Bellagio Disappoints
 

Just back from a four-day jaunt to Vegas for my too-close-to-40-for-comfort birthday. We travelled with a good friend who would be celebrating his birthday in the next week - so we thought we'd all get away for some fun.

We splurged a bit on rooms at Bellagio as this was our friend's first experience in Vegas and we wanted it to be a bit special.

I was surprised on entering my room to see that one of the sconces in the bathroom had a burned out bulb. (Not very good attention to detail I thought, but gave the hotel the benefit of the doubt that they may have overlooked it). We called down the next morning to alert the staff that the bulb needed changing (it's more difficult than you might think shaving in the morning with only half your face lit up).

Needless to say, no one ever came to fix the bulb during our entire stay - and I resorted to stealing a bulb from a lamp in the bedroom area so I could at least see what I was doing while shaving.

On Friday night we made reservations for Circo and bought tickets for "O". Dinner was at 9, show was at 10:30, which was cutting it a bit close, but we thought we'd pass up dessert and make it with time to spare.

Our timing was right, but unfortunately the waitstaff's timing was off. I thought the food was pretty mediocre, but my group seemed to be happy. We polished off a nice merlot, but knew we'd never make it through a second and make it to the show. So before our entrees arrived we switched to "by the glass". I was set, but we ordered one Pinot and one Merlot for my two dinner companions.

Entree arrived, but no wine in site. We advised our team waiter (they wait in teams we're told for better service). We were told he'd get right on it.

Meal finished, wine arrives - "We're sorry for the wait, here are your two glasses of Cabernet." Huh? How does one get two glasses of Cabernet instead of one Pinot & one Merlot?

We sent them back. Someone else rushed over to apologise again and offer us aperitifs (yeah, those usually come BEFORE a meal). We had no time to take advantage of this offer as the show started in 10 minutes.

We paid our bill, got up and stopped to use the men's room on the way out. What a surprise that there were NO clean hand-towels, just a basket of dirty, used cloth towels.

I wouldn't have been so disappointed, but come on - don't we expect more for a meal in the price range of $125/person in a hotel with the Bellagio's reputation?

Maybe next time I'll try the Venetian.

What a bummer! I wasn't impressed with Circo, either. IMO, these outposts of haute restaurants can't hold a candle to the originals--they don't seem even to try.

I feel terrible!
I love staying in the Bellagio and we always eat at Circo!
And I always recommend them...
I am SO sorry you were disappointed!
too close for comfort birthday is very funny, btw :)

The Bellagio isn't nearly the same hotel it was several years ago. When Steve Wynn owned it the level of service reflected his attention to detail.

Now, under MGM's control they've decided to shoot for maximum occupancy and as a result they discount rooms.

In terms of Circo, sorry you had a bad night. We've never had a problem with them.

I'm sorry but I do not get the connection between rooms being discounted which every single hotel in Vegas does at one time or another and poor housekeeping, or any other, services.

If you paid full price for a room in Vegas you probably paid too much!

When Wynn built the Bellagio he wanted it to be THE stand out hotel..everything in it far and above any other hotel in Las Vegas. It was kind of like, "if you have to ask the price, you can't afford to stay there". Is that an attitude? Well, yes it is. The MGM runs a whole different kind of business..room nights are important..its mass marketing...I don't know how to explain it better..Wynn didn't want empty rooms either and he didn't have many of them because at one time the Bellagio was THE place to stay and there are a LOT of people that go to Las Vegas expecting and willing to pay for the very best. When you walked by the shops there and past the jewelry stores looking in the window at a 30,000 bracelet..well those things are NOT just here for show..they are forsale and there is someone to buy them, and that was Wynn's customer. Wynn didn't care if everyone could afford to stay at the Bellagio, he was really marketing to the people that could. I'm sure, like other places, he gave comps and special consideration to certain of his clients.

I don't doubt that every hotel in Vegas discounts. Bellagio under Wynn may have discounted but didn't do so to attract people who view their option as "Bellagio for $99 or Circus Circus for $39."

Bellagio under Wynn was designed to appeal to those who prefer a Four Season or Ritz to the Marriott. The target audience was someone over 40 with a higher than average budget.

When you see the crowds at Light and you witness people have a brawl outside Light at 3:00 a.m., it's pretty clear that MGM has a different target audience.

OF course, you could just ignore the above and read crefloors post.

I was glad you wrote that, because the Bellagio always seemed just a little over the top price wise. We stayed at the Venetian a few years ago and our room was fabulous; we got upgraded, don't know how. The next time we stayed in the Palace Tower at Caesars, which was, after the Venetian, just so-so. A week ago, we stayed in the new Augustus Tower, and, oh my, what a treat that was! The service was great. The outlet in the bathroom didn't work after the first go with the hairdryer, so I called and (on a Sunday yet!), an electrician was up in five minutes and had it fixed. We needed more towels -- again, five minutes and they arrived. The two flat screen t.v.s (one in the bathroom) were also great, and considering the baseball playoffs were going on, my husband spent a LOT of time in the room.

My daughter and I also had a bad experience with the Bellagio a few years ago -- would never stay there again.

We stayed at Bellagio for four nights in June. I was a little disappointed as well. We had been to Vegas many times - staying at Paris, Aladdin, Treasure Island, Flamingo. We decided to splurge this trip and stay at Bellagio. I was little disappointed in the room. There was a bulb burned out in the bathroom, as well as in the armoire (which serves as the closet). We were given a smoking room, when I had requested non-smoking. Also, I thought the layout of the room was a little odd. The desk was stuck in the corner, right in front of the air conditioning duct. You absolutely could not sit at the desk while the air conditioning was running. Of course, it was June, so the air conditioning was on all the time.

I felt Bellagio was quite crowded. It is a tourist destination and there are just so many people milling around who are not guests of the hotel. It doesn't feel like a five star hotel most of the time. The only time it felt right was very early in the morning.

Anyway, we didn't have a bad stay, but I'm not sure I would stay there again.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience at Bellagio. I've never stayed there b/c The Venetian has always been good to us. We were lucky to get a room at Venetian this Dec. for $100 a night. Their rooms and bathrooms are great and there's never been a problem with noise from others staying there.

well, i love the Venetian, but when hearing raves about the Bellagio, thought we'd have to try it...now not so sure. Now, I"ll have to check out the Augustus tower!!!

Heads up to those of us who like to stay at Bellagio. Just got an e-mail from them, certain nights a lakeview room goes for $129. Use code D148EM to book. At that price, it's worth it to me. We have never been disappointed with our stays there.

For those of you who are still planning to say at the Bellagio, please be sure to post your experience. When you have a corporation like MGM running things, it just isn't the same. When Wynn owned it, he has a more personal interest in the hotel and also his reputation for seeing that everything is first class was at stake. Now, with the MGM, you have the "bean counters" in charge, and all they do is look at the balance sheet and the profit and loss statement..(not that Wynn is fond of loosing money), but what will happen with the MGM is, if the profits don't hit the projections the stock holders start fussing, and then MGM will start to make cuts. The maintenance person on shift when you needed the light bulb changed, or what ever it was..I didn't re-read everything..may have been the only maintenace person on shift at that time. That is a huge hotel and who knows what he had on his plate that night. I sometimes don't understand the corporate mentality...I own a business so I understand profit..but even though they all TALK the talk about superb customer service, they don't always walk the walk. Your employees are normally the biggest expense to a business, so if profits start to lower, that's usually where they start cutting. I have seen that here in Reno BIG TIME. If the restaurants show a loss, they figure out ways to cut expenses..perhaps cut back a bit on the kitchen help and look for cheaper venders or try to find cheaper products. All aspects of the hotel are expected to show a profit, unlike in the early years where they practically gave everything away because the gaming paid for everything. So, I'll be curious to read different reports of peoples experience at the "new" Bellagio.

Zoom just got back from the Bellagio and had a good experience http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34693241

Keith

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth. I stayed at Bellagio last year and had a wonderful time. The service and property we amazing. Am planning to visit again in November and have no qualms with my choice to again stay at Bellagio. I have been regularly checking for posts both on this site and TripAdvisor and, if anything,have found mostly negative reviews for Wynn's newest venture. Considering the basis for some comments on Bellagio being the change in service post Wynn ownership I find the comments regarding his new hotel interesting. Bellagio, on the other hand, continues to be listed as one of the better hotels in Vegas.

TO..please give a report when you come back. Getting a lot of feed back also helps to figure out if the hotel is actually going down hill, or if some of these reports are one or two not so great experiences that can happen anywhere or anytime to someone, no matter where you stay.

Crefloors: I will be back from Vegas at the end of November and look forward to posting a report.

We stayed there last December for the 1st time and it was awesome. Best hotel room we've ever had in Vegas. Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

As was already posted, the only drawback was the main floor was VERY crowded with people just 'lingering' around. They almost seemed like they were on a sight-seeing tour.

I might have been one of those folks--just loved the glass ceiling and the garden--but I was welcome there because I dropped a few bucks in their machines. That's how they draw in the money--get the lookie-loos to stay a while!