Making a quick trip out 10/24-10/27 and trying to find a good place stay and not break the bank. Usually stay at Monte Carlo.
Did stay at Encore last summer. (Great rates). Looking for above average room that is not dated.  But not at $280/night & up

Vdara , you can walk to all the best restaurants at crystals and Cosmo.  They offer great rates and it's casino free.  
They do have a bar downstairs to meet anyone you might have come and visit.
Enjoy your stay looks like your making it just in time for the party .  
 

I do love Vdara but you do need a key to get past security. At MGM you have lots of restaurants, no security and a monorail stop to get around. Plus I know April likes the valet service there ; )

I think Vdara is very nice.  Really good rooms and a good location. Good recommendation.

save the money for your fun
Here are some reasonable choices with Decent Beds!  ( really that's all that matters!)  

The Palms or the Gold Coast.  The renovated Palm's rooms aren't too bad.  Plus,  that area will be "convenient" if you get my drift, bro.

Gold Coast Good choice !
Good people, Local Favorite  
Low Low rates
and the Chinese restaurant I hear is real good!

ping pang pong is fabulous for chinese food at the Gold Coast but the rooms are nothing to write home about.lol
To the OP I would suggest venetian/palazzo plenty of restaurants to choose from between those two properties.Venetian also has a good chinese restaurant as well and Palazzo has sushi samba if a tapas place is your thing.
Also,there is Caesar's Palace tower new tower.Or as others have mentioned Palms or Vdara

I have seen for as low as $80 a night and that includes access to a real Hawaii-type beach (palm trees, snack shops, beach side restaurant etc.).

I have stayed at places where the "resort fee" can tack on 30-50% of what your paying in room rate per night. To avoid resort fees you must almost get off the strip. Sometimes the fee can get you entrance into the hotels exercise room or spa and even a free newspaper!! But sometimes it gets you nothing and is just a hidden charge that is a screw job by the casinos. I suggest you go onto TER if you want a screw job.

you can't get better rates than at travelaxe.com.  I have used it several times and it seems to be true. They source all the big name bookers (Hotels.com etc etc) and they have a convenient map of Vegas with little pins that you can "mouse over" and wham! up comes the rate for that night.  Also it will sort the 100 or so hotel or casino room in Vegas by price, or quality (#of stars), or any number of amenities you might be looking for. The only amenity it doesn't sort for is a big titted woman that deepthroats, but that's what we got TER for.

Golden Nugget Rush Tower? The rooms seem large and clean. It also seems easy to enter with no security?

Ive stayed there the last 2 times during AVNs. Their rooms are nice esp in the Paradise Towwr (talk about large walk-in shower, easily fits 2 or 3 people). Their rswtaurants arent bad but i only ate in Mr Luckys there. BTW, if you like gelatto, hit up he Fuel Cafe in HRH for it. Theres also a strip mall across the street that has restaurants like Johhny Rockets (I had excellent food there last time, sort of like Arnold's from Happy Days).