Bally's

[JWS]

Heading to Vegas for my first "couples weekend" June 14-16 with my wife and 4 other couples (late 20s, early 30s). Using one of the heavy gamblers points, we got (what we thought) was a pretty ridiculous rate of $560 for a suite and 2 other rooms (2 queen beds each) at Bally's so we booked it. Curios to see if anyone on the forum has stayed there and, if so, what they thought. Since we will likely be doing a pool party both days, the guys in the group willl be in the room for a total of about 2-3 hours a day and the girls only care about pools and shopping, we thought the price and location offset staying someplace else i.e. more cash for partying and gambling (for the record I've stayed everywhere from Cosmo to the MGM to Flamingo and, being married, I've found location is far more important to me than the actual room).

Also, probably not the best thread to raise this but curious if anyone has done a couples weekend and had thoughts on activities. My Vegas trips have always been for bachelor parties/guy weekends so any thoughts on how to keep my marriage in tact while still having a good time would be appreciated.

[Freakzilla69]

I stayed at ballys a few years back. It is not fancy but not shitty either. Great location. I just slept there and didn't do anything else. As for keeping your marriage in tact just remember dark sunglasses that don't show your eyes. My wife has no idea where my eyes are LOL. Also just remember to pace yourself. You don't want to end up too drunk and forgetting your wife is there. Believe me it happens lol

[headstrong]

I stayed there with a friend for a guys weekend about a year and a half ago.

I just had a regular room (with 2 Queen beds). It was a very busy weekend and we didn't get in to check in until around 9/10 PM and the line was VERY LONG - even though that seems to be the case most places). I got a ridiculously low rate to begin with when I booked hotel and air through AllegiantAir. I think it was $300 for the Long Beach to Vegas flight and 2 nights (Fri/Sat) at Ballys. My friend drove from Utah and met me there, so we split the hotel and had a 3rd friend meet up with us the 2nd night. At the end of it, I think I was $120 bucks all in for the flight and hotel stay.

The hostess was very friendly and when we finally checked in they upgraded us to a suite without a sandwich. The suite was relatively awesome considering a free upgrade on the low rate we had. There was a caveat it only had 1 king bed and 2-3 couches (I think one was a pull-out). Outside of that the room layout was nice. You walk in to a kitchen/bar-like area to the right and bathroom 1 on the left. It led it into the living area which had a small partition for a small TV area with 1 small couch. Outside of the partioned area there was 2 more couches. that led to master bedroom, with lockable door. The bathroom was extensive with shower and jacuzzi tub, but it was a part of the "room".

The layout was nice, but the decor was not. The TVs were all severely dated as well as the couches, paint, etc. The room looked stuck in the 70s/80s. However, I still loved it. We had our own bar and it was a nice spread out room.

In the hotel/casino itself, it was okay - nothing special. We did find a $5 single-deck blackjack table that we ended up getting hot and I won $200 and by friend won $100. The eateries in Ballys are also something to be desired.

In sum: It's a great mid-strip location, staff was friendly and able/willing to upgrade your room, the downsides are the decor is dated, parking was awful, and it's a little ways off strip (but the moving walkway is helpful) to get to the rooms.

[donniejay]

Ballys is a great choice if you are looking for a prime location.

It's gonna be about 75% couples activities and 25% "guy" or "girl" time.

Maybe go out as a whole group one night, and one night have the a "girls night out" and "guys night out". ladies will enjoy the open bars and vip treatment, and you guys can go do your own thing.

[JWS]

All-

Thanks to all for the detailed information and advice. Very helpful and has me even more excited about this trip.

Freakzilla69, luckily my wife is cool with my slightly wondering eye as long as it knows where to come home; it's my buddies girls I am worried about (especially since two are a little wacko!)

DonnieJay- good call on splitting up the groups. I'll pose the idea to the planner and see what thoughts I get.

[kp3205]

Done multiple couples weekends there. For some reason the last 3 trips these women we so love had to zip line Fremont Street. Always had another new couple join the annual group outing (now 6 couples annually) and the other women wanted the noob to try it. Don't ask, I have no clue. Girls bonding moment? They always have to have the photo bought that is taken also. She who is happy makes me happy.

Get there around 7 and back at our hotel by 10 to get ready for the evening each time. We the guys always grab extremely cheap beers and drinks, pop in and out of the casinos to take a look, poker player so have to stop in Binion's just to pay homage each time, for the hour or so it takes for them each time to go through the line and do it. Get them a few cheap drinks when they are done doing it as we continue cheap drinking, check out the light show and we then turn around and cab back to our rooms to get ready for the remainder of the night.

And to define cheap drinking, $1 drafts, $3 drinks, $4 shots at some casino on the right almost at the end of Fremont Street. They had a sign promoting it, we had the livers to support it.

Cheers.