Thursday, June 11, 2015

Airbnb rooms for frugal weekend booked for September

POST SCRIPT UPDATE   I BOOKED IT
Below this part of the post were my earlier thoughts on this place.

I decided to book the B and B tonight. Eastside won't have any mailings out until the middle of August for September. That is really nuts. Once again they lose me with inept management procedures.

The Eastside Player's Club would not check on the phone that they had my correct mailing information, some BS about having to see me in person. No other casino needs to do that just to let me know whether I will get an offer or not. I miss mailed offers all the time at the D and Four Queens, and they talk to me on the phone, tell me what I offers I have, and book my stay.
I stay at 4Q at the end of my September trip and the host person arranged for me to get casino rate and would even automatically apply the mailing to my stay if I wanted.
Such a difference.
By August those Air B and B rooms will be booked, so I just decided to book now.

Strange kind of booking at the B and B.
I was asked to send a photo for verification of what I look like.
Then I had to verify my phone number by having them phone call a code to me that I put in the booking application. Wild stuff.

I lose if I can't go for some reason. At least half the cost.  Generally, I never book unless I get totally free cancelation, but I understand that a small operation like this can't be so flexible.

And if my phone breaks, I will have issues checking in. 
But I am intrigued by this new adventure. I want to try it. If it goes badly, I know how to chuckle.

Also, I leave from a My Vegas night at Excalibur, go to the B and B for the weekend and then leave for a MyVegas Palace Station 3 night stay.
So that 109 bus is an easy way to get from casino to casino.
From Excalibur I'll take the WAX to the airport and the 109 right to the B and B at East Katie where I walk 5 minutes down the block to the address.

After I check out of the B and B, I'll take the 109 to the airport and then arrange for the free Palace Station shuttle.

This should be a relaxed journey with no difficult luggage issues and no standing at a bus stop at some strange bus stop with luggage.
I like the Ground Zero bus stop.

It certainly is easier than sandwiching in an Eastside Cannery stay between those two places. From Excalibur I would have had to take Tropicana and then the BHX.  Then to get to Palace Station it would be BHX to Sahara and the Sahara Express from there.    Not going all the way out to Boulder and back probably saves me about 2 hours total of bus riding.
It is good for bankroll. I'll take the money I don't gamble that weekend at the Eastside and pump up what I seed at Palace Station. I'm not seeding the Eastside if I can't get decent service on booking rooms with mailings.

The price for the B and B did go up to $103 for the weekend at the B and B. By hesitating I lost $10.

The Onyx Theater is very easy and nearby the B and B. I've been wanting to see one of their inexpensive plays, but from downtown it is a bit of a ride. Because their schedule is not figured past September 4th, I don't know what will be up (if anything) but it did attract me to this booking.
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Hipmonk on a search now offers up Air B and B rooms.
Here is an alternative I never considered to cover an expensive Vegas weekend with no comps.

My September 18-19 nights with fees would be $90 total for both Friday and Saturday.

This was for a private bedroom/bathroom  in a complex just off Maryland and near Flamingo. The host recommended a car but the 109 bus was not very far away.
In the complex was a basketball court, tennis court, a Jacuzzi, pool and a sauna and a laundry. The renting included a private bath and shared a kitchen, living room, dining room. Free wifi with a printer.
There were plenty of stores nearby.

 I can see this would be very good for me going solo and not being in the room much anyway or it might be a good break midtrip.
checkout was a bit early, 10 AM. However I am always up early.

Booking it will depend on whether Eastside Cannery sends me a deal or not. I've been getting 2 for 1 at casino rate from them, and if I get that mailing for September18-19 I'll be set with the weekend at a cheaper price.
Actually, I'm booked at EC now for 18-19, but at booking.com for twice the cost of this Air B and B and since I am getting some mailings from them, I won't want to just stay there and not gamble.

And if I get caught in the squeeze between no Eastside Cannery deal and it is also too late for this Air B and B because it is booked up, I'll probably just go to Eastside anyway.

Otherwise, this is the best alternative I have found.   Pricewise,
it compares with those lowest of low prices, Hostel prices. I'm beyond the age when a hostel is attractive.
A $45 weekend night with no obligation to gamble is hard to beat.

It certainly beats rooms at the same price level like  El Cortez Pavillion rooms. There would be less privacy there with every other guest right outside the window and the maids also there in the morning, shouting and running their carts along the cement to create a sound like a small train.
 I'm in Vegas for 21 days. So I don't have that frantic need to fill every minute with some astounding sensual experience. I could use a break in the middle to do laundry, unwind, print up another free buffet at Eastside Cannery, etc.   And by the time I get there, I might be ready to sleep a day away, or perhaps even watch a bit of television. I'd be betting that the television will have Turner Classic movies or at least something without commercials. Vegas hotel television is the worst I have ever seen.   However, the bus will get me to places I like for gambling if I want to do that.

 I do like the frugal choices if I get what I want. This place will probably be quiet. There will be other people in other rooms, but I expect they will be perhaps even more respectful than the other people in the other rooms of the casino/ hotels I visit. This place I would expect to draw a visitor who even speaks in a quiet voice, and hopefully one who does not roll in drunk, yell in the hallway, steal my "do not disturb sign", and then slam the door. At least there will be no Fremont Experience noise, no block behind the 4 Queens with a Heavy Metal Festival starting practice at 5 PM on Saturday.

 And although shared,  access to a kitchen, living room, dining room might be a nice change.

The biggest down side is I can't stumble down in the middle of the night to play poker. But I can do that on the other 19 days of my trip.

By the 10th day of my trip, it would be fine to know I can do my laundry, a full load, in a machine and so get really ready for the second 10 days.
I like meeting strangers. I go to Vegas in part to do that.
I am generally solo. I like that too.
From strangers I can hear new stories. And there is so subsequent social obligation.

In Vegas I meet people on the bus, at the poker table, and I've met some great folks in places just like this in Costa Rica and in other bed and breakfasts around this country
I'm not certain if my search will work here as a link.
But I'll try
https://www.hipmunk.com/hotels#w=Las...8;o=2015-09-20

To see more than one review you have to go to Air B and B.  16 people reviewed the place and all gave it 5 stars and added good detail.
All were pleased with the host and the state of the room.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4048487...y=USD&guests=2

Then again, it might be a bit like this.  Ya never knows.
 

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