I told you I met with Las Vegas Advisor.com honcho Anthony Curtis, who knows the town like few do, and that he told me he is blown away by the deals out there now. He says December visitors (especially if you come in the slow period 10 days or so before Xmas) can expect an early present in the form of ultra-cheap rooms.
Here's what he writes: "We found 38 casinos with rates of less than $40 (43 if you count Buffalo Bill’s, Gold Strike, Hacienda, Railroad Pass, and Whiskey Pete’s). This annihilates last year’s total of 28. The total below $30 this year is 25, compared to just 10 last year. ... Best of all, though, are the big discounts in the 'High End' category, which are, in a word, exceptional."
Here are excerpts from the LVA lists:
Under $30: Arizona Charlie’s Boulder, Binion’s, Boulder Station, Circus Circus, Eastside Cannery, Fiesta Henderson, Fies-ta Rancho, Fitzgeralds, Gold Coast, Gold Spike, Hooters, Orleans, Palace Station, Plaza, Riviera, Sahara, Sam’s Town, Silverton, Stratosphere, Terrible’s, Texas Station, Tuscany, Vegas Club, Wild Wild West.
Under $40: Arizona Charlie’s Decatur, California, Casino Royale, Excalibur, Four Queens (Note from Kitty: I just had a filling breakfast at Magnolia's there and played $5 blackjack and found Four Queens, which is downtown, exceptionally clean and friendly), Fremont, Golden Gate, Imperial Palace, Longhorn Super 8, Main Street Station, South Point, Lucky Club, Tropicana.
High end: Flamingo $44, Harrah’s $44, Rio $44, Bally’s $48, Luxor $48, Monte Carlo $48, Aliante Station $49, Golden Nugget $49, New York-New York $55, Las Vegas Hilton $57, Hard Rock $59, MGM Grand $64, Paris $66, TI $67, Mirage $71, Green Valley Ranch $72, Red Rock $72, Planet Hollywood $79, Westin $82, Mandalay Bay $90, Caesars Palace $96, Palazzo $119, Venetian $119, THEhotel $120, Wynn $137, Trump $139, Bellagio $149.
Wow! Anthony says rates are subject to availability, and you might have to try multiple sources to get them, such as directly from the casino (phone and Web), third-party reselling Web sites, and the rate search engine Travelaxe. And he says rates change all the time. But if you're Vegas bound, start checking. And remember, midweek is usually cheaper and that if rates drop after you reserve, call and ask the hotel to lower what you originally got. Anthony also says you may be able to do better by using players' clubs and cruising the Internet for last-minute deals.
Readers, please share any better rates than above you've gotten for December. If you've always wanted to experience a Vegas luxury hotel, now is definitely the time.