Vegas/Death Valley Advice

So I have a chance to maybe visit the Vegas/Death Valley area this weekend since my spouse will be doing some work nearby.

The main problem seems to be though that all the hotels we usually stay at are booked or are SUPER expensive - like $300++ per night.

Usually we stay at Bally's and are perfectly happy with the quality of the room, the restaurants, service, etc. But we haven't been to Vegas in a few years.

My spouse will be doing some work in Pahrump, which is one of the gateway cities to Death Valley. I planned on visiting Death Valley on Saturday, so we're staying at some little hotel in Pahrump on Friday night. The question is where to stay on Saturday.

Does anybody know anything about some hotel called Saddle West Hotel and Casino in Pahrump? It got some less than great reviews on those online sites, but I know people usually write into those places when they want to complain. The hotels actually in Death Valley were all booked, too.

As for Vegas, we might be able to get some deal at the Stratosphere. But I do remember that the Stratosphere is sort of on the edge of The Strip. I also know that it's an older hotel, but I've never been in it. Anybody know if this hotel is scary as far as cleanliness and safety? I'll be staying on my own on Saturday night, so safety is an issue.

Unfortunately, most of the main biggies - Paris, MGM, Bally's, Caesar's, Bellagio -- are sold out or super expensive ($300++) this weekend.

Finally, has anybody played the golf course in Death Valley? I was thinking of doing that. I'm not the greatest golfer, but I do like to golf and it seemed cool.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Don't stay at the Gold Spike. That's all I can tell you.

(Seriously -- well, the above was serious, too ;D -- the Strat is pretty far out there in regards to the Strip. It's closer to old Vegas than it is to the main drag. You might be able to find a good deal at the Tropicana; that's the first place I'd look. ... Treasure Island is also tucked right in with everything, though I don't know if rates would be high this weekend. Also, New York New York.)

Never stayed at any of those personally -- we got a sweet deal at the Palms, which is across the freeway a ways from the Strip -- but Vegas is Vegas, man. It's all good.

 

Something's happened to the Trop the last few years. A year or two ago, we stopped by with a couple hours to kill before a flight. They took out most (all?) of the table games in the main casino and it was all slots. There were busloads of blue hairs going in and out. The casino actually reeked of old-lady perfume.

There are few things that can cause me depression in Vegas - sitting in that Trop was one of them. It felt like a holdover spot until these people's senior citizen housing opened up.

Move on to the next place.

 

Wild Card Line, you're on the air.

 

If you're driving, be sure to hit the Bun Boy in Baker, California. Home of the World's Largest Thermometer! Have a World Famous Strawberry Shake!

 

The only thing I know about Pahrump (and no, I've never been there) is that it has legal brothels.

Did you try the hotel in Death Valley for your Saturday night stay? One of them is supposed to be pretty nice, although it might be filled with German tourists. For some reason, Germans love the desert. Maybe it's an Afrika Korps thing.

 

If you drive to Death Valley, don't forget to pull over and try the peyote.

 

You're picking the good time of year to visit the Valley. I went out to Palm Springs two summers ago and yeah, I must say it was rather hot. I believe I saw Satan getting off the plane and turning around, saying "Forget this".

 

No love for the East of the Rockies Line?

The Strat is OK safetywise. It's the neighborhood around it that's the problem. If you want to go anywhere from the Strat, take a cab.

 

You might want to check Priceline for deals at Vegas hotels. The Name Your Own Price feature might get you something on the Strip in the $100 range, but once you've picked it, you've paid for it. No refunds.

How far/long is the drive from Vegas to Death Valley? Never done it but am pondering doing so on my next trip.

 

You might try www.travelaxe.com, as well . . . instant comparisons of various prices available from a number of booking entities.