommended by others as a good overview resource.

You might also note that the nearby Lake Las Vegas has some great hotels, notably a super Ritz Carlton , which might offer a tranquil respite en route to the Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam for those planning longer stays or on road trips.

So there it is! These observations are my opinions based on a few weeks trawling for the best deals and two previous stays in Vegas; they may be flawed and I welcome any corrections and additional information as appropriate.

Have a great stay!