Las Vegas Insider Vibe: Las Vegas Shows, Hotels, News, Inside Scoop from AccessVegas.com

This is a reader email from an Access Vegas Insider Vibe Free Newsletter reader:

Good afternoon,

I know that this subject has been covered time and again in your column, but I feel compelled to write to you about our experience with the taxis in Vegas.

My husband and I have just returned to the UK from a long awaited trip to Vegas, where we spent Christmas.  Our flight out was delayed by three hours which meant that we had spent six hours in the airport after a really early start.  We were tired before we started the 10 hour flight and on reaching Vegas, spent over an hour getting through immigration at the airport (which we understand).  To say that we were exhausted is an understatement.

I had read your articles regarding the taxi drivers and their antics before we travelled, but because we were soooooooooooo tired decided to take a taxi to our hotel (The Orleans).  We started talking in the back of the cab about how Vegas had changed from when we were there last, hoping he would take the hint that this was not our first visit and we knew our way around.  He didn't........ as this didn't stop him from 'long hauling' us. 

We first became suspicious when we went through a tunnel - heading out of town (I'd read about this in your columns), and to cut a long story short, we passed our hotel TWICE (going in different directions!), before we'd had enough and asked the driver if he was EVER going to take us to our hotel!  He was very morose and tried to tell us that this was the rush hour and that was why it was taking so long!  When we eventually got there he charged us $23.  He could see that we were very angry and said that 'any taxi would have taken us the same route'.   I tried to take his number but could not make it out (all I could see was a small photo).  Needless to say he did not get a tip!

I wasn't even the money that made us so upset, it was the fact that we had been travelling for so long and were so tired and ended up playing these games when all we wanted was to reach our hotel and get a shower and some sleep.  It would not have been so bad (although not good!) at any other time.  For the rest of our trip we used the hotel shuttle and the monorail as first choice(s) for transportation, and taxis as a last resort. 

On one of our trips out we heard about another couple that took a taxi from the airport to the Paris Hotel and were charged $40 - maybe we got off lightly after all!

It is such a shame that this can put a damper on an otherwise brilliant holiday - Celine Dion was fantastic, Phantom was marvellous, KA was good, our hotel was brilliant, food was delicious and our arranged trips out and about were superb. 

Now, if the taxis can get their act together..........................

Kind regards

Heather Jennings

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