[evening sun]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

Save a bunch of money and stay on Fremont Street. Better gambling too. Golden Nugget or more reasonable, Main Street Station or El Cortez. Just take the Deuce to the Strip. You can get a 24 hour pass for under $10.

When we used to go to Vegas, we stayed on Fremont St, at the Four Queens, back then it was way cheaper than the strip, for rooms, & also food & alcohol. I have no idea about current day, but probably worth a look, I do not care for the strip at all. I found the prices in the bars outrageous on the strip.

[Coco6163]

Vdara....might be on the higher side of what you are looking for, but it is very nice, great location, and no casino.

[KeiferOreilly]

SIGNATURE @ MGM Grand is undoubtletly the best value for ones money. Best to book through the Hotel.s own website.

[vegas taco]

trump or vdara look for discounted rates on hotwire etc

[chipspew]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I was told that I had to pay full price for my draft beer ($7 for a small pour) unless I put at least a $20 in the machine. No thanks. I told my friend I'd be out on Fremont wandering around when she was ready to come find me and cashed out without playing at all.

you sound absolutely delightful

(pro tip: drop the $20 into the machine, play minimum bet, have a few drinks, cash out somewhere between $5-$30. Something tells me you don't tip, but you should tip at least $1 per drink)

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by chipspew

you sound absolutely delightful

(pro tip: drop the $20 into the machine, play minimum bet, have a few drinks, cash out somewhere between $5-$30. Something tells me you don't tip, but you should tip at least $1 per drink)

It's a very rare occasion that I gamble at all as I see it as an absolute waste of money, so for me to put $5 in a video poker machine is rare (I'd NEVER drop/waste a $20). In the past, putting ANY money in a machine was enough to get a free drink. Now, it seems, the casinos on Fremont are moving toward requiring a set amount first which is new, and that was kinda my point. Everyone assumes Fremont is all free/cheap drinks and it seems that they are going the opposite direction in my recent experiences. As I said in my post, other drinks that were once $2 are now $3, etc. And with the closing of Mermaids, also known for cheap food, Fremont isn't the bargain it once was. (I am not hopeful that whatever monstrosity Derek builds in place of that block where Mermaids-Las Vegas Club once stood will be anything other than high end/expensive and boring)

On other rare occasions where I did put a few bucks in a machine and did get a free drink, I would always tip a buck or 2 per drink. I do that whether I pay for the drink or not. Unless it is your first time in a bar, you know that is the best way to be sure the bartender pays attention to you when you need a refill. But thanks for making so many assumptions about me from reading one post!

[jjf424]

another vote here for the Vdara, we just stayed there last month for a week, great location and no smoking/no casino, and you can walk out the door right to Aria or Cosmo or Bellagio. We've been visiting for a week the last four years and have done Treasure Island, Mirage, Ling, and now Vdara. Vdara was best so far for us-