Las Vegas in July

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
retired recently
Posts: 582
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:09 pm

Las Vegas in July

Post by retired recently »

I will be travelling with my wife in July and we will be in LV on July 4. I was wondering if we need to book hotel rooms ahead of time or it would be ok (and potentially less expensive) to buy them a few days before we arrive? We are driving and staying in different cities in the West so packages, etc are not an option.

Thanks
User avatar
oldcomputerguy
Moderator
Posts: 17934
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:50 am
Location: Tennessee

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by oldcomputerguy »

retired recently wrote:I will be travelling with my wife in July and we will be in LV on July 4. I was wondering if we need to book hotel rooms ahead of time or it would be ok (and potentially less expensive) to buy them a few days before we arrive? We are driving and staying in different cities in the West so packages, etc are not an option.

Thanks
I've never been in Las Vegas during July (mostly in April), but from what I've read on Trip Advisor July is a pretty busy time. I'd suggest you play it safe and go ahead and book rooms. Also, if you've not already, I'd suggest you check and research the typical July weather in Las Vegas. I've read that the highs are typically above 100 degrees.
There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way. (Christopher Morley)
adamthesmythe
Posts: 5774
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 4:47 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by adamthesmythe »

retired recently wrote:I will be travelling with my wife in July and we will be in LV on July 4. I was wondering if we need to book hotel rooms ahead of time or it would be ok (and potentially less expensive) to buy them a few days before we arrive? We are driving and staying in different cities in the West so packages, etc are not an option.

Thanks
So ask yourself: do I feel lucky?

After all it's Vegas, why not gamble.

Seriously- room prices and availability vary radically even from one day to the next. A room that is $60 on Thursday could be $140 on Friday. You can look at the current expectations of hotels by going to their websites and you will see the days they expect to have a heavy demand.

On July 4- I would GUESS rooms will be in high demand, and either booking ahead or at the last minute you will pay a lot. Less if you stay in an outlying area, but in Vegas the transition between outlying and desert is fairly abrupt.
mega317
Posts: 5705
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:55 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by mega317 »

Most hotel reservations are refundable until a short time before arrival. The wynn on July 4th has a 48 hour cancellation. Book now and then check periodically until then.
Cigarman
Posts: 480
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 5:12 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by Cigarman »

We go to Las Vegas a couple of times a year at varying times...here are some good rules of thumb.

Sunday - Thursday nights are the least expensive at nearly every hotel.

Sign up for their email promotions now on the various casino web sites via their player's club. You will get all sorts of info on rooms, discounted rates, etc.

Downtown or off strip is cheaper than the strip.

Not sure what your comfort level is in terms of hotels but something like the Venetian, Wynn or Bellagio is a whole different ball game price wise than a Station brand casino.

Hard Rock and Planet Hollywood tend towards the younger crowds.

Yes it is hot, but it is a dry heat...lol
User avatar
JupiterJones
Posts: 3624
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:25 pm
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by JupiterJones »

You'll probably be able to find a last-minute hotel somewhere in the Las Vegas area. Maybe not in the location you'd prefer, or at a hotel you'd prefer. If it were me, I'd go ahead and book the room.

I've been there on July 4th before. Weather-wise, it'll probably be very hot, but not miserable. The low humidity really does make a difference. I'll take 110 degrees in Las Vegas over 90 degrees in Nashville anytime.
"Stay on target! Stay on target!"
User avatar
gunn_show
Posts: 1554
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 3:02 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by gunn_show »

Sorry, but posts like this kill me, so generic. We need context man.

Do you want to stay on the strip? Go to pool parties? Spend $200 a night? $50 a night? Hit up the clubs? Or just a bed and a door in front of it?

If you want to stay anywhere "cool" like Wynn or Encore or Cosmo then yes, absolutely book it yesterday. Prices are probably already skyrocketing. July is a premium month for partiers in LV. Every bro and chick are having their bachelor party at that time.

If you are talking off-strip, $50/n at the Tam O Shanty or downtown LV, perhaps a different story.
"The best life hack of all is to just put the work in and never give up." Bas Rutten
TT
Posts: 646
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 7:27 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by TT »

delete
Last edited by TT on Mon Feb 05, 2024 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Live Life Simple and Less Soft
User avatar
steve roy
Posts: 1855
Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 5:16 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by steve roy »

If you're lucky enough to park your car in a non-covered lot in Vegas during July, bring your knitted pot holders.

You'll need them to manipulate door handles and the steering wheel of your vehicle.
surfstar
Posts: 2853
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 12:17 pm
Location: Santa Barbara, CA

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by surfstar »

If you wait, use hoteltonight app. You're likely to score a last-minute deal.

There are WAY too many rooms to ever really sell out. You just have to stay someone that's not your first choice.
fmhealth
Posts: 252
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:24 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by fmhealth »

Some very good thoughts already posted, I would only add:

1-Spend an hour or so joining all the "players clubs" that virtually all the hotels offer. Free to join & the room discounts can be considerable. Sign-up on the individual hotel websites. Many if not most of these hotels are now owned by three major corporations.

2-Always ask about their so-called "resort fees". These charges can easily add $25 or more to every night you book.

3-Also inquire about their new parking fees.

4-We would never consider Vegas w/o reservations. The fall-off between the top hotels & the second & third tier is dramatic.

5-If you have some flexibility as to your dates, I would consider another week if possible.

In any event, have a great time!!

Be Well,
fmhealth
tim1999
Posts: 4205
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:16 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by tim1999 »

retired recently wrote:I will be travelling with my wife in July and we will be in LV on July 4. I was wondering if we need to book hotel rooms ahead of time or it would be ok (and potentially less expensive) to buy them a few days before we arrive? We are driving and staying in different cities in the West so packages, etc are not an option.

Thanks
What is the purpose of your stay? Gambling downtown or on the strip? Other attractions nowhere near the strip or downtown, visiting friends, etc.? I ask because chain hotel rooms in the "suburbs" away from the strip and downtown tend to be more steady on rates from day to day, though not necessarily less expensive. If you sign up for a Caesar's Total Rewards casino players card (covers numerous Strip casino hotels) you will get all kinds of dirt cheap rates on day's other than Friday or Saturday, as low as $29/night plus fees in some of their lower end properties, even if you aren't much of a gambler. But you will need to do this well in advance.

Friday and Saturday night rooms on the strip are very expense, even at some of the lower end properties. Those nights you will probably find better deals in chain hotels in the suburbs.

I would try to lock down a room a couple weeks in advance at a minimum, but that's just me. One big convention in town can throw everything off.

The kind of crapshoot I don't like to play is trying to get a room in Vegas at the last minute, trying some discount site where you don't know what the hotel is until you pay, etc.
harrychan
Posts: 2047
Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 8:37 pm
Location: Pasadena

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by harrychan »

Not sure if you smoke or not but almost all hotels along the strip have smoking floors. Even if you book a non-smoking floor, the smell will encroach into your floor through the ducts. If the smell of smoke bothers you, it is best you get a hotel off strip where the entire hotel is smoke free. This is a must for my wife and I when we go Vegas.
This is not legal or certified financial advice but you know that already.
tim1999
Posts: 4205
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:16 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by tim1999 »

MGM Grand is now 100% smoke free in the hotel rooms (casino still smoking but relatively well ventilated compared to others), though I think you will be hard pressed to find a room under $125 or so during the summer, except for the West Wing rooms, which are tiny. Good casino, property, restaurants, etc. and close to the airport.
btenny
Posts: 5702
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:47 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by btenny »

July 4th is a Monday so there will be a giant party in Vegas all weekend along with some big fireworks shows and other special events. Prices will be high for all the nice hotels for all nights from Thursday thru Monday. It will be crowded and busy and hot. Think about 105 degrees at 4PM and maybe cooling off to 90 by midnight. But inside the hotels it is 76ish. The big outdoor pools are where the action is if you are young. If you want a nice place make room reservations and show reservations right now.

http://electronic.vegas/july-4th-vegas- ... -calendar/
https://www.vegas.com/july4th/

Good Luck
vtjon
Posts: 285
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by vtjon »

Hotwire seems to be a good option for Vegas if you're not particular about where you stay and if you choose the 4 or 5 star properties. On the North Strip, the 4 star property is likely the Trump property. It doesn't have a casino though. I think the Hotwire details tell you if it has a casino or not which is a typically a giveaway when looking at those properties.
Topic Author
retired recently
Posts: 582
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:09 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by retired recently »

Thanks so much for all of the replies. We booked a room at the Excalibur but will watch prices and potentially change hotels as we get closer.

We live in NC and son is in a one month camp in MN. Wife and I are driving him to the camp and then continuing on with stops in SD, CO, AZ, NV, CA, OR, WA and then Vancouver, Canada and Calgary. So Las Vegas is really just a conveniently located stop during the trip. One of our favorite trips was when we were in Croatia for two weeks and slowly travelled around stopping wherever seemed interesting and this trip began that way but we seem to have a tight schedule with bookings for the entire trip...
User avatar
Steelersfan
Posts: 4129
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:47 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by Steelersfan »

I stayed at Excalibur last fall and it's a perfectly acceptable hotel but not one of the luxury ones. The only thing I didn't like about it is that it's all the way at the end of the strip, so if you're planning on walking the strip it's about a mile each way to the middle where many of the large hotels and shows are.

I don''t know what it will be like on July 4th, but when I checked in on a Friday I got there fairly early in the afternoon. When I walked by the check-in area about 5:00 the lines to check in were crazy long.

If you decide to see a show while you're there, stop at the concierge desk and buy tickets there on the day of the show. They have really good deals on most of the shows you are likely to want to go to.
BruDude
Posts: 4211
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:28 pm
Location: Las Vegas

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by BruDude »

Make sure to see Absinthe while you're there.
millervt
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 6:49 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by millervt »

recently stayed at the excalibur, it was perfectly fine (clean, not smoky - we stayed in the tower that was smoke free and recently remodeled), paid like $35 + resort fee (not a weekend however). bought a bus pass since it was a long hike to the rest of the strip, but that worked out fine, the buses ran frequently.
User avatar
JonnyDVM
Posts: 2999
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 5:51 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by JonnyDVM »

Having been to Las Vegas many times I think Excalibur is sort of a dump (no offense to anyone). I've stayed there, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do it again. I would Hotwire a 4 or 5 star mystery hotel on strip (north or center) As long as it has a casino it won't be the Trump Tower which really isn't on the strip but is one of the mystery hotels. Venetian/Palazzo, which is my favorite place to stay, is routinely a Hotwire mystery hotel. If you really don't care about hotel quality Excalibur will be fine but I'd still consider doing the mystery hotel. You could get a room of similar grade for less $.
Last edited by JonnyDVM on Sat May 21, 2016 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I’d trade it all for a little more | -C Montgomery Burns
Watertree
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:37 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by Watertree »

I have been to Las Vegas in July only once. It was hot!! Normally close to 100 degrees, heat wave of 115 degrees when we were there in July. No such thing as dry heat. Spring and fall are great temperatures in Las Vegas. If you July is your only opportunity to go to Las Vegas, you should be able to get good pricing on hotels. However, July 4th holiday is not a good day for Las Vegas hotel prices. If you can plan a Sunday through Thursday trip, hotel prices are very reasonable in Las Vegas. Google the Las Vegas hotel sites, then call the hotel you are interested in staying. MGM-Mirage, Mandalay Bay hotels and Harrahs own a significant number of hotels on the strip.

Our last Las Vegas trip in 2012, pricelined a strip hotel, got the Monte Carlo for $65. Nice hotel with convenient location to other strip hotel properties.

Have a great trip!
Watertree
ARB57
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:00 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by ARB57 »

Re: Smoking. Vdara is a beautiful hotel and is completely smoke free (rooms, public areas...everything). There is no casino, but there's a short indoor walkway to the Bellagio casino.
jlawrence01
Posts: 1908
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:34 am
Location: Southern AZ

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by jlawrence01 »

July is one of the slowest times in the year. Step off the plane at McCarren Airport and you WILL discover why. It is pretty comparable to Phoenix heat wise.
AZAttorney11
Posts: 895
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:12 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by AZAttorney11 »

Excalibur is a dump. And the location is awful. If you're price sensitive, the Las Vegas Strip isn't going to be your cup of tea.
User avatar
JonnyDVM
Posts: 2999
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 5:51 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by JonnyDVM »

AZAttorney11 wrote:Excalibur is a dump. And the location is awful. If you're price sensitive, the Las Vegas Strip isn't going to be your cup of tea.
It's may be a dump but I'd rate it ahead of the tropicana, the old imperial place, Luxor, and Hooters :D . I've had the misfortune of staying at all of those. Ahhhh the things we do when we are young and poor. The casino floor at hooters is roughly 120 degrees and perhaps 11% oxygen 9% cigarette smoke.
I’d trade it all for a little more | -C Montgomery Burns
WL2034
Posts: 493
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 10:36 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by WL2034 »

JonnyDVM wrote:
AZAttorney11 wrote:Excalibur is a dump. And the location is awful. If you're price sensitive, the Las Vegas Strip isn't going to be your cup of tea.
It's may be a dump but I'd rate it ahead of the tropicana, the old imperial place, Luxor, and Hooters :D . I've had the misfortune of staying at all of those. Ahhhh the things we do when we are young and poor. The casino floor at hooters is roughly 120 degrees and perhaps 11% oxygen 9% cigarette smoke.
Not sure when you were last at the Trop but as of last year Trop was nicer than Excalibur. Newly renovated rooms. Excalibur still had tube TV's last time I stayed there. Tropicana even has nicer rooms than Monte Carlo, but location is not great (similar to Excalibur).

But I'm totally in agreement to bid priceline or buy on hotwire. No need to pay published rate in Las Vegas unless you need to be at a specific hotel for an event. Priceline added Trump back to the north zone bidding, which makes it a no-go for me. Bid south zone on priceline or buy on hotwire would be my advice. It's Vegas, roll the dice and get the best room you can for the money!
rustymutt
Posts: 4001
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:03 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by rustymutt »

I've been through Las Vegas on the 4th of July. It was hotter than you know what at Hoover dam. And the city was very busy. Lots of road works.
Even educators need education. And some can be hard headed to the point of needing time out.
Hypersion
Posts: 311
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 2:20 am

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by Hypersion »

A lot of people from southern ca visit Vegas during ID4 prices are often fairly high.
Cindyjrn
Posts: 395
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2014 5:40 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by Cindyjrn »

100* in Vegas in July? I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the average July temp in Vegas is 110*. Early July is hot, later July/August/September is when the monsoons come in and it is hot and muggy. They call it monsoon season, but obviously it's not like monsoon season in Tahiti.
giesen5
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:44 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by giesen5 »

Was there last summer. Was 118 degrees. Never have felt that type of heat before. Could feel it through my shoes.
cheapindexer
Posts: 57
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2016 1:33 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by cheapindexer »

In Boglehead terms .... Staying downtown is equivalent to an asset allocation of 100 percent cash

Tropicana / Excalibur / hooters / Monte Carlo

Are 30 percent VFINX and 70 percent total bond


Bally's flamingo are 60/40


Cosmopolitan / bellagio/ Caesaes 100 percent equities

In July..... Stay at Mandalay bay for the best pool scene !
User avatar
Doom&Gloom
Posts: 5419
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 3:36 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by Doom&Gloom »

giesen5 wrote:Was there last summer. Was 118 degrees. Never have felt that type of heat before. Could feel it through my shoes.
Same here--only about 10 years ago when LV reached an all-time high.

The only way I could describe it to people at home was that even in the shade it was like sitting in a parked car with the windows rolled up on the hottest day of summer. Absolutely stifling.

To the OP: stay hydrated and do not walk from one casino to a distant casino on the strip because it looks like it's "just right there." It isn't. For lengthy treks, use the bus, cabs, or drive the streets "behind" the casinos that are parallel to the strip. Do not drive Las Vegas Blvd unless you have lots of time to spare. And LV drivers are some of the worst anywhere--lots of tourists and distractions.
giesen5
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:44 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by giesen5 »

We planned on walking down the strip (11 and 13 year old kids). Took one step into the sun and onto the pavement, looked at each other, walked right back into the hotel to get our bathing suits to go back to the pool. Luckily LV was just a one night stop to head out camping in the Four Corners.
btenny
Posts: 5702
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:47 pm

Re: Las Vegas in July

Post by btenny »

For those that have never been to Las Vegas here are some pictures of the "pool scene". Vegas now has moved the wild nightclub stuff outdoors to the pool area in the summer. From June to October most of the pools in Vegas are full time parties with loud music and tons of 20-30 something's dancing and playing and enjoying themselves. Think spring break for slightly older adults. I am sure it is fun if you are into that sort of stuff. But some of the pools are more sedate and for the quieter crowd. I don't know which hotels have what so select carefully.

https://www.google.com/search?q=las+veg ... nQ5XDsM%3A

Enjoy.
Post Reply