$100+ a night is a rip off for MGM - rooms are not that nice IMO.
If you call the ARIA and ask for the poker room manager (Kathleen), you may be able to get a poker rate on the rooms there, if you play enough poker per day to qualify (6 hrs). She's usually in M-F, 9-5 Vegas time.
The poker rate is around $100 - $130 per night, depenmding on the nights, but the rooms are MUCH nicer than MGM - and so is the poker room.
I don't know if the rates are same with 2 to a room, but worth checking out.
We wouldn't qualify for a poker rate room as we will probably only put in 10-15 hrs tops spread out over a couple of properties. Not everyone in our group plays poker, some not ever. But, we all like to drink. We were thinking MGM for the pool alone.
Called Aria directly and they are quoting me 435$ taxes and fees included for ea guy for the 3 nights.
No it was for each guy. The room was actually 916 or something (2 queen beds) and my CAA card got us 10% off. RIght now on southwest airlines you can fly out of buffalo and stay at aria for 625$ for 3 nights.
Well its booked. Some moneybag friends have had their way and we are booked at the Cosmo May 15-18, still flying southwest out of Buffalo. Leaving a day earlier (wed) instead of the thursday saved us about 150 ea in flight/hotel.
Now some questions.
I've read trip reports on here and allvegaspoker.
Looking for pokeroom near our hotel with running 3-6/4-8 limit hold em. Will probably splash around in these pots for the first night or two to minimize losses and maximize drinking.
Restaurants.
1 or 2 reliable/clean/decent/cheap food options near our hotel(Cosmo)
AND
1 place where 8 dudes can go for a nice dinner and drinks (150$ ea) to celebrate turning 40?
Well its booked. Some moneybag friends have had their way and we are booked at the Cosmo May 15-18, still flying southwest out of Buffalo. Leaving a day earlier (wed) instead of the thursday saved us about 150 ea in flight/hotel.
Now some questions.
I've read trip reports on here and allvegaspoker.
Looking for pokeroom near our hotel with running 3-6/4-8 limit hold em. Will probably splash around in these pots for the first night or two to minimize losses and maximize drinking.
Restaurants.
1 or 2 reliable/clean/decent/cheap food options near our hotel(Cosmo)
AND
1 place where 8 dudes can go for a nice dinner and drinks (150$ ea) to celebrate turning 40?
-cheers
Download the Bravo Poker App for your phone and take a look at the poker rooms.
Bellagio will be closest place with 4/8 but average age at table will be 102. But they will have Pale Ale | Sierra Nevada
Ballys will have 3/6 and Pale Ale | Sierra Nevada Ballys is pretty jumping on Friday night. They have a new poker room. Unfortunately they moved it away from the bar with the live band and gogo dancers, so the view is reduced.
If you rent a car M Resort has 4/8 and 98 awesome beers on tap.
Otherwise you are looking at Mirage for 3/6, average age 83 or Venetian for 4/8, average age 78 or Wynn for 4/8 (maybe) average age 71.
Other off strip options for 3/6 or 4/8 include Orleans, which has a great Fri night tourney and some of the Station casinos or Red Rock, which is a solid 25 min from the strip.
For cheap:
Fatburger across the street from Aria
Hash House a Go Go in IP (or M Resort) - cheaper for lunch and serves same menu as dinner so get there before 3pm or so. Also awesome for breakfast. Get the eggs benedict or chicken waffles. Pork tenderloin sandwich is good for lunch. Save room for snickers bread pudding.
Ellis Island BBQ
Cheapest craps on the strip is Casino Royale, but they have the shittiest beer. Better to pay for bottle or stick to rum and coke or something.
Thanks Moose. Ballys sounds about right, as does your food ideas. I'm on my cell right now, so I haven't opened the beer links( I think that's what they are) GTA.. Nice dinner of steak
I will add that Hash House will take Total Rewards comps, so if you play a bunch of hours at Ballys, make sure you are logged in under your players cards and then turn in your players cards at Hash House and tell them you are spending, not earning comps.
1 place where 8 dudes can go for a nice dinner and drinks (150$ ea) to celebrate turning 40?
-cheers
I ate at the steakhouse at Treasure Island last yr - paid about $120 for a fab meal with a 1/2 litre of red. It was very quiet and elegant with amazing food.
I have eaten at STK in the Cosmo and it is very good. Obviously depends on what you drink, but you can definitely have a great meal there and come in around your price target. For a group of guys celebrating a milestone, I would take STK over say Gordon Ramsay or some other steakhouses.
For eating on the cheap, there are tons of spots, but right in Cosmo there is Holsteins Shakes and Burgers... great burgers and you can have alcolhol or not in your shakes (it's Vegas, of course)...
If you start to get tired of burgers, there is a good Mexican place up the strip between Aria and New York/New York, called Diablos. Typical Mexican food and Coronas, but relatively inexpensive.
I would also recommend Bally's poker room for 4/8. They did move their room away from the band, but the new area is more professional, has more room and the drink service is still pretty fast. Alot less slot machine noise now... This is becoming a good place to play for folks that may not want to take their first shots at Bellagio or Aria.
I have eaten at STK in the Cosmo and it is very good. Obviously depends on what you drink, but you can definitely have a great meal there and come in around your price target. For a group of guys celebrating a milestone, I would take STK over say Gordon Ramsay or some other steakhouses.
Thanks, we will make the reservations about a month or so before we go.
3 weeks to go.
Question: will likely play a daily at the aria ($125 buy in) Would like to know if you cash in this thing are u paying the 30% on it? -500$ maybe not? 3000$ definitely?
Cheers.
3 weeks to go.
Question: will likely play a daily at the aria ($125 buy in) Would like to know if you cash in this thing are u paying the 30% on it? -500$ maybe not? 3000$ definitely?
Cheers.
...and another question: 50$ to get 50 min of calls to my iPhone, 50 mb of data, 200 outgoing texts and unlimited incoming. Is this worth it? Does whatsapp use wifi or data or ????
I need texting to talk with other friends for meet ups when we go off on our own and to be able to text with my wife back here. What do the majority of you do?
Are there options I'm missing?
Thanks in advance
...and another question: 50$ to get 50 min of calls to my iPhone, 50 mb of data, 200 outgoing texts and unlimited incoming. Is this worth it? Does whatsapp use wifi or data or ????
I need texting to talk with other friends for meet ups when we go off on our own and to be able to text with my wife back here. What do the majority of you do?
Are there options I'm missing?
Thanks in advance
Look into roamobility or even AT&T/T-Mobile and their pre-paid sims
Thanks Wes and Steve. Virgin won't unlock my phone cheaply so I'm just going to use it in airplane mode with wifi switched on and whatsapp. 75$ to unlock my phone not worth it. If I were going for more than 3 days I would. That roam mobility looks awesome tho.
Cheers
Wow I've never seen or heard of roam mobility. I don't have my iphone unlocked but I think I may just purchase the breeze phone. For $49.99 plus about $25 for my week vacation I think in one trip alone ill save. Last vegas trip costed me about $300 In roaming
Comments
We wouldn't qualify for a poker rate room as we will probably only put in 10-15 hrs tops spread out over a couple of properties. Not everyone in our group plays poker, some not ever. But, we all like to drink. We were thinking MGM for the pool alone.
Called Aria directly and they are quoting me 435$ taxes and fees included for ea guy for the 3 nights.
Thanks for the input.
Mo
No it was for each guy. The room was actually 916 or something (2 queen beds) and my CAA card got us 10% off. RIght now on southwest airlines you can fly out of buffalo and stay at aria for 625$ for 3 nights.
Now some questions.
I've read trip reports on here and allvegaspoker.
Looking for pokeroom near our hotel with running 3-6/4-8 limit hold em. Will probably splash around in these pots for the first night or two to minimize losses and maximize drinking.
Restaurants.
1 or 2 reliable/clean/decent/cheap food options near our hotel(Cosmo)
AND
1 place where 8 dudes can go for a nice dinner and drinks (150$ ea) to celebrate turning 40?
-cheers
Download the Bravo Poker App for your phone and take a look at the poker rooms.
What types of foods for cheap and for nice?
Ballys will have 3/6 and Pale Ale | Sierra Nevada Ballys is pretty jumping on Friday night. They have a new poker room. Unfortunately they moved it away from the bar with the live band and gogo dancers, so the view is reduced.
If you rent a car M Resort has 4/8 and 98 awesome beers on tap.
Otherwise you are looking at Mirage for 3/6, average age 83 or Venetian for 4/8, average age 78 or Wynn for 4/8 (maybe) average age 71.
Other off strip options for 3/6 or 4/8 include Orleans, which has a great Fri night tourney and some of the Station casinos or Red Rock, which is a solid 25 min from the strip.
Have not been here but I would say this would be the place for your high end dinner. Get reservations though before you leave.
STK, Las Vegas Steakhouse at The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas
For cheap:
Fatburger across the street from Aria
Hash House a Go Go in IP (or M Resort) - cheaper for lunch and serves same menu as dinner so get there before 3pm or so. Also awesome for breakfast. Get the eggs benedict or chicken waffles. Pork tenderloin sandwich is good for lunch. Save room for snickers bread pudding.
Ellis Island BBQ
Cheapest craps on the strip is Casino Royale, but they have the shittiest beer. Better to pay for bottle or stick to rum and coke or something.
I ate at the steakhouse at Treasure Island last yr - paid about $120 for a fab meal with a 1/2 litre of red. It was very quiet and elegant with amazing food.
For eating on the cheap, there are tons of spots, but right in Cosmo there is Holsteins Shakes and Burgers... great burgers and you can have alcolhol or not in your shakes (it's Vegas, of course)...
If you start to get tired of burgers, there is a good Mexican place up the strip between Aria and New York/New York, called Diablos. Typical Mexican food and Coronas, but relatively inexpensive.
I would also recommend Bally's poker room for 4/8. They did move their room away from the band, but the new area is more professional, has more room and the drink service is still pretty fast. Alot less slot machine noise now... This is becoming a good place to play for folks that may not want to take their first shots at Bellagio or Aria.
Thanks, we will make the reservations about a month or so before we go.
Question: will likely play a daily at the aria ($125 buy in) Would like to know if you cash in this thing are u paying the 30% on it? -500$ maybe not? 3000$ definitely?
Cheers.
Think it's 5k..
Correct.. For most Vegas casinos. (Reported winnings - the buyin > $5K) and the casino withholds 30% for all Canadians.
Thanks guys.
I need texting to talk with other friends for meet ups when we go off on our own and to be able to text with my wife back here. What do the majority of you do?
Are there options I'm missing?
Thanks in advance
Look into roamobility or even AT&T/T-Mobile and their pre-paid sims
I have a link that will get you 1 free day.
PM me if interested and I will send you the link
Cheers