The glittering ‘Sin City’ is right there at the top of the tree when it comes to glitz and glamour. If you imagined that Las Vegas, with its opulent resorts and luxury attractions, could only be enjoyed by the very rich then reset your imagination and check out these money-saving tips of the trade.

Have a ball in Vegas without breaking the bank.

Where to stay

There is no shortage of upscale, luxurious hotels and resorts in Las Vegas, many of them prompted by the vision of Steve Wynn, who started the regeneration of the city when he built his first hotel. Wynn has gone from strength to strength with the lavish projects that have followed that today include the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas. In every single case he has sought to marry excellence in all areas of hospitality with luxury almost beyond belief.

The accommodations at some of these resorts and hotels are expensive; however there are discount websites that offer packages combining airfare plus hotel, and above all if you can be flexible with dates this could be a much smarter way for you to book your accommodation at the same time as you make travel arrangements.

Check out www.priceline.com and www.hotwire.com for further details. You might even score one or two extra perks such as free buffet tickets or credits towards your drinks and meals.

Sample the cuisine on a budget

Five star restaurants hit prime time between 8pm and 10pm so stay away or you will be paying top dollar just like the high rollers. Instead, look out for the special deals many restaurants offer, mainly because they like to be full all the time. Between about 4pm and 7pm many arrange pre-show meals and a happy hour when the price of food and drink is much reduced. Among the restaurants that are known to offer reduced price menus are several five-star establishments including the contemporary seafood restaurant Michael Mina at the Bellagio resort, another opulent Steve Wynn creation.

Generally eateries finish serving at around 10.30pm. However, at the end of the evening after the shows some stay open to feed performers and anyone else who happens to be around. Treat yourself to a classy place on the Strip where you can grab a cheap bite to eat – try Stripburger or Ra Sushi in the Fashion Show Mall.

Remember also that Vegas is famous for its buffets, which are filled with delicious food but are much less expensive than the sit-down restaurants.

Entertainment

Usually, visits to Vegas nightclubs involve spending a fair amount of time standing in line and conforming to the dress code. It can be difficult to gain entry if your party is all male so hooking up with some females before you queue is ideal. Women can often get free entry if they stop to chat to the people handing out flyers – men are seldom so lucky. If you bring your hotel room key you can stand in the hotel line and you may be lucky enough to get a discounted entry price, depending on the night.

If you want to see one of the spectacular shows in Vegas start checking ticket prices at the ticket booths in various locations, including Fashion Show Mall and Town Square. Some ticket booths offer a 50% discount if the show is the same evening. You can also pick up a coupon called Vegas2Go, which has special deals and discounts. HalfPriceShows is another one.

So, if you travel midweek, purchase a discount airfare and hotel package and eat when and where prices are reduced, you will be on target to have a great, luxury five star Las Vegas getaway on a low roller budget.