Best Buy airport kiosks: Rip off or godsend?

by Grant Martin on

America-sized vending machines are the new big things at the nation’s airports, giant robots that help you pick out the last second headphones or digital camera that you forgot to bring on the road.

If they’re anything like the airport Burger King, however, then consumers should be concerned about the markup. Like the restaurant, it’s always possible that airport retailers can inflate the price of their goods because they have a monopoly on the local market, squeezing passengers for more cash and gouging for a few extra dollars.

Concerned, Gadling Labs took a quick survey of the Las Vegas airport Best Buy Kiosk and then did a comparison with the current online prices. What we found was that prices were identical between the airport and the online store, from headphones to cameras to HD video devices. Here are a few examples:

Sony Bloggie Touch: ($199|$199) (LAS|Online)
Bose OE Audio Headphones: ($179|$179) (LAS|Online)
Skullcandy Skullcrusher Headphones ($69|$69) (LAS|Online)

What does this mean? That Best Buy is charging passing airport customers the same price that it charges its customers elsewhere. Way to go Best Buy — it’s the classy thing to do.

Caesar’s Palace plans new luxury tower

by McLean Robbins on

Las Vegas‘ famed Caesars Palace yesterday announced opening dates for the Octavius Tower, a 668-room hotel tower including 60 suites and six luxury villas. On sale today for stays beginning January 2, 2012, the resort’s sixth tower will offer a “resort within a resort” experience with a private entrance, separate hotel lobby and direct access to the Garden of the Gods pool oasis and gardens. Rooms will go on sale Thursday, September 15, for guest arrivals beginning January 2, 2012.

While expansions and additions to Las Vegas hotels are nothing new, the Octavius Tower marks another luxury market expansion, similar to properties like Wynn (Encore) and The Venetian (The Palazzo) that have opened separate yet related luxury hotels near their own properties in recent years. The expansion comes hot on the heels of more than two years of renovations and major milestones (remember The Hangover?) and the opening and planned opening of restaurants like Central Michel Richard, Nobu and Old Homestead Steakhouse.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the timing for the opening of Octavius Tower,” said Gary Selesner, regional president of Caesars Palace. “With very high hotel occupancy over the last six months and the unqualified success of the Augustus Tower – Octavius’ sister tower – we look forward to offering our guests the new luxury rooms along with an elevated service experience in both towers.”

Spacious guest rooms, starting at 550 square feet, will offer a modern, luxurious decor incorporating new technological advances found at other Strip hotels, including 42-inch flat panel, high-definition television screens, convenient media hubs with multiple outlets for easy connectivity, and bedside docking stations with iPod capabilities.

An innovative application for iPad/iPod Touch devices will offer guests direct accessibility to communicate with room service, housekeeping, reservations and front desk services.

The opening of the Octavius Tower marks the completion of the $860 million Caesars Palace expansion.

BikeFest: Another way to do Las Vegas

by McLean Robbins on

Just when you thought Las Vegas wasn’t crazy enough … BikeFest roars into Las Vegas on September 30th, bringing events including wet t-shirt contests and the World’s Strongest Biker competition to The Strip.

More than 30,000 bikers will roar into town during this three-day annual event. Highlights of the fest include the eighth annual Artistry in Iron competition featuring some of the world’s most famous custom bike builders, Mr. and Miss Las Vegas BikeFest Competition, the BikeFest Bikini Contest, a Custom Bike Show, the “Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth” and a Poker Run, where the bikers will roar en masse down the Las Vegas strip.

[Flickr via ♀Μøỳαл_Bгεлл♂]

Five days, five diamonds at The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas

by McLean Robbins on

We’re not normally ones to report on PR stunts, but when the prizes are diamonds … well, we can’t resist. Las Vegas‘ The Venetian and The Palazzo are celebrating the honor of being named AAA Five Diamond resorts with a five-day scavenger hunt taking place this week.

Each day, guests and visitors will search and win prizes, hoping to ultimately find one of the diamond pendants hidden each day in the resorts.

From restaurants and lounges to the resorts’ amenities and attractions, the ‘Five Day, Five Diamond Scavenger Hunt’ will test guests’ knowledge of the world’s largest resort complex. Contestants must follow The Palazzo on Twitter at @PalazzoLasVegas and The Venetian at @VenetianVegas to receive the resorts’ clues posted daily. To enter, contestants must take a self-photo with the diamond and properly include the resort’s Twitter username and the #5day5diamond hash tag.

Winners will be randomly selected each day and announced via Twitter. Possible prizes available to win include a two night stay at The Venetian or The Palazzo, show tickets to one of the resorts’ acclaimed shows, dinner for two, a private gondola ride, a gift certificate to The Grand Canal Shoppes and The Shoppes at The Palazzo and an 18 karat white gold pendant with round white diamonds and white diamond center stone from jewelry designer Simon G..

Fourth of July travel deals from Viator

by Libby Zay on

Sometimes the best things come to those who wait. If you’re looking for some last minute Independence Day deals, our pals at Viator have pulled together a list of Fourth of July bargains to help travelers get the most out of their three-day weekend. From New York to Oahu, below are some suggestions that will have you seeing red, white and blue without spending a whole lot of green.

New York: Watch one of the best fireworks displays in the country with Viator’s once-in-a-lifetime July 4th VIP Exclusive: Fireworks from the Empire State Building’s Observation Deck. A limited number of tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis to this two-hour, private evening event, guaranteed to sell out quickly.
Washington, D.C.: See 100 of the most popular monuments and points of interest in America’s capital after the sun goes down on the Washington DC Monuments by Moonlight Night Tour by Trolley, currently more than 50 percent off.
Philadelphia: There’s no better time to visit our nation’s first capital than during a weekend to celebrate America’s Independence. Travelers will save more than 45 percent on admission to six of the city’s premier attractions with a Viator Philadelphia CityPASS.
Las Vegas: Hit the highway out of Las Vegas and spend the day touring two major tourist attractions on the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam Day Trip, currently on sale with savings more than 50 percent.
Orlando: Get two days for the price of one at Kennedy Space Center, a short drive from Orlando and the launch site for every U.S. human space flight since December 1968.
San Diego: Tour one of the largest aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy fleet at the USS Midway Museum, San Diego’s newest visitor attraction. A visit to this historic naval aircraft carrier museum is an essential experience for patriots of all ages.
Boston: Travel north from Boston to historic Marblehead, the birthplace of the American Navy. Along the way, visit Salem, the Witch City and learn about the history of witchcraft and the reasons why the trials occurred.
Niagara Falls: Visit New York’s first state park on an overnight trip to Niagara Falls from New York City. Along the way, experience the state’s diverse ethnic heritage and the rolling hills of the Finger Lakes, one of the country’s premier wine producing areas.
Oahu: Take a sobering journey through U.S. history on a tour of the Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri, the last battleship built by the U.S. Navy. Tickets include skip-the-line access to make the most of a day at Pearl Harbor, complete with a tour of downtown Honolulu and a drive through Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific. An added bonus: receive one free child ticket for each adult ticket purchased.
Memphis: Walk in the footsteps of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll at Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland Mansion – the number one thing to do in Memphis, Tenn. Upgrade to the Elvis Entourage VIP Package and also receive entrance to a VIP Only Exhibit, Front of the Line Access to the Mansion, and more.

[Photo by J.W. Photography, Flickr]