Do you need Las Vegas World Cup and Hotel Information?

[system]

Hello all. I’ve been a long time reader and you’ve all helped me very much in the past with my own horse issues - so I thought that this was the perfect time to jump in.

I live and work in Las Vegas - I work in marketing for one of the worlds largest gaming companies and I’d be happy to help with questions that you may have about Las Vegas and getting around.

As a matter of fact the company that I work for is “Hosting” our players at the World Cup. We have suites at the Thomas and Mack Center and we’ll be having some of the top riders in both Jumping and Dressage come by and spend time with our players - who happen to also be horse folks. If anyone is a “player” and has a host I can confirm information with - I might be able to get you comped to the event. We’ll have to talk more off the board about this. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to even say what I did.

In the mean time - ask away.

[bhrunner06]

hello! I am looking for a decent hotel within walking distance to the Thomas and Mack Center. What do you suggest?

[system]

If you’re looking for a hotel casino - then the Hard Rock is the one. It’s very close to the Thomas and Mack Center and it’s a “hot” place to stay.

To get more for you money and if you don’t care about the casinos - then there are few really close hotel/motels. The Best Western Macarin and the Knights Inn. There is also a Hilton and the Saint Tropez. They are close to the T&M but a bit away from the action of the strip. Here’s a few:

Embassy Suites Hotel Las Vegas - www.embassysuites.com - (702) 795-2800

Las Vegas Desert Rose Resort - www.shellhospitality.com - (702) 739-7000

Howard Johnson-Las Vegas - www.vegasinns.com - (702) 798-2777

J. Best Western McCarran Inn - www.bestwesternnevada.com - (702) 798-5530

I would suggest that you consider staying closer to the strip than to the T&M Center. Even if you’re not into gaming, the strip has a lot of activities and you’ll end up going to the strip anyway - so in the end the cost of staying close to the T&M doesn’t pay off. Cabs are easy to get and the should run about $10 bucks each way. If you park at the T&M there is often a parking fee - so a cab can make sense. Plus, if you book via the online sites (Travelocity, Hotels.com and the like) you can get great room rates - April is a tough time (due to tax season) for the hotels on the strip and rates are way down.

[Dun_Ciarain]

I have to disagree about the Hard Rock. I have been to Las Vegas too many times to care to remember - mostly for tech related conventions. The Hard Rock is really isolated from the strip and anything else for that matter. The hotel is smaller and does have great restaurant choices. The hot and hip place to stay at is the Palms. The Hard Rock’s star has faded since the Palms and often times is very quiet inside (meaning dead). The best non-outrageous places to stay on the strip are Mandalay Bay, MGM, New York New York and the Luxor. The Luxor and New York New York are the lowest price of the four. I have stayed at all four and would again. They are at the southern end of the strip and closest to the venue and still a part of the Vegas “scene.” These are also the best hotels to for non-gaming activites as they have a great choice of restaurants, shopping and bar hoping and not having to deal with the traffic that is frequent on the strip, which can make trips to some of the other hotels very lengthy. ALL hotels in Las Vegas are suffering right now, and the occupancy rates are still dropping, so the longer you wait, the better chance of getting a great deal. Occupancy rates have dropped 15-20% in Las Vegas at last report since last year.

[Dun_Ciarain]

[QUOTE=jpjumper;3853219]
I would suggest that you consider staying closer to the strip than to the T&M Center. Even if you’re not into gaming, the strip has a lot of activities and you’ll end up going to the strip anyway - so in the end the cost of staying close to the T&M doesn’t pay off. [/QUOTE]

I would agree with this. As I recall, the T&M Center is really in the middle of nowhere, that is, it is surrounded by strip malls and suburban housing. There is really nothing to walk to in the area (unless you include Taco Bell, McDonalds, gas stations, laundormats, etc. as destintation spots).

[zahena]

Let’s not forget In-N-Out! It’s near that too!!!

T&M is, in fact, not near the strip. There aren’t really any hotels within walking distance or at least a walk I’d recommend.

If you stay on the strip, stay on the T&M side of the strip. Crossing over the Boulevard is a beating. I lived there for two years and I hated crossing it!

The Hard Rock is a nice hotel if your not there to gamble or party. If you are there solely for the horses, then that’s a great option. Its under heavy construction right now though and access is challenging.

Otherwise, they are right, just stay on the strip!

[ButterflyIris]

People might want to rent a car.
From what I recall, the taxi line is verrryyyy looooong.

[system]

[QUOTE=ButterflyIris;3853929]
People might want to rent a car.
From what I recall, the taxi line is verrryyyy looooong.[/QUOTE]

Car rentals in Vegas are really quite inexpensive and a car does give you the opportunity to get out to the REAL Vegas - like Red Rock, Valley of Fire, Hoover Damn and you can do the Outlets which have great shopping. The Las Vegas outlet is the best and it’s not far from the strip. Plus parking at all strip hotels is free and valet is also free. Downtown hotels do charge for parking but you can get your parking slip “stamped” at the cage and then parking will be free.

[cyndi]

We stayed at the MGM in 2005 and had no trouble walking to the T&M. It is about a 30-minute walk but we actually enjoyed it, and our ‘forced march’ kept us from gaining any weight while we were there and pigging out at dinner every night!!

[zahena]

And walking between casinos didn’t get you enough exercise? LOL!

Well, just bear in mind that the closer you are to the strip, the worse the crime is. As in, watch it around Koval! I think it’s getting better though. I felt much safer this year at Ellis Island.

I’m so jealous of those going! It started like the year after I moved away! I was so peeved! My former trainer rides there every year.

[system]

@zahena;3855390

And walking between casinos didn’t get you enough exercise? LOL!

Well, just bear in mind that the closer you are to the strip, the worse the crime is. As in, watch it around Koval! I think it’s getting better though. I felt much safer this year at Ellis Island.

It’s not really that bad - Ellis Island is a lower end property, but the crime around the strip is not bad at all.

[system]

[QUOTE=cyndi;3854690]
We stayed at the MGM in 2005 and had no trouble walking to the T&M. It is about a 30-minute walk but we actually enjoyed it, and our ‘forced march’ kept us from gaining any weight while we were there and pigging out at dinner every night!![/QUOTE]

And this year - most of the riders and trainers are staying at the MGM - so if you’re looking to “run into” one of the riders or trainers . . . MGM would be the place.

They’ve raised the room rates however.

[cyndi]

[QUOTE=jpjumper;3859550]
And this year - most of the riders and trainers are staying at the MGM - so if you’re looking to “run into” one of the riders or trainers . . . MGM would be the place.

They’ve raised the room rates however.[/QUOTE]

Yep. Not staying there like we did in 2005. $700 for four nights. Nope. We’re going ‘budget’ and staying at the Hooters Casino for just over $200 for four nights - to be split between friend and I, so just $100 my share. It’s across the street from MGM - used to be called San Remo. Some friends stayed there in 2005 and said it was not great, definitely not four star (it’s actually rated 3 stars) but OK. I figure I’m only going to there to sleep! I stay at Motel 6 when I go to horse shows, so it can’t be worse than that! Plus with the $ I saved, I just scored tix to Elton John at the Colosseum on Thursday night! Woo hoo!

[Joanne]

[QUOTE=jpjumper;3854068]
Car rentals in Vegas are really quite inexpensive [/QUOTE]

I’m having trouble finding a car under $200 for six days. Back in 2007, I think I got one for about $130. Those figures are the final cost with all the taxes and add ons. I am hoping that the prices might come down a bit.

[NMK]

Two years ago we went and had a blast. We stayed at the Alexis Park, which is an easy ten minute walk. There is no casino there, but a Starbucks and some nice restaurants close by. We are not gamblers so not dealing with the chaos on the strip was just fine. We did rent a car and did some shopping and went to see a show one night. We left the car at the hotel and walked to the Mack Center for the WC. Two years ago it was $10 to park and the traffic was really bad. The Alexis Park has suites so it was nice for the five days we stayed.

Enjoy!

[Hazelnut]

@ButterflyIris;3853929

People might want to rent a car.
From what I recall, the taxi line is verrryyyy looooong.

Agreed, as is the shuttle line and parking is quite easy at the T&M

[Pirateer]

@zahena;3853496

T&M is, in fact, not near the strip. There aren’t really any hotels within walking distance or at least a walk I’d recommend.

So you mean that 3 twenty-somethings should probably not have walked from the TM at 11pm to Mandalay bay? Oops- we did live though, and even through not-well-lit construction areas.