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TOP NIGHTS IN ON THE STRIP

FUN: Beatles’ Love showMOST people who flock to Las Vegas try and take in a good show while there.

Many of the hotels on the famous Strip offer good value combo deals, with several hosting in-house entertainment packages.

The Mirage, for instance, hosts the fabulous Beatles' Love show.

It's by the wonderful French Canadian outfit Cirque du Soleil, who are shortly coming to Ireland with one of their troupes.

The performance features 60 artists in creative accompaniments to various Beatles arrangements and it's a real visual spectacle.

The Mirage itself is a vast hotel with good room rates and a spectacular aquarium in its main reception area.

It also houses the Beatles Revolution cocktail lounge and the Shack restaurant.

New York, New York has been a perennial favourite with Irish folk visiting Vegas and has rooms starting at just $55 a pop.

The resort stands out thanks to its replica Manhattan skyline and giant Statue of Liberty while a home from home within the hotel is the Nine Fine Irishmen bar.

For those who might like a bit of luxury check out the Venetian.

It has 4,000 all suite rooms, which despite being large in size can start at $100 a night.

While it may be the gambling capital of the world it obviously has so much more to offer visitors from shows to shopping.

For more information about what is hot in Las Vegas, go to www.visitlasvegas.com or call the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors
Authority Dublin office on 01 6319640.

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TRAVEL NEWS

DISNEY DISCOUNTS

BREAKAWAY.IE is offering four nights at Disney's Santa Fe hotel including b&b from €499 for two adults and two children under seven.

The offer includes fiveday theme park passes and runs from April 5 to November 8 for bookings by April 30. Flights and transfers are not included.

GOOD MOOD DEALS

NEW tour operator in Ireland TravelMood has super opening offers which include a seven night all inclusive Dominican Republic package from €1042 incl. tax or a week in Thailand from €917.

For more info go to www.travelmood.ie, call 01 4331000 or visit the Travelmood store in Duke Street, Dublin 2.

SIZZLING SICILY

THERE are fewer better views in the Mediterranean than from Taormina in Sicily and the four star Excelsior Palace Hotel overlooking Mount Etna.

Sunway has a week there for €999 for travel from May 23 to June 13 if you book by Tuesday. Log on to www.sunway.ie or phone 01-2886828.

EASTERN PROMISE

ETIHAD Airways is increasing its Dublin flights to their Abu Dhabi hub to 10 a week from March 28 and is offering a special promotion to launch it.

In their Pearl business class offer, 10 destinations have a reduced fee for a second seat, like buy one business class return ticket to Australia from €3,511 and get the second seat for €1,873. Offer runs until March 21. Book at www.etihadairways.com.

TOUR AMERICA WIN

AWARD-WINNING Irish company Tour America has picked up another accolade.

It won the Best Managed Company award for 2010 from Deloitte and Bank Of Ireland Scotland,after scooping Best World Wide Tour Operator at the Irish Travel Awards.

TREAT YOUR MUM

AER LINGUS has some Mother's Day suggestions for you. There's the bright lights of London and West End shows with flights from €19.99 one way or treat her to a shopping trip in the Big Apple with flights to New York from €229 one way. Visit aerlingus.com.

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VIVA LESS VEGAS

Sin City is as cheap as chips as Nevada mecca cuts prices

CENTRAL: New York, New York and Planet Hollywood hotels are right on the StripSIN CITY may be one of the few cities in the world that you never thought you could afford to see.

However, in an effort to survive this economic crisis, Las Vegas has gone on sale - so much so that the American's are dubbing it 'Less Vegas'.

For years this famous strip was home to highrollers from the four corners of the globe.

The Japanese and wealthy Americans, who had literally millions to throw around, made this city unaffordable for the average Irish holidaymaker.

But today, with low-fare airlines, cheap hotels and restaurants and the most magnificent shows you will ever see (see separate panel), this Sin-sational city is open to all. Availing of one of the superb deals on offer at the moment, it was time to check it out for myself.

We flew with Sunway Holidays via Philadelphia to McCarran International airport in Vegas.The flight and transfer is as painless as a European city break, which makes a visit here even more attractive.

Famous

The airport is literally a 10-minute taxi (or limo, if you really want a little indulgence) drive away from the main strip itself and only costs a few bucks.

Our accommodation for the four-night stay was the four-star Planet Hollywood Hotel.

This magnificent hotel is located right in the heart of the main strip and sits directly across the road from the world-famous Bellagio, made famous by movies such as Ocean's Eleven and Lucky You. The first morning, after drawing back the curtains on my top-floor apartment, we headed downstairs where a driver awaited to transport us to the airport for what was most definitely the highlight of the trip.

No trip to Vegas is complete without taking in the spectacle of the Hoover Dam and the breathtaking views over the Grand Canyon.

As a special, I had prebooked a three-hour helicopter flight with Maverick Helicopters (www.maverickhelicopter.com) to take in one
of the seven Wonders of the World.

This company offers a list of unique air tours for every attraction seeker.

After getting up as 'Dam' close as he could, our friendly pilot flew us (with a few Airwolf tricks along the way) over the celebrity home of Celine Dion towards the Grand Canyon.

As a special treat he landed deep in this steepsided gorge, carved by the Colorado river, and offered us some chilled champagne and refreshments as we took in the most stunning scenery you are ever likely to see.

Shows

HIGHLIGHTS: Grand Canyon flight and U2 in concertThe trip concluded with a flight over the Arizona desert before skimming above the billion-dollar hotels on the way home.

That evening we decided to take in one of the hundreds of famous shows which the city offers. Being a proud Paddy I opted for a show with an Irish theme. It also happened to be the biggest show in town- our own U2.

Just my luck, Ireland's biggest rock export happened to be in town the same time as me - pure coincidence.

No hotel is big enough for our lads, so we had to rock with the other 50,000 fans - some who had travelled half way across America -
in the nearby Sam Boyd stadium.

But don't be fooled, this city is not just about the shows and the casinos.

There is so much more to do and see. And for those of you who think this is a men-only city you are very much mistaken.

As we lads blew the froth off a few beers, served by scantily-clad women, and lost a few bob on the tables, the ladies indulged in some of the best beauty treatments and shopping in the world.

Fashion

Vegas, doing things big like they always do, has gathered up all the fashion stores from every corner of Manhattan and put them under one roof, The Fashion Mall, just for the ladies - that's got to be a winner.

It may be true what they say, in my case anyway, that the only machines that pay out in Las Vegas are the bank machines.

However, getting there may be the best 'deal' you will get all week.

Robbie Farrell stayed in the 4* Planet Hollywood with Sunway Holidays.

On-site facilities include a casino, 2 outdoor pools, spa tubs, the Spa and several bars. Sunway offers 4 nights in this hotel including flights and taxes from €695 per person for travel in April www.sunway.ie or phone Sunway 01-2886828.

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