HOTEL CASINOS RESERVATIONS
1-800-555-1212 "800# directory assistance" (they all have 800 numbers of course)
I found a list of Vegas 800 numbers at (PDF) http://www.cryan.com/pdf/VegasHotels.pdf and an older web page from 1991 at http://www.conjelco.com/faq/casino.html but keep in mind that MANY HOTELS are NOT ON THE STRIP, some are. So you can ASK "ARE YOU ON THE STRIP" when you call. Nevada Palace and Sams Town are way, way, way far away from The Strip. Sunset Station, Sun Coast, Green Valley Ranch (not a brothal), are very nice places, but far away from The Strip (where the action is).

       WARNING: THIS LIST IS FROM "1996"
       (and "downtown" is NOT The Strip) 

Hotel                   RANGE PER NIGHT "1996" PRICES

                        SUN-THUR        FRI-SUN
ALADDIN                 $35-$65         $85-$105
BALLY'S                 $89-$109        $139
CAESAR'S                $165            $190
CIRCUS CIRCUS           $29-$45         $79-$89
EXCALIBUR               $59-$79         $83-$93
FITZGERALD downtown     $46             $75
GOLDEN NUGGET           $39-$49         $79
HARRAH'S                $55-$109        $119-$149
HILTON off The Strip    $69-$119        $129-$159
FLAMINGO HILTON         $69-$99         $85-$209
IMPERIAL PALACE         $45-$79         $99-$129
LUXOR                   $59-$89         $119-$199
MGM GRAND               $69-$99         $119-$149
MIRAGE                  $69-$109        $145-$259
PLAZA downtown          $30-$50         $59-$79
SAN REMO now "HOOTERS"  $59-$79         $119-$159 reopens Feb 3 2006 as Hooters
RIO                     $66-$96         $129-$149
RIVERIA                 $59-$79         $105-$125
TROPICANA               $49-$79         $109-$129
TREASURE ISLAND         $59-$79         $119-$139
SAHARA                  $59-$79         $85-$105
list from http://massis.lcs.mit.edu/archives/reports/def-con.1996.convention

BUY BOTTLED WATER AT A LOCAL STORE

HOTEL ROOM PRICES MAY VARY (supply & demand, weekend or weekday, large convention of 250,000 people? ask before going, excellent weather end of March or end of Sept.  WEEKENDS, PRICES DO GO UP, other than that, call 800-555-1212 and ask for the 800 number of any hotel and say "I am INQUIRING" (don't give out your credit card till you have contacted a few). IN SUMMER, expect temps 110 F, 115, (120+) in the day (110 is ideal, 125 is pressing it) but "it's a dry heat" lovely at night, all night long, but BRING WARM CLOTHING (SERIOUSLY, the inside Air Conditioning is very cold).  During WINTER it goes down to 34 F at night (22 some years, very rare) but bring some COOL CLOTHING TOO (hot inside the casinos in Winter). W hen you get here, you may want to take a trip to Vons, Albertsons, Walgreens (on the Strip) Target for (your favorite J&B, wine, beer, B VITAMINS keep you HAPPY (B Complex or B Stress Formula, 100 mg size at any Supermarket, 2 or 3 per day; you pay a fortune to be happy, buy a cheap little bottle of B Vitamins, B Vitamins keep people Happy & Laughing, as well as Coherent), toothbrush, snacks, ICE CHEST $20, $10, and less, for your room, the Ice Machine is at the end of the hall in most hotels) and most important BOTTLED WATER (they leave a small bottle in the room, with a tag saying "if you break the seal on this water, you will be charged an extra $10 on your bill" (seriously). 

BUFFETS:  Best quality being Bellagio Buffet (quality), Aladdin (popular choice), and Rio World Carnival Buffet (variety & winner in the polls with locals every year), not to be confused with the Rio Seafood Buffet (more expensive). The Palms is a nice variety (the owner won Best Buffet at his previous casino years back).  All Buffets are Cheaper during the week, and Lunch is usually excellent and less expensive (get to the Rio Buffet before 3:30 pm & they let you stay as they change to dinner, others buffets wont, you have to wait an hour for the change over).   

WAIT FOR YOUR ROOM:  When you get to Vegas, expect that you probably wont be able to get a room till 3:00 pm; because the cleaning people have to clean, and because the previous guests left at 12 noon or 11am (check your hotel to see), so they need time to clean up, and even then you will see a long front desk line till 4pm (and even after you get your key, your room may still be being cleaned). EARLY?   CHECK IN YOUR BAGS and go have Fun. Go get your Show Tickets As Soon As Possible. Ask your front desk (or any Front Desk) for a Free copy of a Las Vegas magazine.  "Whats On" is the best of them or online at www.ilovevegas.com 

"THERE IS NO PLACE TO SIT DOWN IN LAS VEGAS, UNLESS YOU PAY" (slots, food, cab, show, but no place else to sit down). RELAX YOUR FEET. 
A) Go to any Casino BAR, order a glass of Water, Tip the Bartender $1 for each person in your party (even if its bottled water at a charge), its the cheapest seats your going to get in Las Vegas (and water is healthy for you). 
B) Go to a MOVIE
   1) UA Movies next to MGM (just north of)
   2) Brenden Theaters inside The Palms (across from The Rio) 
   3) Century 18 inside The Orleans  (off the strip, reasonable cab fare, in addition to Movies, they have great shows too, famous performers, Jerry Lewis, Willie Nelson, etc, at reasonable prices)
C)  Go to a COFFEE SHOP inside any Hotel Casino, put the tip out ahead of time (based on a full meal for all) and say "we just want a beverage, but this tip is for you, ahead of time", they will treat you nice and let you relax a long time.. 

NIGHTLIFE DANCE CLUBS: Studio 54 at MGM, Rum Jungle at Mandalay Bay, Bellagio, Caesars, Venetian, all have clubs too, PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED FOR MEN (in some clubs, women get in Free or get a reduced price). 

SHOWS:
GET TICKETS A.S.A.P. (as soon as possible)
Often, they don't sell out till hours before the show, but you never know, and that way you get better seats.   Show info at www.ilovevegas.com  (Whats ON magazine) 
The front desk of any hotel will give you a free magazine of current show info.  Even if you are not staying at that hotel, get a free magazine anywhere. 

GAMBLING: DON'T GAMBLE, OR if you do, STAY EVEN with Probability and Statistics. Play bets which are near 50/50 in probability, such as Roulette: Red or Black or Odd or Even, and even the inside bets are at least sort of fair long shots, they pay a resonable ammount compared with the probability, (Roulette: not to be confused with the upright Wheel of Fortune, where one bets on $1, $2, $5, $10, not as good as Roulette), OR play Craps Pass Line or Don't Pass Line (both nearly 50/50 in probability, I don't take odds for a number of reasons (Pass: your best chance is on the first roll, not a later roll, etc, etc), and the other bets on the table are less in probability). Always have at least 5 back up bets, don't put everything on one bet. Be advised that Black Jack or 21 is a 60/40 game (only 40% in your favor, strain your brain and it still takes its toll. EXPLANATION: you draw first, before the dealer draws, and a certain percentage of the time, your going to go bust, YOU GO FIRST. Dealer says, you jump off the cliff first, oops, there he goes, oh well, no way you can win without drawing, lots of 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings to bust you, you go first, 60/40). STATISTICS tend to even out to their natural probability in the long run (as per an earlier version of "Schaums Outlines on Probability on Statistics" (Schaums Outlines are sold in most University Bookstores), it pointed out (in the older version) that if you flip a coin 5 times, it might even come out heads, heads, heads, heads, but after 50 to 100 flips, it will be more like 50/50, the natural probability, so give yourself a 5 or 6 bet back up, and do set a limit in case you have a bad streak, bet no more than 10 bets, my limit is typically 5 or 6 bets). My personal experience with Craps (I play only Don't Pass or Pass), I tend to win or lose 3 in a row (sometimes 4), then it reverses for 3 or 4 bets (pull out ahead), OR, sometimes is win, lose, win, lose, win, lose, boring. One bet ahead and pull out, is an easy win (how often will you find your self one bet ahead? often, how often will you find yourself 5 bets ahead? very rare), ONLY IF you play a statistically even bet: Roulette: red or black, odd or even, or craps Pass or Dont Pass with no odds (odds increase your bet AFTER your best chance of winning has passed, the first roll, so they fudge with statistics if they tell you taking odds is better, its not, and any of those other bets at the craps table, and you have stepped off the golden trail, into the doggie garden of statistical oops, oh well. The hardways look good, but statistically they are a rip off, but not as bad as slots, and everything else). The one thing I don't like at the Craps table is Pork Gas.

Take a chance, but don't gamble away your house & life savings to impress everyone with "what a good sport" you are (they make a living, don't feel sorry for them). Save some money for shows & tips & luxury dining, maybe some photos (they is no obigation, when you look at the photos later (end of show, or meal), you have the option to purchase them, if you want to take them home). Neaten up and then leave a tip for the maid every day, I always clean up for the maid, so they have less to do, then leave $1 to $2 per day was standard (or more, they'll be delighted)).  Some day you may have to clean up after someone, so you want to keep your karma clean to begin with.   

COME TO CHI-NA-TOWN:    
With many fine Restaurant, serving you finest Ginger, Snow Pea, and Chinese Noodle, and GREEN TEA (very healthy for you).  Shop at Chinese Mall for Jasmine Incense,  Chi-na-town "Ranch 99 Market" for tofu, "Mighty Soy" soy juice (the other brands are not advised), a Chinese Herb Store, and beautiful Chinese Furniture store. LOCATED:  Around 5 blocks WEST of TREASURE ISLAND on Spring Mt Road, across freeway, bus or taxi, I would not want to walk it. (NOT to be confused with "The Commercial Center" a group of stores (some Oriental) on East Sahara Blvd).

CURRENT WEATHER:
The National News tells the Las Vegas weather from the Airport data, which is "typically" 10 degrees cooler than everyplace else in Summer.  So if you hear that its 115 in Las Vegas, its really 125 on up.  

HOT SUMMER NIGHTS:  It gets to 125 F (in the shade) in Summer (stay up all night, down to  99 F if your lucky, but thats whats so fun, all night long at 100 F).  
Winter Nights are typically 33 F, with the first day of Spring or first day of Fall being the nicest.

WATCH YOUR WALLET OR YOUR PURSE 
Every crowded city has its Thieves, Pick-Pockets, Purse Openers (women walk around with an open purse, unaware that they have been thieved).  Especially at Bus Stops and on Busses, and in Crowds on the Sidewalk or even inside the Casinos.  Carry limited amounts of cash, and keep a list of credit cards with phone info in case you need to turn them off.  

BUSES: go up and down the strip all day and all night for $2.00 per ride, every 10 minutes (between 1 am and 5 am only every 15 minutes).  Off The Strip routes only every 20 to 30 minutes (and some may shut down at 1 am).  24 HOUR UNLIMITED PASSES = $5 (from your driver), MONTHLY UNLIMITED PASSES = $30 (at the Depot at either end of The Strip, but you still have to walk from the street to the casino (often very far).  TROLLY's sometimes go to the front of some hotels, but are very slow on the strip (as they make more stops).  

TAXI ADVICE:  

NEVER give a cab driver a $50 or $100 Bill (they don't carry that kind of change, and they can't park in front of the hotel and go in, and if you do that at the Airport, due to new Federal Regulations they can't park there either (and there is no place to get change inside anyway), they have to drive you all the way back to a Major Hotel Casino, find parking, then go in with you (THAT'S REALITY).  

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP: Not only watch out getting out of cabs in front of hotel casinos as cars wiz by nearly hitting pedestrians, but INSPECT THE SEAT BEFORE YOU SIT.  The last customer may have tossed their cookies without the driver being aware of it (it happens, and sometimes its not obvious at first).  

FREEWAYS Yes and No:  
Ask your driver to not take the Freeway too or from the Airport.  That's termed  "Long Hauling".  HOWEVER: The Freeway is still a good option for traveling up or down the Strip or between Downtown and the Lower Strip, because the Freeway is just a block away from the Strip, and the Strip gets crowded, has long lights (while the meter is ticking).  
PROBLEM DRIVER?  Not all taxi drivers are bad, but if you get a bad one, get the Cab Number, on the outside of the cab (regardless of company), or Taxi lic # on dashboard, and report it to the "T.A." (Taxicab Authority, State of NV) with time of day, locations, and fare (always ask for a receipt). The "TA" will give you a fair judgment such as "at that time of day its best he did that", or "due to construction", or "we will fine him and you can get a refund"; Taxicab Authority of the " State of NV" listed in the phone book under "NV, State of" 486-6532 (24 hrs), or online at the NV web site under "Business & Industry" (not Transportation). 

LOST & FOUND. Not certain which cab company? There are less than it appears, Ace, Union, North Las Vegas, Vegas Western are all one company, while Yellow, Checker, Star are all another company, again the T.A. (State of NV) might be able to help you further. The Taxi companies hold items for a month, and can mail them to you for reasonable fee (happens all day and all night). Never take a cab across the street without first giving the driver $10, saying keep the change and take me across the street" (they wait in line an hour, the initial fee goes to the company & state, after that, the driver only gets from 40% to 50% of the meter, plus a 20% tip, at least please. 

RESPECT:  Treat your driver like a fellow human being (karma), because that's just who they are (we are all equal in the USA).  Cab driver is #5 on the list of Most Stressful Jobs in the USA, see STRESS JOBS (and they work 60 hours per week, mostly sitting in long lines up to 60 minutes, or more).   In a busy Casino? Need to emit gas or feel sickish? Step outside for some air?  Too crowded to fart?  Doormans says "Would you like a Taxi?", NO, YOU DON'T WANT A TAXIi, go fart in the restroom, or in the big old casino, not in the tiny, tightly sealed taxi, and you don't want to toss your cookies in a cab either, use the restroom, OK?  They are used to Drunk People in the casinos, they all have bars that get people drunk, they are not going to have you arrested for intoxication, its OK to be intoxicated, you don't need to be ushered off in a cab (go drink lots of WATER in the Coffee Shop or Gift Stores have water, Water is good for your pH, especially after drinking dangerously low pH soda or alcohol, see my Health pages for more on that).  People used to fart in my cab, I would roll down the window (in 128 degree heat or 22 degree cold, they would say "DRIVER, WHY are you rolling down the window, ROLL IT UP", and I would have to explain I was airing it out due to someone emitting GAS.  PLEASE PEOPLE.  Your in a cab for 5 to 10 minutes, they driver is in there all day.   Be nice to your driver, even if they pretend like they don't speak English (they all do).  Some cabs are run on Propane, so they stink to begin with (some have leaks which never get fixed).  But the driver can tell the difference between you and the propane.  (Am I making a big deal out of this? It must be a big deal).  "Mind if I smoke" usually means "mind if I fart to kingdom come, I'll light a cigarette and you'll never know" (HAH).  Save it for the BIG CASINO, they got lots of room, 50 foot ceilings, miles of open indoor space, and great ventilation.      

This info by Archure www.ARCHURE.Net
aka Will Chris Holley
Web Author, Photographer, & Former Taxi Driver:
AAS EET; BAS AMT; AS CIM; AA FAM
Honor Grad; Honor Society; genius IQ

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