A second look at Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts at Delano Las Vegas

On March 24, 2017May 3, 2017 By rsts11In Credit Cards, Hotels, Las Vegas5 Comments

It took a couple of weeks, but the rsts11travel review of Aria Las Vegas’s Aria Sky Suites property finally came out this week. One of the prods to stop editing and just post it was that we were booking another stay for this summer that was somewhat related. Not everyone will celebrate a birthday and aim for MLife Gold in one weekend, but about anyone with the right charge card can take advantage of these benefits.

Delano’s all-suite plan makes it a very comfortable place for longer-term stays on the Las Vegas strip

We’ve written briefly about Delano Las Vegas in our Hidden Gems piece earlier this year. It’s one of our favorite properties on the strip, especially when attending an event being held in Mandalay Bay Convention Center. With its small lounge and bar, coffee shop with pastries and snacks, and Della’s Kitchen breakfast/lunch venue, you can get a lot done without passing Michael Jackson, and with Delano itself being a non-smoking, non-casino hotel with a separate entrance, those with sensitivity to noise or smoke can escape those discomforts in their “home” hotel. But you’re a few hundred feet from Cirque du Soleil, the Mandalay Bay casino, their dining options from fast counter service to posh sit-down service, and of course the rest of the strip.

Continue reading “A second look at Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts at Delano Las Vegas” →

Credit where credit is due – Vegas reward credit cards

On January 4, 2017April 11, 2017 By rsts11In Credit Cards, Las Vegas1 Comment

In an earlier post, we talked about the Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards and MGM Resorts Mlife Rewards programs. Today we’re looking at the Total Rewards VISA and Mlife Rewards Mastercard credit card offerings, to see how they can help you increase status and/or rewards.

While each program has a branded credit card that may accelerate your benefits, you’ll definitely want to consider whether another travel or cashback card may give you better rewards. And of course, remember that carrying a balance on a rewards card can easily eradicate any net value of the rewards. Continue reading “Credit where credit is due – Vegas reward credit cards” →

Taking the fast track to Las Vegas status

On January 3, 2017April 10, 2017 By rsts11In Las Vegas4 Comments

Welcome to rsts11 travel, my new effort to share discoveries and recommendations from my travels. This is another post on the Las Vegas topic; be sure to see the other posts regarding hotel chains and statuses as well as the strip branded credit card options (coming soon!).

What’s the deal with Total Rewards and Mlife Rewards?

Status at the two major Las Vegas strip hotel chains is easy to come by. Spend a lot of money, and you get status. Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? We’re going to talk about tiers and status here; reward credits are a different beast for another post. Continue reading “Taking the fast track to Las Vegas status” →

Hidden gems in Las Vegas for the non-smoking, non-gambling visitors

On January 3, 2017February 16, 2017 By rsts11In Las Vegas4 Comments

Welcome to rsts11 travel, my new effort to share discoveries and recommendations from my travels. Today we’re visiting the Signature at MGM Grand, Delano at Mandalay Bay, Vdara at Aria, and Mandarin Oriental in City Center, checking out coffee-friendly, non-smoking, non-casino options in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

Be sure to visit our welcome post, and watch for more Las Vegas-themed posts in the next week to start things with a pop. On the board to round out January 2017 are a mobile power post and a mobile caffeine post.

Also, we’re on Twitter as @rsts11travel and Facebook as facebook.com/rsts11travel – feel free to join the conversation on those forums as well.

Full of sound and fury…

When you think of Las Vegas you probably think of casinos. Noisy, smoky, smelly, crowded, unpleasant. Not most people’s idea of a great environment to enjoy a vacation in, unless you smoke, smell, make lots of noise, and, well, gamble? Continue reading “Hidden gems in Las Vegas for the non-smoking, non-gambling visitors” →

Making your Las Vegas visit as rewarding as possible

On January 1, 2017February 14, 2021 By rsts11In Las Vegas4 Comments

[Editor’s note: This post is from early 2017, so some details may have changed since then. We may not always update posts after publication, so doublecheck the details before taking action.]

Welcome to rsts11 travel, my new effort to share discoveries and recommendations from my travels.

Also, we’re on Twitter as @rsts11travel and Facebook as facebook.com/rsts11travel – feel free to join the conversation on those forums as well.

Livingston went to… Vegas?

Like many of my tech industry compatriots, I make it to Las Vegas for conventions a couple of times a year. Unlike many of them, I actually enjoy visiting Las Vegas, and end up there twice a year on average for a personal getaway, as well as extending conference/convention visits. There are definitely things you can do when traveling to Sin City to make your trip more enjoyable, rewarding, and even tolerable. Continue reading “Making your Las Vegas visit as rewarding as possible” →