Hey guys,
Returned from a week vacation in Vegas yesterday. Thought I'd share my experiences with you. Please understand that this is merely Vegas as I witnessed it within a very short period of time. My opinion is by no means definitive, yours may - and probably will - differ. You will find more comprehensive reviews elsewhere on the web, but if you disagree with anything, or have something you want to add, please leave it in the comments box.
The package itself:
The package included flights to and from Vegas via Atlanta and seven nights at the Signature, which is a five-star, three tower addition to the MGM Grand, consisting of suites and penthouses. For two people, this cost £1350, which converts into about $2400. So, for £675 each, this deal was absolutely fantastic. I could have made a profit on this vacation if that were the plan. I recommend anyone making the same trip book well in advance via ebookers and shuffle the dates around to find the best deal. You'll be surprised at what you can find. In fact, we added a day and got it for cheaper!
Of course, for such a good price, we had to cut a few luxuries. The flight was standard class and we were sat by the emergency exit doors a couple times (although that did mean we had slightly more leg room). For two single men sharing a room, we were provided with one great bed and one pull out sofa bed, which was a little uncomfortable. Also, we were given a room on the fifth floor. As you can imagine, the higher the floor, the more spectacular the view, so it would have been nice to have stayed a little higher up. Let's face it though, every view of Vegas is a good view, so it didn't really matter. With all said and done, the package was a good'un. 9/10
The Hotel
The Signature is a half decent five star hotel with reasonably good service. The room was plentiful in amenities and had a large tv with a sufficient amount of channels (came in handy when the US Open was on). There was everything you might require to cook, although with so many fantastic restaurants around, the kitchen area will often go unused. There was a fantastic hot tub jacuzzi in the bathroom and the shower was a decent size.
One issue we had was that the cleaners came around at 9am every morning. Let's face it, nobody's waking up at 9am on vacation in Vegas. That would give you precisely... half an hour's sleep. There's a switch by the door you can press if you don't want to be disturbed and the maids will return at a later time, but at one point we actually called room service before we left for the day, and they assured us they would be right up, but nobody came until the next day. Other than this, the customer service was fine. The staff are friendly and will say hello as you pass.
The Signature is separated from the MGM by a long ass hallway. This means it is not effected in any way by the hustle and bustle of a casino, but you will find yourself making the same boring journey more often than you might want during the course of your stay.
Casinos
This is what Vegas is all about. The strip in Vegas is the biggest sales pitch you will ever see, laden with more super-casinos than you can visit in a week. At first, you may be overwhelmed with the sheer size of it all, but once you've gotten to grips with the place, it will feel like Disney World for adults.
MGM
We were connected to the MGM, so it was the casino we explored first. Being one of the biggest casinos in Vegas, it was a little hard finding our way around at first. It is very up-market and as such, the tables are a little pricey. The poker tournaments are poorly structured, with the blinds doubling every twenty minutes. The bars are reasonable, but not the type that you'll feel comfortable getting head over tails drunk in. The restaurants are world-class and well worth checking out, but the buffet, though cheap, is uninspired. The attractions include performances by Cirque Du Soleil and David Copperfield. Two lions lounge around in a glass enclosure toward the back of the casino. Nearby, there is a great bar and restaurant called Diablo (this bar is actually connected to the Monte Carlo, which we didn't have time to visit) and a cinema, which is useful when you just want to chill out for a bit. 7/10
BALLY'S and PARIS
I've put these two casinos together because I can't remember where one ends and the other begins. These casinos were very enjoyable to explore. The ceiling is a painting of the sky, and there are street lights dotted around, so you feel like you're outside... quite an odd feeling in Vegas! Couple this with the eiffel tower replica, which sticks its feet through the roof, and you have, quite possibly, the most picturesque casino in Vegas. The buffet is brilliant, with Paris theme-dressed waitresses, good service and food that will surprise and delight. We ate there twice and still wanted more... it's such a shame the human has limited room for food. The shopping was good and, nearby, there is a large indoor mall that caters for all your shopping requirements. Outside, the Eiffel Tower is good for photo opportunities and there is a good view of the whole of Vegas (including the Bellagio's famous fountain) from the top. There is a restaurant upstairs in the eiffel tower, which we did not eat at but I imagine it would be a wonderful place for a romantic evening. Anyone from outside of the US should know that these casinos will not accept your driver's license as a valid ID. Bring your passports. 9/10
BELLAGIO
Didn't really explore this place but decided it was quite similar to the MGM. The best thing we noticed was the fountain outside, as seen in Ocean's 11, which is, by far, the best choreographed water I've ever seen. The sound of the water shooting (sometimes as high as the top of the Bellagio itself) is indescribable and adds a sense of excitement to the show. TV Poker fans will be interested to know that the Bellagio is where the biggest players hold their regular $2000/$4000 cash games. My theory is that the best poker players are only there to take advantage of the fat cats who want the chance to play them. So, if you can afford to play these guys, be prepared to be targetted.
HARRAH'S
A Toby Keith themed casino??? I wasn't a believer until I entered his 'I Love This Bar and Grill' bar and grill. I haven't had a night this fun in years. When we entered the room, we were absorbed by the fantastic atmosphere. A bartender with a dollar bill stuck, for whatever reason, to his forehead, was stood on the bar, simultaneously pouring different colored drinks into a row of ten glasses without spilling a single drop. In the back, there was a live country band playing and a good-sized dance floor. We didn't eat there, but I did see a waitress walk past with a gorgeous plate of nachos, and I'll definitely have some food next time I'm there. Being from Britain, we aren't used to sitting at a bar while drinking, we usually grab our drinks and sit down at a table, but we soon learnt the social value of the American seating arrangement, striking up conversation with a group of great girls who dragged us off to the dance floor for the rest of the night. The place is designed to get you drunk. Never has the sentence 'Don't put so much ice in my drink' got anyone into more trouble as it did my mate Josh that night. The cocktails are made in BIG jam jars and consist mostly of vodka. T-shirts were given away when we bought three shots and bartenders enjoyed pouring drinks down our throats (literally). 10/10 The next day wasn't so great for poor Joshua.
VENETIAN
We didn't spend a lot of time here but seemed a little similar to Paris. There was a good shopping mall and gondolas going back and forth.
MIRAGE
This was my favourite casino. The atmosphere is laid back, the poker tournament has a better structure than that of the MGM and there is a mini zoo inside their grounds, which is the home to dolphins, white tigers, emus, exotic birds and the most adorable tiger cubs. This would be a real attraction to families and couples. We sat at the blackjack table long enough to play with two dealers. One dealer was awesome, full of energy and ensured that everyone was playing optimally, whilst the other was slow and dull. 9/10
FREMONT STREET
This is downtown Vegas. This is how it used to look before Las Vegas exploded. Fremont Street is the home to the biggest television screen ever made, which towers in an arch overhead. This is also where you will find the famous cowboy sign and two of the most famous casinos in Vegas history: The Golden Nugget and Binion's. While the atmosphere is fresh and agreeable, the casinos are not as large and thus offer fewer options. We were surprised by the lack of good bars and places to eat. Definitely worth visiting though, if only for its history. 7/10
HILTON
Joshua was SO excited about the 'Star Trek Experience' at the Hilton. He's a long time fan, and doing the experience has been a childhood dream. I, on the other hand, couldn't think of anything I'd least like to watch than a bunch of guys with wrinkly foreheads and pointy ears defending themselves against a spaceship full of equally ridiculous beings. I would've been glad when we found out that it had closed down about a week before we arrived if it wasn't for the extent of Josh's disappointment. I really felt bad for the guy. This is a warning to all the other trekkers out there. It exists no more. We played a few hands of blackjack here and found the dealers friendlier than most.
I'm sure I visited more casinos, but these were the ones that stood out.
Travel
Taxis were expensive and, as tourists, we sometimes felt that we were being taken advantage of. A much more reasonable form of travel for two people was the monorail, which moves down the spine of the strip and costs twelve bucks for a day pass. As we were back and forth all day, this saved us a fortune (a fortune we later lost at the tables). For such a good deal, it was surprising to find that quite a few people did not know about it. This is because it is not advertised outside of the casinos at which it stops. These casinos are as follows: MGM Grand, Bally's, Flamingo, Harrahs, Las Vegas Convention Centre, Hilton and Sahara. You will find directions to the monorail inside any of these casinos. As a side note, the taxi drivers are given commission for driving passengers to strip joints. This is a commission you will have to pay out of your own pocket upon entry (they charge you more if you arrive by cab). Don't be surprised if a driver starts to plug White Rhinos or any of the other big clubs, they're merely trying to pick up a few more dollars.
Food
We were lucky enough to be staying near the MGM, which is home to some of the finest restaurants in the world. Luck swung further on our side, as we were there during Restaurant Week, wherein many restaurants provided a three-course set menu meal for fifty bucks, enabling us to try almost everything.
CRAFTSTEAK
This was the first restaurant we came to, in search of a good hearty meal after our journey. We weren't disappointed. This was the day before the Restaurant Week began, so we just had the main course. It was probably a good thing, because this meal was more than enough. We shared a 32oz steak, grilled asparagus and more fries than a sane man could eat. Our only qualm with this awesome meal was that the steak came rare rather than medium-rare... but a bit of blood never hurt anyone. The service was slow... probably the slowest of any of the restaurants we ate in. The lighting was too low, making it difficult to see the food. There is a wine and whiskey list that would impress the meanest connoisseur, although we were too poor to take advantage of it. 7/10
DIEGO
Diego is a Mexican restaurant that serves wholesome food in large quantities. The nachos dip was like heaven. As the menu was cheap, we chose to bypass the set menu and, instead, started our meal with the Diego Sampling, which gave us a chance to try a mixture of various starters. What a shame it was that it finished us off and we had little room left for the entree. For mains, I ate the oven-roasted chicken, which was good but a little dry and a little salty. We did not eat dessert. The service was fast and friendly. The lighting was vibrant red, but better than craftsteak. 8/10
JOEL ROBUCHON'S L'ATELIER
What can you say about a restaurant designed by one of the world's finest and most famous chefs? I can say that the only reason we were there was because Restaurant Week made it affordable for us. Perhaps this is why we felt the service was impersonal and the food sometimes below par. The starter was to be found in the centre of a small plate. It was nicely decorated and consisted of roasted vegetables and buffalo mozzarella. I wish I could describe the flavor, but it did not seem to have one. The entree was steak and, thankfully, was overflowing with wonderful flavor. It was complemented well with a smidgen of mash potato and salad. Unfortunately, it was over in a second. This was followed by a plate with three different cheeses and raisin bread, which provided an interesting exploration of the taste buds. The dessert was a pistachio ice cream souffle. It was of a good, light texture and tasted creamy, with the pistachio adding a little edge to it all. All in all, we left dissatisfied and hungry. The food, though interesting, felt more like a warm up than an entire meal. My only advice is to fill up on the bread as you go. 5/10
PEARL
This is a chinese restaurant with a difference... they make good desserts! The set menu was more generous than the one at L'Atelier. The soup was spicy and interesting, as good soup should be. The entree was almond chicken which we had never tried before, but proved good although a little sweet, pork fried rice, Chinese vegetables and a fantastic beef dish. The dessert was some sort of rich chocolate cake, which had a similar texture to cheesecake, accompanied by raspberries and ice cream. This finished off our experience at the Pearl with a smile. What impressed me was that it was perfectly balanced. We did not fill up on the starter, as we did in Diego, and we did not leave hungry, as in L'Atelier. The service was prompt and friendly - proof that both can be done at the same time. 9/10
BUFFETS
Vegas is famous for its buffets. This isn't surprising because they're awesome! I'm not usually a fan for a number of reasons. Firstly, I find the food is usually sub-standard. Secondly, there are often fewer options available than in a restaurant. And thirdly, because I simply prefer the restaurant experience. But Vegas buffets are generally of a better quality, meaning good service, better food and more of it. More varieties of food than you could ever hope for at a cheap price. Of course, in comparison with the high quality restaurants dotted along the strip, the food still falls short in terms of quality, but can you really expect it to be any different considering the price? I only got to try the Buffet at MGM and the one at Paris because the French buffet was so good I didn't need to try anywhere else. Next time I go, I'll definitely give the Bellagio buffet a go, as that's supposedly pretty cool too, and, if you're a fan of desserts, you should try the Wynn, as their sweets options are apparently the best in Vegas. I was disappointed with the MGM buffet, although it is a reasonable cheap option. My advice would be to go at lunchtime, as it is less expensive than the dinner and has mostly the same food. If you do want to check out the Buffet dinners, you should go 20 minutes or so before lunch finishes, thus you get in for the lunch price, but get the dinner food... sneaky but effective.
Grand Canyon Tour
If you've never been to Vegas before, you'll want to take the opportunity to see the grand canyon. On this tour, you'll also get to shoot pictures of the strip from the air. We searched around for the best deal on the internet and found the grandcanyontourcompany.com did the best offer, with a standard helicopter ride at $249 per person. Although the website says that this is a special offer, so the price may increase soon. The tour guide was friendly and informative and we were not disappointed. 9/10
Gambling
We actually did little gambling. There was so much to see and do, we had little energy at the end of it for the tables.
POKER
We played one tournament at the MGM. I started off very well, winning several hands without having to show down. Unfortunately, the blinds go up rapidly, meaning that the all-in luck fest begins halfway through the tournament, so, although I was one of the chip leaders at that point and had done as much as possible to build my stack, I needed to get lucky in order to finish in the money. This luck did not come, and so I was knocked out in 7th position (out of 30). Josh began similarly well, and stuck it out for fourth place, winning something like $200. One thing to note was that 3 Englishmen made the final table, 2 of which cashed. Not bad for rainy England, huh?
BLACKJACK
Josh's good and my bad luck continued in blackjack. I'm pretty new to the game and so often had to refer to Josh for advice. However, having adopted the same strategy he was using, I expected similar results. I ended up about $400 down, whereas he finished the week $200 up. Blackjack is a team game where every person at the table needs to be playing well for anyone to make a profit. If you sit down and notice someone sticking on 12 when the dealer has an eight, you should stand up straight away and find another table. This was my biggest mistake, and one that cost me.
ROULETTE
So, I could not have been more pissed off at the gambling in Vegas when I finally sat down at the roulette table. It was the last night, and my mind was made up... I would lose the rest of my money or make a small fortune trying. I decided to focus my last two hundred bucks on the number thirteen, placing some on black, odds, the 2nd twelve, the 2to1 column and the rest scattered around the number itself. I didn't hit 13 (I would've been pretty darn thrilled if it had landed) but managed to cash in on a few of my other bets, leaving me $250 up. I went shopping with my money, buying two jackets, a hat and a luggage bag to carry them in. This left me with $40, which, as I could not think of anything I wanted to buy, I decided to dump on thirteen. As I did so, I looked up and saw that two of the last three throws had landed on the very same number. If I had not stopped at a busier table before arriving at this one, I would have finished $1400 richer! As it was, the ball landed on 17 and I lost my bet. Never mind, huh? That was the plan after all! I was just happy I had finished on a bit of a high. I'd never have expected that the only game I would make money on would be roulette!
Of course, everybody leaves Vegas a loser. Even if it comes in unexpected ways. On the journey home, one of my bags was stolen. Inside that bag was my Mac, which I had bought a couple of months ago, costing me about £2000 ($3500). This computer had nearly all of my photographs from the vacation (about 400), 6500 tracks on itunes (which is thankfully backed up) and a lot of personal stuff. If anyone reading this is the person who stole my bag... fair play... I hope someone steals something really important to you one day.
Not being one to wallow in my losses, I aim to make something positive from what has happened. In about three weeks I'm going back to university. This means that I have a short period to earn enough money to buy a new computer. In about one week, I will travel to London to play professional poker for a fortnight. In that time, I hope to rebuild my losses.
I'll keep you informed.
As a side note, I have been very impressed with the US Open, which would've had a hard time getting any better. The four best players in the men's singles competition got into the semis, with Roger Federer - possibly the greatest sportsman of our era - going into the final against Scotland's own Andrew Murray. Federer has had a hard time as of late and so it was great to watch him fight his way back to his best, and win another slam trophy. I've watched Murray ever since his debut in Queens, England, and have seen him grow into the player he is today. For him to beat the world No.1 was fantastic. It was a shame the final was such a rout, as I am sure when they play again it will be a lot closer. Both sportsmen are great ambassadors of their sport and an inspiration to me as a poker player.
Iron Henry
Tags: Vegas MGM Bally's Paris Bellagio Harrah's Venetian Mirage Fremont Street Hi
