Vegas hotel questions from a novice..
Jan 7th, 2009, 10:09 AM
#61
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Many thanks! I certainly don't want to "catch a beating" as they say in my neck of the woods!
I asked some friends about eating off the strip(they have a relative living there so visit often) and they recommended these two places, in case anyone is interested or wants to comment on these:
Roma (Italian)
5755 Spring Mountain Road
Nora Wine Bar (Italian, also)
1031 South Rampart Blvd
I asked some friends about eating off the strip(they have a relative living there so visit often) and they recommended these two places, in case anyone is interested or wants to comment on these:
Roma (Italian)
5755 Spring Mountain Road
Nora Wine Bar (Italian, also)
1031 South Rampart Blvd
Jan 7th, 2009, 10:18 AM
#62
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Lotus of Siam is excellent for Thai..
Downtown, we have breakfast at Horseshoe Casino/Binion's and they have the best ham steak and eggs breakfast for around $4..
Wynn Hotel has one of the best deals on the strip with the fancy and famous chef Daniel Boulud's offering a 3 course meal for $50pp.
along with the water show while dining is quite a visual.
Burger Bar at Mandalay is really good.
Bouchon for breakfast at the Venetian is another great deal and is owned by the renowed Thomas Keller of French Laundry in Napa.
Peppermill is always a good bet too.
Downtown, we have breakfast at Horseshoe Casino/Binion's and they have the best ham steak and eggs breakfast for around $4..
Wynn Hotel has one of the best deals on the strip with the fancy and famous chef Daniel Boulud's offering a 3 course meal for $50pp.
along with the water show while dining is quite a visual.
Burger Bar at Mandalay is really good.
Bouchon for breakfast at the Venetian is another great deal and is owned by the renowed Thomas Keller of French Laundry in Napa.
Peppermill is always a good bet too.
Jan 8th, 2009, 06:58 AM
#63
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Thanks! I noticed the Daniel $48 dinner. This is only before 7pm, right?
I put Bouchon on my list, too. (this list is already long enough to hold us for a lot more than 3 days!!)
I also found good reports of a Taiwanese place called China Mama, on S. Jones Blvd.
My travel partner has mentioned an interest in eating at one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants; has anyone here experienced Delmonico?
I put Bouchon on my list, too. (this list is already long enough to hold us for a lot more than 3 days!!)
I also found good reports of a Taiwanese place called China Mama, on S. Jones Blvd.
My travel partner has mentioned an interest in eating at one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants; has anyone here experienced Delmonico?
Jan 13th, 2009, 09:53 AM
#64
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Just a quick report: Arrived yesterday. Weather is great and the Bellagio was a great choice. Pool (160-feet-long) is open and very warm for swimming...
Had an excellent meal at China Mama yesterday and had the Bellagio breakfast buffet today..
Thanks to all who were so helpful..more when I get back..
Had an excellent meal at China Mama yesterday and had the Bellagio breakfast buffet today..
Thanks to all who were so helpful..more when I get back..
Jan 16th, 2009, 03:21 PM
#66
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Back home from a really good trip..we were really lucky with the weather! What a climate (compared to the frigid northeast!)
I was really surprised at all of the opportunities for ethnic eating off the strip--all those Asian shopping centers on Spring Mountain Road! We ate off strip every night and had terrific food!
I was really surprised at all of the opportunities for ethnic eating off the strip--all those Asian shopping centers on Spring Mountain Road! We ate off strip every night and had terrific food!
Jan 16th, 2009, 07:13 PM
#67
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Hi Scrunchy let me be the first to welcome you home!
The beauty of Nevada, and California is that you can go from temps in the 40s to temps in the 80s even 90s in a couple of weeks.
How was the room at the Bellagio?
Any high points?
Tu amiga en "Huroklandia"
ana
The beauty of Nevada, and California is that you can go from temps in the 40s to temps in the 80s even 90s in a couple of weeks.
How was the room at the Bellagio?
Any high points?
Tu amiga en "Huroklandia"
ana
Jan 17th, 2009, 10:35 AM
#68
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Thanks, Ana!
The room (standard room in the spa tower: I requested the tower for its access to the pool) was very nice. Quite large, with very large bathroom. Excellent cotton baffle robes (but no slippers). We chose not to pay for the view of the fountains but we did see them from the ground several times--terrific. Everyone at the hotel was super friendly and helpful. Lovely experience at a great price!
Highlights:
Dinner at China Mama:
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2008/dec/04/oh-mama/
Two dinners at Lotus of Siam:
http://www.saipinchutima.com/ (see #56 on menu: Tamarind Beef)
Swimming in the 160'-long pool (I know I wrote this above but it was so great I am mentioning it again)
Flying over Grand Canyon and Lake Mead en route from JFk to Las Vegas
Seeing my first $25,000 chip!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I know what a million dollahs in chips looks like!! The best show in town was watching a pair of Macanese gamblers play roulette at a reserved table--like a James Bond movie. One of them lost $90,000 on one spin of the wheel!!! Honestly, it was better than a show!
Walking through the Venetian and the Wynn and marveling at the glorious excess
Watching the panda cam set up in the Bellagio's garden which was dressed up for Chinese New year with orchids and red lanterns
THE CHIHULY CEILING at Bellagio:
http://www.chihuly.com/installations/bellagio/
We had such a good time!
The room (standard room in the spa tower: I requested the tower for its access to the pool) was very nice. Quite large, with very large bathroom. Excellent cotton baffle robes (but no slippers). We chose not to pay for the view of the fountains but we did see them from the ground several times--terrific. Everyone at the hotel was super friendly and helpful. Lovely experience at a great price!
Highlights:
Dinner at China Mama:
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2008/dec/04/oh-mama/
Two dinners at Lotus of Siam:
http://www.saipinchutima.com/ (see #56 on menu: Tamarind Beef)
Swimming in the 160'-long pool (I know I wrote this above but it was so great I am mentioning it again)
Flying over Grand Canyon and Lake Mead en route from JFk to Las Vegas
Seeing my first $25,000 chip!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I know what a million dollahs in chips looks like!! The best show in town was watching a pair of Macanese gamblers play roulette at a reserved table--like a James Bond movie. One of them lost $90,000 on one spin of the wheel!!! Honestly, it was better than a show!
Walking through the Venetian and the Wynn and marveling at the glorious excess
Watching the panda cam set up in the Bellagio's garden which was dressed up for Chinese New year with orchids and red lanterns
THE CHIHULY CEILING at Bellagio:
http://www.chihuly.com/installations/bellagio/
We had such a good time!
Jan 17th, 2009, 03:03 PM
#70
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Ana: We didn't go to any shows. My partner had some interest in seeing Bette Midler but in the end we passed.
I am embarrassed to tell you that we went to sleep pretty early..no clubs or late night frolicking!
Honestly, watching those roulette players was more than a little exciting. Do you know that on one spin when one of them must have lost more than $50,000, he wasn't really even paying attention to the wheel! They were laughing and having a grand time. And the wife of one of them was betting with dollar chips!!!!!! I will never forget that scene. What a contrast--not far away are lots of down and out people,especially around the north strip/downtown area.
I am still glowing from the good time we had!
I am embarrassed to tell you that we went to sleep pretty early..no clubs or late night frolicking!
Honestly, watching those roulette players was more than a little exciting. Do you know that on one spin when one of them must have lost more than $50,000, he wasn't really even paying attention to the wheel! They were laughing and having a grand time. And the wife of one of them was betting with dollar chips!!!!!! I will never forget that scene. What a contrast--not far away are lots of down and out people,especially around the north strip/downtown area.
I am still glowing from the good time we had!
Jan 17th, 2009, 03:48 PM
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Vegas is one place you can go to people watch and it IS fun.
I went to bed pretty early too.
I am not a person to stay up all night in the casino and go to bed at 9 am.(although years ago I did do that.)
I went to bed pretty early too.
I am not a person to stay up all night in the casino and go to bed at 9 am.(although years ago I did do that.)
Jan 17th, 2009, 04:24 PM
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ekscrunchy..
I am so happy you had a great time and you had super warm weather for your pool swimming..
Glad you are still glowing from your trip!
Love Lotus of Siam too and it is surprising how much ethnic is off the strip and quite good.
Did you get to walk over to the new Encore next to the Wynn?
Wynn is pretty spectacular too..Bellagio is a wonderful hotel!
I am so happy you had a great time and you had super warm weather for your pool swimming..
Glad you are still glowing from your trip!
Love Lotus of Siam too and it is surprising how much ethnic is off the strip and quite good.
Did you get to walk over to the new Encore next to the Wynn?
Wynn is pretty spectacular too..Bellagio is a wonderful hotel!
Jan 18th, 2009, 05:16 AM
#73
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Oh, Yes..the Encore and Wynn were REALLY impressive! They had beautiful decorations up for Chinese New Year. I could not believe the handsome chairs at the Encore casino--the thousands of chairs that the gamblers sit on are gorgeous! We decided that you can tell a lot about a hotel by the look of the casino chairs!
And the Venetian/Palazzo--well...what can I say? Amazing!
Oh, the other highlight was Nordstrom's!! I had never been in one of these stores. We could not believe how nice the sales people were! (Big contrast to NYC department stores). And my partner bought a pair of leather sandals (huge sale on men's shoes!) for less than $50; they didn't have them in his size and they are sending them in the correct size from another store, for free! With that, they made fans out of us! There really is good shopping in LV, and the saleshelp are so....helpful!
This made a big impression on me, coming from NYC!
And the Venetian/Palazzo--well...what can I say? Amazing!
Oh, the other highlight was Nordstrom's!! I had never been in one of these stores. We could not believe how nice the sales people were! (Big contrast to NYC department stores). And my partner bought a pair of leather sandals (huge sale on men's shoes!) for less than $50; they didn't have them in his size and they are sending them in the correct size from another store, for free! With that, they made fans out of us! There really is good shopping in LV, and the saleshelp are so....helpful!
This made a big impression on me, coming from NYC!
Jan 18th, 2009, 06:11 AM
#74
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Two more highlights:
Beef roll at China Mama (P29 on menu)
Watching the sun come up on the mountains from our hotel room (facing east, towards the Rio Hotel with the mountains in the distance)
Beef roll at China Mama (P29 on menu)
Watching the sun come up on the mountains from our hotel room (facing east, towards the Rio Hotel with the mountains in the distance)
Apr 13th, 2009, 06:13 AM
#75
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just a followup on the place I mentioned up above, it's called the Beijing No. 9 noodle shop in Caesar's Palace. I found it to be hit or miss.....the miss may have been due to the service being way off. We chose to eat at the bar right at the entry which was very entertaining to watch the cook assemble the soups.
The two "hits" or highlights were the Thai iced tea (which took forever to get but was gorgeous and fantastic, they said they were making them fresh?) and the shrimp dumplings were sublime (also took forever). I found it to be somewhat pricey but maybe not so much relative to other places in Vegas. Thai iced tea was $6, but then, bottled water was $6 or 7 as well! The dumplings were $9 and there were 4. The pork and vegetables wontons in soup were very good but not a highlight.
The two misses were the Beijing salt and pepper chicken which arrived not warm and and they tasted like dry chicken nuggets that had been made earlier in the day. Dessert also was lackluster. We ordered the pineapple and banana fritters with ginger ice cream. The ice cream was sublime, so smooth and creamy in texture although I couldn't taste the ginger, but the fritters also were not warm and they were greasy and lacking in flavor. Based on my experience, I would recommend avoiding anything fried if you go to this place.
The two "hits" or highlights were the Thai iced tea (which took forever to get but was gorgeous and fantastic, they said they were making them fresh?) and the shrimp dumplings were sublime (also took forever). I found it to be somewhat pricey but maybe not so much relative to other places in Vegas. Thai iced tea was $6, but then, bottled water was $6 or 7 as well! The dumplings were $9 and there were 4. The pork and vegetables wontons in soup were very good but not a highlight.
The two misses were the Beijing salt and pepper chicken which arrived not warm and and they tasted like dry chicken nuggets that had been made earlier in the day. Dessert also was lackluster. We ordered the pineapple and banana fritters with ginger ice cream. The ice cream was sublime, so smooth and creamy in texture although I couldn't taste the ginger, but the fritters also were not warm and they were greasy and lacking in flavor. Based on my experience, I would recommend avoiding anything fried if you go to this place.
Apr 13th, 2009, 06:51 AM
#76
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NC: I just wrote on the Burma thread! I did remember your recommendation and did look for this place when we visited Caesar's. It looked good; it was too early for lunch when we were there, so we never did eat there. It is a nice-looking place. I have to say that the prices in the hotels are just SO much higher than those off the strip, so for people with cars, it is worthwhile to venture even just a few blocks away..I wish I had had time to explore those big Asian shopping malls with all their tempting-looking places to eat! It is a whole other world waiting to be discovered, and so close to the strip!!
