Have just returned from first trip to Vegas. Enjoyed it loads but don't know if we would go again. Travelled with hubby for 40th birthday treat.

Flew direct Gatwick to LV with Virgin managed to purchase in sale for £309 each, got flights with BA from Newcastle with a 3 hr gap.

After reading advice on this forum and others, decided to try a few decent hotels.

First 2 nights MGM Grand, nice hotel but no amount of persusion was going to get us the king room we had requested, so had to settle for 2 queen beds. This was OK, had a view of monorail and back of Paris hotel.

Had a wander in afternoon to Tropicana, Excalibur and New York New York. Ate buffet in MGM, was really good, joined players club and got a few extra freebies because the girl noticed it was my birthday three days later. Played a few slots and lost overall but had fun. Went to bed around 10pm as we had been up for nearly 26hrs and couldn't keep awake!

Thursday morning awake at 5am, dressed and out by 7.30am casino was still busy from night before. Decided that we were not that hungry so had a couple of hours on the slots and went for a wander Tropicana, Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay. Ended up having late breakfast which transformed into lunch around 11am in Mandalay buffet. Was relly good but ate too much as usual in buffet. Had a few hours by the pool in afternoon and more wandering including M&M world down to Aladdin and off to Bellagio fountains. Walked back via Monte Carlo, grabbed a McDonalds around 11.30 because we were so stuffed from earlier and tried the slots in lots of places winning some and losing some but net loss of around $10 for a nights wandering.

Friday we checked out of MGM but we still managed to get free ride (for MGM guests) to Primm to Outlet shopping by booking before we handed in our room key (saved $30) hubby got favourite Lee jeans $10 a pair the last ones he got in Florida around 5 yrs ago are stll going strong. Picked up several cheap bargains.

Back to MGM by 4.30pm caught taxi Downtown to Golden Nugget. Hotel was lovely, building work is well screened. Got a great king room in South Tower v nice. Went for our customary wander and left by what turned out to be a side door 200 yds from Freemont Street stage. Were approached by three drunken tramps for money and was glad I was with hubby (quite uncomfortable and scary experience!) later saw a mugging on Freemont Street. Too many drunken louts for me, totally different from the strip. Went to Main Street Station for Friday Night Seafood buffet on recommendation of another forum. Don't go the food was cold, the tables were dirty, there was food all over carpet, it was awful. Told the server on the way out how disappointed we were and she got a manager who took 7 minutes to come to speak to us and his reply was he would tell the chef!!!!!

Slots much looser in Freemont Street than on strip, so win paid for awful dinner. Live band was excellent and played in between light shows until around midnight. Most of non hotel casinos had freee draw every half hour to keep you in.

Saturday had Champagne Brunch in Freemont Streer can't remember hotel name and played slots in most of the casinos all day without losing too much, played a 5 cent machine in Fitzgeralds for around 2 hours and won over $13 overall.

Saturday night had reservation at Hugos Cellar in 4 Queens, would well recommend but don't have an appetiser as you get a salad included and the main course is huge. Well worth the money had a lovely meal. Freeemont Street full of drunks again so retreated back to Golden Nugget and won $50 on slots. Hubby declined when I suggested he put a dollar in the oversized slot at the entrance and the next person won $3300, needless to say he was gutted.

40th Birthday on Sunday so had another Champagne Brunch this time at Golden Nugget really good but drank too much.

Checked out and got taxi to Caesars Palace for last 3 nights. Got an upgrade to Palace Tower Spa room on 26th floor for $55 which was well worth the money just for the bath let alone the view of the strip from Mirage down. Tried to get tickets to see Celine Dion, Mama Mia, , Mystere and a few others but all sold out, buy tickets before you travel unless you
are happy to settle for a less popular show. Settled for live jazz band in Caesars and nice dinner at Forum Shops. Bit more slot playing lost some more.

Monday rode the monorail,wandered down the strip as far as the Wynn and back, checked out the pool and the shops, in Bellagio won $20 first pull and pocketed money. Ate at Cheesecake Factory absolutely the best cheesecake ever! Checked out Sirens at TI, need some better crowd control though, some of the kids there were being trampled to death.

Tuesday tool helicopter trip with Papillon to Grand Canyon, but it was raining and stormy, was totally ill on ride but was fab experience. Would not recommend trip in bad weather!!!!!!! Went up Eifell Tower at Paris on night got some fab photos well worth the price.

Wednesday back to UK.

We are not really gamblers but we loved the whole experience. Favorite bits were probably Grand Canyon, Tower at Paris, Bellagio fountains, shops. We found loads to do and really enjoyed the three hotels we stayed in for different reasons.

Virgin flights were good and on time.