In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk about how Las Vegas is far from the value destination that it once was. Heck, I’ve written about this phenomenon as well — and have felt it first-hand to great frustration. Well, presumably in response, two Strip hotels are introducing something a bit different.
Recently, Luxor and Excalibur (both part of the MGM Resort portfolio) announced All-Inclusive Experience packages. These two-night packages not only include the room, resort fee, and parking but also provide you with three meals per day, a pair of show tickets, and a roller coaster ride just to cap it off. So, are these packages actually the deal they present themselves as? Let’s get into the details.
Let’s start with included dining. According to the MGM site, guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner included for two people per night of their stay. But before you go booking that pricey dinner, there is a limited number of participating venues — plus, each has a prix fixe menu. On the bright side, the list does at least include some dining locations beyond Excalibur and Luxor. Also, each meal includes one beer or wine plus non-alcoholic drinks.
Here’s the list of eligible restaurants (you can see the menu items on the site):
- Excalibur
- The Buffet at Excalibur
- TAP Sports Bar
- Luxor
- Pyramid Cafe
- Backstage Deli
- Public House
- Diablo’s Cantina
- New York, New York
- Tom’s Watch Bar
- Mandalay Bay
- Noodle Shop
- MGM Grand:
- MGM Grand Buffet (closing May 31st)
- TAP Sports Bar
This may not be a huge list (especially since MGM is closing its buffet next month), but there are at least some good picks here. Noodle Shop in particular does happen to be one of my go-tos as it’s both delicious and rarely crowded. Unfortunately, though, the options featured as part of this offer are very limited. At least they throw in some potstickers with your entree choice!
I have tried several other restaurants on the list as well, though, including Backstage Deli, Tom’s Watch Bar (back when it was Tom’s Urban), and Diablo’s Cantina. At Backstage, I loved my very filling Hot & Spicy Ham & Cheese, while you can’t really go wrong with Diablo’s taco options. The menu at Tom’s is pretty basic, but it’s a decent spot for a burger — especially if there’s a game on that you want to watch at the same time.
Now let’s talk about the show. Unlike with the dining, these options are indeed limited to the two properties. However, they do manage to range from family-friendly to adults-only.
- Excalibur:
- The Australian Bee Gees
- The Mac King Comedy Magic Show
- Thunder from Down Under
- Luxor:
- Blue Man Group
- Carrot Top
- FANTASY: The Strip’s Sexiest Tease
For as many times as I’ve been to Vegas, the only one of these shows that I’ve seen is Blue Man Group — and that was when I was in junior high. That said, I have heard good things about Mac King and have seen him on Penn & Teller Fool Us. Admittedly, I’d also go see Carrot Top. But, if you like people taking their clothes off, then there’s Thunder from Down Under or Fantasy. While we’re talking entertainment, though, I’ll mention again that these packages also include a ride on The Big Apple Coaster at New York, New York.
Now let’s talk pricing and logistics. MGM notes that these All-Inclusive Experience packages start at $330 for two nights. However, as implied by the “start at,” prices can vary by the date chosen. You can also choose to pay a bit more and upgrade to a better room type. For example, it’s only a few dollars to go from the Luxor Pyramid Rooms to a Tower Room (which I’d probably recommend doing). As for how you navigate using all of your package perks, apparently, you’ll see all of your eligible vouchers in the MGM Resorts app and can redeem them by charging your purchase to your room.
For what it’s worth, when I went looking at dates, you could book this package for a stay next week, with pricing coming in at $329 at Excalibur or $337 for Luxor. Even better, somehow, upgrading to the Tower for this stay only added $2! Alas, weekends were significantly more, with one weekend in May coming in closer to $900. Nevertheless, while there were some pricier dates, even in the summer, I was able to find weekend trips that were near that base price.
With that, let’s run some quick numbers. Even if you got a comped room at Luxor, you’d still pay nearly $40 per night in resort fees. Next, even a quick service meal for one person on the strip is sure to cost at least $25, so let’s say $50 per meal. That puts you at a total of $380, even before you add in the show tickets. Therefore, I think this is a pretty good deal — although, keep in mind that gratuity isn’t included, so you’ll want to take that into consideration when pricing out your own stay.
I realize that Luxor and Excalibur may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but kudos to MGM for using these properties to experiment with bringing value back to the Strip. On my last visit, I noticed that both casinos now have $5 blackjack (albeit 6:5 with an autoshuffler), and now these all-inclusive packages are rolling out. Honestly, if you’re looking at a Vegas getaway but don’t want to spend a fortune, I think these packages are definitely worth a look.
Meanwhile, if you want something a bit fancier and happen to be an Amex Platinum cardmember, check out my thoughts on why Sin City is the perfect place to use your Fine Hotels & Resorts credits.