OK, it's time for my annual trip to Vegas (skipped last year, though). Whenever I go, I always check the Talk Vegas board (since Prodigy days!).

Aria is new. Is it worth a look? I'll probably not venture beyond the stretch of the strip from Aria to Wynn's latest properties.

The rates at the Mirage are the lowest. Haven't stayed there in years. Is it fading a bit? It's about 1/2 price of the Bellagio.

The Bellagio emailed me a 3 nights for the price of two offer even for this irregular visitor. Anything like that at Aria?

Thanks in advance.

Have not stayed at Aria and my previous experiences at other new hotels makes me cautious of staying anyplace in its first year of operation.

I would recommend Mirage over Bellagio. To some extent it depends on whether you are the type to most do things in the hotel you are staying at compared to going different places for dining and entertainment and gaming and basically only using the hotel to sleep.

Mirage has mostly been renovated so it really does not show much wear. I did not find much to choose between the rooms at Mirage and Bellagio roughly similar in size and amenities. Our rooms were comped so they probably were not the best in the house, in particular our view from Bellagio was nothing special unless you were into studying modern ventilation systems.

The cost of dining at Bellagio is much higher than in the Mirage and Bellagio has very few low cost options. Everything is gourmet and even the coffee shop is pricey. The Mirage has a number of good choices. We especially like Japonaise which is Japanese fusion cuisine.

If you are into name chef restaurants, Bellagio is the choice but expect to pay a lot.

In my view O is the best Cirque du Soleil show and it is at Bellagio but Luv is newer and generally gets good reviews at the Mirage.

I think the gambling is better at the Mirage but both are strip hotel and not going to be real good. Obviously depends on luck. Mirage is more accessible to other properties in particular TI and Caesars. I would rate the Mirage location as much better if you are a walker, does not matter if you do car. Mirage is out closer to the street compared to Bellagio

Mirage's crowd is more American and on the relatively young side. Bellagio is more foreign and older though nothing like a Sunset Station or Sam's Town. Both are relatively wealthy crowds except Mirage gets college students.

While everything E&E says is just about spot-on, I would suggest that you give Aria a try mainly because it is brand new, needs your business, and offers a lot of new sites which you'll definitely have to see before returning home. Plus you can tell us how you liked it .... or otherwise. I have not heard too many good reports on the dining options although I did enjoy the Thai restaurant back there by the Sports Book area.

JMT would have more accurate info but I think the Aria offers mid week acomodations starting around $140/nite.

You failed to mention your arrival date but the Cosmopolitan opens on Dec 15 and should be a nice place to stay.

In my humble opinion .... the Encore cannot be beat but dining there is rather expensive.

And if you want the best bang for your gambling dollar, I suggest you get off the Strip and give the Palms or the Orleans a try.

My uneducated guess it that you will end up at the Mirage which still impresses me over many of the other Strip hotels.

Have a nice stay and bring warm clothes. It's cooling off rather swiftly.

>>> . . . Bellagio was nothing special unless you were into studying modern ventilation systems.<<

Great comment on the views from many high-rise hotel rooms! E&E, thanks for your advice. Yes, eating at the Bellagio is expensive, and our tastes are pretty pedestrian. You make a strong common sense case for the Mirage, especially on gambling. I prefer the betting flexibility at a $5 crap table and that endangered specie, when last there, didn't exist at the Bellagio (and probably doesn't at the Aria, either).

The trip will be the 2d week of January, when it's raining here (Sonoma county, Calif) and on quiet side in Vegas. And, we are walkers, so the heart of the strip works well for us. The rental car gets little use.

Will800, thanks for the tip on the opening of the Constellation. If Vegas was a rational decision, I'd reserve now at the Mirage and be done with it. But part of the fun of Vegas, to me anyway, is whatever is new, more opulent and ostentatious. So, I guess I'll continue to weigh the Aria and check out the Constellation.

Over the years, this has been a great place for information on Las Vegas. Thanks to all who share their experiences.

Lyn

Sonoma!? WOW! Grandparents used to own a Russian RIver cabin in Rio Nido directly over the river on stilts back in the days when Rio Nido was the only summer resort to spend the summer in.

What part of Sonoma do you live in or live by?

I was there (Rio Nido) last year and it's all so unrecognizable now. Just a skeleton of its former glory days. Even the beach has disappeared.

Our address is Santa Rosa, but we're closer to Kenwood. We're recent arrivals to the area, after living in Oregon for 20 years. So, I can't really comment on how much change has gone here.

I note that you're living in Hawaii. After a stint in the army, I figured the University of Hawaii was the perfect place for someone more interested in fun than academics to play student. Fond memories.

On topic, could you elaborate about the Encore? What makes it stand out? Are its table minimums different than, say, the Wynn?

Thanks, Lyn

I have very few good things to say about City Center due to local politics. I watched Boyd's big project, Echelon, collapse while City Center's US commitment was bailed out by Harry Reid. Boyd funds were legitimate. City Center's non US funding was built with money from Arab states that had untraceable origins that may or may not have terrorist ties. Boyd is big on serving the local community.

Aria has 3 other strikes against it. Location, location, and location. It is not on the strip. It is on the freeway. Put it as a place to visit, and decide if you want to stay there next time. Sure it's new. That's about all it's got going for it. It's not that attractive as a tourist destination.

Rather than saying that Mirage is half the price of Bellagio, it might be interesting to consider the cost of a Bellagio room and see what kind of digs the Mirage can give you for that same amount of money.

I am very interested in the Cosmopolitan, if that is on your list now. I honestly haven't seen much on the rooms. I've read a little about the casino, and a lot about the dining. It's location is on the strip. I think it will have the glitz that you might be expecting from Aria. Once Cosmo opens, Aria will probably become a ghost town as it wont have anything going for it.

I'm curious that you mentioned week 2 in January as the quiet time in Las Vegas. It will be full of geeks and nerds until the 10th because of CES. The second full week of January starts on the 10th. I hope you don't plan for quietness before that.

Thanks, JMT. After reading a WSJ article on substantial cutbacks taking place at City Center, including the Aria, my interest vanished. Staying at a hotel that is cutting back on every expense possible to stave off bankruptcy, nah, forget it. Your tale of Middle East money and freeway location just adds two more reasons to look elsewhere.

I will take a look at the Cosmopolitan. Otherwise, the Mirage will work fine. It's location is nearly perfect.

Yep, we won't fly in until the techies have left.

JMT, I am also not a CityCenter fan to say the least, but to describe its location as "on the freeway" is a bit unfair.

I say "a bit" unfair due to the fact that the western side of the Aria does face the freeway, but so does the western side of the Bellagio and most other west-side Strip hotels.

Years ago there was open, undeveloped space between the back of all those hotels and the freeway (was it really a freeway back then? - I kind of recall a two lane road).

But otherwise I do respect your opinion and have similar feelings about that project.

I am not a CityCenter fan at all.

Someone recently mentioned the remote possibility of the temporary closing of a couple of the Strip hotels until the economy improves.

Have you heard anything official in that regards?

Iz, I am a major Wynn Resort fan and personally think that no hotel in LV can come close to comparing with it.

Everything is dsigned with a great amount of ingtelligence, love and care.

Take the Encore for instance.

The casino lighting and colors are beautiful with a very nice poolside garden view.

The fixtures and furnishings are elaborate.

The staff is extraordinary.

There's even a tunnel to get you to the airport without the need to battle the traffic along the Strip.

And the taxi-cabs are hidden until you need one (Encore only).

Etc., etc., etc.

BUT... the dining options are very expensive and the table minimums are relatively high - $15+++.

But you can always eat and gamble elsewhere.

If you don't stay there, at least walk through the Encore and see for yourself how far superior it is to all the others.

But just make sure you see the Giant Green Frog sing some enjoyable evening on the Lake of Dreams. Check that out on YouTube.com.

Aria is not a strip hotel because it's buried in the back of the property. That's how it earned freeway hotel in my book.

I wont address the other issues, no matter how tempting, because that would hijack this thread.

Will800, thanks for the comments on the Encore. It's priced, as at least for non-preferenced customers, as if it is something special. The website pictures were quite attractive. We will be sure to visit.

Given the non-frugal activity I'll do in Vegas, I'm not sure why I bother looking for a "deal" on a room, but I do. The Mirage will get my business this visit.

Hmm, I'm out of date. When did a "resort fee" of $16/day become a standard add-on in Las Vegas? I wish they hadn't sprung that on me at the last moment, and in small print.

The irritant factor exceeds the money involved by a wide margin. It's bad enough for the government to add a zillion fees to the air fare, but they're the government. I expect better from a casino.

Any options here? Or is the charge universal?

Thanks.

Good to see someone who takes a stand against LV resort fees. There is a web site that lists hotels who add resort fees.

I recommend that you avoid them along with casinos who don't pay a blackjack 3 to 2.

Now I gotta find that list.

Following do not charge late fees, but this is an old list and may no longer be accurate so ask before you make a reservation.

Aria
Bally's
Bellagio
Bill's Gambling Hall
Caesar's Palace
California
El Cortez
Encore
Fitzgeralds
Flamingo
Four Seasons
Fremont
Golden Gate
Golden Nugget
Harrah's
Imperial Palace
LV Hilton
Paris
Planet Hollywood
PH Tower
Rio
South Point
Terrible's

Oops lz, you are out of date. And you are right that it leaves a sour taste that exceeds the cost of the resort fee. And as an added bonus, the benefits offered by the resort fee are not justified.

Resort fees have been around a long time and have been big news stories. Still they continue to grow. I believe Harrah's took a stand against them at one point.

Will800, thanks for the list. I will put it to use.

My ignorance is somewhat justified by seeing the last two hotels we stayed in--Bellagio and Paris--on the list of hotels with no fee.

I grumble but pay the fee when we stay at the Hyatt Lake Tahoe, but no comparable alternative exists at Incline Village. Not so in Vegas . . . . I hope.

Last time I stayed at Mirage there were a lot of young people with baby strollers walking around. They lowered there standards over the years and its now affordable to all. If you want upscale better pass on the Mirage.

I don't think any major attraction resort will be better for the stroller problem.

Hi lz

I will NOT stay at any hotel who charges those needless resort fees. It is a rip off. Lz you think the hotel is saving you money by reducing the room prices right ? WAM you then get hit with the resort fees that eat up the savings. Now I would pick Caesars Palace for these reasons. the location . the Bellagio is right next door with their fantastic fountains. The prices are really not that bad. Ask to be put in the Augustus tower because those rooms are nice. Finally NO RESORT FEES !!

party on

vegas talker