Driving in Las Vegas

One major question that travelers who fly to Vegas have to ask themselves upon planning their trip is whether or not to rent a car for their stay. Making that decision can be difficult, because while there are several public transportation options within the city, they all have their limitations:

1. "The Deuce" Bus: The Deuce is a double-decker bus that runs 24 hours a day and stops at several of the resorts between Mandalay Bay and downtown. A 3-Day pass is $20. While this is an affordable option for sight-seeing, it certainly isn't the most speedy form of transportation. The Strip on most days and nights is snarled with traffic, and while scenic, it won't get you to your destination quickly. It's crowded, loud, and on a hot day can be sticky and icky. Further, while the Deuce runs every 15 minutes, there is often a long line at the stop closest to the hotels, so you could be waiting for some time to board.

2. Monorail(s): There are two convenient monorails on each side of the Strip. On the same side as MGM Grand, the Las Vegas monorail (run by the city) stops at six different hotels and casinos as well as the convention center. Trains arrive every 4-9 minutes. A single ride ticket is $5 and for $22 you can get an all-day pass. The monorail on the opposite side of the Strip is run by MGM and only stops at MGM properties. One goes from Mandalay Bay to Excalibur, one goes from Monte Carlo to Bellagio. The MGM trams are free of charge. There is also a free tram between the Mirage and Treasure Island and Caesar's Entertainment properties have free shuttle buses between their properties, so that may be an option as well. While the monorails are another great sight-seeing option, they are limited to just the Strip properties around the stations, so any other nearby-Strip properties of interest (Hard Rock, Stratosphere, Palms, etc.) or downtown Vegas will require another form of transportation.

3. Cabs: While cabs are relatively cheap in Las Vegas, if you take more than a few trips, it can start getting expensive. The minimum is $6-$7 per ride, but with tip, you are looking at $10 or more per trip. If you have a group of 4 or more, it may not be a bad option if you are splitting the fare. But, another issue to watch out for is that the service is only as good as the driver you get, and that can be just as much of a gamble as you'll get inside the casinos. Many unsavory drivers will "long haul" you, that is, intentionally taking a longer route to your destination in order to run up the cab fare. A recent Time magazine article stated that riders in Vegas were overcharged by an estimated $14.8 million because of cab drivers "long-hauling" them. So, if you don't know exactly where you are going and the directions to get there, chances are high that you may get ripped off. Further, the lines for cabs outside the resorts can often be quite long, adding unecessary frustration and waiting when you just want to get to where you are going.

So, you may have already deducted from the above list that my recommendation is to spend the money and get a rental car. Not only is a rental car the most convenient way to get around the Strip, it'll give you a chance to go off Strip if you want to visit Mount Charleston, Hoover Dam or some of the great off-Strip casinos like Green Valley Ranch or the Red Rock Resort.

The best deal that we have found here in Vegas for renting a car is Fox Rent A Car. You'll save anywhere from 20-40%, the reason being that their lot is offsite of the airport. They do have a shuttle that will take you to their lot, but you have to take a shuttle to get to the main rental car lot from the airport anyway, so you have to take a second shuttle to get to Fox once you've shuttled to the rental car area. It's a little bit longer of a trip, but if you don't mind taking the extra time, it can save you some big money.

Another great secret to know about the Strip is that both valet and self-parking are free at all the Strip resorts (but NOT downtown). Self-park is a great way to go if you are okay with a little bit of walking. There's not much to navigating to the self-parking lot, either. Just follow the signs for "self-park" as you enter the resort. A great tip is to always drive up to the very top open-air level of the self-park. Not only will you remember more easily where your car is, some of the best views of the Strip and surrounding valley can be seen from these levels. Some amazing ones we've observed are at Caesar's, Aria, Treasure Island, New York New York and Mirage. (The one above is one we took from the top of the Rio garage.) Bring your camera and take some time to enjoy the view!

Valet parking is a perfect option if you have physical limitations or just want to get right in the front door of the resort without a lot of extra walking around. Here's another secret: Having your bags sent to your room is not a luxury only afforded to celebrities and the super-wealthy! Any hotel guest is entitled to free bellhop service on the Strip. So don't struggle to drag your bags through the hotel and up to your room; just head to the valet area and ask for a bellhop to take your bags up to your room when it's ready. It's convenient and safe. However, make sure to TIP both your valet driver and your bellhop! (A couple bucks each is sufficient.)

Getting around the traffic on the Strip can be a little difficult, so my husband Matt has some tips to share, since he is an expert at avoiding the jams! Stay tuned for our next blog, which will be chockful of secrets on how to "backdoor" your way around the Strip and avoid the traffic.

Best Vegas Spas (and Secret Romance Spots)

One of the misnomers about resort spas in Vegas (and beyond) is that you have to spend a lot of money to get a blissful experience. It simply isn't true. And in fact, when it comes to nail services, I feel that the priciest Vegas spas give you no better service that the Korean mani-pedi place in the strip mall down the street. I recently got a much, much worse $110 pedicure a few weeks ago at Mandalay Bay's Bathhouse Spa than I got for $40 at CV Nails down the street from my house. (For ripping me off, Bathhouse gets omitted from my "best" list. It's a nice spa, but I'm still sore after getting a crap service. It's their punishment!)

Instead of throwing down $100 or more for a sub-par massage or facial, you could just come in, grab a locker for your valuables and change of undies, slip ito a plush robe, down a couple of cucumber-infused waters or hot teas with fresh lemon and gobs of honey (all complimentary), and soak the day away in the hottub, sauna and/or steam room. Doesn't that sound nice? And, in some of these great spas, you can meet up with your boy toy in the co-ed areas for some romantic time. All of this is usually around $25-$60 per day and gives you all-day access to come and go as you please. I like to go in the morning, then come back after dinner for a pre-bedtime soak. Most of them stay open until about 8 p.m. or so.

I've compiled a list of my favorite Vegas spas here, along with current pricing for the "facility use" fee, which typically includes everything I've described above.

1. Aria Spa: Unarguably the best Spa in Las Vegas. Somehow it didn't make any of the Conde Nast Traveler lists of the top spas in the US (and the Wynn Spa, #3 on my list, comes in at a paltry 34th on theirs). Lucky for you, that means it's almost never super-crowded. The indoor areas are more than ample, with two cold and two hot soaking pools, a cedar sauna, and a eucalyptis steam room (hope you like it hot, because it is not f*cking around with the heat in there). Once you've had some nice alone time and a beverage, you can join your sweetie for some of the great co-ed amenities: the Ganbanyoku Heated Stone Beds, Shio Salt Room, and the Infinity Edge, Co-Ed Outdoor Therapy Pool. The Infinity pool is like a giant, rectangular hottub and it overlooks Aria's swanky LIQUID dayclub pool and the mountains in the distance. So there's plenty to see, if you can tear your eyes from your lover's gaze. ;-)
Facility fee: $30/person or $80 for a 3-day pass, $40/day for non-hotel guests

2. QUA Baths & Spa, Caesar's Palace: Much like Aria's Spa, the draw of Caesar's Spa is the multitude of co-ed spaces. Where they lack in Japanese stone beds and salt rooms, they make up for in lots and lots of water to soak in together. The spas are all elevated, which is unique and really have that look and feel of an old Roman Bath (minus the ancient naked Italian men wandering around in all their glory, thankfully the co-ed areas require clothing). In addition, they have an interesting, if completely unnecesarry, "tea sommelier." (I guess that's a thing.) If that weren't enough, they have an arctic ice room that you can go into just in case you ever get homesick for Cincinnati winters.
Facility fee: A little pricey at $55 (non-guests), $50 for guests, but they give you a significant discount if you are Diamond Level Total Rewards Member, so make sure to show your card if you are at or above that level.

3. Wynn Spa: Just like Steve Wynn's masterpiece of a hotel, the spa resonates that same feeling of luxury, except with bubbly warm water. I think I love this spa so much because in 2011, I fully and completely recovered from the worst head cold of my life just by spending a half hour in the eucalyptis steam room. Saved my whole trip. But more than a healing oasis, the Wynn Spa has amenities galore. Bask in the glow of the natural Las Vegas light peeping through the atrium area, which boasts a huge hot soaking tub. A big Buddha statue that watches over bathers completes the totally Zen feeling.
Facility Fee: $40 for guests, if you are not a hotel guest you have to book a treatment.

Honorable Mentions

Canyon Ranch Spa Club at Venetian/Palazzo just missed out on the top 3 and deserved a blurb. The big drawback is that it's notoriety and the fact that it offers so much stuff--rock climing wall, full gym, sports therapy--means it gets a little crowded. I don't know about you, but I don't love to share a hottub with 5-10 other stinky, sweaty bodies if I can help it. But, all that considered, it is still a super-nice facility. They have all the spa prerequisites - the steamroom, the sauna, and a funky yet relaxing Aquavana soaking tub where you can actually lay down and let the bubbles massage your whole body (it's a little bizarre, but very nice once you get used to it). They also have these weird things called "Experimental Showers" where you can get pelted with a tropical hurricane while listening to the squaking of angry parrots. It's probably not going to be your thing, but try it just to say you did. It'll be a funny story for when you get back.
Facility fee: $40/day (guest or not)

Rio Spa & Salon is very nice too. It's a little rougher around the edges then the top 3 above, but the bend-over-backwards to make you feel at home staff gets them the mention. Plus at $25, their facility fee is lower, and if you are a Diamond or Seven Stars Total Rewards member, it is free. On that note, though, steer clear of Total Rewards other free-for-Diamond member property, the Mandara Spa at Planet Hollywood. It is, in a word, gross. It isn't clean, and at least on the day I was there recently, they were hoarding towels at the front desk and, when I asked, was given ONE. One towel. At a spa. You are duly warned.

I have a lot more spas yet to try out here, so I'll be writing another article once I've fully enjoyed, er, researched them!

Hotel Tips for Vegas and Beyond

You've officially booked your hotel and flight and your vacation countdown has begun. You want your trip to be amazing, right? You've earned it, after all. So why not do some things to help you make sure that your vacation is filled with memories, not mishaps. Whether your trip is going to be to Vegas or elsewhere, I've compiled the following list of tips that can help make your vacation more relaxing, and help you get the most out of your stay:

Research ahead of time: Go to the hotel's website and look around. Get familiar with the options you'll have and what they might cost. If you want to (or have to) work out, find out whether there is a gym in the hotel, what the hours are, and whether there is a fee. Many gyms on the Strip are unfortunately not complementary with your stay, which makes it difficult if you are in training for an event. I once paid a $12.99 facility fee to do a 13-mile marathon training run on a hotel gym treadmill, which worked out to a cringe-worthy buck-a-mile.

However annoying the gym fee may be, oftentimes it also includes access to the hotel's spa, which is something you definitely should do, especially if you are traveling in the winter and don't have access to the hotel's pool/outdoor hottub. Many people don't realize that the standard amenities in the resort spa can provide for a very luxurious experience for only about $20-$40/day. For this price, you won't get a massage or a facial, but you'll often get a plush robe and slippers, a spread of refreshments, and access to hot and cool whirlpool tubs, a Finnish sauna and a eucalyptis steam room. For me, I find hours and hours of bliss in these spas. I'll be posting more about them at a later time, but I'll mention now that a few of my favorites are the spas at Aria and the Wynn and Caesar's Qua Spa. Aria & the Qua are great options if you are honeymooning or enjoying some romantic time, because both have co-ed whirlpools to canoodle in together.

In addition to scoping out the amenities online before you embark on your trip, check out some possible restaurants you might enjoy and even peruse the menus. You will be overwhelmed with choices once you get there, so have some ideas in mind of which restaurants you might want to try, what menu items you might like there, and what you are willing to spend. Also, if you have some ideas of which shows you want to see, make sure that you do some research on what the tickets will cost and whether or not you will buy ahead of time or make use of the half-price ticket booth located in front of MGM Grand. Tix4Tonight sells day-of shows at a bargain, but make sure you know in advance of your trip which night or nights the show you are dying to see is "dark" (not playing that night). If the show you want to see is dark 2 of the 3 days you'll be in town, you may want to consider changing your trip dates or booking way ahead to be certain the day you can go isn't sold out. Don't plan your whole trip around coming to see a particular show, and then find out you can't get tickets once you get there.

Plan (and keep!) a budget: Don't rely on "hitting it big" while you are there in order to pay for your trip. Even in the city of hot bets and loose slots, winning the jackpot probably isn't going to happen to you. (Sorry to kill your dream there, buddy.) So, plan a budget for what you are going to spend between the hotel, meals, drinks, spa fees, internet charges, show tickets, etc. and stick to it.

If you win a little (or a lot), celebrate with something you weren't planning on buying or doing. (Or call me, I'll help you spend it.) In any event, you need to add into your trip budget conservatively $100 per person for incidentals like forgetting your hair brush (something I always seem to do) or seeing a souvenir that you just must have (like my adorable ceramic Paris drinking mug).

It's also VERY important that you set a gambling limit per person. When the money's out, it's out, so you might want to stretch it by instituting a "per day" limit so that you can play a little each day if the mood strikes you. Make sure to sign up for the hotel's player card, because it's the only way to get comps that you can use on future trips or even to offset some of your hotel charges this trip if you played enough. Plus, many players' clubs have a promotion for new sign-ups, so make sure you aren't leaving any freebies out there. But ultimately, if Lady Luck isn't on your side this trip, don't worry. There's plenty to do outside the casinos.

Leave the shampoo: When it comes to traveling anywhere via airplane, one of my best secret tips is to just leave all your personal care products behind. You have to check them if they are bigger than a few ounces, which is usually more expensive than the products themselves. And in doing so, you run the risk of having them spill all over your clothes. Instead of paying for checked luggage, have the cab drop you at a Walgreen's when you get in and get some cheap shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and makeup remover there. While you are at it, pick up some drinks and snacks for the room as well. That way, you don't get soaked by the hotel's sundry store, which charges $4 for a coke and $6 for a bag of Doritos. Ouch!

Check-in Time! Ask for what you need: If you bought some drinks as I suggested, you may want to ask the agent for a mini-fridge for the room when you check in. They are often complimentary or provided for a nominal fee. Keep in mind other incidentals you might need and ask for them at check-in, such as a few extra pillows, blankets, tissues (especially if you have a cold), extra t.p., or a rollaway cot. Also, if you want or need a room that's closer to the elevator, don't be shy or embarrased to ask. The check-in agent will always do what they can to best accommodate you, and it may be a great idea to save that extra walking for sight-seeing on the Strip.

Here's a very little known trick that you might want to try... Ask the check-in agent if any complimentary upgrades are available and hand your credit card to the agent wrapped in a $20 bill. Word on the street is that if the agent can do it, they will (and keep the $20 as a tip) but if they cannot, they will simply hand the $20 back with the credit card once they've swiped it. It's worth a try, and I've heard of people who have gotten upgraded to fabulous suites this way. Even if the $20 trick doesn't work (or you don't want to risk the $20 to do it), you should still always mention that it's your birthday/honeymoon/anniversary even if it isn't. Many hotels have a free gift for those occassions and who would be crazy enough to pass up a free bottle of champagne or complimentary chocolates?

Do an inspection: When you get into the hotel, before you flop onto the heavenly king-sized bed and start swimming in down comforters, my tip is to take inventory and get settled in. Unpack your suitcase, hang up your clothes to avoid wrinking, and make sure you have everything (ahem, like the elusive aforementioned hairbrush).

Also, do a sweep to see to it that the hotel room has everything you need. Locate the hair dryer (sometimes they hide it in a drawer, so look around) and make sure the shower and toilet work. Even in a city that is 24/7, you aren't going to want to be calling down to the front desk at 3 a.m. when you hair is drenched and you are shaking cold wrapped in a towel to inform the front desk that the hot water isn't working. Check it ahead of time and avoid the embarrassment.

My final tip is a simple one: Wear comfortable shoes! While your sky-high pumps may look great, they aren't going to last long with the amount of walking you'll do. Before you go, invest in some flashy flip flops and/or flats. Your feet will thank you!