soccerpapi

trekker954 wrote:

Thanks, although you didn't advise the same hotel. hmmmmmmm. Hard decision. Wish the Marriott Grand was a cat 5, then I might have gone without a car rental. With all the construction around there, they should offer it at a cat 5. I've stayed at the Cosmo my last two visits; but I need to use this certificate. Last two years I mistakenly let it expire.

I was originally going to stay down by the airport residence inn. They would give me a shuttle to Mandalay and I do know the traffic nightmare on the strip, yet how convenient all the garages are free parking. I also took note of the temperature. yikes. I'm a Floridian. Vegas is going to be freezing next weekend. In the end I got a Budget rental for $40 total for my 1 1/2 days. Saturday I'll need to have the car for warmth in between my busy schedule as my flight home isn't until 11 pm so even if they allow me a 2 pm checkout I'll need to keep my overnight bag somewhere and won't want to head all the way back north. My last show will be at the MGM. Between arrival on Friday morning and my flight home sat night, I'm seeing 5 shows AND doing the shark reef as well as the Secret Garden and of course getting my slots on.

soccerpapi replies:

I think I prefer the Renaissance Hotel more because I have stayed there often and I like the staff. Overall, very satisfied with the hotel. Stayed there probably 10 times over the last 3 years.

I think Sharon likes the Marriott better for more or less the same reasons.

If you prefer a breakfast buffet, the Marriott is the winner. The breakfast at the Renaissance Hotel would be ala carte on the weekends when the lounge is closed.

In any case, I think they are both good choices.

I don't recommend the Fairfield Inn, Courtyard or Residence Inn in the south area if you are spending most of your time on the strip. They are OK hotels, but far from the strip. These are more llike suburban hotels and are good for those wanting to be away from the strip.

soccer

kennycrudup

(NVM, I'm gonna stay selfish.)

trekker954

Thanks for all the recommendations. I was waiting until today to see if there were any cyber sales. Priceline has a nice offer, but I'm apprehensive regarding the unknown, although can gty a room right on the strip. I better make up my mind today as I'm flying in on Friday. But if I had to chose right now, I'll probably do the Marriott over the Renaissance

iztok

As you wish.

So happens that room with a telescope is the biggest suite in the hotel

kennycrudup

What I'd meant was I'd stayed in that room a couple of times and had posted the room number, then immediately retracted it- with my luck, some FTer would be trying to get it the next time I'm there and I'd lose out, hence the "selfish"

iztok

Understand, but I am willing to help FTers

beckoa

Wirelessly posted (beckoa's BB: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9810; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.694 Mobile Safari/534.11+)

Stayed at the Ren this summer- overall happy with it (and the LNF rate) and figured out some back roads better that beat the traffic on the strip. I'll have to remember the tip @ the telescope though ^

UpInTheAir

Does anyone know what the Ren's lounge hours are in the evening Sun-Thurs? Do they still bring out desserts some time after the hors d'oeuvres?

swintec

First trip to vegas coming up soon and after all of these years of wanting to stay at the cosmo, it looks like it will be unavailable for a points stay during my dates. Wanted to get the full vegas experience for the first visit all while using points. So what to do? I like the idea of the Ren partly because of the lounge but what am I going to miss out on strip wise? How far of a walk is it? Worse than say, the Essex house in NYC and walking to times square (which wasnt bad at all)?

Grand Chateau hasnt really wowed me with the reviews here but that is at least right on the strip?

DenverBrian

LV Renaissance is tired. Dirty parking garage with trash overflowing in one receptacle. Broken tiles scattered throughout the walk from the parking elevators to check-in. Lots of scratches on doors and trim. As I Plat, I got a 14xx odd-numbered room with no view, but the world's loudest vibrating refrigerator. Went back down and got a meh apology and then a 15xx room - also odd-numbered, meaning no view.

Decor and finish is original, meaning perhaps 15 years old now. And rooms are poorly maintained for simple things like scuffs and scratches.

My TV remote is missing the battery cover and there is duct tape sticky residue all over this area.

SkiAdcock

I stay at the LAS Marriott when in Vegas. All the rooms are suites. They were renovated in the last couple of years, as was the lobby area. They don't have an exec lounge, but you get full buffet breakfast as G/P. The staff are some of the nicest in the Marriott system. It's just as easy to Uber/taxi to the strip from the Marriott as it is from the Ren. The Ren is on the south side of the convention center & the Marriott the north side.

If you want strip & Cosmo isn't available, then Grand Chateau is your best option. If you're willing to go off-strip, I'd pick the Marriott.

Cheers.

catocony

I stayed at the Ren in 2005 in the first week it opened. It sucked then, I can't imagine what it's like now. The location isn't really great. Everything in Marriott Gulch - I always stay at the regular Marriott - is geared to the Convention Center, not the strip. With the Riv gone, there isn't anywhere on the strip except maybe Wynn that you're going to walk to from any of those properties. The Ren is a bit closer to the monorail station, but walking to the strip is actually the longest from there, unless you hop the fence of the Wynn golf course.

jiph

I stayed there this weekend and am somewhat surprised to read this. Check-in was pleasant, and gave us a 4pm checkout no problem. We [Gold] were booked onto the concierge level, and observed nothing off about the room. The pool area has been refreshed, with ping pong and shuffleboard tables and cabanas. Nice, low key, and comfortable--especially good for families. They are also unveiling an updated bar later this month.

The monorail is less convenient than I thought it would be. The walk through Paris/Bally's to get to the station felt like forever. However, the LINQ/Harrah's station is convenient to the High Roller (great!) and the LINQ promenade (pleasant surprise).

The unsettling thing about the Ren is that it appears to be instituting a $20.99 "Amenity Fee," which is small for Vegas but disproportionate to the hotel's facilities (pool *is* small, no spa). This charge appeared on my Marriott app the day of check-in, but wasn't on my final bill. Since it appears to be in place for future bookings, that offsets a lot of value relative to mid-range options on the Strip.

swintec

I stayed 5 nights as Plat. premier at the Ren back in mid-march. No room upgrade, heck, was put on the 6th floor. Hotel was sold out the first two nights I believe so I can not really blame them for not having an upgrade available for the entire length of stay.

Monorail station is a small walk across the parking lot. While it was somewhat convenient, finding stations along the strip was a bit of a pain when we were ready to go back.

We made the walk from the strip back to the hotel on two separate occasions. For the young (and young at heart?) it can be done without much fuss besides a little bit of time. Would not recommend if you have kids in tow though.

Lounge met our needs. Packed some mornings.

When we were staying was when they put that big TV up above the pool so work sounds like it is ongoing.

If this hotel was in small town or city, USA then it would be a recommendation of mine. For las vegas leisure travel, we both agreed we wouldnt stay again. I would try harder to stay on the strip. If they think they can get by with a $21 amenity fee, they can pound sound.

SkiAdcock

I'll check w/ the Marriott to see if they're instituting an amenity fee & will report back. I really like the Marriott (and it's not far from the monorail either). Suites, full brekkie (yeah, no lounge in the evening, but that's not a total biggie based on what the Ren had for evening offerings last time I was there) & some of THE best staff.

Cheers.