las vegas - The Travel Sista

The Suite Life in Las Vegas

February 5, 2014 by thetravelsista 2 Comments

Sin City was the chosen locale for my sister’s recent 40th Birthday/Girls weekend. We arrived on Thursday and partied every night until our Sunday departure. Since as they say — what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas — this post won’t include all the details :-). But it will include some tips for hitting the Las Vegas party scene on the cheap, especially for the ladies.

We rented a 2-bedroom suite at Planet Hollywood, which served as party central for our group of 10. The suite was large, comfortable and nicely decorated with cool Hollywood movie and music memorabilia. It included sleeping space for 6, seating for 12, a wet bar, and expansive windows with views of the strip. As far as Vegas suites go, it was a great value for the money. If you have a group of 3 – 6 people (and don’t mind sharing beds), it’s worth a consideration; it might actually be cheaper than several regular rooms. And it’s a great way to live large, if only for a weekend.

We came to Vegas to celebrate and celebrate we did (for mostly free I might add). Our first night we partied at the Voodoo Lounge, on the rooftop of the Rio Hotel. The crowd was lively, the music was banging, and the panoramic views of the strip were amazing. The views alone are worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Vegas (you can catch a free shuttle from Harrah’s hotel). We met a fun wedding party there and hung out with them until 3 am. On Friday, we started off at Tryst nightclub at the Wynn hotel. The club was beautiful and the house music was live, but the crowd was a bit too stuffy for us. We left there and headed to the Ghostbar at the Palms Hotel. The music was pumping and the party was jumping, so we were all too happy to join in. It turned into another late night for us. On Saturday, we started the party early at Planet Hollywood’s day club/pool party. It was a fun afternoon, with a DJ, bartenders, and plenty of dancing and drinks.

Later that night, we rode the strip on a party bus for several hours. We stopped at the Las Vegas sign for photos, then headed to Pure nightclub at Caeser’s Palace. That place is huge, with several indoor dance areas and a huge rooftop lounge. We had the most fun there. Best of all, we got free VIP entry and avoided the long lines. Click here to read how you can too.

More Vegas photos

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My Top 3 Tips for Saving Money in Las Vegas

February 5, 2014 by thetravelsista 1 Comment

My first trip to Las Vegas was about 15 years ago. Back then, the Vegas strip was a lot less congested and hotel rooms, food, and gambling were cheap. I remember $5 game tables, $10 buffets, and $1.99 early morning steak and egg breakfasts. Weekend packages to Vegas were plentiful and affordable. Gone are those days.

In today’s Vegas, weekends are most expensive with decent rooms costing 2 -3 times the weekday rate. Buffets are $25+, blackjack tables have $15-20 minimums, and there’s no such thing as a cheap breakfast special. Vegas can be a real budget buster unless you know where to find the deals. Here are my top 3 tips for saving money and living large in Vegas:

1. Hotel Rooms: Book early for the best rates and try several bookings sites, as prices can significantly differ. My favorite sites are Hotels.com, Kayak, Orbitz and Venere. Try the actual hotel websites too. Sometimes they offer specials and extra perks for bookings on their own websites. Lastly, air/hotel packages may provide the best deal. Try Southwest or Delta airlines for package deals.

2. Entertainment/Food: Tix4Tonight is the best source for discounts on shows, restaurants, buffets, tours, and other attractions. With multiple locations along the strip, they offer same or next day discounted tickets, often for as much as half off. Their offerings vary by day, so if you’re flexible you can find some great deals on top shows and restaurants. Go early for the best selection. I’ve used them several times for shows and buffets, and can attest to the huge savings.

3. Nightlife: Expect long lines and expensive cover charges at Vegas nightclubs, unless you have an inside connection. One of the best club promoters in the game is Chris Hornak of FreeVegasClubPasses.com. Even better — his services are free. He can get you VIP entry into all the top Vegas nightclubs for free (ladies) or at reduced cover (sorry, guys). You’ll avoid all the long lines and the ladies will even get a free drink or two. I can personally vouch for him. During a recent trip, our group of 10 ladies got free entry into all of the hot clubs, with free drinks. We skipped the long lines and were ushered right thru the door. We easily saved more than $1,000 over the weekend and lots of wear and tear on our feet. I can’t recommend him enough.

Do you have some tips or secrets for saving money in Vegas? Please share them in the comments.

Visiting Las Vegas? Find Deals, Compare Rates, and Read Hotel Reviews on TripAdvisor