BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi Guys,

Im from Australia and im booking vegas accomodation for New Years Eve this Year. Now i can book through my travel agents system but i think it is slightly more expensive but then we also have the option of pulling out 66 days before it and not having to pay. just wondering if the online sites offer this or your experiences? and what are the best online sites to go with?

You picked the one exception of the whole year for Vegas. You also picked the most expensive night of the year and the one with the least flexibility in adjusting your reservation. It's sorta like Easter in Antigua or Carnival in Rio. They know they are going to sell out 100% of their rooms. So why should any hotel offer a discount. On the contrary... many places push packages.. room, dinner, show and club. Rest of the year those packages get you discounts. But NYE is more apt to see surcharges.

You are thinking of those sites that buy blocks of rooms at a discount. Trouble is they can't get deals then either. Also, those sites aren't what they used to be. As the casino/hotel websites become more sophisticated they have gone after that chunk of business. The rationale for selling off blocks of rooms was to reduce the size of the reservation staff. But since they now have access to the same software as the discounters, why bother?

So how to find a deal? Nothing is guaranteed that night. BUT.. go online and join their slot club. Do it now.You won't have a gambling history with them.. unless they are a truly international chain. But you are immediately on their mailing list for deals. Anyone offering a good deal is probably on their last legs. But on NYE you probably won't sleep anyway. Rest of the year, when trying to book rooms anywhere I consistently find Hotwire has the best deals. You can find lower rates off the strip. BUT, given traffic that night it will be a pain. The little tiny motels close to downtown around the wedding chapels and strip clubs won't be expensive..but will fill.

My suggestion.. if the hotel has an international 800 number call them... or otherwise email. Give them the details of your agent's deal and ask if they can better it.

A strong word of advice from somone who loves Las Vegas and has been there that time of year: go any other day. Last year I left New Years Eve morning and it was a great move. Here's the Vegas strip on NYE: you cannot get into any of the hotels, including the associated casino, unless you are a guest in that particular hotel/casino. If you have a car, you cannot park in a strip hotel lot unless you are a guest. They close the strip to traffic but then put put up barriers so it is a giant cattle pen. There are mobs of people all being channeled into narrow spaces. There are police and army everywhere. Every local who works in the toursim industry was telling us NYE is the worst day of the year to visit becasue of all these security precautions. It really looks like an armed camp. All that and, as you notice, they will absolutely rob you if you want a room.