- lsktravelz@gmail.com
Would you spend Memorial Day Weekend in Las Vegas? I did not book flights in April. My next trip to Cabo was in June. It was time for a getaway. I found a one-way flight with a 6:00PM arrival time. It was less expensive to book a flight on Saturday. The returning flight would put me in Chicago at 8:15PM. Of course, I used 25,293 Rapid Reward points to book my return trip because flights started at $342.00.
The Elara is my home property. Yes, I own a timeshare. I do not want to make this post complicated, but I will try to help you understand how I use my timeshare. Because I used Club points to make reservations for Hawaii and New York, I did not have any points remaining to book a third reservation. However, I could utilize Open Season. If you are flexible and can wait to book a reservation within 30 days of travel, Open Season is for you. The rules for Vegas are slightly different, and you can reserve a room within 90 days of travel. When you look at the screenshot, you can see the cost to book Open Season is less expensive than booking on the Hilton website, and I do not pay resort fees.
What are some perks to staying at the Elara? The property is beautiful. There is also a Starbucks in the lobby. If you have ever been to Miracle Mile Shops, you probably walked by the property. One of my favorite places to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner is Ocean One Bar & Grille. When I visited Vegas in June of 2020, Ocean Grille was closed. I know the world was in full pandemic mode, but I still wanted to dine at one of my favorite restaurants. Did I mention the restaurant has 3-for-1 cocktails and all-day happy hour specials?
The airport was less crowded than expected for Memorial Day weekend. I breezed through security, and I was in the B group. Why do people in the “C” group always head to the back of the plane to find seats together? The flight attendant announced, “C group, the C stands for the center seat.” Welcome to Southwest. The flight was packed but uneventful. Requesting an Uber during Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas was interesting. I thought Uber promised to eliminate price surging. Well, they have not. I had to wait 10 minutes to book a driver; my 2.5-mile ride was $24.71. I had a great conversation with the driver about the Raiders and the new stadium.
Although check-in was a breeze, I was annoyed the front desk clerk did not acknowledge me as an owner, but I received a card for complimentary coffee from Starbucks or water from the front desk. When I opened the door to my room, I could smell a hint of smoke. I called the front desk. My options: change my room or use an air purifier. I did not want to go through the check-in process again. I waited for housekeeping to bring the air purifier. The view from the 51st floor was amazing. I own a one-bedroom. However, I used Open Season to book a junior suite. There is a projector in the room. When I tell you I enjoyed watching sports, it was like I was on the basketball court, golf course, and racetrack. I was almost hit by a car watching the Indy 500.
Did everyone make their way to Las Vegas for Memorial Day Weekend? Yes, and wearing a mask was optional. Because my favorite place to dine (Ocean One Grille) was at capacity Saturday night, I made the most of my first night. I walked to Gordon Ramsay and Sweet Sin. On Sunday, I stopped by Honolulu Cookie Company after attending an HGV owner’s update. One of the perks of owning at the Elara was owner-only access to the balcony for the outside pool. Well, that perk did not exist. The capacity at the pool was 350 guests. By the time I decided to soak up some sun, the poolside count was 315. After my cocktail, I headed back to my room to enjoy a few sporting events. The leftovers from Gordon Ramsay hit the spot.
I made my way to the airport. The Centurion Lounge Las Vegas is one of my favorites. The menu is chef-inspired, and the cocktails are well crafted. Even though I registered online, it was not necessary. I still had to check-in and receive a text when it was my turn to enter. The wait was only 15 minutes. Although I always make the best of my trips, I will not visit Vegas on Memorial Day weekend again. Vegas was probably the first trip for most people since vaccinations became available and the crowds were huge. I traveled during the pandemic. It was also inexpensive to travel. Even though I was only in Vegas for three days, the cost ($702.73) was higher than my 4-day stay in June 2020 ($386.38).
This post contains affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase or sign up for a program, I may earn a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.