Recently we returned from a trip to Las Vegas. If you want to live large on a respectively small dime, keep reading.
Flight: WestJet (out of Hamilton to McCarran International)
Hotel: The Wynn
Trip: 3 nights
Cost: $1373.23 (flight, transfers and 3 nights hotel ($100 voucher to use at hotel) for 2 people)
The Flight
It's WestJet, so everyone is super keen and happy to be of service. We were given front seats usually reserved for people with special needs, apparently popular on Orlando flights. The extra leg room was glorious. The return flight wasn't as glamorous. We were given emergency exit seats, which were not any more spacious then regular seats. The Las Vegas WestJet lady had a heavy accent and used it to her advantage, insisting that the front row was only for people with disabilities or broken bones. On this particular flight, Row 13 seats ABC are the large emergency exit seats with ample leg room. DEF have the door, but only the window seat has extra space. Don't be fooled. Demand to see a map of the plane!
The Hotel:
I don't think I could stay anywhere else in Vegas after staying at the Wynn. The grounds are impeccably clean, the staff are pleasant and helpful (aside from in the spa), and the food is fantastic.
We had a room on the 32nd floor which was great because the elevators go from 1-28 and 29-60 something which meant we rarely waited to get on and off, and very few, if any would get off the elevator before we did. Time is money in Vegas.
The hotel truly feels like a resort, and don't be stupid like us. There is little need to go anywhere else to eat! Some of the restaurants are pricey, but they are fine dining, so it's expected, and expect the food to be delicious and to feel extremely uncomfortable and out of place if you aren't used to wearing a suit to dinner. We, being more casual opted for some of the less formal dining options.
Check In/Check Out: Very easy. We got room cards to keep with our names printed on them. The idea is that you use them in machines and earn points so that you come again. We charged everything to our room, and received $100 to put towards our final bill.
The Room: 32nd floor, room 3225. Overlooks the strip (even numbers face the golf course). Everything is computerized, we were pleasantly surprised to enter and hit the "all on" button to have the sheers, and drapery open revealing a floor to ceiling panoramic view of the city. A telelphone and Television in the bathroom, ihome clock radio complete with ipod dock, and a very comfortable king sized bed. Do not touch the candy. It is weighted and if you move it, you will be charged if it is not replaced within 60 seconds. Walk down to Walgreens and buy your own candy for a fraction of the cost. Pick up some Airborne (or Wal-Born) if you're from Canada, while you're there.
The Pool: Heated, and pretty much empty. There is a hot tub as well. The pool staff are extremely friendly, and greet you with smiles offering two large towels for your enjoyment. The pool is gigantic. There is a bar and waitresses visit you poolside, frequently. Private cabanas can be rented for a nominal fee. Cleanest pool ever.
The Food: We ate at Pizza Place, great almost New York Style pizza, and you can't beat the setting, overlooking one of the many Wynn waterfalls.
We wanted to have breakfast at Tableau but it was closed, so we opted for Terrace Point Cafe. Delicious breakfasts, and again, great location. We had one early breakfast inside, and another leisurely breakfast poolside. You cannot beat eating breakfast poolside, in 20 degree weather at the end of November. We grabbed tea and pastries from The Cafe at the Drugstore, opened at 4 o'clock in the morning. Great turnovers and muffins. Red 8 was a fantastic dinner choice. We were originally going to eat at Wing Lei, but opted last minute to try Red 8, also Asian cuisine. We were not disappointed. The service was great, the food delicious and plentiful.
We were very disappointed to miss the buffet at the Wynn as I heard it was fantastic. We had plans to hit up the buffet at the Bellagio. We got there and it was lined up through the lobby and around the corner. Not impressed. We couldn't wait as we had theatre tickets, so we rushed over to the Mirage. No line, and for good reason. Their buffet was terrible. The food was sitting there for a long time, and all pretty much looked and tasted very similar. I had a hard time trying to find anything I even wanted to eat. Blegh. Don't leave the hotel. Eat at the Wynn, there is no need to go anywhere else. We didn't get to SW Steakhouse, as we were never really dressed appropriately, but have only heard good things. And the Lake of Dreams is pretty cool to watch.
The Casino: We walked through and played at many casinos including the Bellagio, The Mirage, Flamingo, Harrah's, and The Golden Nugget. None offered the same vibe as the Wynn. It's bright, clean, very open and you can see from one end to the other. The staff are welcoming. It is very smokey, so for non-smokers be prepared to wrinkle your nose. It's not to the point of coughing, but all the casinos in Las Vegas wreak of nicotine. The casino is very clean and the staff are very friendly. We are not gamblers, but were pleasantly surprised to sit down with some of the nicest dealers! They gave us tips, were extremely patient with our inexperience, and even told us when we should double down, hit, or pass. We came out $500 ahead, so we really couldn't complain.
The Pool: Absolutely gorgeous. It is huge and heated and completely vacant in November despite the 20 degree weather. There is a hot tub, and the pool staff aim to please. The cafes around the pool are very nice as well, we ate breakfast at the Terrace and sat poolside in the sunshine most mornings.
The Tranfers: The transfer from the airport was through Showtime. Basically a bus that drives through the strip. It was ok. Takes a while if the bus is full. The return trip sucked. They made us go 3.5 hours prior to our flight, which is completely unnecessary. WestJet wasn't even open for an hour before we got there. Lie about your flight time or take a cab if you have a morning flight. You need an 1.5 max.
The Shows: We saw Cirque Du Soleil: Beatles Love (at the Mirage), and Le Reve (the Wynn).
Beatles Love: Fun show, not a typical Cirque.
There is a lot more dancing and a lot less freaky circus contortionists. The acrobatics were great, especially the bits with the trampolines. It was amazing what they did with material, mind you our usher somewhat ruined these moments by shouting at non-English speaking audience members to "let go".
The music is good, and puts you in a good mood. It lagged a bit during the Yellow Submarine number, as the audience sits and watches two songs on video screens with nothing on stage, but the energy from the cast, and the dancing is rewarding. The storyline is a little weak, but all in all, you'll leave with a smile.
Le Reve: If you are planning to see other shows, make sure you see Le Reve last, or everything else you see will fail in comparison. It is absolutely breathtaking, and this is coming from someone with a theatre, film, and art background. The theatre, complete with smoke hanging over the water, and satiny bright drapery create a dreamlike ambiance as you enter. The show opens powerfully, and the momentum does not stop until the curtain call. The levels, acrobatics and synchro are amazing. This is a show in water, with a stage that transforms from a pond to a three tiered fountain, to a sea, with incredible acrobatics and well timed comedy. We could not believe that the dancers were holding their breath for that long.
It's a love story with a little more depth than Beatles Love. The performers have such strength and really give their all, despite the theatre not being completely full (Sunday shows are slower, and therefore less costly). The colours, and the costumes are gorgeous. The acrobatics will blow you away. I was holding my breath. The music is beautiful and actually performed live. This is a must see show. It would be first on my list to see again when I return.
Theatre ticket purchasing: You can buy tickets online, or from the hotels at any point. They will most likely not be sold out at any time. You can also get your tickets at various "Half Price Tix" booths along the strip. There is one at Fashion Show mall across from the Wynn, we saw another at Harrah's and there are two others towards the airport. You can buy dinner passes and theatre tickets at a discounted price. Know your ticket prices. Sometimes hotels will offer 20% off for hotel guests. Sometimes this ends up being cheaper. We paid $90 pp for Le Reve and $113 pp for Beatles Love. These shows range from $130-$160pp. You don't need to buy the best seats either. They are round theatres, you can see from everywhere. There are often discounts for slow nights like Sundays.
Shopping: There are two Premium outlets, one downtown, and one just past the airport. The Airport one is smaller, and older, the Downtown one is gigantic and more higher end. They Wynn has all high end shops, Ferrari (like a full out Ferrari show room), Chanel, Oscar De La Renta, Rolex, Dior etc. Fashion Show Mall is like a big Eaton's Centre with some high end shops. Try the Oxygen bar.
We had fun taking a breather and getting eletro-pulse massages while breathing in a concoction of lavendar, mint, and some other fruitful flavours.
Sundance Helicopter Tours: What better way to see the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon then from your very own helicopter? This trip is amazing and if you win $500 in Vegas, then you really have no excuse for not taking it. It is expensive, but it includes a limousine pick up from your hotel to McCarran airport, a windowed helicopter, where your pilot will fly you over Lake Mead to Arizona for your own personal picnic at the bottom of the canyon. Our pilot was great, and told us stories and history about the area. The flight in is about 30 minutes, and then words can't describe the decent into the canyon. You fly by the Hualapai WalkAbout, which doesn't even look worth seeing once you have been in the helicopter. We were given a picnic lunch with champagne, a short amount of time to explore and take pictures, and a return flight to McCarran airport flying first over downtown and then over the strip. Your return limo will take you wherever you want to go too.
The Fremont Street Experience: Go for the experience, but leave promptly. The light show and buskers are entertaining, and it is a must to at least walk through the Golden Nugget.
The rest of the area is a little sketchball, but if you are looking for
cheap drinks ($2 coronas) and ridiculously cheap food ($11.99 dinners at
Tony Romas) then this is your place.
The Strip: Worth seeing at night and in the daylight. The sheer size of the hotels will blow you away. The fountain at the Bellagio is set to lights and music nightly, as are the "sirens" at Treasure Island. Both worth stopping to take a look at. We were here in the "winter", so the Venetian had their rink set up. Gondola rides were still taking place. We got to see New York, New York driving by in our limo. Looked cool. The Stratosphere is pretty far from everything else. We pretty much walked from The Bellagio to the Wynn, and didn't venture too much further in either direction.
Palazzo
Treasure Island
Imperial Palace
Harrah's
Flamingo
Bill's Gambling Hall and Casino
The Mirage
The Bellagio
The Venetian
Ceasar's Palace
Paris
New York New York
We'll be back Vegas!
Flight: WestJet (out of Hamilton to McCarran International)
Hotel: The Wynn
Trip: 3 nights
Cost: $1373.23 (flight, transfers and 3 nights hotel ($100 voucher to use at hotel) for 2 people)
The Flight
It's WestJet, so everyone is super keen and happy to be of service. We were given front seats usually reserved for people with special needs, apparently popular on Orlando flights. The extra leg room was glorious. The return flight wasn't as glamorous. We were given emergency exit seats, which were not any more spacious then regular seats. The Las Vegas WestJet lady had a heavy accent and used it to her advantage, insisting that the front row was only for people with disabilities or broken bones. On this particular flight, Row 13 seats ABC are the large emergency exit seats with ample leg room. DEF have the door, but only the window seat has extra space. Don't be fooled. Demand to see a map of the plane!
The Hotel:
I don't think I could stay anywhere else in Vegas after staying at the Wynn. The grounds are impeccably clean, the staff are pleasant and helpful (aside from in the spa), and the food is fantastic.
 |
| The Wynn and Encore viewed from Treasure Island across the street |
We had a room on the 32nd floor which was great because the elevators go from 1-28 and 29-60 something which meant we rarely waited to get on and off, and very few, if any would get off the elevator before we did. Time is money in Vegas.
 |
| Bed facing the floor to ceiling window |
The hotel truly feels like a resort, and don't be stupid like us. There is little need to go anywhere else to eat! Some of the restaurants are pricey, but they are fine dining, so it's expected, and expect the food to be delicious and to feel extremely uncomfortable and out of place if you aren't used to wearing a suit to dinner. We, being more casual opted for some of the less formal dining options.
Check In/Check Out: Very easy. We got room cards to keep with our names printed on them. The idea is that you use them in machines and earn points so that you come again. We charged everything to our room, and received $100 to put towards our final bill.
The Room: 32nd floor, room 3225. Overlooks the strip (even numbers face the golf course). Everything is computerized, we were pleasantly surprised to enter and hit the "all on" button to have the sheers, and drapery open revealing a floor to ceiling panoramic view of the city. A telelphone and Television in the bathroom, ihome clock radio complete with ipod dock, and a very comfortable king sized bed. Do not touch the candy. It is weighted and if you move it, you will be charged if it is not replaced within 60 seconds. Walk down to Walgreens and buy your own candy for a fraction of the cost. Pick up some Airborne (or Wal-Born) if you're from Canada, while you're there.
The Pool: Heated, and pretty much empty. There is a hot tub as well. The pool staff are extremely friendly, and greet you with smiles offering two large towels for your enjoyment. The pool is gigantic. There is a bar and waitresses visit you poolside, frequently. Private cabanas can be rented for a nominal fee. Cleanest pool ever.
The Food: We ate at Pizza Place, great almost New York Style pizza, and you can't beat the setting, overlooking one of the many Wynn waterfalls.
 |
| Waterfalls viewed from the patio at Pizza Place in the Wynn |
We wanted to have breakfast at Tableau but it was closed, so we opted for Terrace Point Cafe. Delicious breakfasts, and again, great location. We had one early breakfast inside, and another leisurely breakfast poolside. You cannot beat eating breakfast poolside, in 20 degree weather at the end of November. We grabbed tea and pastries from The Cafe at the Drugstore, opened at 4 o'clock in the morning. Great turnovers and muffins. Red 8 was a fantastic dinner choice. We were originally going to eat at Wing Lei, but opted last minute to try Red 8, also Asian cuisine. We were not disappointed. The service was great, the food delicious and plentiful.
We were very disappointed to miss the buffet at the Wynn as I heard it was fantastic. We had plans to hit up the buffet at the Bellagio. We got there and it was lined up through the lobby and around the corner. Not impressed. We couldn't wait as we had theatre tickets, so we rushed over to the Mirage. No line, and for good reason. Their buffet was terrible. The food was sitting there for a long time, and all pretty much looked and tasted very similar. I had a hard time trying to find anything I even wanted to eat. Blegh. Don't leave the hotel. Eat at the Wynn, there is no need to go anywhere else. We didn't get to SW Steakhouse, as we were never really dressed appropriately, but have only heard good things. And the Lake of Dreams is pretty cool to watch.
The Casino: We walked through and played at many casinos including the Bellagio, The Mirage, Flamingo, Harrah's, and The Golden Nugget. None offered the same vibe as the Wynn. It's bright, clean, very open and you can see from one end to the other. The staff are welcoming. It is very smokey, so for non-smokers be prepared to wrinkle your nose. It's not to the point of coughing, but all the casinos in Las Vegas wreak of nicotine. The casino is very clean and the staff are very friendly. We are not gamblers, but were pleasantly surprised to sit down with some of the nicest dealers! They gave us tips, were extremely patient with our inexperience, and even told us when we should double down, hit, or pass. We came out $500 ahead, so we really couldn't complain.
The Pool: Absolutely gorgeous. It is huge and heated and completely vacant in November despite the 20 degree weather. There is a hot tub, and the pool staff aim to please. The cafes around the pool are very nice as well, we ate breakfast at the Terrace and sat poolside in the sunshine most mornings.
The Shows: We saw Cirque Du Soleil: Beatles Love (at the Mirage), and Le Reve (the Wynn).
Beatles Love: Fun show, not a typical Cirque.
There is a lot more dancing and a lot less freaky circus contortionists. The acrobatics were great, especially the bits with the trampolines. It was amazing what they did with material, mind you our usher somewhat ruined these moments by shouting at non-English speaking audience members to "let go".
The music is good, and puts you in a good mood. It lagged a bit during the Yellow Submarine number, as the audience sits and watches two songs on video screens with nothing on stage, but the energy from the cast, and the dancing is rewarding. The storyline is a little weak, but all in all, you'll leave with a smile.
Le Reve: If you are planning to see other shows, make sure you see Le Reve last, or everything else you see will fail in comparison. It is absolutely breathtaking, and this is coming from someone with a theatre, film, and art background. The theatre, complete with smoke hanging over the water, and satiny bright drapery create a dreamlike ambiance as you enter. The show opens powerfully, and the momentum does not stop until the curtain call. The levels, acrobatics and synchro are amazing. This is a show in water, with a stage that transforms from a pond to a three tiered fountain, to a sea, with incredible acrobatics and well timed comedy. We could not believe that the dancers were holding their breath for that long.
It's a love story with a little more depth than Beatles Love. The performers have such strength and really give their all, despite the theatre not being completely full (Sunday shows are slower, and therefore less costly). The colours, and the costumes are gorgeous. The acrobatics will blow you away. I was holding my breath. The music is beautiful and actually performed live. This is a must see show. It would be first on my list to see again when I return.Theatre ticket purchasing: You can buy tickets online, or from the hotels at any point. They will most likely not be sold out at any time. You can also get your tickets at various "Half Price Tix" booths along the strip. There is one at Fashion Show mall across from the Wynn, we saw another at Harrah's and there are two others towards the airport. You can buy dinner passes and theatre tickets at a discounted price. Know your ticket prices. Sometimes hotels will offer 20% off for hotel guests. Sometimes this ends up being cheaper. We paid $90 pp for Le Reve and $113 pp for Beatles Love. These shows range from $130-$160pp. You don't need to buy the best seats either. They are round theatres, you can see from everywhere. There are often discounts for slow nights like Sundays.
Shopping: There are two Premium outlets, one downtown, and one just past the airport. The Airport one is smaller, and older, the Downtown one is gigantic and more higher end. They Wynn has all high end shops, Ferrari (like a full out Ferrari show room), Chanel, Oscar De La Renta, Rolex, Dior etc. Fashion Show Mall is like a big Eaton's Centre with some high end shops. Try the Oxygen bar.
We had fun taking a breather and getting eletro-pulse massages while breathing in a concoction of lavendar, mint, and some other fruitful flavours.
Sundance Helicopter Tours: What better way to see the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon then from your very own helicopter? This trip is amazing and if you win $500 in Vegas, then you really have no excuse for not taking it. It is expensive, but it includes a limousine pick up from your hotel to McCarran airport, a windowed helicopter, where your pilot will fly you over Lake Mead to Arizona for your own personal picnic at the bottom of the canyon. Our pilot was great, and told us stories and history about the area. The flight in is about 30 minutes, and then words can't describe the decent into the canyon. You fly by the Hualapai WalkAbout, which doesn't even look worth seeing once you have been in the helicopter. We were given a picnic lunch with champagne, a short amount of time to explore and take pictures, and a return flight to McCarran airport flying first over downtown and then over the strip. Your return limo will take you wherever you want to go too. |
| Our Pilot |
 |
| Leaving McCarran Airport |
 |
| Ravella at Lake Las Vegas |
 |
| The Hoover Dam |
 |
| Into the Grand Canyon |
 |
| Champagne picnic at the base of the Canyon! |
 |
| Cactus |
 |
| Those little green dots are actually Joshua Trees, to get a scope of the size! |
The Fremont Street Experience: Go for the experience, but leave promptly. The light show and buskers are entertaining, and it is a must to at least walk through the Golden Nugget. 
 |
| The Queen Ceiling light show |
Palazzo
Treasure Island
 |
| Sirens at Treasure Island |
Imperial Palace
Harrah's
Flamingo
Bill's Gambling Hall and Casino
 |
| Cheap drinks here, and if you're not looking for anything fancy, this place is very affordable, and well situated. |
The Mirage
The Bellagio
The Venetian
Ceasar's Palace
 |
| Ridiculously large. |
Paris
New York New York
 |
| Closer to the airport |
We'll be back Vegas!
