I was just checking prices for a trip to Las Vegas in September, and see that rooms at the Stratosphere is only $ 45 per night.

Is the price so relative low because of the location (far from the mega hotels) or are the rooms not that great?

$15 per night at this place would be $30 more than I would pay. Bad location and I cannot comment on the rooms. The place turns my stomach.

I have never stayed there, but I think the main reason it is cheap is the location. It is too far to walk to/from anywhere else. Same reason you will see the LV Hilton going for $29 if there is nothing at the convention center - hotel is fine, bad location. If you have a car it won't matter too much.

Check out www.cheapovegas.com for great reviews of all of the LV hotels.

What is the best hotel/best price in Las Vegas?

I've only been to Vegas twice, so I may not be an expert, but I don't think there is such a thing as a "best hotel" or "best price" in LV. Prices can change by the minute. You may see the same hotel room change $100+ per night during a stay - all has to do with supply and demand.

Best hotel is going to change for everyone. Some are very nice, like the Bellagio, Venetian, etc. and some have reputations as dumps - there is every extreme. Personally I only spend 5 or 6 hours a day in the room, most of which is sleeping. As long as it is clean and quiet, I'm happy. I would rather gamble my money than pay for an expensive room I use to sleep and shower.

Best bet is to search all of the vegas websites out there and decide for yourself based on the reviews. Cheapovegas is a great site. alt.vacation.las-vegas on usenet is useful, but contains a lot of off topic garbage you have to wade through.

For pricing make sure you check around. You will get different prices from the hotel 800 number, their website, expedia (and others), and travel agents. Not to plug cheapovegas too much, but they do a good job explaining how to find the cheapest rates. Make sure you follow the big empire link for all of the trip reports and other fun stuff.

Only 6 1/2 weeks to my next visit.

Tom

There is always a big difference in rates between midweek (Sun-Thurs) and weekend. Also, it depends on whether there is a big convention in town. A couple of nice places that often have reasonable rates are Treasure Island and the Las Vegas Hilton. The Hilton is a couple blocks off the strip but TI is right in the middle of things. Circus Circus and Excalibur also often have low midweek rates, but I personally do not like either of those places.

We were in LAS in June, and took a quick tour of the hotel (just wanted to see the casino etc). The hotel was torn up with construction - we didn't stay long,there are too many other nicer places.

The hotel is at the end of the strip and out of the way. Other nice hotels have great rates - you just have to look for them. Rates depend on the days of the week, and what the convention business looks like. I get newsletters from the big hotels on the strip (because I registed for their casino cards)and many times they line out 3 months of rates - and they really vary more than you would imagine.

When I am planning a trip I check these rates against the online rate, and the "800" number rates, as well as the front desk rates.

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Fancy

I have stayed there many, many times. I DO NOT RECOMMEND STAYING THERE. This was the hotel that offered rebates, refunds, gifts, free play chips, free pulls of the slot machines, free bottle of champane, unlimited free drinks at the bar during your stay, progressive freebies for a $2 payment and time spent. Free parking. They also offered free shows. The show girls (day time show) were modestly clad subteens of modest appearance. They also had an Elvis impersonator (humilator). And they had a Frank Sinatra impersonator). Once we saw Martin and Rossie (one of them) and another time a great impersonator, whose name was Gerwihin (close but not right). None of these freebies still exist, but the shows are still the "mickey mouse" type, as I hear from others.

The view from the rebuilt tower (the tower, not the hotel with the rooms!!!)is said to be great and there are two thrill rides (I do not do these things).

Most of our stays were based on my paying $298.00 in advance and then was give all of the above including $300- 350 in cash on arrival.

Early on they advertised in Playboy. The early deals were refunds of your payment in chips that had limited play. Matching chips for table games and a bank of slot machines to play the slot chips ($500 turns into $2-$8 on the slots). The $500 table games could usually be made into $200 (poor player), $250 (average+ player). Then the value of the gift (camera, jewlery, or clock).

They then went "timeshare, sort of". You bought stock in the hotel and then you got free stays every year+. This was while they were building the tower. Tat went bankrupt and then the place was taken over by others. "Poor" Stupek, he really is a gambler!!

The problem with this place is that the rooms are smallish. The closet is a pole completly hanging in the room. The suites are the same room with a partial wall hiding the bed behind. The casino has little open space. It is very noisy. It is often smelly around the bar (read barf). Think downtown, but without good rooms. They also had a least one offsite motel they would put some people in. It too, was a dump.

Now I have not stayed in several years, but I know that they could not really change the rooms, as they have not had a major remodel. It is actually a teardown.

The good news is McDonalds next door.

My wife hated the place, but she could not argue with the economics. We routinely stayed there and were given $100-200 dollars in cash and merchandise to stay. We alway made our way to other places during the day. Breakfast was free OJ or bloodymarys at the hotel, breakfast at McDonalds, then free coffee at the hotel. Match play on our $2 cards paid for breakfast and lunch each day.

We ate dinner there once on a freebie, but would not do that again.

In fairness, my folks loved it. They went with us twice and once on there own. They did not gamble, except for the freebies and loved to sit and watch the people. They even enjoyed the three free shows they received on check in and the three more (same ones) they received from us. You could get a drink from the bar and take it into the showroom. They would sell the free gifts at a garage sale. They even liked the food in the coffee shop (they did come with us on the breakfast run in the am).

The Maxim often has very cheap rooms and is much nicer. The Hilton at the convention center is often only $25 and is nice, but a bit off the beaten track.

The package that Ranles (and many others) got burned on was offered by Bob Stupak's Vegas World many, many years ago. Vegas World was a ratty, run-down casino hotel in an undesirable area of Las Vegas, and Stupak's gaudy and overpriced promotional package was the only thing that kept Vegas World alive.

Vegas World was partially razed and converted into the Stratosphere several years ago, and I think it's a bit unfair to blame the Stratosphere for the excesses of the old Vegas World. Stupak plays no role in the current management of the Stratosphere, and the promotional package you got burned on has long since vanished into Las Vegas history.

I find the rooms at the Stratosphere very pleasant, the staff helpful, the gambling very rewarding (the slot machines have some of the highest payouts in Las Vegas), the view from the tower breathtaking (especially at night), the shows reasonably priced and entertaining, and the shopping opportunities plentiful. It's one of my favorite hotel/casinos in Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, the location is still remote and seedy, which is why the rooms are a bargain. If you're staying at the Stratosphere, don't plan on walking anywhere. Either rent a car (self-parking is very convenient) or take cabs (readily available at the entrance). If you stay there, join their slot club and play a little, there is a good chance that they will fill your mailbox with free or reduced rate hotel offers for months and perhaps years thereafter.

There is a great article about the packages you are referring to at the big empire (aka cheapovegas). Go here:

http://www.bigempire.com/vegas/bobstupak.html

Tom

Julie, If you've never been to LV before, I'd recommend staying more central on the Strip, near the "4 corners" area around Bally's, Bellagio, and Caesars. Also, the Flamingo, Imperial Palace, and Harrahs are nearby, with
the Mirage and Treasure Island across the street from Harrahs, and the Venetian close. There's so much more for the visitor to do and see in this area, and most of it is free--the volcano and tigers at Mirage, the pirates ship at Treasure Island, the Forum Shoppes at Caesars.
I've found in the past, that by calling the hotels directly (they all have 800 numbers), you can sometimes find unannounced specials or packages--doesn't hurt to try. Also check the hotels' websites for specials, you may be surprised.
Another website you may want to visit (with a forum set up similar to FT), is: www.VegasWatch.com

Hope this helps a bit.
Have a great trip--and win!!

bj-21.

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'Tis better to have played and won, then never to have played at all.

Thank you for all the advice and help! I really appreciate it!!

the new Frontier is right in the middle of the action (next to mirage)and has nice and reasonable rooms

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Viele Gr��e

Oliver

Sorry to be the dissenter: we go to Vegas 2-3 times a year for the last 21 years. WE prefer downtown at the Golden Nugger. Very beautiful hotel, spotless, great pool, great restaurants. Bus depot is 2 blocks away to get to the strip. If you have a rental car you just valet park at every hotel you visit. Staying on the strip mean LOTS of walking--the distance from a hotel entrance to the street can be quite a walk let alone from one hotel to the other. We rent a car and just go hotel to hotel if we choose. A couple of fun things: There's great free lounge show at the Plaza Hotel downtown--they are called the sunspots and for the price of a coke it's a great show. See masquerade Village at the Rio Suites. If you choose, you can pay $10. for a ticket and you wear a costume and go out on floats from tracks int he ceiling. It's great fun. Send for a free copy of What's On in Las VEgas and it will give you a list of all the free attractions. Have fun.