Las Vegas on a budget for first time visitors – Part 1

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Hotels

Las Vegas! The name alone conjures up images of lavish hotels, big expensive shows and high rollers. If you’re going to Las Vegas, you better take a wad of cash!

Think again. You actually can visit Las Vegas on a budget. It’s just a question of taking advantage of opportunities and setting your priorities.

Las Vegas is a fascinating mlange of contrasts. On one side of the street you’ll find the new Wynn Hotel and Casino, opened just over a year ago. It was the most expensive privately financed building project in the United States coming in at a cost of $2.7 billion. By comparison, estimates for reconstruction of the World Trade Center site are $1.7 billion. Walk into the Wynn and you are in a world of opulence and luxury. Polished marble floors, detailed woodwork, lush gardens, a waterfall and pond and even a Ferrari-Maserati dealership. And it has one of the poshest nightclubs in Vegas, the Tryst.

On the other side of the street sits the old Frontier Hotel with Gilley’s Bar. The big sign reads Gilley’s Cold beer.dirty girls. Not what you thinkthey have regular mud wrestling tournaments. The real dirty girls are advertised in flyers in street boxes all along the strip and on billboard trucks with signs reading “Hot Babes Direct to You”.

At the Frontier you can get a Margarita for $1.99. At the Wynn it will set you back $12. So there truly is something for every budget and taste in Vegas.

But let’s look at a real budget holiday. My wife and I spent a week there in August 2006 and saved money in myriad ways. First off, we are owners of a timeshare exchange program (RCI), so we exchanged our points for a week at the Hilton Grand Vacations on the Strip. This new hotel is located at the north end of the strip, just a block from the Sahara and the Stratosphere. Cost just $160. Paying full price for this luxury one bedroom suite complete with full kitchen and washer and dryer would have set us back between $1000 and $2000. Strip rates for four star hotels at Expedia.com run from C$185.52 at Treasure Island to C$352.85 at the Wynn. Three star hotels run as low as C$63.24 at the Sahara. Two star hotels are even cheaper. And of course, these are hotel rooms and do not include the kitchen and other amenities of a timeshare exchange.

One of the advantages of a timeshare, of course, is the kitchen. You can save a bundle by preparing your own meals. In our case we just cut down to two meals a day, breakfast in our room and dinner out.

Our next

Best places to stay when visiting New York City

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Hotels

New York City has some of the most famous hotels in North America. There are literally hundreds of options, so how do you choose? One way is to locate accommodations close to the attractions you are most interested in. If you want to see Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, or Battery Park be sure to check out the Lower Manhattan listings below. The Midtown and Central Park listings put you near attractions such as Times Square, Broadway, the empire state building, and, of course, Central Park. In both Lower Manhattan and Midtown there is a luxury hotel ($350+), a comfortable lodge ($225 – $350) or a wallet-friendly inn ($110 – $225 per night) just for you.

LOWER MANHATTAN

Lower Manhattan is the hub of the American financial world, and the epicenter is historic Wall Street. Whether it’s history of the financial markets or a tour of the New York Stock Exchange, you’ll find it here. Lower Manhattan is also the starting point for ferry tours of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, some of the most famous icons in American history. Lower Manhattan is also the site of the World Trade Center disaster and there are plenty of artifacts and surreal visuals from that tragic event. To stay near any of these attractions, try one of the following hotels:

LUXURY

Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park

Two West Street

New York, NY 10004

(212) 344-0800

The Ritz-Carlton offers views of the statue of liberty, Ellis Island, and the financial district what more could be said! The accommodations are comfortable and spacious, and the service is excellent. If you’re looking for the complete package, the Ritz-Carlton is it. There are even telescopes in the rooms for up close viewing of the sights!

COMFORTABLE

Embassy Suites Hotel New York

102 North End Avenue

New York, NY 10282

(212) 945-0100

The Embassy Suites offers a complimentary breakfast and family-friendly amenities in every room such as a refrigerator, pull-out sofa and microwave oven. Located across from the World Trade Center site, and with views of the Hudson River, this hotel can be a comfortable home-away-from-home while staying in New York, particularly for families.

WALLET-FRIENDLY

The Wall Street District Hotel

15 Gold St

New York, NY 10038

(212) 232-7700

The rooms are smaller, and the view is somewhat less breathtaking, but you are right in the heart of the financial district, just three blocks from Wall Street. A very comfortable stay, especially if you are working with a

Traveling The Usa The Grand Canyon

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Tourist Attractions

When you visit the Grand Canyon, you will find that it is much larger than you have ever imagines. It is 18 miles wide and 277 miles long and the depth of the canyon in some points is more than a mile from the rim of the canyon to the river below. The Grand Canyon National Park includes much of the canyon. The Grand Canyon is separated into three areas: The inner Canyon, the South Rim, and the North Rim. When planning and researching your adventure, you will want to include the following tips.2. Planning Yourself or a Travel Agent? How long do you have before you are making your trip? If you do not have much time, then you may want to enlist the help of a travel agent. Whichever way that you choose to plan your trip, get ready for an adventure in the Grand Canyon.4. Care of pets. Taking pets with you on vacation is the choice of many people, but if this is you, then you need to ensure that where you are staying allow pets. You will also want to make sure that the attractions that you are visiting are pet friendly as well, because you do not want to have to keep your pet shut up in a room while you are out sightseeing. If you choose to leave your pet at home, then a kennel or pet sitting service is a good choice to help baby-sit your pet.6. Packing. You want to choose appropriate clothing when packing, including pants, gloves, jacket, hat, bandanna, sweatshirt, and more. Depending upon the time of year that you visit, you will need the right seasonal clothing.8. Other items. Other items that you may need on your adventure to the Grand Canyon include maps, earplugs, a compass, fire starter, blanket, antibacterial soap, toilet paper, wet wipes, paper/pencil, and more.10. Toiletries. Taking your toiletries with you can save you money while traveling. You will want to include a mirror, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, laundry bag, sleepwear, and more.

It is a good idea to not carry all of your credit cards or cash in your purse or wallet at the same time. This can cause you to spend more than you planned or your cards or cash could get stolen. A vacation can be ended instantly when this happens. That is why you want to be prepared, so that you will have a great vacation at the Grand Canyon.

Las Vegas travel: The entertainment capital of the world – Part 2

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Hotels

For years, Las Vegas has been associated with gambling, but even if you decide not to take a chance on Lady Luck, there is plenty to make you travel to the entertainment capital of the world; casinos, shopping, hotels, shows and famous locales such as Fremont Street shoots to name but a few.

Many travel agents offer a Las Vegas travel package including flights, accommodation and tickets to shows. These packages are a great idea for a first visit to Las Vegas or if unsure what to do when you get there.

Getting to Sin City, and Las Vegas air travel, is incredibly convenient. McCarran airport is located on the Strip (Las Vegas boulevard), almost facing the Mandalay Bay hotel. Flights from LAX take under an hour. A taxi from the airport to hotels on the Strip will cost under $15 and you will be at your hotel in mere minutes. A cheaper, but slower way for Las Vegas travel is the shuttle bus from the airport. Also worth mentioning as Las Vegas discount travel and a great way to see the Strip on a budget is the bus that runs from the South end of the Strip to Fremont Street the oldest part of Las Vegas. The bus passes all the major hotels on the Strip and is a good way to see the sights while escaping from the desert sun and soaking up the air conditioning!

Once you have exhausted the delights of Cirque Du Soleil shows, breathtaking hotels and casinos and shopped until you have dropped in the many casino malls, a trip to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam may appeal. Many kiosks along the Strip offer Grand Canyon and Las Vegas travel deals which range from helicopter to bus tours and in price from the modest to the extravagant.

Of course Las Vegas wouldn’t be Sin City without gambling. The casino floors are well worth a look as they are beautifully designed and crafted. The casinos are dark and noisy, but also great fun even if just for the slot machines and the delighted shrieks of the winners!

Someone once said that New York is the “city that never sleeps”, if that is the case, then Las Vegas must be the city with insomnia; shows run at 10pm, restaurants and bars stay open late, and there is always something happening on (and off) the Strip.

The best Las Vegas, Nevada hotel for a family vacation

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Hotels

Las Vegas has really changed to more of a family vacation destination. There are many reasons why more and more people visit Las Vegas. First of all, it is an inexpensive vacation, especially if you do not do a lot of gambling. Second of all there are so many things to see and do in Las Vegas that you could spend a lot of time here. Here are some of the best Las Vegas hotels for a family vacation.

The Excalibur Hotel and Casino is probably the best hotel for a family vacation. It has all of the perks of a big casino on the Las Vegas strip, but it has the best affordability for families. It is a mid-evil theme, which kids love. The whole lower lever is a giant arcade, which is appealing to families. If you are looking for a nice and affordable place to stay with the whole family, The Excalibur is the way to go.

Another great place to stay with the whole family is Circus Circus. It is home to the Adventuredome, which is a large indoor amusement park. Your family can stay the whole day at the amusement park a lot cheaper than one person gambling. The hotel is reasonably priced, and it is in a close location on the Las Vegas strip to many area attractions.

Just about 5 miles south on Las Vegas is South Pointe, which is my number three pick for family hotels in Las Vegas. You can get a fancy, yet affordable room, without the hustle and bustle of the strip commotion. Located in South Pointe you can find hourly childcare, as well as a bowling alley and movie theater to keep you occupied. It is also close to one of the outlet malls where you can find lots of good shopping deals.

If you want to stay with your family outside of Las Vegas, you can travel about a half hour south to Primm, Nevada. There are three great hotels in Primm attached to an outlet mall. They are called Whiskey Pete’s, Primm Valley and Buffalo Bills. You can get affordable rates as low as $30 a night. They also have a few outdoor rides and indoor arcades to keep the whole family happy.

These are just a few of the best places in Las Vegas to stay with the whole family. Las Vegas is changing and growing so much that all of the hotels and casinos are making an opportunity for the whole family to enjoy themselves on vacation here. Another great place you can stay at is New York, New York. They are home to one of the largest arcades around, as well as they have a roller coaster on the roof.

No matter what way you look at it, Las Vegas has changed it’s name to more of a family vacation destination that is affordable.

Enjoy Delicious Cuisines at Reasonable Price in Your Favorite New York Restaurant

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Restaurants

 

New York is an appealing proposition with the multicultural blend of shining neon, bars and restaurants, the gourmets and attractive night life. City offers exotic fusion of western and eastern flavors cuisines with wide range of culinary delights. The sumptuous taste of various cuisines offered by restaurants in NYC is most appealing. City offers many delightful options that make it a paradise for foodies. This city is located at the crossroads of US that means various sorts of cuisines are represented including Thai, continental, regional cuisines, etc. There are numerous restaurants which are famous for its delicious cuisines:

 

The Four Seasons: This restaurant is symbol of Manhattan and well known due to its celebrity clients and sumptuous cuisines. It is most beloved by local people of New York as well as outside tourists or visitors. It has two dinning room and one pool room. The rooms are romantic and airy with lots of space between the tables.

 

Hard Rock Caf International: The Hard rock caf is located in the heart of city at Time Square. Rock your sense with sumptuous cuisines and drinks. It also features rock n roll memorabilia from awe-inspiring hard rock collection. Moreover, the caf also offers private space for private parties with unmatchable services.

 

Le Cirque: This 16,000 square foot restaurant features main dinning room, private event space and separated bar. It offers sumptuous cuisines and drink to its customer to make their visit memorable. This is the highly popular restaurant of New York that is most visited by local as well as foreign visitors.

 

Lutece: The name evokes grace, luxury, elegance and refinement. This restaurant has different varieties of setting which includes main dinning room, two private rooms and crystal chandeliers in order to form great intimate setting for their guest’s convenience and enjoyment. This restaurant offers delicious menu that consist of two or three course meal that includes seasonal mixture of entre, appetizer and dessert. With their reasonable prices and delicious cuisines they are able to create faith among their clients.

 

The Rainbow Room: The rainbow room is one of the leading restaurants that offer dinner with dancing with a big band orchestra on weekends Friday and Saturday. You can spend your enchanted evening in this exotic restaurant by revolving around dance located in the center of dinning room.

 

Tavern on the Green: Magical, enchanting and resplendent all these words explain Tavern on the Green for dinning purpose in glittering crystal room. During the spring days, dinning in the garden is equally divine. The American cuisines are quite expensive here. It attracts lots of tourists as most of them come to enjoy the view of the wonderful park.

 

These are the name of few restaurants that offer sumptuous cuisines at reasonable price. Their delicious cuisine and reasonable prices makes the restaurants more demanding and you can’t miss them. If you are planning to visit New York, you must visit these few restaurants in NYC. You can also reserve these restaurants for your parties or any other events as these restaurants also provide private spaces to organize a small party or event. They have adequate staff and support to provide unmatchable service to their guests.

Las Vegas nightlife: Hotspots for singles – Part 4

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Nightlife

When you’re Vegas, you can’t miss the nightlife here. It’s one of Vegas’s best feature about the city. The night lights are sensational and you would love it. The bright light just lit up the entire city. This is the view that you can’t miss. People come out in the night time and this is when you get to meet the singles and the locals. People come out more in the night time after work and the weather is more settle in. Things are more glamorous and quiet in the night time. Any casino that you go to there will be plenty of bars, music, and club open for you to enjoy. The fun is right in front of you and they’re all great and you don’t have to go far to find a nice party. It’ll depend on your age and what you can handle.

If you’re young you can enjoy places like MGM, ROK, the Palms and Bellagio or Tao at Venetian. If you’re older you can enjoy quiet places with great views and food. If you just walk out on the strip, there will be plenty for you to enjoy and all is great in quality. Places like Ceasar Palace is great too. Are you in search of hot night clubs in Vegas? You don’t have to worry because there are plenty of clubs here in Vegas for you to enjoy and especially around the holiday because it’ll be packed. The nightclub here is fun with many people, drinks and dancers. I especially like the dancers here because they’re hot and they know how to dance. The cocktails are also my favorite.

Every single casino has their own nightclub. They’re free sometimes and sometimes there’s a couple of dollars charge. The drinks get expensive here though. The clubs are also busy with people from all over the world. They open at around 10-3am. Sometimes they do have performers here. You can research more on their particular website for the club’s information. Each club has their own night club and you don’t have to go to another casino for clubbing.

One really good club here is called club 54 at MGM club. It’s very upscale here. The service is great. There is club Rok at the New York New York casino. There’s club Asia at the Planet Hollywood. There’s the Bank club at the Bellagio. All of these are very upscale club and you won’t be disappointed here. The weather is harsh in the day time in the summer so if you’re here in the summer, you can enjoy the night time. If you visit the city any time from December to March, the weather is cool and enjoyable and you can get the best of it. You should visit the city when the weather is great and not when it’s bad.

Six Ways to Save Money on Hotels

August 31, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Hotels

To save money on hotels, you can start with the internet. Be careful relying solely on travel web sites, however. The ones that find the cheapest plane tickets work pretty well, but you’ll never find the cheapest hotel rooms online. Of course, you probably don’t want the cheapest room, but you do want to know what your options are, right?

It seems that the web sites which locate cheap hotels for you only work with those that have a decent marketing budget. Or perhaps they assume for you what kind of room you want, and so exclude the ones that they don’t think are appropriate. This is speculation on my part, but what is not speculative is the fact that I have often found cheaper rooms than the ones listed on these web sites. How? By doing the following.

1. Start with sites like cheaptickets.com, but don’t stop there. This just gives you an idea of what is available – and sometimes you will find a great deal.

2. Find a online phone book for the town you are traveling to. Look up hotels and motels in that, and call them directly.

3. When traveling by car, take the hotel coupon-books available at gas stations, rest areas and visitor’s centers. These will often save you $10 or $20 at hotels you might have stayed at anyhow.

4. Ask for AAA and other discounts that you may qualify for. I saved $15 recently just by showing my business card to get the corporate rate. There are sometimes senior discounts as well.

5. Negotiate. This won’t always work in the United States, but we occasionally have an owner drop the price when we start to walk away. Also, we have paid cash for several days in advance to get a discount. This negotiating tactic has worked for my wife and I from Ecuador to Montana and California.

6. Plan ahead and call ahead. When making a multi-day trip by car, you have some flexibility in where you stop for the night. Check hotels in various towns online before you leave. Sometimes the rooms in the next town will be $30 less just because there are more hotels. Why not drive the extra forty minutes today (or tomorrow) to get the cheap hotel rooms?

Top five tourist attractions in the USA – Part 17

August 30, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Tourist Attractions

Its finally time to take off that white collar shirt and tie. Its vacation time. What are the best selling attractions for tourism in the United States?

1. New York City, New York happens to be the most populated city in the United States, as well as the heart of American tourism. With nearly 47 million foreign and American tourists visting each year, there’s a valid reason they pick up the popular t-shirt with the slogan, I love New York! Whether its the famed Times Square, historical landmarks, broadway plays, or the roaring nightlife that catches your eye. If you decide on a New York City vacation, your bound to take a little slice of The Big Apple home with you.

2. Las Vegas, Nevada has been dubbed The Entertainment Captial Of The World. With over 39.2 million visitors a year, you might come to a better understanding of why they say, “Viva Las Vegas.” The Las Vegas Strip’s palace like casinos, host a wide range of events from live shows, to conventions, to fine dining. Although, because it is the gambling captial of the world, most Las Vegas foreigners arrive with the desire to hit the jackpot. If you like a game of chance, a whole lot of entertainment, and a city thats lights stay on until the bulbs need to be switched. Las Vegas is the perfect fit.

3. Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States, it also the third most popular place for tourists to touchdown. With over 24 million new comers a year, you’ll be quick to find out why, its not just a white house and a nicely trimmed lawn. Historical landmarks, goverment buildings, and priceless pieces of U.S. history, are the things that lure in such large crowds. If you have a passion for knowledge, want to know a little more about the land of the free and home of the brave, or even are just looking for a nice change of scenery. You should plan your Washington D.C. vacation today!

4. Faneuil Hall Marketplace is over two and half centurie’s old, and located in Boston Massachutes. It is well known for historical speeches that took place on its grounds, entertainment, and a fun and exciting marketplace. With over 20 million visitors a year, it claims more pocket books then most stores or strip malls. It’s been rerestored three times, but that doesn’t stop the people from stopping in. Whether you wish to do business with the merchants, or sit back and be entertained by old fashioned acts. Faneuli Hall Marketplace’s beautiful history, and fun filled enviornment is something you’ll always remember.

5. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is anchored in the waters of Lake Buena Vista, Flordia. It is the fifth most sought after destination in United States tourism. With well over 17 million Disney lovers a year, you will see why many children and adults a like are wearing Mickey ears. If you are looking for all ages and family fun, you’ve found a great prospect. Whether its your imagination running wild, living your fairy tales, or giving your kids the time of their life. The Magic Kingdom covers all the bases. With that said, if your looking for a place centered around family, fun, and good ole wholesome entertainment. Its destined to fufill your vacation wishes.

Las Vegas Hotel, Paris

August 30, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Hotels

Paris, the city of love is beautified with a lot of natural and artificial beauties. Paris Las Vegas Hotel, a dream place to be at, is no exception at all. It is basically a casino and hotel situated on the famous Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, which is both operated and owned by Harrah’s Entertainment. It consists of a half scale, 164.6m (540 feet) high replica of the gorgeous Eiffel Tower and neon sign in the size and shape of the Montgofier balloon, a La Fontaine des Mers replica and a two-third sized Arc de Triomphe. The building façade suggests the Louvre and the Paris Opera House.

Bally’s Entertainment originally announced the project. For Paris Las Vegas Hotel, ground was broken on April 17, 1997. Catherine Deneuve, French Actress turned on all the lights of Paris by flipping a switch. The building’s initial period was under Hilton Hotels. Bally Entertainment was purchased by Hiltons Hotel in 1996. Its casinos were consequently spun off. In 2000, Park Place Entertainment bought Caesars World and in 2004, modified its name to Caesars Entertainment. Then Hilton Hotels started the building, which was originally supposed to be called Paris Hilton, named after the daughter of Mr. Hilton and after that, it was changed to Paris Hotel and Casino. When it inaugurated, The hotel used to run hilarious television commercials all through the United States, which implies that, it had made sure the legitimacy of its reproductions of culture, cuisine and landmarks of Paris. When the replica of the Eiffel Tower was built, it was supposed to be a full scale model. But, as the airport was a bit too near, the model was not built as it was planned. US $785 million was needed to build Paris Las Vegas Hotel which occupies about 97,000 square meters.

The Paris Las Vegas Hotel, having a theme of Paris, has 2,916 rooms in total. It has a gaming space of 85000sq. ft. It has a permanent show named “The Producers”. Its main attractions are Experiencing Eiffel Tower and Risque de Paris. It has some magnificent Ortanique, Mon Ami Gabi, Eiffel Tower Restaurant and Les Artistes Steakhouse etc. The rooms of the Paris Casino and Hotel outperform most of the Las Vegas hotels by offering tremendously luxurious and relaxed chambers for the guests. It provides Desk, Air conditioning, In-room safe, Electronic door locks and many lavish facilities. The shopping has reached to a whole new level by the Las Vegas Hotel.

Paris Casino Las Vegas Hotel, comfortable and stylish place to lay bets, fulfilled with fountains, gigantic doorways with lights and a lush interior which is designed to make a person as relaxed as he/ she wants to. This is surely the ultimate place to pass some time if anyone wants to pass a late afternoon within the town.

So, Paris, the city of love is also the city of hotels and casinos, when it comes to Paris Las Vegas Hotel. Whether a person is young or old, he/ she definitely wants to pay a visit there.

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