Bag a bank holiday bargain, Vegas style

Sun and excitement seekers who spend a May Bank Holiday in Las Vegas will discover a city full of unexpected delights. A journey across the Atlantic is fantastic value right now and Brits will be thrilled with the shopping bargains they can bring home. Las Vegas is the home of serious shopping. A multitude of malls, retail parks and outlets all offer substantial savings on prices in the UK.

With such great savings to be had, holidaymakers will find they have more cash for the best things in life – world-class entertainment, fabulous cuisine and rejuvenating spa treatments.

Virgin Holidays has a fabulous short break to Las Vegas available during the second May Bank Holiday. Package price is £845 per person for two nights at the Luxor including return flights from London Gatwick and car hire, travelling from 23-25 May 2008*. To book, go to Virginholidays.com.

BMI also flies direct to Las Vegas from Manchester three times per week. Prices in May start from £529 per person, return including taxes. For reservations visit flybmi.com.

For more information on Las Vegas, visit Visitlasvegas.co.uk.

From budget bargains to chic haute couture and high street brands, savvy shoppers can save up to 65% off the usual price. Who can resist reductions like these!

Shopaholic Paradise
Shoppers with their fingers on the retail pulse won’t be leaving Las Vegas until they have visited The Shoppes at The Palazzo. The newly-opened mall offers over 60 luxury boutiques including Chloe, Diane Von Furstenberg, Jimmy Choo, and Montblanc, along with Barneys New York. Be sure not to leave without an Anya Hindmarch bag and a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes.

For the brand conscious who can’t resist a bargain there’s the new Town Square Las Vegas. It is home to stylish Abercrombie and Fitch, glamorous Juicy Couture, classic American Eagle and many more. Get fresh with toiletries from Bath and Bodyworks and sultry in lingerie from Victoria’s secret.

Hit the strip
First time visitors to the Las Vegas strip will be quick to learn that this is the place to shop ‘til you drop. Almost every casino or hotel is home to a shopping mall. So don’t be shy, just stroll on in.

For the largest shopping venue on the strip, head to The Fashion Show – all two million square feet of it. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace presents a shopping experience dripping with grandeur from statues to fountains, majestic staircases and high, ornate ceilings.

Other popular shopping locations on the strip include the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, home to the first H&M in Las Vegas, and Wynn Esplanade, where you’ll find the only Manolo Blahnik store outside of New York City. Via Bellagio and Mandalay Place at Mandalay Bay also offer a variety of unique stores, including LUSH PUPPY, a chic boutique for dog lovers with beds, toys, doggie spa products and even doggie fortune cookies.

Further afield
Escape the bustle of the strip to learn the shopping secrets of the locals. For a more laid back approach to shopping The District at Green Valley Ranch offers streets lined with trees, cobblestone sidewalks and park benches. Bag a bargain at the Las Vegas Premium Outlet Center, where you can save up to 65% on stylish brands including Calvin Klein, Dolce and Gabbana, Lacoste, Banana Republic and Polo Ralph Lauren.

* Two nights at ‘Luxor’ costs from just £845 per adult. Accommodation is on a room-only basis and includes car hire and basic vehicle insurance for the full duration. Return international flights are with Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick direct to Las Vegas. Prices include fuel surcharges and Air Passenger Duty. Prices are subject to change and based on two adults travelling from 23-25 May 2008.