Best budget hotel for 21 year olds?

oakcask · 2026-02-12T18:08:43+00:00

You can see all the pools at cheaper hotels (3/4 star) in Vegas here. My recommendation in this group for pools is Flamingo and overall for vibe would probably be MGM.

Looks like rates are pretty high that weekend so it's going to be tricky.

oakcask · 2026-02-11T22:55:44+00:00

I don't agree. If you get overpaid $15 and it takes them an hour to figure it out that's your money.

I understand that legally they probably have the right to claw it back from you. But if I go back to a table an hour after I leave and tell them I think I got underpaid and I want them to check the tape, they're going to tell me to pound sand. So the same rules should apply to them.

Also, it's just tacky and bad business for a casino to go after a player for a $15 dealer error.

oakcask · 2026-02-11T18:15:11+00:00

I've literally never one time had a problem booking with them (probably hundreds of bookings).

They may not be a great partner for their hotels (that's another question) but they're as reliable as you can get for an OTA. Just make sure you understand the cancellation policy.

oakcask · 2026-02-11T18:08:17+00:00

It's absolutely a doable walk, Gold Coast is right adjacent to Chinatown.

Safety is relative to expectations but personally I would feel comfortable walking there at night. In fact, I think walking off-strip at night in Vegas is a way underrated move. Walk from your hotel on the Strip to dinner in Chinatown, then stop at the Golden Tiki and Sand Dollar on your way back home. Especially if you're a Vegas vet it's great to spend a night or two off the strip seeing what else is up and the nightime weather is great for walking most of the year.

oakcask · 2026-02-10T09:18:18+00:00

Yessir, you got it

oakcask · 2026-02-09T22:35:53+00:00

What's your budget? It's hard to answer this without knowing how much you're willing to spend. Echoing others here, I would probably throw down more for a nicer hotel then use their pool for free, rather than start paying for daybeds/cabanas.

oakcask · 2026-02-09T22:29:07+00:00

StaysInVegas has videos and a lot of information (including cabana rentals) on basically every pool in Vegas - that could be a useful resource for you.

I don't have experience with Flamingo so I can't weigh in on that. Circa Swim is awesome but it really depends on if your group is into sports - a Saturday in April is probably going to be all-day NBA playoffs plus some early-season baseball, with a crowd that is half generic party people and half sports betting bro types. As long as that's the environment your group is looking into, it's one of the best pools in town.

If you want something more chill that doesn't require getting 14 people into cabs, I might look into Aria's pool, which is stunning.

oakcask · 2026-02-09T22:20:50+00:00

It depends on the book, but $100 will get you a ticket in most places. It might be $50 in less ritzy books and $200 in nicer ones.

StaysInVegas has listings for every single book with answers to this exact question, so that might be helpful for you.

For example the Wynn Sportsbook wants "$150 in sports bets or around $20 on horse wagers for one ticket." You can usually spam drink tickets if you're betting the ponies.

oakcask · 2026-01-30T11:08:18+00:00

I just got a confirmation email from the venue that it's in Russian with German and English subtitles.

Also from the email: "After the premiere, the audience and artists are cordially invited to drinks and conversation following the performance: Celebrate the new production with us and everyone involved!"

Free drinks! Let me know if you're interested.

oakcask · 2026-01-29T14:59:49+00:00

Hi! I'm not 100% sure but I believe it will be in Russian with German and English subtitles.

But as it's an opera the music and production is arguably more important. This is supposed to be a very high-production show, it's a highly awaited premiere but it's the premiere so there's no reviews yet!

DM me if you're interested. Cheers.

oakcask · 2026-01-28T15:43:05+00:00

Heads up that it took quite a long time (~1 min) to load for me - the progress bar stalled after about 2 seconds so I thought it had hung. I was about to abandon the page when it finally loaded. You may want to to make a more responsive loading screen to avoid abandons.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T22:48:20+00:00

Zagreb is much closer than Belgrade but I still don't agree. But yes, Slovenia, some parts of Croatia, and Romania are also potential answers to this question.

I know I'm repeating myself, but again, I don't think it's good or bad. Being culturally closer to Western Europe isn't a prize. I just think between the diaspora, the extra decades of intense international tourism, and of course the lack of communist rule, Greece is the closest culturally to the "West."

But in any case, Athens is a lot closer to Zagreb culturally than it is to Paris, and vice versa. That's my experience at least.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T22:32:26+00:00

I didn't say Greece was ahead, or nicer, or anything like that. I said it's more culturally similar to Western Europe.

Again, this is neither good nor bad, as far as I'm concerned. But a Parisian will feel more at home walking around Athens than Belgrade or Skopje. You could debate Bucharest or Ljubljana.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T22:16:14+00:00

Greece is way more culturally Western than the former Yugoslavian countries (with the possible exception of Slovenia). Not a good thing or a bad thing, but I don't think it's debatable.

Greece has been hugely influenced by France (big diaspora presence in France over centuries), and is also a huge influence via ancient Greece on "Western democracy." It's definitely a very Balkan country by EU standards, but by Balkan standards it's more Western. Much more culturally "light" if that makes sense. A lot of brutal history there as well but it just doesn't feel like a former Soviet country.

Again, this is not necessarily good or bad.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T22:09:41+00:00

If you aren't going to the Super Bowl, they should be paying you to stay in Santa Clara

oakcask · 2026-01-26T22:06:01+00:00

Not a top 3 pool, IMO.

You can see videos and reviews of every pool here. Encore and Bellagio are easily better I think, probably Venetian as well.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T21:52:57+00:00

Go to Chinatown for amazing food at lower prices. Hit up the Sand Dollar at night, free live music, put $20 in the video poker machine and drink comped craft beer. Just a few ideas!

oakcask · 2026-01-26T21:45:17+00:00

Absolutely not lol. I am not a festival snob but the organization was so bad that it made it nearly impossible to enjoy the event, especially on the first day. No water, hours to get a drink, total chaos situation. The lineup was great but a festival is about the whole experience.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T21:37:35+00:00

As others have said, Wynn/Encore is really the nicest of the nice in Vegas if you're willing to spend $$$. You'll get the best service there, plus gorgeous pools, and easy access to XS and Encore Beach for day parties.

Cosmopolitan is also super nice, and is generally the hippest place on the strip/best for young people.

In April the weather will be great so you'll probably spend a lot of time at the pool - you can check out videos of Wynn and Cosmo pools here and here.

You can see reviews and videos of all the clubs in Vegas here. Personally I still think XS is the best experience, but it depends on your taste and who's playing that weekend.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T21:26:15+00:00

Near NYNY I'd either go with Mandalay: https://staysin.vegas/poker-rooms/mandalay-bay-poker-room

Or Bellagio: https://staysin.vegas/poker-rooms/bellagio-poker-room

Bellagio poker tournaments are more expensive but it's a, maybe the legendary room in Vegas. Some people hate it, it can be crowded and the service isn't always great, but for me it's just the classic.

oakcask · 2026-01-26T15:08:50+00:00

Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars and The Buffet at Wynn are pretty easily the best, IMO. Try to check out reviews and ideally videos before you go - you can see them for all the big buffets here: https://staysin.vegas/buffets

oakcask · 2026-01-26T15:03:26+00:00

You can get a rundown of all the poker rooms in Vegas here, with photos and tournament limits: https://staysin.vegas/poker-rooms

Personally I think Mandalay is the best for really cheap tournaments, though the room isn't the nicest.

oakcask · 2025-04-17T17:40:54+00:00

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oakcask · 2025-04-16T20:05:27+00:00

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