grouptravel

Hello Fodorites.
I hope you are able to provide insight between these two hotels. I'm planning a June all girls trip (early 30's)to LV and the original plans were to stay at Caesars (due to location and pool). Now, most of my group wants to stay at a less expensive property and splurge and see two shows vs. one (Blue Man Group and "O"). I've looked on cheapovegas, expedia and tripadvisor and both properties recieve split opinions. Which property has the larger room and which has the better pool? I stayed at Ballys approx. 6 years ago (in February) where the rooms were okay. I didn't visit the pool because it was in the winter. We understand that Mandalay, Flamingo and Bellagio all have great pools but either price or fear of alot of kids are steering us away from these locations. P.S. --- At this point, I'm more concerned about a nicer room.

Thank you for all input.

emd

I stayed at Treasure Island in October w/a close freind who is also a client- I took her to se Elton John for her birthday. I will be honest. We were underwhelmed, considering the reviews and the website pics. The regular room (the ones called deluxe) was nothing special. We had 2 queen beds. The room was mostly the beds, and a small desk and a small table and 1 chair. There was enough room to walk around the furniture (one person at a time- the two of us could not walk the aisles around the beds and to and fron the bathrm. at the same time), but that was it. Bathroom was not big, it was just a normal bathroom. It was $159. Good rate, but absolutely nothing special about it. The room was somewhat worn, but not terribly so. It looked tired. Nothing like the website pics. OUr "floor to celing window" was about 36 inches wide in the corner where the small one person table and one chair were, and it looked out over the freeway (back of the hotel). We asked to get moved but were told there were no better or bigger rooms (I assumed that meant for our price) I do not know about the pool. If I go back, I will pay more and get a better room somewhere else.

placeu2

I have stayed at both places and would take Bally's over TI by a wide margin.

Ballys has a great pool area but it is a hike from the rooms...then what isn't in Vegas?

Ballys rooms are much bigger. The bathrooms are pretty standard. I also like the location better.

beachpup

placeu2 is right on. Bally's has the superior rooms (most have been remodeled since your last stay), better pool and more favlrable Strip location. And if memory serves me, you may be able to use the Paris pool is staying at Bally's. Check with them on that-

Lori

Bally's rooms are larger, bathrooms nothing special. We like T.I. and the rooms (standard rooms) we've gotten were fine, not "tired" as poster emd said hers was,but I suppose in any hotel with thousands of rooms some are going to be a little "tired" at any given time. The rooms are not large at T.I. and the ones with 2 queens are "tighter" to get around in then the ones with kings. The bathrooms are decent sized, not overwhelming (like Aladdin !!) but certainly adequate.

I'd make a reservation at one of these places and keep checking back at all you are interested in for specials. Vegas hotel rates goup and down like the stockmarket and it is possible to get widely different rates for different days of your stay (for example, I am going in Mid-Feb and staying 4 nites at Mirage - one nite is $89, one is $99, one is $149 and one is $169.)

travelinfamily

Hello, grouptravel. Just thought I would throw in my two cents worth. I have stayed at both TI and Ballys and prefer TI. We stayed at Ballys a couple of years ago and thought the room was just average and it SMELLED!! We stayed one night and asked to be moved to Paris, which is wonderful. I love TI, the rooms are decent. I just booked a room for March. I have stayed here several times and have never been disappointed, but I couldn't pack fast enough to get the heck out of Ballys!!! Oh, and consider this-how much time are you really going to spend in your room anyway?? Go for a great pool and great location (and for what it is worth-stay away from smelly Ballys) Have fun!!!

wagonwheel

I don't know if I would tarnish a whole hotel with thousands of rooms, because the one you got smelled !
I stayed at Bally's, and had a great room.The service for housekeeping was amazing, and really stood out to us. It was nothing fancy, but it was BIG. Can't beat its location. Regardless of where you stay, have fun ! I'll be back at Bally's in April because we liked it so much last year.

OldSouthernBelle

I prefer Bally's as well. I think you asked for opinions, and I don't think ANYONE is out of place by giving theirs, and stating what THEIR experience was.
travelinfamily has as much right to say her room smelled as emd did stating her room looked tired and she was underwhelmed! Please be more tolerant! There's alot of us with opinions and I, for one want people to be honest with me and not sugar coat their responses! "Superior" attitude responses only tend to inhibit some from expressing their views, which would skew the results of any question polled.
We are adults (I think) and have the good sense to know that each response represents ONE person. OSB.

tinathetoad

I think that you are not missing much by not staying at Caesars. I did not care for it and would not stay there.

Check out the rates at the Aladdin. I really liked it when I stayed there and the location is good too. The rooms are really big with HUGE bathrooms!! I cannot comment on the pool, as I did not go in it.

Patrick

I've stayed at Bally's and our room smelled, too. It was that sort of musty mildew smell typical of older hotels in Florida without good air conditioning systems. I suspect it may be a common problem since it would be a result of the air conditioning system, not a particular room. Not horrible, but definitely noticeable. Otherwise we liked the place fine including the Eiffel Tower right outside our window, but our room at Treasure Island was MUCH nicer (maybe not as large).

Meanwhile I signed up last year on line for Aladdin, and ended up getting a room for $69 or so a night this past summer, including a free breakfast with one night. It was heads and shoulders above the other two where we paid even more. I agree to book a special one place and just keep checking other for even better deals.

Patrick

I've stayed at Bally's and our room smelled, too. It was that sort of musty mildew smell typical of older hotels in Florida without good air conditioning systems. I suspect it may be a common problem since it would be a result of the air conditioning system, not a particular room. Not horrible, but definitely noticeable. Otherwise we liked the place fine including the Eiffel Tower right outside our window, but our room at Treasure Island was MUCH nicer (maybe not as large).

Meanwhile I signed up last year on line for Aladdin, and ended up getting a room for $69 or so a night this past summer, including a free breakfast with one night. It was heads and shoulders above the other two where we paid even more. I agree to book a special one place and just keep checking others for even better deals.

Patrick

Weird. One time I decided to preview my response and edited by adding an "s" to other in the last sentence. Then when I hit "post" it posted both versions!!

tinathetoad

Check the Mirage as well as the Aladdin. I just got an e-mail today from the Mirage and they are having some specials.

grouptravel

Thank you for your responses. I think we are going to make our reservations at Bally's because you can't beat the location and the moderate weekend prices. I hope the hotel will work with us if we get an unsatisfactory room. I read on another forum that we should request rooms in the North Tower. I've signed up with various hotels online promotions so if something comes along with decent prices (i.e. Mirage), we'll jump ship and stay there.

manduss

Hi.

If you are not 100% sure about your choice yet, go ahead and reserve the rooms at Bally's directly through Bally's (either on their website or via phone). This way you will have the rooms, but you will have the flexibility to cancel them without penalty until 2 days before your check in date (you should verify this when you make the reservation). If the hotel offers a better rate between now and then, you can always re-book it at the lower rate. These options are not available if you use Expedia, Orbitz or any other travel site.

Once you do that, think about TI again.
I like TI a lot more than Bally's. I have always enjoyed their rooms and their amenities (I do take note of the quality of the bath items). On my first trip to TI I had a Tower Deluxe room (which is the one they advertise as having floor to ceiling windows). When we got to the room and it didn't fit the description, I called down to the front desk and told them what I had been expecting (since it it what is described on their website). They moved me to the top floor (which is the only level with the floor to ceiling windows). It was technically a smoking room, but I never would have known. It didn't smell smoky.
Since then, I have normally stayed in a small suite at TI. I've been extremely happy with the rooms and service at TI.

The pool is nice, but I am not a good judge of pools. It seemed to have enough space and a Jacuzzi area. There are larger pools and sundecks at places like Mandalay and Caesars, but the TI pool served the purpose. I have not seen the pool at Bally’s.

Bally’s does have a prime location at the center of the Strip, but the location at TI has never bothered me. I actually prefer the location at TI since I can hop in the car and easily get to places like the Hard Rock and The Palms while avoiding traffic on the Strip and Flamingo.

travelsuper

Just found a web banner on Excite that I clicked through with specials at Bally's:

http://www.playcaesars.com/splash/re...egas/specials/

I checked the days I'm going and the rate came up $89 instead of $99 that they were yesterday. Also giving away tickets to Jubilee if you book certain days...

lovingheart

I vote for Bally's. Ask for a room like we get--one that doesn't stink.

manduss

Check the fine print on those giveaway Jubilee! tix. The package offers that I have seen through the Bally's site are buy one, get one free for the late show. That doesn't mean that this is true for the offer you saw, but it is worth checking.

flamingomonkey

It's a tough call. Both have great rooms, though the TI's do "feel" a bit newer, as does the property overall. Kids aren't nearly as bad you might expect at the TI, they've toned down the pirate theme quite a bit. Both have great pools, but in different ways. The TI's is much more elaborate. Bally's is just a hole in the ground, but it's well shaded with plenty of palms. Another advantage of Bally's pool is that it's quite big and you can actually swim in it. It was built before lawsuits required no more than a 4 ft. depth. The locations are equally good. I think it really comes down to price, and if you want something that feels newer and more frivolous (TI) or more like classic Vegas (Bally's)