cheers the goat,
Im an old duffer so clubs etc will be out and not that arsed about gambling - will do a bit just to say Ive done it
Im at the stage where I am quite happy to pay for a nice standard of hotel probably right in the middle of things
i will definitely get back to you with prob a big list of what are probably really dumb questions!
Location is everything in Vegas.
Bellagio is generally considered centre Strip, so the closer to there the better the location.
I'd say to avoid staying any further south than New York New York/ MGM Grand, and no further north than the Palazzo/Treasure Island.
If you have a decent budget or are happy to go for something higher end, you can't go too far wrong with the City Centre trilogy of hotels; Aria, Vdara and Cosmopolitan. They are all quite modern and trendy. Vdara doesn't actually have a casino and is smoke-free, so it makes it quite a unique option on the Strip. Can't go wrong with any of those 3 hotels.
If you want something a bit more traditional, Caesars Palace and Bellagio are both solid options.
Palazzo and Venetian are both spectacular, though you lose the more central location with them.
The Cromwell is a good option, often overlooked as its not one of the mega hotels.
If you're thinking more 4*, you've got Park MGM (formally Monte Carlo) and Paris which are well located.
Hotel prices in Vegas can be wild, it really depends on what's going on in town (conventions, concerts, sporting events etc)....prices can really fluctuate week on week so it can be hard to say where's the best value place to say on any given dates. Regardless of events in town, Friday and Saturday nights are always the most expensive days to stay as people fly in for the weekend.
I've not mentioned Wynn or Encore.....they are arguably the nicest hotels on the Strip (or at least amongst the nicest) but they really suffer with location. On a map it doesn't look too far north but when you're walking the Strip its only then you realise just how damn big it is and what looks a 5 minute walk on a map is actually 30 minutes.
With all that in mind, I'd say if you want contemporary 5* then look towards Aria/Vdara/Cosmo....and if you want more traditional 5* then consider Bellagio/Caesars/Venetian.
If you want some proper wow factor, The Cosmopolitan offer suites that have balconies (rarity in Vegas) overlooking the Bellagio fountains. This would be my shout if you have the money to throw at it!
