Vegas bound. Any ideas?

I'm really appreciate the advice on this. I am rethinking the Imperial Palace reservation. We thought we'd like to try a different place each time and I had never been there. With my wife, we have stayed at the Rio, Venetian, Paris.
With my dad and brother, we always stay at the Tropicana because my visually challenged brother has been there a bunch and can find his way around by himself if we are in the main tower. He tried to book the Trop for February, but they said the main tower was undergoing renovation and we couldn't get in there. I then booked Bally's, thinking of it as a kind of middle class place that low rollers can have a decent time.
I stayed at Circus Circus in Reno and won't ever do it again, in Vegas or Reno. But, as has been said, the Steakhouse is really good.

 

The good thing about Bally's is that even though it's a middle-class place, it's connected to Paris. So you can just walk into all the Paris-y shops, restaurants, casino without even going outside. Plus, it's in a central location.

 

The only thing I could ever recommend about Circus Circus is that it is close to the awesome Slots-A-Fun, home of the coldest beer in Vegas.

 

Only machine left is at the MGM. Last year, I watched a guy max out on the 200-1 bet, only to see it hit. He walked away with $1,000 (they gave him $900 cash, $100 worth quarters). Only time in four trips I've ever seen the 200-1 hit. And we would play that thing for hours. I, of course, had not bet on it.

 

I'm partial to the MGM - best pools. The gambling is a little high there but you can take the monorail up to the Sahara where there's low-stakes tables. Definitely walk the Strip - you will see just about every level of the social strata in a span of 10 blocks. If you're looking for a burlesque show, there's Crazy Horse Paris at MGM. Also, if the whole group is into sports, definitely go to the sports book at the Las Vegas Hilton.

 

You need a cab to get around the MGM Grand, inside.

Wouldn't go anywhere NEAR the IP until renovation is wholly complete, as noted.

Very possibly the best combination of value and location is Bill's (formerly
the Barbary Coast), though I hate the prevailing Harrah's management like
poison, for multiple good reasons.

Like the LV Hilton a lot. It arguably houses the best sports book in the city (in terms of variety of action and reasonable limits), and you'll eat well. Prime
drawback is that you're off-strip, but you do enjoy monorail access, and you
can always cab it somewhere else, though I would hardly call Vegas cab fares
"cheap", when compared to most major cities.

If you can get into the Mandalay Bay at anything resembling a cheap number,
you're crazy not to take advantage. Great rooms, great bars, terrific food.

 

I thought Paris was great when I went with my wife, but my brother is anti-French and would have been a pain in the ass about it. Two days of French jokes would have gotten old. We had an excellent meal at the smaller steakhouse there. The service was first-rate throughout. I walked right to the front desk, told them my name and before I could dig the confirmation number out of my briefcase, we were already checked in and handed the room keys.
Damn, I remember way back when Bally's was the MGM. We didn't stay there but at a small place across the side street called Maxim. We walked over to the MGM. When it was built, it was the newest upscale place on the strip. They had a Jai Alai fronton.

I love these Vegas threads.

 

I stayed at the Maxim once when I was in Vegas with my brother for the Douglas-Holyfield fight. Wasn't bad for all we needed it for which was basically a place to sleep. We spent all our time at Caesars.

 

Me too.

 

My brother swore he had figured out how to beat it (wouldn't tell me of course). I didn't believe him but he made so much money on that thing that I had to at least wonder.

Speaking of the IP, best domestic I ever saw was in the pizza joint there one lunch hour.

 

Which hotel has the best pool scenery?