Vegas bound. Any ideas?

Just got back from 8 days at Paris with the wife.
As always, loved it. Have stayed at Paris about 10 times now and have never had one bad experience, even for a minute.
In terms of the porn card guys, or the time share hawkers, you just have to ignore them...it is simple.

 

Spent four days last week (6/30 – 7/3), and here’s some thoughts organized by day. Cliff notes at bottom. (Mods: if this is too long or inappropriate edit/delete as necessary).

WEDNESDAY:

Spa tower room at Bellagio: clean, comfortable, soaking/spa tub separate from stand-alone shower in the all-marble bathroom. Beautiful view of Paris’ Eiffel Tower, and the top deck of the Bellagio valet parking lot.
My general impression of the room was: okay. My perspective is colored by my history there, which begins at the hotel’s opening under Steve Wynn, and I’m just trying to objectively judge what is supposed to Vegas’ premier resort property. It remains a fine property, but my Spa Tower room shows signs of cheapness: one sink in the bathroom won’t drain; the glass shower door won’t close, so the floor outside the shower gets dangerously soaking wet; the air conditioning won’t sufficiently cool the room; the TV is a crappy 27-inch model circa 1998. These nickel-and-dime sort of problems didn’t exist (in my experience) at Wynn properties when he owned them, so I ‘blame’ MGM corporate management. But the real reason I’ll never stay in these rooms again: distance – too far away from anything in the casino.
The Bellagio pool is still sedate Bellagio pool (no juice heads, no gangsters). There is the odd European in a frightening bathing suit, but no one trying to replicate REHAB here.
While the rest of the casino seems relatively empty, the Poker Room is jammed. Drink service at The B throughout my stay is outstanding, no matter day or time. Because the pool is slammed, your best bet is to order, and then order again each time the waitress delivers your drink.
Dinner later is at Spago at the Forum Shops: braised short rib, gorgonzola gnocchi, some kind of pineapple thing and a different chocolate thing for dessert – outstanding. At least as good are the tunes played in the restaurant: Hendrix, Zeppelin, and the like. Plus-one for Wolfgang.

THURSDAY:

Breakfast early, walk to Fashion Show Mall (stop in at several casinos along the way and get refused when I try to redeem old chips I’ve had stashed away – a bad beat for several hundred bucks – but oxymoron prize of century goes to Casino Royale, which is building a high-limit slots area), buy some cheap stuff at Nordstrom’s (which is a win because I’ve spent less than I would have otherwise gambled), and head back to hotel.
Lunch for me and two pals will be at the Todd English PUB at City Center. He’s got a couple dozen beers on tap (maybe more) and his primary menu is called ‘The Carvery,’ which features your selection of meats (roast beef, pastrami, etc) served in half or full pounds. Pick a bread (hoagie, challah, etc) and a couple of sauces, and you’re done.
For me, that means a half-pound of prime rib, rye bread, horseradish mayo and au jus for an awesome French dip. Really outstanding. The sobering news is the bill: three of us, two carveries, a lobster roll, half a dozen oysters and fresh baked pretzels for apps, and six beers = $220.
(BTW, I have just realized I charged this lunch to my AmEx, instead of signing it to my room—which means I could have gotten it comped and blew it, because I failed to remember City Center is an MGM property. Ditto dinner at Spago’s and later at Rao’s because I’ve got a Harrah’s card too, but wasn’t staying at a Harrah’s property and have never understood how their tier system works anyway).
Such an expensive lunch clearly calls for action, which obviously means playing the $1 Wheel of Fortune at Aria. Max play for the bonus is $5, and though I don’t win this time once again I get plenty of play out of a machine I’ve played on a prior trip.
Little bit of nap time back at home base and then meet the rest of gang, who have just flown in, back at Caesar’s. We commandeer a penny-slot pod near the entrance to the Forum Shops and play these really entertaining machines: lights, music, bonus games. I have no idea what is happening on these machines, but it’s $20 well spent as a I get a ton of play. Others in the crew win a couple hundo each, which seems an amazing score at a penny machine, until you realize you’ve artfully been persuaded to spend something like $4.50 a spin for a max bet (and therefore any bonus opportunities). Drink service at Caesar’s throughout my stay is spotty to awful. Slot attendant attention for payouts is pretty good.

FRIDAY:

After five hours of shaky sleep (see: Room; Air Conditioning; Insufficient), and a quick coffee shop breakfast, I head over to the Flamingo where we’ve bought a cabana for the day. The Flamingo is all pink and mirrors and confusing – just the way a casino should be. And forget worrying about being harassed by time-share salesmen, because the Flamingo has upped the ante by piling in those cheap jewelry and face moisturizer kiosks like at your local mall. Because you want to hear, “Excuse me sir,” each of the nine million times you walk that hallway from your room to the pool or casino floor.
Anyway, the Flamingo pool is … old? The cabana is not the height of luxury, but does come with flat screen TV and pretty attentive service from friendly, enhanced servers. Music is today’s party tunes (like Usher’s ‘OMG’), but for a pool trying to make like a party it’s pretty quiet.
Dinner at Rao’s at Caesar’s, the desert outpost of the east Harlem classic Italian joint. Food is okay…just okay. Large portions but somehow industrial. Baked clams, meatballs, veal parm, lemon chicken – and no garlic, no basil, no rosemary. Like Italian food for mid-westerners or something.
From here we head to Planet Hollywood. The Strip in front of PH is crowded with folks costumed as famous movie or comic characters, as on Hollywood Boulevard, but minus the fistfights between Chewbacca and Spiderman. Best costume award goes to the guys dressed as ‘The Hangover,’ yet strangely no one stops for a photo.
PH, as mentioned in a post above, has the ‘Pleasure Pit,’ where disinterested women of vague age and attraction gyrate less than enthusiastically on with poles and on platforms above the tables, and I don’t get it. I mean I get it, but it makes no sense. If the Pleasure Pit is supposed to attract men to play, then the girls have to be hotter and more excited. But if the girls are hotter and more excited, won’t we be too distracted to play as much as the casino hopes? Maybe the Pleasure Pit is supposed to distract you so you won’t notice the non-existent cocktail service.
I discover the PH high-limit room has $5 Wheel of Fortune on a straight Double Diamond machine; ditto $25 and $100. I answer the siren call, run my initial $500 up to $1500 at the five-dollar machine, then leverage the win into the $25 machine. Hit for $1500 fairly quickly, attentive payout/tax form, give quick thought to leveraging up again but call it a night and head back to The B.
Checkout Saturday is quick and nearly efficient, but I still can’t understand why – if you’re seeing a host or stopping at the players’ club desk to get your comps straightened out – those people can’t check you out. Overall a fun trip with some new experiences.

Cliffs:

Bellagio Spa Tower: meh.
Double Diamond slots at Aria and Planet Hollywood: excellent.
Todd English Pub at City Center outstanding but expensive; Spago rocks, both food and tunes; Rao’s is okay.
Vegas is hot in summer.
I’m an idiot for not better managing my club points.

 

Yes you can get half-price tickets (or less) for many shows. It depends on the day and how many tickets that show has available. I'd recommend Wayne Brady at The Venitian. He was hilarious.

 

there are half price booths all over the strip now. i passed them at bills and casino royale, and at the mall.

 

I'm just wondering what shows they're currently offering more than anything. It's going to bug me until I get there but I know I'll find some great deals once I plop myself in the line.

 

They have a "sneak peak" online at:
http://www.tix4tonight.com/

 

Agree that the Pleasure Pit at Planet Hollywood is confusing. I always thought it was just a way to distract you so you goof up while playing, make costly mistakes. I guess it is also to attract you to the tables.
I remember 30-plus years ago at Circus Circus thinking the trapeze artists flying overhead were just to distract you. Same with the shills at any baccarat table.
I agree with maberger's assessment, the girls at Planet Hollywood weren't that hot. The best-looking one I saw was an average-built blonde, nothing special about her dancing. Somebody flipped her a dollar chip, she fumbled it and almost fell off the little stage trying to retrieve it before it hit the floor. All in all, the better-looking ones were skinny, the busty ones weren't all that attractive. Same with the dealers in that area. I never figured out if the dealers and dancers switched off, they were pretty much wearing the same costumes.
Drink service was spotty, a little disappointing, but I wouldn't rank it non-existent. One waitress forgot my beer. She came back to get the next round and I said she never brought me the last one. She apologized and said she forgot to write it down since I was the only one ordering that time. She came back quickly and returned again quickly.

 

Ohio Bobcats playing in the 8-team Las Vegas Invitational at the Orleans Arena Thanksgiving weekend. Playing Kansas (W) and Santa Clara (W).

Just sayin.

 

Like the Orleans. Considering staying there on a future trip.

 

It's a pretty decent place to stay, SoCal. We used to stay there quite a bit (at least a dozen times). We've moved on to different "locals" casino's, but I'd considering going back, under the right circumstances.

Sounds like you've been in the casino, so I won't review that.

As a warning, though, the rooms have REALLY started to show some wear and tear, since it was absorbed by Boyd (as opposed to it's heyday under the "dearly departed" Coast Casinos). If that's not an issue for you, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it.

 

Love the layout. Have stayed there, quite a bit. But make no mistake --
Boyd is no upgrade from Coast. Never has been. Never will be.

 

No question about that, Ben. Lately, we've actually had a pretty good time down at the South Point (used to be South Coast), the property Michael Gaughan received as part of his departure fr/ Boyd. A bit TOO bright, open & earth toned....but he runs it in a similar fashion to the way he ran the Coast properties. Rooms are a significant upgrade from the Orleans, as well.