Every Vegas-goer is at different stages in their Vegas “careers.” I’m 49 years old and semi-retired, so a Vegas trip now is different for me than it was 20 years ago or even 10.
I love the sun, the pools, and the warm weather. That always used to be part of the appeal of Las Vegas for me. I spent most of my life living on Long Island, where pool season runs from late May/early June until late August/early September. But now I live in Florida, where pool season runs from late January until early January.
When I lived in New York where pool time was limited and precious, I visited Vegas for three weeks every May to get a head start on the season. Staying that long in one hotel room and going to the same pool every day would have driven me crazy, as it would most people, so I perfected the art of hotel-hopping. Since my budget was more limited at that time, I was also looking to maximize good plays and comps.
To be sure, switching hotels mid-trip (once or multiple times) can be a hassle. Either you can’t fully unpack or you have to constantly unpack and re-pack. Add in waiting on multiple check-in lines, with multiple chances that your room won’t be ready when you want it to be, and you have a pretty big downside.
But there are plenty of upsides. Money, for one. I once stayed for 18 nights in Vegas for a grand total of $400. And that included two nights at the Wynn. As I wrote in my Circus Circus post a few weeks ago, I then became one of the only visitors in Vegas history to check out of the Wynn and check right in to Circus. But we’re chasing deals here.
Even lower-level players can get offers for a free room night or two. Maybe you get them in the mail, maybe they show up in your email, or maybe you have to log in to the player’s club website for each casino you patronize to check for offers. If you can get one or two free nights from a couple of different places, you can string together almost a whole week of comped stays. Heck, it was before my time, but Jean “Frugal Vegas” Scott made her name in the ’90s by booking 49 nights and paying for only one.
Some offers include food credits, freeplay, or cash . Even $10 or $20 from each offer can add up enough to pay for an additional non-comped night, making that night essentially comped. Or call the hotel that sent you the offer. You have to ask, but it’s not uncommon for free room nights to be accompanied by discounted rates on additional nights.
The big casinos also have some sort of online slot game you can download to your phone. You don’t play for real money and if you play long enough, you can get enough tokens/points/whatever to redeem for a free room night, which is as good as real money.
Also, check your credit-card and hotel loyalty programs; many of them are affiliated with different hotels in Vegas and points can be transferred and redeemed for free nights.
Another benefit is that you get to experience different parts of town. Can’t decide whether your Vegas vacation should be on the Strip or downtown? Do both! Don’t like how long it takes to get from your hotel on one end of the Strip to a restaurant at the other end? Stay at both ends of the Strip! Your friends want to stay at X Hotel, but you want to stay at Y? Do both! It’s like having multiple vacations in one, especially if you tend to spend a lot of time in or near your hotel.
My favorite part of the Strip is south-to-mid Strip, especially the Tropicana corner. But I also love wandering around the quieter north end, where I can roll out of bed and stumble to the Peppermill for breakfast. If I’m staying at a south Strip hotel for my entire trip, I might never see that part of town.
In my next post, I’ll offer some specific tips for minimizing the hassles of hotel hopping.
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I don’t mind changing hotels if I’m in town alone. In fact, I did it last week, two nights at the Wynn then one at Mirage. But there’s no way in hell I’ll do that if I have my wife with me. The packing and unpacking would just take up way too much time…
I love you posts Dave. We love to hotel hop, whether it’s taking advantage of 3 comped nights at Tuscany and then 2 nights each for my wife and I for 4 days at the Orleans. A week of comped rooms and usually other freebies (food comps and free play) make for a nice vacation. We bring enough clothes and since it’s usually spring break or summer, pretty much all we need are shorts and t-shirts. We’ve also connected free rooms at Westgate/LVH/Hilton and Orleans a few times as well. And the Westgate stays included an upgrade to a suite, so not too bad.
I switched hotels only one time, because Caesars and Paris only offered a night or two each. You’re inspiring me to try it again, as soon as the cabrona virus (yes, that’s the spelling I want) lets up enough. Come to think of it, I can’t remember how I managed it since rules usually require three days between reservations. Maybe they were right on the month’s end. Anyway, looking forward to the next part of this story. I find I’m doing Vegas vicariously through other people, lately.
IF I get comped at 2 unrelated casinos down town, that is EASY! Got from the Down Town Grand to the Cal or MSS? YES! it’s an easy walk up Ogden or even through the FSE to get there,dragging our carry-on’s.$ Queens as well.No rental or Uber needed.
The strip may a different story altogether, because the properties are SOOO far apart. “Hey, it’s next door!”
No, it’s at least a 1/4 mile to the registration desk.
Double dip? Positively!
Guys usually pack light,anyway.
A week or more in a Nevada casino? We do our laundry in the sink or the shower. The air is usually so dry that our clothes dry in a few hours. Bring your own HANGERS. Lip balm.Meds and at least one change of shoes.Socks and underwear? No problem. Socks can stay there.
EYE even leave old shoes that I do NOT want to carry back home. More room for SWAG!
Ethyl M’S: Same price at Mc Carran’s.
Sure, I’ll stay a week if I can get a comp or 2.
I’m a Vegas regular. I’m 70 years old and I have been going to Vegas since before most of those vloggers were born. I travel alone most of the time.
I have tried hotel hopping and it is more trouble than it is worth.
Nowadays? I get a cheap nonstop flight and I stay two days.
My rooms are comped, I can gamble all I want, i don’t need expensive food and I have plenty of time and money.
I could not stay in Vegas for two weeks. This works out perfectly for me.
I go at least 4 times a year, sometimes more. I’m going in 3 weeks and again in December.
Short stays in Vegas are best for me.
My last trip was my girlfriend’s first time in Vegas. I wanted her to see both Downtown and the Strip so I biked 2 night at the Golden Gate and 1 night at Caesars. It worked out perfect.
I hotel hop every time I’m in Vegas, but I mostly travel there alone. I was in Vegas for 10 day in late July. My rooms were comped for every night I was there – 3 nights at the Silverton, 2 nights at The Cosmopolitan, 2 nights at Paris and 2 nights at The M Resort. I did have to pay resort fees at two places, but that was offset by resort comps and slot free play. I always rent a car, so it is no big deal moving around and I enjoy staying in different parts of the city.
i keep my caesers rewards card active every 6 months we play at caesers windsor across the river from detroit then get comped when we go to Vegas for the whole trip at the Flamingo for example dont need to hotel hop
Similar to Wynn to Circus, I once went from Bellagio to Westward Ho, both were comped.