[mxp2004]

FWIW, I just got back from a weeklong poker trip to Las Vegas. Although I usually stay mid-strip for these trips (rotating among Bellagio, Venetian and Mirage, according to what deals are available), I chose MGM Grand for this past trip. I was very pleased.

I got a good deal on my room, a Bungalow suite, for the week, averaging about $119 a night (and this was NOT a poker room rate). It was very spacious and comfortable for a weeklong trip. Plus, the pool was great, and I had a lot of good dining options.

I like to play NL, and there was a good selection of these games at MGM if you weren't interested in stakes above 2/5. You would be disappointed if you are a mid-stakes limit player. MGM spreads nothing close to the game that you like (I think it's highest limit game was 3/6, but I could be wrong).

Having said that, one other thing that I liked about MGM was its proximity to the monorail. Since I like to try different cardrooms on my trips, I was a little nervous about staying at the southern end of the strip. However, I found the monorail to be a quick and easy way to zip up to the mid-strip poker rooms. I found only getting to the Wynn to be a chore using the monorail.

In December, I think you will find a lot of good hotel room rates in town, and so you are probably better off staying near the poker room where you think you will be playing the most. But for busier times of the year and for low-stakes NL players, I was impressed by the MGM and would recommend it.