Hello to all,
Am starting to plan a trip to Vegas for a small group of couples - planning to go over Veterans holiday in Nov. I have checked average temp and it looks like it is cool in Nov. Also had someone tell me that generally the pools are closed at 6pm anyway and will be completely closed in Nov. Since we were picking our hotel based on location and pool area, this would make a difference to us. Any advice, opinions, etc would be very helpful. Thanks for your help. Jamie G

Jamie,
Welcome to Talk Vegas. Nice to see you posting here. I can't speak for all hotels, but I do know that the Mirage's pool is heated and is open all year round. I was just there last week and there were a few people in the pool. (Way too cold for me)
I think some other hotels may have heated pools also. I'm sure some of our other members will be able to help you with some more information.

Lee Ann
Past, Present and Future Forum Moderator
leeann@talkvegas.com

Jamie,
I just did a search of conventions in November.
I used the dates of Nov 9 through Nov 18.

There are a few small conventions, but none big enough to alter any plans...except for Comdex. That one is HUGE. The dates are 11/13/00 through 11/19/00 and 225,000 people are scheduled to attend. Room rates tend to increase greatly during Comdex also. I would try to get out of town before that one. <vbg>

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Lee Ann
Past, Present and Future Forum Moderator
leeann@talkvegas.com

Jamie: Some of the resorts close their pools completely for the winter in October due to the dropping temps, while some may leave theirs open or leave a smaller pool or jacuzzi open and heated, mostly so they can say to their guests there is an open pool. The average November range in the 60s hi/40s lo--pretty chilly for many pool people, although you could get some warmer days (or cooler).

Sorry, I have no list of which hotels provide some sort of pool during the winter months. You might want to pick a few hotels you are interested in staying at and ask about their November pool availability.

There were people in the Mandalay Bay pools during Thanksgiving. It's not a great location, and you might want to call them and ask about the pools if you plan on booking there.

Thanks to everyone for the info, we are considering a change of date, probably to Oct, we all really enjoy the water and would prefer to go when their is a better chance of good pool weather.
So...., I had narrowed down hotel choices to the Mirage and the Flamingo for location and pool area. Any others we should consider? We have some personal recommendations from friends FOR the Mirage and Harrah's and AGAINST Caesar's - any comments?? Thanks for all your help - my sister is planning a LV trip in June for her anniversary so I am helping her too!!! The info is being put to good use! Jamie

Jamie,
October should still be ok for swimming, especially if you go at the beginning of the month. We were there at the beginning of October last year and the weather was great every day, in the 80's.
As far as a hotel selection goes, I have not stayed at Harrah's so I can't comment on it. The Flamingo has a very nice pool area. Lee is our resident Flamingo expert, so I'm sure he can fill you in on what the rooms are like etc. The Mirage's pool area is very nice also. It has a good location, but the rooms are nothing special. They are not large and the bathrooms are extremely small. However, the rooms are always clean and the furnishings are still in good shape, not worn. It is more than adequate for the amount of time most people spend in a Las Vegas hotel room. It all depends on what you want in your hotel room.
I am curious about the negative comment you received about Caesars. I have stayed at Caesars twice and was very happy both times. They have a beautiful pool area and their standard rooms are larger than some of the other hotels. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can get upgraded to the Palace Tower which is the newest tower and the rooms are extremely nice. Caesars also has a great location and the Forum Shops are there also. Would you mind telling us what your friend didn't like about Caesars?
If you are looking for a nice pool area, Mandalay Bay has a beautiful pool area with a sandy beach and a wave pool. I have heard that the Monte Carlo's pool area is nice also.
Bellagio's pool area is like an Italian garden area and is very pretty. Their rooms and bathrooms are larger than the Mirage's, but they go for a higher price also.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Lee Ann
Past, Present and Future Forum Moderator
leeann@talkvegas.com

LeeAnn,
The comments that I got were from 3 different people at a xmas party - they all said it was old, worn out, dirty and there were much better places to stay. Another was my hairstylist who stays at Bally's, his comment was that "it's the kind of place you don't want to take your shoes off because you're feet will stick to the carpet". Just didn't sound too inviting to me. Maybe this is old info and things are different now.
We are a group of siblings in our 40's -while we aren't serious gamblers - we are serious about our fun! We have been to New Orleans, Key West and Cancun with this group and decided on Las Vegas for this year. Thanks for your advice and help. Jamie G

Lee-PA

[This message has been edited by Lee-PA (edited February 10, 2000).]

Jamie,
I'd have to say the pool area at the Flamingo is really nice. I like to wake up in the morning and look at it. Of all the LV trips, I've been in it one time. I don't tan, I burn, so the desert sun and me, don't get along to well. My wife loves the pool! It's a series of several pools conected by water chutes/small slides. At the top pool there is a real water slide. Lots of shade and poolside drinks!

I'd also like mention a few other pools, while I beleive the Flamingo has one of the top pools in LV, it does have some company in the ranking. All for slightly differnt reasons.
Mandalay Bay, New hotel, pool, everything. Wave pool which I understand they can turn the waves up or down in size. Pretty darn neat if you ask me.
Hard Rock Hotel, pool with a beach and music played underwater. This has a much hipper and younger crowd. I'm told the sights around the pool are heaven. but the hotel isn't on the strip, so I couldn't recomend it for a group trip.
Mirage's & Bellagio's pools are nice too.
Out of the above mentioned, Flamingo would be probably the most affordable. Although, depending on the dates you might find a bargin at any of them. You just never know.

We have been staying at the Flamingo for a great many trips. Here's the scoop on the place:
The bathrooms are small, always clean.
The standard room is just that, a standard size LV room. In room movies are available, all ratings. Video check out also is available. If you have a hilton honnors member their is a special line to check in at. It's suppose to move faster for the preferred customers, but it's not always the case, so check both lines before choosing, if you are a Hilton member. If not the regular check-in line moves pretty well (if there is a line at all). Valet, may not be the slowest in LV, but it's close! Baggage delivery & pick-up have gotten much better over the years. This used to be horrible, now it's expectable times. 24hr room service, although not always as fast as you might like. friendly dealers, bartenders (my personal favorites in LV are here and Paris), change personal, security and housekeeping. Safes in the room, no servibar. fridg, is $3 extra a day. I personally like the back tower, it is a longer walk, but there seems to be much less hall noise in the morning. Plus we are closer to our self parked car.

------------------
Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Wow, I'm surprised by your friends comments about Caesars. I have been to Las Vegas ten times and each time we visit, we make Caesars one of our stops. As I mentioned, we stayed there twice also. I have always found it to be clean and the whole hotel has an elegant feel to it. The casino area is a little darker than I would like it to be, but it isn't dirty. Do you know how long ago they were there?

I see our resident Flamingo expert has filled you in on his favorite hotel. <vbg>

A family trip sounds like fun. My husband and I surprised his family in Las Vegas in November and we all had a great time here. Selecting what hotel you want to stay in depends on many factors. Price, amenities and location. Are you looking for a luxurious hotel room with a jacuzzi, etc. or do you just want a clean basic hotel room? Also, do you plan to have a car during your stay? There are some hotels off the strip that are nice and are available at a lower price. Do you plan on seeing any shows during your stay or making any side trips to local points of interst like Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, etc. Let us know what kind of things you are interested in doing and our members will be able to give you the information to make an informed choice.

Lee Ann
Past, Present and Future Forum Moderator
[email]leeann@talkvegas.com][/email]

Lee, Lee Ann,
Thanks for all the info, it is really helpful - the idea is to try to please all the group but that can be difficult. In our past trips, our important decisions were where to eat and when to meet at the pool and I tried to stay in the $150/night budget range but it depends on what's available. We all definitely want to gamble, nice dinners out at good restaurants, probably a show or concert depending on who's in town and of course some shopping. Usually a few of us do some bar hopping but I guess in Vegas you might call it "casino hopping". Two of our group has been to Vegas before and really want to stay on the strip in the center location (stayed at Rio and liked it but not the location). One of the group wanted to stay at Caesar's and I discouraged her because of what I heard. My sister has stayed at Mirage but always in a suite, she highly recommends it (but she was with someone getting a comp'ed suite). I think that a couple of us would like some nice luxury while others want to save their money to gamble. I have been checking prices for Oct vs Nov and while the Mirage and Flamingo were close in price for Nov, their is a big difference in price in Oct. Right now, we are waiting for the fall school schedule before picking definite dates. We do not plan on having a car.
Maybe I should look at Caesar's - I was surprised that I got so many negative comments - has it been remodeled the last couple of years? Thanks for your help, Jamie G

Jamie,
I'm not sure if Caesars has been remodeled lately. I do know that the Palace Tower is only a few years old. If you stay there, I would try to get a room in the Palace Tower.

I guess I sound like I am discouraging you from the Mirage. <vbg> I like the Mirage and stay there every time we are in Las Vegas, but that is because my room is comped. I just like people to know what they are getting. The Mirage does have very nice grounds and the pool area is beautiful. There are shaded areas to get out of the sun, a couple of water slides, several jacuzzis and waterfalls in the pool. The Mirage has the Secret Garden which has animals that have been collected by Siegfried and Roy. I think the casino is very pretty. It has a tropical feel to it with an atrium filled with plants as you enter the casino. The big downfall, as I said is that the rooms are small, although functional. The baths are extremely small. They are equiped with hairdryers. There is a very small safe in the guest room closet.
There is a small dressing table with a lighted makeup mirror outside of the bathroom. The standard rooms also have a small table and two chairs. I have asked for a room upgrade every time and am always turned down.

Another possibility might be the Venetian. It is across the street from the Mirage. All rooms are suites. I think the standard room size is supposed to be around 700 square where the Mirage rooms are about 350 square feet. I'm not sure what the pool is like, but the hotel is brand new. It opened last year.

For $150 per night, you should probably be able to get a room at any casino, unless you want that $150 per day to include meals and shows. Some of the shows tend to be pricey, others are less expensive. It all depends on what you are interested in and how much money you are willing to spend. The same thing goes for meals. You can eat for practically nothing, or you can spend several hundred dollars for two to eat. You said that several in your group may want to gamble. Even if they only want to gamble a little, they should sign up for a slot card at any casino they play at. It will get you on casino mailing lists for future room offers and you may gamble enough to get a free meal in the hotel coffee shop or buffet.

I think the center strip area is a good location. You did mention shopping and center strip is a good area for that. There are the Forum shops at Caesars, the Fashion Show Mall, as well as shops at Bellagio and the Venetian.

Lee Ann
Past, Present and Future Forum Moderator
leeann@talkvegas.com