I am planning a trip to vegas at the end of Sept. and was wondering what is the best way to go get a deal?

You can find great deals right on line on the Vegas hotel web sites.

When you look for a hotel in Vegas consider this. All of the big hotels on the Strip are great. The most important things to consider are location, price, and in the summer you want to consider the hotel’s pool area. So, stay on the strip in the center of all of the hotel locations so that you can walk to see all of the hotels and casinos, and all of the free attractions. The best place to stay to do that is in one of the hotels on or nearest to Flamingo Rd & the Strip. At that corner is Caesars Palace, Bellagio, the Flamingo, Ballys, and the Paris hotels. This link will take you to a map of the strip so you can see ( http://www.vegas.com/lounge/map.html) I am not saying you need to stay in one of these but stay close to them. I do recommend the Flamingo and Monte Carlo hotels if you are looking for a good price, location and pool.

The next thing to consider in picking the BEST place is price. Rates go down in the summer (and again after Thanksgiving, until about mid-January (except new years eve when prices double)). So pick a place that has the best price for you. Caesars, Wynn, The Venetian, and Bellagio will cost top dollar all of the time (like $150 and up) per night during the summer. The Flamingo, Ballys Monte Carlo, and some others you can get into for around $100 (but most times for less) during the low seasons. Its also more expensive in all Vegas hotels on Friday and Saturday nights by $40 to $60 more. So to get a lower rate plan to go to Vegas on Sunday and stay through Thursday night.

In the summer you probably want to spend some time at the pool areas, which in Vegas are fabulous. All of the big hotels have great pool areas. But the Mandalay Bay, and Monte Carlo hotels have a wave pool and a lazy river for tubing or body floating. The MGM hotel has a huge lazy river and a water fall. The Flamingo has a water slide (not big but nice and refreshing) and also a water fall. The pools at Caesars and Bellagio are good because they have multiple pools and plenty of places to sit. Caesars even has a topless pool areas called the VENUS POOL.

I have stayed at Mandalay Bay, Excalibur, Paris, MGM, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, Caesars, the Rio, the Flamingo, Ballys, and Harrahs. But the BEST place for me when I go is who has the best price. Again, all of the Strip hotels are great. So shop the web sites, look at the hotel rate calendars, and go when the price is the lowest. That’s the best place to stay on the Strip.

You can probably get lower priced rooms at the Circus Circus, Sahara and Rivera on the north end of the Strip, the Tropicana on the south end, and also at the hotels on Fremont Street. The Tropicana is one of the older hotels that has not been renovated like many others;its actually in bankruptcy right now. The other locations will place you a long way from the center of the strip action and you’ll have to take a bus or taxi to Strip action. In addition, if you need to run to the room for a little R&R, it’s a long ways.

Many of the hotels on the Strip are actually under the same parent company so if you search at one property for a room rate the site will automatically give you the rates at partner hotels for the same dates. For example, try this site for Harrahs and you’ll see other Vegas hotels listed: http://www.harrahs.com/brands/ballys/hot...

Here are a bunch of other Vegas hotel sites:

http://www.ilovevegas.com/

http://www.vegasinform.com/

http://www.i4vegas.com/Hotels/Las_Vegas_...

http://www.lasvegas.com/

http://www.harrahs.com/brands/ballys/hot...

http://www.bellagio.com/

http://www.mgmgrand.com/

http://www.venetian.com/

Now if you want to go strictly first class and don’t mind paying a few dollars more then look for rooms in Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Venetian & Palazzio, the Wynn, and Mandalay Bay. Those are the top ones.

If you want to step down just a little then look at MGM, Paris, and Mirage.