It really doesn't matter where you stay unless you care about the room you are in for 5hrs a night.
Good point. I've stayed in dirt cheap places right off the strip, just to have extra spending money. One of the better values among the newer places is the Stratosphere. I stayed there for $40 per night once.
It really doesn't matter where you stay unless you care about the room you are in for 5hrs a night. The rest of the time you are going to be out and about. You will be on overload for sure. You have access to all the places mentioned above and can see the collections etc... while walking around.
Good luck and remember what happens in vegas you tell to us later.
We're actually looking at the Mandalay, its a compromise between a decent room and not spending too much. Spending money isn't a huge issue right now, we're not huge partiers or gamblers, we'll get our fill quickly.