covering high-end audio for going on 20 years. January will mark my 15th CES, IIRC. The cabbies I've had have been cool and I've never been given the run around.
Fortunately high-end audio has never been down at the Vegas Convention Center (aka "the Zoo"
. For years we were at a little motel called the Alexis Park off the Strip and for the last ten years it has been mostly at the Venetian, with a few outliers at the Mirage and the Flamingo.
My editor-in-chief picks me up at McCarran and we stay at a dirt cheap Extended Stay place out on Flamingo and drive in to the Strip every day. It's within walking distance of a great Asian buffet, a Carl's Jr and a 7-11 that sells beer. And we're less than a mile away from a liquor store that has tons of killer good craft beers and Zia, one of the best record stores I have ever seen. We park in the ramp at the Mirage, right across from the Venetian, and I spend the rest of the day running around listening to demo rooms. For me it is very much a working vacation, but I love it. I get to see all my hifi friends and line up new stuff to review.
The Zoo is a horror, with (100,000+) people and all their bugs and viruses from all corners of the world. Every year I had to go down there to meet someone I was always sick within two days. No problems since I stopped that.
Best part is getting taken out to 3 and 4 star restaurants for dinner and every once in a while a hole in the wall place, like Lotus of Siam, where I had what is universally acclaimed by both chefs and foodies as the best Thai food outside of Thailand. For five of us the food and beer tab for a feast fit for the King of Thailand was about $300, including tip. I've drank bottles of wine at CES dinners - on the tab of manufacturers, natch - that cost twice what that whole meal cost. CES is fun! 
At least until I get home and have to write my 5000-6000 word long-form show report.
Edit history
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
= new reply since forum marked as read