nacho

I guess they use parking as the reason for the resort fee.

lotusdog

I would also recommend the Grand Chateau. Excellent location, free valet (only) parking, no resort fee. The studios have floor to ceiling windows and with status you should get a nice view on a high floor.

I always recommend this to my government colleagues, too. Depending on occupancy level, a full one bedroom is sometimes assigned at the government rate.

jalves

Another recommendation for the Grand Chateau. Have stayed there on a couple of LV trips in a 2BR unit. Very nice.

Scottie

I also recommend the Grand Chateau - Stayed there for several nights in early June to attend a conference that was held within easy walking distance. Great restaurant and bar, which I didn't expect for a timeshare property. The property lacks a casino, and is smoke-free - which were the primary reasons I booked it. Would stay there again without hesitation.

freeflyin

Agreed. If you don't want a casino property, GrandChateau is great choice.

Lani1

I like Renaissance when in town for business - always upgraded as platinum and easy in and out lobby

hhoope01

It seems the wife and daughter want to go to the ACM awards which happens to be in Vegas in April. So I bought them 2 tickets, but since I've never been to Vegas before, I'm going to tag along for the 3 night trip (and since I have a southwest CP, the flight ticket won't even cost me anything.) ^

So for the three nights (Friday-Monday), I can get a Terrace 1-bedroom suite for 135K points + $100/night (plus the resort fee). They do have lower category rooms (same points but less 'per night' $$$ charge) available but would like to have the extra room if possible. I can also get a 2-bedroom suite at the Grand Chateau for 180K points with no extra fees. The Ren is showing only base room availability at 90K for the 3 nights plus a $23.50/night amenity fee.

Given none of us have been to Vegas before (not really into gambling), but would like to be close to everything (and maybe not even get a car). What are the thoughts on these options?

SkiAdcock

I'd go w/ the GC given what you posted.

Cheers.

hhoope01

I thought that might be the case (and I actually made a reservation there to grab the 2-bedroom suite, just in case), but the wife had heard of the Cosmo before and thought it might be much nicer.

Carpboy823

You'll also have a resort fee on top of the copay for the room as well - I think it's $50/night now. I'd also go with GC as long as you don't care too much about flashy pools and that sort of thing. Grand Chateau is also very nice, albeit in a very different manner than the Cosmo.

DJ_Iceman

I've not stayed at the GC, but it does get good reviews here. But I have stayed at the Cosmo, and found it to be a shockingly good property, both hard and soft product-wise.

hhoope01

After talking with the wife, she'd rather spend the extra $500 and stay at the Cosmo. I think she likes that it is a "resort" and will probably have more of that type of "feel". We've stayed (almost always on points) at many different MVCI properties, as well as, many different Marriott resorts. So she well knows what the GC will probably be like. Plus the Cosmo does have an onsite Spa which I have the feeling both my wife and daughter will be availing themselves of and 3 pools (rather than just 2) of which they all look larger and a bit nicer than the GC pools.

So while I am on the GC side, I think the girls are on the Cosmo side. So right now they outvote me 2 to 1.

beckoa

Having only been there for a meeting, the Cosmo does have the resort feel, much over the Renaissance Poolside was a nice place for a welcoming splinter meeting as well :-:

SkiAdcock

This was posted in the exec lounge sticky & is more information than I need for the sticky, so thought I'd post it here. It's re: the LAS Renaissance.

'Update on the Las Vegas Renaissance, just stayed there for two weeks and got to observe the lounge process. The lounge is on the top floor facing South, i.e. no Strip views.

The offerings in the mornings are the sort of thing you'd find at a Springhill Suites, usually there were scrambled eggs + one meat (this could be sausages or bacon or patties). There was a selection of bagels and muffins, as well as jam and cream cheese. There was also fruit, including strawberries, sometimes. No coffee machine, just three large thermos containers, like you'd find at Residence Inn or Springhill Suites.

Evenings are more interesting, with something new on offer every night, ranging from meatballs, to spring rolls, to chicken skewers. Twice, they had someone with a cooker who would prepare hors d'oeuvres, e.g. the skewers, on the spot. I didn't figure out what the system was, i.e. when and why the chef would be there sometimes and not at others. The evening offerings are followed by dessert, again, the selection changes every night, from just cookies, to amazing pastries and chocolates. Suppose it depends on what the restaurant downstairs has left over?

There are the morning opening times: Monday - Friday 6:00 am - 10:00 am.
There are the evening opening times: Sunday-Thursday 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Dessert is from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

The lounge is closed on weekends. Instead, elite members get two coupons for the buffet downstairs, but that is a catastrophe, both in terms of selection and in terms of the queue.

However, the lounge is accessible during the day on weekdays and there is a computer and wifi in the lounge."

cesco.g

How is the Fairfield Inn these days? Room needed for 1 night, no visit to Strip planned.