Just back from Vegas with comments
Mar 17th, 2000, 07:40 AM
#1
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Just back from Vegas with comments
Just returned from four nights in Vegas and here are my latest comments for what they are worth. Stayed at The Mirage due to a special $75 bed and breakfast deal. The room was wonderful, perfectly decorated and perfectly maintained. The entire staff was not only efficient but extremely friendly and personable. We experienced our first Las Vegas buffet, something I am not anxious to repeat. I have never liked buffets, but the one for breakfast at The Mirage was very good. Standing in line for food always reminds me too much of school cafeterias, even when the lines lead to wonderful fajita stations and omelette stations.
Also ate at Postrio and Pinot Brasserie in the Venetian, very nice but not nearly so great as their restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. By the way, we found The Venetian to be a bit odd. It seemed the most deserted of the big new hotels and that gondola ride back and forth on a tiny canal seemed like a joke to me.
We had a spectacular breakfast at the cafe in Paris -- with great fresh squeezed OJ, eggs benedict with a wonderful dijon sauce, a super potato gallette, a superb pastry basket and really good French coffee. It cost considerably more than the buffet at The Mirage, but I'd do that kind of breakfast again anytime. We walked downtown one afternoon (yes, I know it is 5 or 6 miles), stopping to drop some change in the slots at hotels along the way. We loved the Fremont experience downtown and liked the tacky, local feel of the downtown. As any local will tell you, that is where the locals go to gamble and have fun, never on the strip. Had a wonderful dinner atop the Horseshoe at Binion's Ranch, a really good steakhouse with a spectacular view. It was very 1960's, nothing cutting edge or contemporary, but great steaks. Also had a very nice late dinner at Spago in the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace, and a superb lunch at Chinoise in the same area. (It sounds like we were on a Wolfgang Puck expedition eating at three of his restaurants.) Also we had a great lunch in that area at the "outdoor" Bertolini's, one of our favorite casual restaurants in Vegas. The one disappointment and surprise of Vegas is how difficult it is to eat late. We went to 7:30 shows of Mystere and O (see my other posting) so that we could eat dinner afterwards, thinking 9:45 or 10:00, but any good restaurant we called would not take reservations that late, they stop seating at 9:30. We were not expecting to do coffee shops or buffets at night!!!
Vegas is always fun, and this is the first time I had not been there in the heat of summer, so it was even more pleasant, with spectacular weather.
Also ate at Postrio and Pinot Brasserie in the Venetian, very nice but not nearly so great as their restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. By the way, we found The Venetian to be a bit odd. It seemed the most deserted of the big new hotels and that gondola ride back and forth on a tiny canal seemed like a joke to me.
We had a spectacular breakfast at the cafe in Paris -- with great fresh squeezed OJ, eggs benedict with a wonderful dijon sauce, a super potato gallette, a superb pastry basket and really good French coffee. It cost considerably more than the buffet at The Mirage, but I'd do that kind of breakfast again anytime. We walked downtown one afternoon (yes, I know it is 5 or 6 miles), stopping to drop some change in the slots at hotels along the way. We loved the Fremont experience downtown and liked the tacky, local feel of the downtown. As any local will tell you, that is where the locals go to gamble and have fun, never on the strip. Had a wonderful dinner atop the Horseshoe at Binion's Ranch, a really good steakhouse with a spectacular view. It was very 1960's, nothing cutting edge or contemporary, but great steaks. Also had a very nice late dinner at Spago in the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace, and a superb lunch at Chinoise in the same area. (It sounds like we were on a Wolfgang Puck expedition eating at three of his restaurants.) Also we had a great lunch in that area at the "outdoor" Bertolini's, one of our favorite casual restaurants in Vegas. The one disappointment and surprise of Vegas is how difficult it is to eat late. We went to 7:30 shows of Mystere and O (see my other posting) so that we could eat dinner afterwards, thinking 9:45 or 10:00, but any good restaurant we called would not take reservations that late, they stop seating at 9:30. We were not expecting to do coffee shops or buffets at night!!!
Vegas is always fun, and this is the first time I had not been there in the heat of summer, so it was even more pleasant, with spectacular weather.
Mar 17th, 2000, 07:51 AM
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There is one thing that you are in error on. Downtown is NOT where the locals play. From the standppint of casinos, Las Vegas is broken into 4 zones. They are the strip, downtown, North Las Vegas, and the Boulder Hwy.
The payback percentages follow in that order with the strip being the poorest and North Las Vegas/Boulder being the best. The locals frequent places like Sam's Town, Palace Station, and various others that are NOT downtown.
The downtown crowd is actually mainly tourists that do not want to be on the strip for one reason or another.
The payback percentages follow in that order with the strip being the poorest and North Las Vegas/Boulder being the best. The locals frequent places like Sam's Town, Palace Station, and various others that are NOT downtown.
The downtown crowd is actually mainly tourists that do not want to be on the strip for one reason or another.
Mar 17th, 2000, 04:45 PM
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Guess we have a misunderstanding of what locals are. The guy who shined my shoes and has lived in Vegas all his life spends a lot of time in downtown Vegas, particulaly at the Horseshoe. He admitted it's his biggest weakness. The same with our taxi driver, although he didn't say what particular place. The maid who cleaned our room told me that she and her husband try to have dinner at least once a year at Binion's ranch downtown, their "favorite" restaurant, and favoite night out on the town. With 1.3 million people now living in Vegas, I'm sure not all 1.3 million go to the same place. In fact I was in error suggesting that many of them don't go to the strip, because I'm sure many of them do.
Mar 18th, 2000, 04:46 AM
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No, I found the interior of the Venetian deserted, not its location. It is indeed spectacular from the outside and pretty sharp from the inside, although its shiny painted faux buildings along its little canal does nothing to duplicate the fading glory of Venice. Even the "streets" in the Paris hotel have made an attempt to look somewhat old.
We had dinner at Postrio in the Venetian. After entering the left end as you face the building where it said "entrance to the Venetian", we circled through the casino, one of the least crowded on the whole strip (which might be a positive) and finally reached the back where we found signs taking us upstairs to their canal and shopping complex. There were only a handful of people there. No one waiting in line to take their tacky little gondola ride. This is unlike every other hotel we entered this week. All others were literally packed with people. Some people like the lack of crowds, but when I go to Vegas and see a new delux hotel and its shopping and entertainment complex virtually deserted, I feel that there is something wrong. Apparently I am not the only one to feel that way or there would have been more people there.
We also returned two nights later and it was the same way, plus we walked through one afternoon to make reservations at Pinot Brasserie, so I don't think it was an isolated incident. Meanwhile the Forum shops at Ceaesars Palace continues to be the most crowded and popular venue (other that casinos) we saw.
We had dinner at Postrio in the Venetian. After entering the left end as you face the building where it said "entrance to the Venetian", we circled through the casino, one of the least crowded on the whole strip (which might be a positive) and finally reached the back where we found signs taking us upstairs to their canal and shopping complex. There were only a handful of people there. No one waiting in line to take their tacky little gondola ride. This is unlike every other hotel we entered this week. All others were literally packed with people. Some people like the lack of crowds, but when I go to Vegas and see a new delux hotel and its shopping and entertainment complex virtually deserted, I feel that there is something wrong. Apparently I am not the only one to feel that way or there would have been more people there.
We also returned two nights later and it was the same way, plus we walked through one afternoon to make reservations at Pinot Brasserie, so I don't think it was an isolated incident. Meanwhile the Forum shops at Ceaesars Palace continues to be the most crowded and popular venue (other that casinos) we saw.
Mar 18th, 2000, 08:52 AM
#6
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Tes, there are locals that prefer downtown just like there are ones that prefer the strip. However neither the strip nor downtown depends on the locals for their core business. The places that I mentioned do depend on the locals.
Was this your first trip to Las Vegas?
Was this your first trip to Las Vegas?
Mar 18th, 2000, 10:30 AM
#7
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No, I've lost track, but I think it was my 17th. But as I've stated, my first Vegas buffet. Ease up, will you! I wasn't trying to be the great expert on Vegas, just recounting a few of my impressions on this trip. I did not mean to make a great point that downtown is the place to be or that it is where all the locals go, I merely pointed it out, because most people I know who go to LV never get downtown, and I felt it was something different and fun to do. I guess we are supposed to keep our opinions to ourselves??? I thought that is what we were sharing here --opinions. And if you will reread my original post about the Venetian (in which you must own stock) you will see that I never suggested it was in any way inferior to the Mirage or any other hotel, just oddly deserted, especially for such a grand, new hotel. Las Vegas is all based on competition, either in gambling or building the biggest, grandest hotel, or having the biggest buffet in town. You must fit right in there, with your competitive spirit.
Mar 19th, 2000, 07:43 AM
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Patrick:
I am not the least bit bothered by your posting. I thought it was very good and informative. I did not mean to argue with you about downtown. I simply was mentioning the locals scene as a benefit to others. There are many folks that like to know where the locals play as those casinos typically have better payback percentages and pretty decent food. Both of those items are very important to the locals.
In any event, I am glad that you enjoyed yourself.
I am not the least bit bothered by your posting. I thought it was very good and informative. I did not mean to argue with you about downtown. I simply was mentioning the locals scene as a benefit to others. There are many folks that like to know where the locals play as those casinos typically have better payback percentages and pretty decent food. Both of those items are very important to the locals.
In any event, I am glad that you enjoyed yourself.
Mar 21st, 2000, 05:41 PM
#11
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I haven't been to LV since many of the new hotels opened, including the Venetian, but I really did love downtown. Yeah, it was tacky, with Elvis every 50 yards or so, but we met the nicest people, and the FSE was fun too. Unfortunately, we lost so much money, we barely got to eat! We're going back for my 40th in another 18 months or so (yeah, we have to save up for Vegas) ... I guess we won't be staying at the Venetian! Maybe someplace old-Vegas, like the Flamingo Hilton. I've heard good things about that place.
Mar 21st, 2000, 06:54 PM
#12
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Patrick:
I'm with you regarding the Venetian. Just doesn't carry itself off as I was hoping it would. It's a decent property overall, but it's not going to be a home run over the long haul. I'm glad I'm not a shareholder. Thanks for the great report.
I'm with you regarding the Venetian. Just doesn't carry itself off as I was hoping it would. It's a decent property overall, but it's not going to be a home run over the long haul. I'm glad I'm not a shareholder. Thanks for the great report.
Mar 21st, 2000, 08:46 PM
#13
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Well I'm off to Vegas on April 2nd and am staying at the Flamingo. I plan a good 1/2 day at the Venetian and having been to Venice 6 times I'll just have to wait and see. I'll do my review in mid April. Would like to know though just how cold those swimming pools are at the Flamingo. I hear no one swims in them.
Mar 22nd, 2000, 07:23 AM
#14
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Sue:
The Flamingo Hilton has 2 swimming pools. Actually one is a series of pools connected together by slides. They have waterfalls and are very attractive. However the downside is that they are NOT heated. They will be very cold in April.
There is also a regular pool that is separate from the other and IS heated. It is open all year around.
The Flamingo Hilton has 2 swimming pools. Actually one is a series of pools connected together by slides. They have waterfalls and are very attractive. However the downside is that they are NOT heated. They will be very cold in April.
There is also a regular pool that is separate from the other and IS heated. It is open all year around.
