Las vegas - where to start

[Figgygal]

Hi all
I have an opportunity to go to Vegas this year and no idea where to start.
Looks like only BA and Virgin fky direct from UK is it worth looking at non direct?
Do you book a package or flights then hotel separately?
All the hotels seem on the strip are there good or bad ends? Why are they room only?
It'll be a short once in a lifetime trip without dh or kids so want to get it right

Any help appreciated
Thanks

BA do excellent packages - flight and hotel. No hotels do B&B on the strip as there isn’t a restaurant as such - most have food courts with a range. I’ve stayed in Excalibur and Caesars palace - the strip itself doesn’t have good or bad ends - south end is slightly cheaper eg MGM, Excalibur, Luxor, however the higher end hotels have higher resort fees and will also be more expensive for food etc, eg Starbucks in Caesars was more expensive than Excalibur. You can stay off strip but personally I found Fremont street etc a bit grotty and wouldn’t be comfortable to stay there. The strip is really long - there’s a bus which runs all day however we found walking around a few hotels close together and then taking Uber to far side, outlets etc worked well and was more practical

The hotels are room only as its America and that is pretty much the standard. We booked flights and hotel separately and it was nice and simple just had to get a taxi when we arrived at the airport. If you are going to Vegas you may as well stay on the strip. You don't have to go very few streets away from the strip to find some real social deprivation that you probably don't want to be around.

What time of year are you thinking of flying there?. How many days?. Ideal budget per night? (its always more expensive between Thursday and Sunday).

Go direct if possible via one of the airlines you mentioned, not indirect as you're up against the clock in doing that.

Room only is standard throughout the US in terms of accommodation. Practically all the hotels in LV have both restaurants and food courts in them so there is plenty of choice. There are also hotels in Las Vegas which are both non smoking and non gambling facilities. Look at a map showing the Strip and hotels and choose somewhere central (and non smoking if this is a preference of yours). Uber works well in LV too. I've seen the Strip bus go up and down; it does offer a regular service but the bus was always standing room only when I saw it.

Resort fees so beloved of many LV hotels in particular are looking ever more likely to become outlawed so when that happens this will be good news for the customer.

Thanks for help
Looking at early October
Family member paying so not sure on budget