Travel Blog

Well we just got an email from the Wynn casino in Las Vegas. They are offering us three free rooms at the Wynn casino or the Encore in Las Vegas. We have to stay on a Sunday through Thursday night. This is fine for us and the Encore in Las Vegas rooms are considered suites which are upgrades from the Wynn. Both are fantastic, and we are just so excited that we are getting these rooms for free. The cost of the room depends on the time of year and how busy the hotel is on any given week. A friend is staying at the same time as us. They are paying $149 a night which is supposed to be Casino Rate!

So with tax and everything that is almost a $600 value just in the rooms alone. It is nice coming to a casino knowing that you have already won and you are $600 ahead of the casino. So of course we are staying at the upgraded Encore for this trip and it is free! We will be gambling of course and may win or we may not. But at least we do not need to worry about paying for the rooms on this trip.

Encore in Las Vegas – Free Credit

But it does get better. They also are giving us $150 in free credit  which we can use at slot machines to play on and perhaps win some more money. Once at the TI or Treasure Island, we won $800 on our free play.

Booked our Stay

We have booked our stay in Oct and are planning our trip now. This is including the games we will play while we are there. We are also thinking about the restaurants we are going to go to and the shows we may see. Who knows we may end up spending all of our time in the casino playing the slots especially if we are lucky and win some money!

The Wynn and the Encore are sister hotels and casinos. You can play in either and use your red slot card to play, rack up points and perhaps earn more comp’s.

Shopping at The Encore

They are connected by a shopping mall which has many of the famous shops that only the rich can shop at and of course big winners at the slots or tables.

It is nice to browse but way beyond anything I want to pay for clothes and other things. The restaurants at either hotel are some of the best. We have yet to decide which one we will go to.  I am really looking forward to enjoying one of the best steaks you can have while in Las Vegas.

We have written reviews on both the Wynn and the Encore, which you may want to take the time to read. Click here for the Wynn and Click here for the Encore. Hope you enjoy and wish us luck!

We stayed at the new Aria City Center casino and hotel in May 2011. We like the hotel and overall complex, however it takes awhile to learn how to get around the entire area. This complex and we believe this is the correct word to use is huge. There are at least seven buildings complete with hotel, casino and a number of apartment style condo’s.

Contemporary is the key word to describe this casino, the hotel and really the entire property. For us, it was a bit too much, however everything is tasteful, elegant in a contemporary way and over the top with extras and overall design. The entrance to the hotel is off Las Vegas Boulevard and you end up parking in a parkade that is very secure and protected from the scorching sun.

Aria Casino Comp’s

We stayed at this hotel for two nights on a 2 night comp plan from our MLife casino card. I guess they wanted us to try the new hotel and casino since we had not stayed here before or even gambled here before. This is the value of the casino slot cards that most people do not even realize or get to take advantage off. We wrote about the Aria buffet on a previous post which we thoroughly enjoyed, so please check out this post as well. Comments are appreciated.

Slot Machines

There are over 150,000 square feet of slot machines space with all of the latest slots from penny machines to $5000 machines for everyone to try. They have some of the latest style machines with multiple lines and free games as well as some of the more traditional slots such as poker and keno.

We did not win at this casino so we are not as excited about it as we might be. We also found that the slot waitresses are not delivering free drinks as frequently as they used to. Seems that MGM has cut back in this area as they struggle to conserve cash and pay off some of the huge debt they have incurred at this complex and others that they have purchased.

Table Games

There are all of the traditional table games. Not much to say about them here. Nothing unique that we noticed about this area. Normally we will post the number of table games and kind of games, however the main web site for the Aria casino does not provide this information for the slots or for the table games.

Restaurants

There a loads of restaurants. We ate at the buffet one night and also at one of the restaurants along the casino floor. Very upscale and modern looking with the usual high prices for many of the casinos along the strip. Nothing too exciting to report about this restaurant. We enjoy the buffet very much, however the crab legs were cold. We like them warm and already split.

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling
• Buffet
• Pool area and spa free to hotel guests
• Hotel rates are very high unless you are there on a package or comp’d
• Covered garage parking
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

What We Did Not Like

• Although contemporary in design, there is too much of it and it comes off being a bit cold to the senses
• Slot waitresses stingy on the free drinks
• Not a warm place to spend time in terms of the feel of the place.
• We probably would not stay here again unless offered free rooms

Slot Player Card

They are part of the MGM Mirage slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at many Las Vegas hotels, as well as sister hotels in Tunica, Biloxi, Laughlin and Reno.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Aria hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions: Entrance Right on the Las Vegas Strip

For more posts about Las Vegas casinos and things to do in Las Vegas, click here.

Harrahs Casino Las Vegas hotel is one of the older hotels that has been modernized in recent times and like many of the other casino hotels boasts over 3000 rooms and convention facilities available for guests staying in Las Vegas.

Harrahs Hotel & Casino is in the center of the strip across the street from the Mirage hotel and casino. Harrah’s Hotel & Casino is also down the street from The Flamingo, the Imperial palace and the Venetian Hotel in the other direction. Within a 10 minute walk, you can visit at least eight of the primary strip hotels. Harrah’s Hotel & Casino is central and a great place to stay. Harrah’s Hotel & Casino boasts a great special all you can eat dinner of either chicken, beef or pork with all of the extra’s.

They also book top line entertainment as well. This casino is part of the Harrah’s Casino hotel chain, that spans the US and Canada. Participating in the Total Rewards program allows you to stay in any of their hotels around the country, often for free, depending on your play.

Harrahs Casino Las Vegas

Slot Machines

There is more than 87,000 square feet of casino space at Harrahs Casino Las Vegas. From blackjack to slots, you’ll find all the action going on 24 hours a day. Harrah’s Las Vegas has more than 1,200 slots and 80 table games.

Table Games

They have all of the usual games for you to play. Including blackjack, baccarat, mini baccarat, craps, roulette, Caribbean  stud poker, let it ride and pai gow poker. They also have a poker room were you can try your hand at Texas Holdem in either regular games or in tournaments from time to time.

Restaurants

There are eleven restaurants that you can choose from while staying at Harrah’s or just passing through. These include:

• Café at Harrah’s
• Carnaval Court
• Flavors, The Buffet
• IcePan
• KGB: Kerry’s Gourmet Burgers
• Ming’s Table
• Oyster Bar at Harrah’s
• The Range Steakhouse
• Starbucks Coffee
• Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill

What We Liked

Harrah’s Hotel & Casino is very nice with a lot of great slot machines, a pool area, show facilities and conference facilities, however it does not have family style attractions as some of the other hotels do.

These are some of the items or areas that we liked about Harrah’s Hotel & Casino.

• Great slot machines
• Coffee shop
• The Comps are very good at Harrah’s using their Total Rewards slot card
• Central location
• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling
• Buffet
• Pool area and spa free to hotel guests
• Hotel rates are very reasonable
• Covered garage parking
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

What We Did Not Like

• Salesmen selling timeshare units, just ignore them
• Pool is not spectacular
• Nice hotel, but does not have the glamor and glitz of some of the other strip hotels

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Harrah’s Total Rewards slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at many Las Vegas hotels,  as well as sister hotels in Atlantic city, Tunica, Biloxi, Laughlin and Reno. This particular card has lots of benefits with express comps, casino room rates, and many locations to use your comps.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at Harrah’s hotel & casino in a large parking garage behind the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions: 3475 Las Vegas Blvd South

From I-15 North/South

Take the Flamingo Road east exit. Turn left on Las Vegas Blvd. Harrah’s is located on the right, just past the Imperial Palace.

From I-95

From the 95 south, merge on to the I-15 south. Take the Flamingo Road east exit. Turn left on Las Vegas Blvd. Harrah’s is on the right, just past the Imperial Palace.

One of the best buffets in Las Vegas is at the Wynn Casino buffet. It ranks as one of the best because of the food, the service and the decor and of course it is part of the Wynn hotel which we happen to think is the number one hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

We had the fortunate circumstance to be treated to a free buffet the last time we were in Vegas by a friend of ours who had just won a large jackpot at the casino and we all love the buffet so that was our first choice.

Are Wynn Casino Buffets Really that Great?

Before we go on, when most people think of buffets, they think of long lines, of people crowding around the food which makes you wonder about the sanitary nature of everything.

The buffet managers at the Wynn have dealt with this issue very nicely simply by spreading everything out with island of food from various countries. If you would like Indian food, you go to one area, Italian another, Mexican to another and so on. It is very nicely presented and the variety of food available is simply outstanding.

Hours:

• Mon-Fri 8 am – 10:30 am
• Mon-Fri 11 am – 3:30 pm
• Mon-Thu, Sun 3:30 pm – 10 pm
• Fri-Sat 3:30 pm – 10:30 pm
• Sat-Sun 8 am – 3:30 pm

Attire:Casual

Accepts Credit Cards:Yes

Parking:Garage, Valet

Price Range:$$$ approximately $35 per person but well worth it

Good for Groups:Yes

Good for Kids:Yes

Takes Reservations:No

Waiter Service:Yes

Wi-Fi:No

Good For:Lunch, Dinner

Alcohol:Full Bar

Ambiance:Classy, Casual

Wheelchair Accessible:Yes

This is an outstanding restaurant and the waiters were excellent at clearing the tables, bringing drinks and ensuring that we had everything we needed. All we had to do is to decide what exotic food we wanted to try or desert. This is a warning for all visitors to this buffet – Save some room for desert, they are excellent.

The fashion view Mall in Las Vegas is one of the malls that everyone should visit sometime, while in Las Vegas. The mall is located on one of the best corners on the strip. The WYNN Casino, the Encore, the Palazzo, the Venetian, Treasure Island now called TI and the Mirage are withing easy walking distance. There are overhead walkways that will take you across the busy street so no concerns about getting there. In fact it is easier to walk than it is to take a cab. This central location makes it an excellent place to shop, to get away from the conferences to pick up a gift or just hang out for awhile. The address is Fashion Show – 3200 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109-2692 and the phone number is (702) 784-7000 .

The Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas is one of the nation’s largest shopping centers and it is Las Vegas’ premier retail destination. The distinctive saucer can be seen for miles around.

There is something for everyone from clothing to furniture to electronics. Apple has a retail outlet in this mall which is always busy.

The Fashion Show Mall offers six flagship department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Nevada’s only Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale’s Home along with over 250 extraordinary shops and restaurants. There is also a food court and several coffee shops throughout the mall were you can relax while shopping.

Click here to visit our latest version of the Las Vegas Hotels Web site

Saucer, Food Court and over 100 Stores

You cannot miss the fashion show mall Las Vegas with the huge flying saucer shape at the entrance suspended in the air for all to see. This new entrance with the space like futuristic design is enjoyed by everyone visiting. There’s a huge food court, and well over 100 stores to shop with many of them being designer labels. This fashion show mall Las Vegas is a pleasure to stroll through with its airy openness and easy access for both pedestrians as well as parking at the rear.

Starbucks

There are also two Starbucks stores, one on the strip under the saucer with an outdoor seating area and the other inside the mall. Both are the standard Starbucks with free Wifi access and they accept the Starbucks gift cards.

Visit the Fashion View Mall For Fun and Relaxation

Everyone should visit the fashion show mall Las Vegas at least once and take in some of the many stores and attractions located inside the mall. This is a great opportunity to purchase some unique gifts for friends and family back home for your return trip from Las Vegas. I like to visit the mall during every trip. While my main purpose is to go to the Apple Store, I also enjoy walking through the mall to see what new trendy stores have opened up.

Visit the fashion show mall Las Vegas while you’re in Las Vegas attending a conference or just need some time away from the casinos and all that is going on along the strip.

For lots more information about Las Vegas, click here.

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The Venetian Casino and Hotel is another one of the most beautiful and elegant hotels in Las Vegas. As you enter the Venetian Hotel & Casino from the strip at street level you cross one of the canals. Consequently ou can take a ride in one of the gondola’s plying the canals. There are indoor and outdoor canals both with gondola’s to ride. You enter the Venetian Hotel & Casino on the main floor from the strip. In addition vacationers can also take the moving walkway to the second floor. The moving walkway runs from the strip to the canal shops area. Most noteworthy this is also a must see with many beautiful shops and restaurants including the artificial ceiling

There are 19 restaurants in total in the hotel. The Venetian Hotel & Casino provides excellent service and is a full service hotel with all of the services that anyone could require. These include of course the casino, restaurants, fine dining, coffee shops, gorgeous pool, shops, large conference facilities, and ample parking. The Venetian Hotel & Casino also has several bars with entertainment. As a result the rooms are a bit more expensive, with every one of them offering a suite style accommodation.

A new tower and casino has been added recently to the Venetian complex. This new vacation resort is called the Palazzo and is situated immediately beside the Venetian Hotel. We have only toured the palazzo casino as well as stayed at this hotel. However it is much the same as the Venetian, i.e. Elegant! You will not be disappointed.

Venetian Casino and Hotel – Slot Machines

The Venetian features Megajackpots® machines. They range from $1.00 Megabucks® (with jackpots that have gone higher than $30 million) to Wheel of Fortune®. As a result there is  something here for everyone.

The Venetian proudly offers a luxurious high-stakes slot experience. Denominations range from $1.00 all the way up to $1000.00 games. In addition jackpots go as high as $1,000,000.00 with progressives slot machines.

They also have a wide variety of video poker games with denominations ranging from $0.25 up to $25.00.

Table Games

The Venetian offers a full range of table games in lavish and friendly surroundings. With over 139 casino games, there’s sure to be something for everyone. They also offer a high-limit salon. Which includes 20 table games including Baccarat in a gaming area. Hence casino table games include:

• Baccarat
• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette
• Pai Gow tiles
• Pai Gow poker
• Caribbean Stud™
• Big Six
• Three Card Poker™
• Spanish 21
• Casino War
• Texas hold’em Poker
• Let it Ride

Restaurants

In addition all of the restaurants are excellent and include the following:

• AquaKnox – Seafood
• B&B Ristorante – Italian
• Bouchon – French
• Canalette – Italian
• Delmonico Steakhouse – All American Steakhouse
• Pinot Brasserie – French Steakhouse
• Postrio Br & Grill – Contemporary American
• Tao – Asian Bistro
• Vaentino – Italian
• Zeffirino – Italian Seafood
• Canyon Ranch Cafe and Grill – Healthy Spa Cuisine
• Eniteca Otto Pizzeria – Italian
• Grand Lux Cafe – Global Cuisine
• Noodle Asia – Pan Asia
• Quick Elite
• Riva Poolside – American
• Taqueria Cafionita – Mexican
• The Grill at Veneation – Italian
• Tintoretto Bakery Italian bakery
• Trattoria Reggiano – Italian

Major Points of Interest

If you are just passing through the hotel, you will want to take a moment to see the following areas:

• Canal shops
• Gondola rides inside and outside in the canals
• Open and bright almost cheery casino
• Live entertainment beside the casino
• Great pool area

What We Liked

These are some of the items or areas that we liked about the Venetian Casino and Hotel.

• Free entertainment
• Canal shops
• Great Casino with good comps
• Suite style rooms
• Large Convention Space
• Elegance everywhere
• Free drinks while you are playing the slots or the tables
• Central location, close to several other excellent hotels and the Fashion Show Mall

What We Don’t Like

These are some of the items or areas that we did not like about the Venetian Casino and Hotel.

• Could not think of anything

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Venetian slot players card system called Grazie. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Venation and the Palazzo.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms and meals, email mailing list of promotions, access to entertainment are just a few of the promotions. In addition they provide a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Venetian hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. Also the parking garage is patrolled on a regular basis. In addition it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. The Venetian hotel is near Spring Mountain and Las Vegas Blvd. Hence it is across the street from Treasure Island the Mirage Hotels. Down the street you have the Palazzo, the Wynn and the Encore and the Fashion Show Mall.

The Palazzo  Hotel & Casino is another one of the most beautiful and elegant hotels in Las Vegas and a sister hotel to the  Venetian Hotel & Casino. You can enter from the strip at street level . There are indoor and outdoor canals both with gondola’s to ride. You enter the Palazzo Hotel & Casino on the main floor from the strip. Vacationers can also take the moving walkway to the second floor from the strip and enter the canal shops area. This is also a must see with many beautiful shops and restaurants including the artificial ceiling. There is a pedestrian walkway across Spring Mountain road to the Wynn hotel and Casino, with direct entry into the Palazzo hotel.

Palazzo Casino & Hotel – Restaurants

There are 15 restaurants in total in the hotel. The Palazzo Hotel & Casino provides excellent service and is a full service hotel with all of the services that anyone could require. These include of course the casino, restaurants, fine dining, coffee shops, gorgeous pool, shops, large conference facilities, and ample parking. The PalazzoHotel & Casino also has several bars with entertainment. The rooms are a bit more expensive, with everyone of them offering a suite style accommodation. This is a brand new hotel with the last few years. Everything is spectacular, with beautiful rooms, great views of the strip and the mountains.

We have toured the Polazzo casino as well as stayed at this hotel. However it is much the same as the Venetian, i.e. Elegant! You will not be disappointed.

Slot Machines

The Palazzo features Megajackpots® machines from $1.00 Megabucks® (with jackpots that have gone higher than $30 million) to Wheel of Fortune®. There’s something here for everyone.

The Palazzo proudly offers a luxurious high-stakes slot experience. For example with denominations ranging from $1.00 all the way up to $1000.00 games. And jackpots go as high as $1,000,000.00 with progressives slot machines.

They also have a wide variety of video poker games with denominations ranging from $0.25 up to $25.00.

Table Games

The Palazzo offers a full range of table games in lavish and friendly surroundings. With over 139 casino games, there’s sure to be something for everyone. They also offer a high-limit salon, which includes 20 table games including Baccarat in a gaming area. Casino table games include:

• Baccarat
• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette
• Pai Gow tiles
• Pai Gow poker
• Caribbean Stud™
• Big Six
• Three Card Poker™
• Spanish 21
• Casino War
• Texas hold em Poker
• Let it Ride

Restaurants

All of the restaurants are excellent and include the following:

• Carnevino – Steakhouse
• Cut – Steakhouse
• LAVO – Italian
• Moreles French Steakhouse and Bistro – French
• Table 10 – New American
• Sushisamba – Japanese, Peruvian & Brazilian
• Zine Noodles Dim Sum – Pan Asian
• Canyon Ranch Grill – Healthy Spa Cuisine
• Dal Toro Ristorante – Italian
• Dos Caminos – Mexican
• Expressamente Illy – Italian Cafe
• First Food & Bar – American
• Grand Lux – Global Cuisine
• Solaro – American
• Lagasse’s Stadium – American

Palazzo Casino Major Points of Interest

If you are just passing through the hotel, you will want to take a moment to see the following areas of the Palazzo Hotel & Casino.

• Shopping area joining the Venetian and Palazzo Hotels
• Canal shops
• Gondola rides inside and outside in the canals
• Open and bright almost cheery casino
• Live entertainment beside the casino
• Great pool area

What We Liked

These are some of the items or areas that we liked about the Palazzo Hotel & Casino.

• Free entertainment
• Canal shops
• Great Casino with good comps
• Suite style rooms
• Large Convention Space
• Elegance everywhere
• Free drinks while you are playing the slots or the tables
• Central location, close to several other excellent hotels and the Fashion Show Mall

What We Don’t Like

These are some of the items or areas that we did not like about the Palazzo Hotel & Casino.

• Could not think of anything

Palazzo Casino Slot Player Card

They are part of the Palazzo slot players card system called Grazie. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Venation as well as the Palazzo.

There are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. For example free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions. Also free or discounted meals, access to entertainment. As well as a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Palazzo hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. The Palazzo hotel is near Spring Mountain and Las Vegas Blvd across the street from Treasure Island the Mirage Hotels. Down the street you have the Venetian, the Wynn and the Encore and the Fashion Show Mall.

We recently stayed at the Wynn Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. After staying at a number of other hotels in Las Vegas as well other cities, this hotel is by far the best we have visited to date.  Steve Wynn has done a fabulous job of designing and building a work of art. He also runs a hotel the way it should be run. Everything is kept clean and sparkling. It is updated on a regular basis with new furniture in the rooms, electronic controls for the lighting and the curtains. Everything is state of the art.

For a full review of the Wynn Hotel and Casino, click here.

Wynn Casino Las Vegas Update

We used to think that the Bellagio, which was also built by Steve Wynn, was the best hotel in Las Vegas. Make no mistake, it is a beautiful hotel. One that we would love to stay at anytime. However if I have to rank the two, the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas is a step above the Bellagio.

Dining at the Wynn

We ate at the deli the first  night, not wanting to take too much time out from playing the slots. The service and the food was quite good. This is a deli after all and a fast food kind of place for a casino. I hesitate to use that term at the Wynn, since it does not compare at all with the traditional fast food kind of places that we think about. Cloth napkins,  regular utensils and meals served to you at your table. You order your meals at the counter. This is the style we are describing at the Wynn’s deli restaurant.

We also dined at the Wynn buffet. Now this buffet would probably be considered expensive by many people who go to buffets at $35 a person. However when you consider that you can choose from lobster, crab legs, and all of the other usual types of food, the price does seem to be more reasonable.  Very few buffets will include lobster ! Need less to say we thoroughly enjoyed the meal and also ate way too much!

Our Room

Our room at Wynn was located on the 23rd floor over looking the strip and the western mountains. You could not ask for a better view. We could see the pirate show at Treasure Island as well as the volcano eruption at the Mirage.

The room itself was simply elegant and we did not have an upgraded room. I can just imagine what a suite would be like. White Leather furniture, two flat screen TV’s, one for the bathroom, one for the main room, a desk to work at and a fantastic view. There was also an electronic console which allowed you to control the lights and the curtains as well as the temperature all from the comfort of your bed. The only thing missing is the ability to make a coffee for your self in your room.

Waterfalls

Outside at the front of the hotel along the strip is an actual mountain complete with large pine trees, several waterfalls and lakes. surrounding the lakes are several restaurants that on nice days in Vegas you can sit and enjoy your meal outdoors. Most days are spectacular in Las Vegas, although you do get a few when it is too cold or even rain, however these are very seldom.

The picture on the left is one of those waterfalls, however on the day I took this picture it was turned off for maintenance. There was a guy in the lake at the bottom taking out leaves and other debris that accumulates from time to time. Still even with no water it is a spectacular view in the middle of the desert!

We will stay at this hotel again and we can personally recommend it to anyone reading this post. Feel free to leave comments if you also have stayed at this hotel. Spam comments will be auto deleted.

This is a news alert for anyone planning to go to Vegas and stay at the Mirage Casino and Hotel in Jan and Feb of 2016. Pool Closed at the Mirage Casino. It is usually closed for major maintenance at this time of year. We suggest that you check with the front desk before making reservations during the winter months if you want to use the pool area.

Sometimes it is closed for maintenance. The water has been drained and it looks like the bottom and the sides of the pool are being redone. It can be very disappointing if you want to use the pool during this time.

Checking the Mirage web site did not show any indication that the pool will be closed. Nor any update as to what is planned for the pool. We are never sure if the pool is being repaired or if the MGM group will be making major changes to the pool area. For any that have been there, you will recall that it was always a great place to be with lots of sun all afternoon, waterfalls and bridges. A great place to spend the day working on your suntan.

Annual Maintenance

The Mirage hotel routinely uses Jan to perform regular maintenance on the pool. The weather is usually cooler and the pool is not heated so it is a good time to perform this maintenance, however, the least they could do is let people know that it is closed before they book their trips. It would be a big disappointment if you were planning to soak up some sun on warm January days. Right now you cannot even go out on the pool deck due to all of the workman and the noise.

For more information about the Mirage Hotel and Casino, click here.

We are staying at the Mirage hotel for two nights at the end of Jan comp’d by the hotel. We have not stayed here for a few years, preferring to stay at the Wynn or the Bellagio hotels. I guess it is a slow time for them and they wanted to get us back to spend a few dollars. For those of you who are not aware, using a slot card at a hotel will usually get you free meals and free nights. However, if you stop gambling at a hotel, sometimes they will invite you back, give you some free stuff, etc. to get you coming back to their casino. We used to stay here all the time and then stopped.

Well, we are fortunate to be able to take advantage of this offer this year as we are on our way to California.

Updates at the Mirage

The Mirage is very nice and has been updated in recent years to be more contemporary. We like bright airy places and the casino is now darker than it used to be. It still has the beautiful fish tank behind the reception desk. Also he tropical waterfall at the entrance to the casino and classy bars and restaurants.

Our room has also been updated with new furniture and designs. Gone are the boxy clothes drawers. They have been replaced by a sleek glass and wood wall that encompasses the flat-screen TV. There is a desk for those of us that feel the need to work while we are on vacation. Also for road warriors to keep up with the email back at the office.

Speaking of email, one of the things that the MGM group has started in Vegas and Atlantic City is a resort fee. They now charge from $15 to $35 per night for access to the internet, newspaper and the gym. There is no choice in this, even if you do not use these features. Apparently Harrahs also does this as well. Most of us cannot exist without the internet these days. However, there are also so many free sites around that we do not need to pay for the service.

As of this writing, we do not think that Wynn is levying this daily charge.

Comments are appreciated.

The Encore Hotel and Casino is located next door to the flagship Wynn Casino and Hotel. Both are located in prime locations at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Spring Mountain road. The Fashion Show Mall is across the street, TI Casino is on another corner and the Venation/ Palazzo is on the other corner. With so much in the immediate area, you will have a fun filled few days in Las Vegas at the Encore.

If you happen to golf, why not play golf at the Wynn Golf course behind the Wynn Hotel. Book your T off time early so that you will be assured of being able to play while you are in Las Vegas. The twin towers of the hotel complexes make an imposing site on the Las Vegas skyline and if you are fortunate enough to have a room on the 53rd floor as we did the view is totally spectacular!

One side of the hotel faces west with a view of the Las Vegas Strip and the mountains with the setting sun, while the over faces east so you can watch the sunrise over the mountains in the morning. The east facing side also provides a view of the Wynn golf course. Steve Wynn is one of the premiere designers in Las Vegas. He has had his hand in the Bellagio, the Mirage and Treasure Island. The Wynn and Encore hotels are equally spectacular with a forested mountain in front of the hotel and rushing mountain streams cascading off the mountain they provide a beautiful setting for many of the restaurants that surround the  small lake at the bottom. If you have an opportunity to dine in one of thees restaurants don’t hesitate. You are in for a treat!

Encore Casino Las Vegas – Slot Machines

There are over 800 slots of all types including real spinning slots, video real slots and video poker slots ranging from a penny all the way up to $5000! I cannot imagine playing a slot machine for $5000 for one pull of the handle or press of the button. Obviously the high rollers enjoy this kind of play from time to time. There are also progressive slot machines were you can win $10 million on a penny slot machine with the maximum bet wagered.

Table Games

The table games are located on the main floor of the casino and include Baccarat, Black Jack, Big6, Roulette, European Roulette, Let it Ride, Mini Baccarat, Pai Goa Poker, Three Card Poker, and Casino War. You can also wander over to the pool at the Encore or Wynn pools to play Blackjack around the pool.

Restaurants

There are a number of restaurants at the Encore, all of which are very excellent dining places catering to just about everyone’s tastes. The restaurants include Sinatra, Botero, Wazuzu, Society Cafe Encore, and Wynn Dining. We have eaten at Switch and found it to be a unique establishment with excellent food and the best steaks.

The unique thing about this restaurant is that the walls and the ceiling switch decor every 15 to 20 minutes. The walls may be sinking into the floor to be replaced by a new decor or elevating into the ceiling. Also the ceiling itself changes. One minute there is a large chandelier only to be replaced with several smaller ones with a totally different decor on the ceiling.

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling served in nice glasses
• Buffet, although expensive is very good
• Pool area and spa free to hotel guests in a tropical setting with a swim up blackjack table
• Hotel rates are very reasonable, especially if you have an Encore slot card
• Covered garage parking
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
• You really have to visit the Encore to appreciate it
• Walk way between the Encore and Wynn hotels

What We Did Not Like

• There are no real complaints about the Encore hotel & casino
• It is a 5 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Wynn slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Wynn as well as the Encore hotel and casino.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a win / loss  tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Encore hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

The Encore hotel is right next door to the Wynn Hotel and Casino.Across the street is the Fashion show mall. Access the parking garage as well as valet parking from Las Vegas boulevard. The address is 313 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Coming into Las Vegas take I15 and exit at Spring Mountain east and then turn left onto Las Vegas Blvd.

The Wynn Casino and Hotel is one of the newest hotel and casinos  on the strip and we think the Wynn Hotel & Casino is one of the most beautiful and elegant hotels in Las Vegas. Steve Wynn has definitely out done himself! As you enter the Wynn Casino and Hotel from the strip at street level you pass a waterfall and river in a mountain setting. They have recently added a new tower and a new casino to this complex.

It is called the Encore Hotel & Casino. Both locations are elegant, top-notch and one of the best places for anyone to stay at in Las Vegas . The Wynn hotel is located across the street from the Las Vegas Fashion Show Mall. The Wynn Hotel and Casino occupies one of the most important corners in Las Vegas, with Treasure Island on one corner and the Venetian on the other.

Wynn Casino and Hotel – Garden Setting

When you enter the Wynn Hotel & Casino you are immediately immersed in a garden setting with restaurants and the casino on either side. There is a small reception area and of course the elegant shops similar to the Bellagio. There is also a very high-end area for high rollers that we were unable to view

You enter the casino on the main floor from the strip. There are 20 restaurants in total in the Wynn Hotel & Casino. The Wynn Hotel & Casino provides excellent service and is a full service hotel with all of the services that anyone could require. These include of course the casino, restaurants, fine dining, coffee shops, gorgeous pool, shops, large conference facilities, and ample parking. Steve Wynn also retained the golf course from the old Desert Inn hotel that was replaced with the new Wynn Hotel & Casino. There is a very elegant looking pro-shop for golfers and a nice bar to relax in after your round of golf.

The Wynn Hotel & Casino also has several bars with entertainment. The buffet is excellent with many different types of food and very clean and well-organized. There are all types of excellent restaurants to enjoy good wine, seafood as well as excellent beef and deli restaurants.

This Wynn Hotel & Casino complex has been awarded a rating of 9.35 out of a maximum of 10, our highest rating for any of the hotels and casino’s in Las Vegas.

Major Points of Interest

If you are just passing through the Wynn Hotel & Casino, you will want to take a moment to see the following areas of the Wynn Hotel & Casino. Some are fun and the kids will enjoy them as well. Please note that children must be accompanied by adults if they are not staying in the hotel.

• Elegant shops
• Garden area’s
• Open and bright cheery casino
• On Site Golf course and pro-shop
• Great pool area

What We Liked

This is a must see hotel. There are so many areas that we cannot mention them all so here are just a couple of the outstanding areas.

• Free entertainment
• Shops
• Great Casino with good comps , use the Red Card. Free buffet with your first 250 points
• Fabulous pool
• Golf Course and pro-shop on the hotel site
• Elegance everywhere

Slot Machines

There are over 1900 slot machines with real spinning, video reel and video poker machines to choose from in denominations from one cent to $5000 per pull of the handle.

Table Games

The Wynn Las Vegas casino has all of the table games that you may be interested in including: Baccarat, Black Jack, Big 6, Caribbean Stud, Roulette, European Roulette, Let it Ride, Mini Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker and Casino War. You can even play Black Jack at the pool side!

Restaurants

There are many excellent restaurants at the Wynn Hotel. We have eaten at several of them and have been entertained as well as enjoying the food immensely! Choose from Alex, Wing Lei, SW Steakhouse, Bartolotta, Okada, The Country Club, Stratta, Tableau, La Cave, Lakeside Grille and several casual dining locations throughout the Casino and hotel.

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Wynn Red slot players card system.

There are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Wynn hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:The hotel and casino are located at 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV. It is quite easy to get to, just drive down the strip and you cannot miss the beautiful twin gold towers of the Encore and Wynn Hotels

Red Rock is a high-end, boutique-style property. From its flowing design and unique architecture to its flawless incorporation of state-of-the-art technology, this AAA Four Diamond Award-winning resort rivals many of the major resorts on the Strip, while also maintaining its local appeal. They have all the amenities of a Station Casino, but in a luxury setting.

LCD screens scattered throughout Red Rock display ads and restaurant menus, while modern light fixtures brighten the 87,000-square-foot casino floor. Tiled pathways surrounding the gaming areas provide a clear cut route to the many hot spots within this red-hot spot.

The design also reflects the natural beauty of the area, incorporating materials like marble, onyx, wood, red patent crocodile leather and red sandstone indigenous to Red Rock Canyon. There are more than 3.1 million Swarovski and Preciosa crystals (measuring 99 miles) throughout the resort.

The property features more than 800 guest rooms and suites, as well as seven penthouse-level suites. Even the standard guest room at Red Rock is anything but. Every room boasts breathtaking views through floor-to-ceiling windows, either of the Las Vegas Strip or of Red Rock Canyon. Luxury linens, two flat screen televisions, wireless internet access and an iPod docking station are among the conveniences available to guests, while the marble bathrooms include both a deep soaking tub and a separate shower.

Red Rock Casino – Slot Machines

There are over 3,000 slot and video poker machines in a 87,000-square-foot casino with 60 gaming tables offering blackjack, roulette, craps, , a 15-table poker room and 600-seat bingo room.

Table Games

There are 60 gaming tables offering blackjack, roulette, craps, , a 15-table poker room and 600-seat bingo room.

Restaurants

Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa has the following dining options:

• Grand Café,
• Feast Buffet,
• The Bagel Cafe,
• T-Bones Chophouse & Lounge,
• Terra Rossa Italian Restaurant,
• Hachi, LBS: A Burger Joint,
• Cabo Cantina,
• Turf Grill, Yard House,
• a food court and
• the seasonal Sandbar Poolside Café.

What We Liked

Since we have not visited this hotel, we cannot offer any comments about what we liked and disliked about the Red Rock Casino & Spa- Las Vegas. Based on their web site we do like the following:

• Over 3000 slots
• Great restaurants
• 3 acre pool
• No pets allowed
• In room internet access via wireless connection
• Parking garage and RV parking
• Shuttle service to strip, fashion show mall and the airport
• Close to I215 and Charleston exits

What We Did Not Like

Since we have not visited this hotel, we cannot offer any comments about what we liked and disliked about the Red Rock Casino & Spa- Las Vegas. Based on their web site we do like the following:

• Far from the strip

Red Rock Casino Slot Player Card

They have a  slot players card system as do many of the hotels and casinos. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at many Las Vegas hotels.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Red Rock Casino Parking

There is ample parking at the Red Rock Casino & Spa  in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is surface parking for RV’s however you should book ahead. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels.

Directions:The Red Rock Casino & Spa is located on West Charleston and I215, so it is quite easy to get to from the airport or just about anywhere in Las Vegas. However it is not close to the strip and visitors should be aware of this fact. The hotel offers a free shuttle service from the hotel to the strip, Fashion Show Mall and the airport. Check the schedules.

There are often great vacation deals in Las Vegas, however the summer time is one of the best times to snag inexpensive hotel rooms or even get comp’d for your rooms while staying in Las Vegas.  The convention traffic is down in the summer time while everyone is on vacation. Admittedly it is very hot in Vegas so a lot of people stay away and there are lots of other things to do besides going to Las Vegas.

However if you are looking for a little excitement, a bit of gambling, an excellent meal,  excellent entertainment, and great pool weather, then Las Vegas is the place to be. We have slot cards at all of the major hotels. We have talked about the value of slot cards in past posts, so if you have not read this post, it is time you do. They can be invaluable and save you a great deal of money. We often go to Vegas in the spring a few times a year, however our schedule just does not permit a visit during the summertime.

The major casinos must have us on a watch list, because starting about the end of June we receive offers at least once a week during the summer. The offers vary, however they usually include free rooms, maybe some free slot play, or free meals. Sometimes they will even throw in tickets to a show. These are good deals and if you can take advantage of these offers, you can have a pretty reasonable mini-vacation in Las Vegas!

Vacation Deals  – Best Time of the Week to Visit Las Vegas

The best deals of course are during the week , from Sunday through Thursday, although sometimes you can also even get inexpensive deals on the weekend as well. Las Vegas is a very opportunistic place. When there are lots of people in town, the hotels charge top rate for their rooms. When occupancy rates are down, the next best thing is to fill the rooms even if they must do so by providing the rooms on a complimentary basis. They want you in their hotel, enjoying the casino and eating at the restaurants.  This is the basis of all the vacation deals.

Summer time, the few weeks just before Christmas and any time a hotel is not hosting a conference are good times to check and see what vacation deals are available. Even if you are a slot club member and have not received an email or flier in the mail, always call the hotel and ask to speak to the slot host. Depending on how busy the hotel is, your slot play and their general desire to fill the hotel, they may offer you a great deal. Always give them a call before you confirm your reservation through an agent or over the internet. Also check with a number of the hotels. One may be quite busy while another may be in bit of a drought.

Summer Time is Pool Weather

If you go in the summer time, it will be very hot. A great time to be at the pool and a great time to enjoy the air condition environment of the casinos. Always make sure you have a lots of water with you and never allow yourself to become de-hydrated.  It is very easy to do in the hot dry desert air of Las Vegas.

During the first two weeks of January, there are lots of large conferences taking place in Vegas. Hotels will charge as much as $599 for a room during those conferences and the next week they may be down to $79 because the number of visitors are down. Choose your time to visit wisely and pay as little as possible.

We would love to hear about the great vacation deals in Las Vegas. Please leave comments on our blog. Note that spam comments will be deleted.

We cannot say enough positive things about the Wynn Resort Hotel and Casino. Every aspect has been well thought out with the customer in mind and everything smacks of elegance and quality. From the tree lined indoor walkways to the elegant casino, the hotel, the golf course and the exotic pool. Everything about this resort is wonderful and enjoyable.  Some may find it a bit expensive, but then you cannot get something for nothing as the saying goes.

The picture on the left was taken from across the street at the Fashion Show Mall. The hotel is over 60 stories high and provides a stunning vista from the upper floors.

We have stayed at the Wynn hotel once and also at the sister hotel, Encore and found both to be excellent. However this review is about the Wynn hotel and we will stick with it for this post. We were on the 55th floor over looking the strip with floor to ceiling windows and a view to kill for. The room was large and very well designed as well as having all of the toys you need. Several flat screen TV’s, one even in the bathroom to enjoy while preparing for a night out on the town.

Guests will be interested to know that in addition to not having a 13th floor, which most hotels do not have, the Wynn has not provided floors from 40 to 49 apparently  to give the sensation of being much higher than it is.

Wynn Resort Hotel & Casino – Slot Machines

There are over 1900 slots at the Wynn Casino with machines that you can play for one penny all the way up to $5000. There are all of the usual popular slot machines at the Wynn and with one of the largest casinos in Las Vegas,  we are sure there is something for everyone.

Table Games

There are also many table games for everyone’s enjoyment. Blackjack, poker roulette and many more are available.

When you are gambling whether it is the tables or the slots, make sure you use a slot card in the slot machines or get to know the pit boss so that you receive the comp’s that you deserve. Whether it is a free room or a free buffet or a romantic dinner, these all can be possible comp’s.

Restaurants

Alex- – with a 5 star award from Forbes, AAA five Diamond, and more this is an excellent high class restaurant.

Wing Lei – A decadent twist to an early French influenced Shanghai flavor, this is an unique restaurant sumptuous Chinese Cuisine

SW Steakhouse – from charred prime rib age steaks to chops , poultry and seafood you will not be disappointed with this AAA four diamond rated restaurant.

Daniel Boulud Brassiere – provides the quintessential French brassiere

Bartolotta – an Italian restaurant with fresh seafood and homemade pasta as well as classic Italian specialties

Okada – Japanese dining at is it’s best with authentic teppanyaki and robata Japanese creations.  AAA four diamond award in 2008 and 2009

The Country Club a new American Steakhouse in a clubby and inviting setting with gorgeous views of the fairways and the 18th hole waterfall.

Stratta – comes with an open fire hearth convivial bar and lounge scene is a popular spot for casual and stylish dining.

Tableau – Dine in a bright and airy atrium surrounded by beautiful pools and garden views. Breakfast  and lunch served daily.

The Buffet – one of the best in Las Vegas, with live action cooking stations provide a truly gourmet experience in a buffet setting.

Red 8 – Casual bistrol serving Southeast Asian cuisine, Cantonese noodle dishes and dim sum to Hong King style barbecue.

Terrace Pointe Cafe – offers coast to coast American Favorites

Zoozacrakers – a New York style deli

Cabanna Bar & Casino – enjoy a quick bite or a cool drink

The Cafe at the Drugstore, the Pizza Place and the Lobby Bar at Encore are 3 more that you can enjoy while staying at the Wynn

What We Liked

• Elegance in every sense of the word at restaurants, the hotel, the casino and the bars. This is an excellent hotel to stay at.
• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling
• Buffet
• Pool area and spa free to hotel guests on the main level  and is absolutely beautiful
• Hotel rates are very reasonable
• Covered garage parking
• Easy access from all highways and Route I15
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

What We Did Not Like

There are no real complaints about the Wynn Resort hotel & casino

It is a 5 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Wynn Casino Red Card slot players card system. Slot members can also take advantage of benefits at Encore another  Las Vegas hotels situated beside the Wynn.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. For example free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals. Also access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Wynn Resort hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, Nevada

Wynn is situated on one corner across the street from the Fashion Show Mall, the Palazzo and Treasure Island Casino. There above the street walkways for visitors to get to any of these properties from the Wynn Casino.

A sister hotel of the Venation Resort Hotel and Casino the Palazzo resort hotel and casino is another one of the elegant hotels that occupy the area around the Venation and the Wynn hotels. If you are looking for a place to stay in the center of the action in very nice surroundings you cannot go wrong with the Palazzo.

You just have to look at the picture on the left to see what a great place this is and how much attention to detail they put into decorating the shopping concourse that runs between the Palazzo and the Venation hotels. The developers of this hotel have really sparred no expense and routinely change the decor to fit the time of year. You really need to take time out to visit the mall even if you are not shopping.

Palazzo Resort Casino – Themes

As the second picture on the left shows, they take the time to recognize the beliefs of their guests with  a giant tiger representing the “Year of the Tiger”.

This tiger is as big as it looks, towering over the strollers in the mall and making an impression on every one. A great place to have your picture taken.

The casino and the hotel are equally splendid. We enjoyed our stay there and found it almost as good as the Wynn.

Slot Machines

There are over 1500 slot machines of all kinds from penny machines to multi-denomination slot machines up to $100 values. You can find pretty much all of the slot machines that are popular these days with many slot players.

Palazzo Resort Casino -Table Games

The same applies to the table games. The Palazzo offers all of the standard table games for their patrons including blackjack, roulette, and craps along with many others that are becoming popular with the international set.

Restaurants

Fine Dining

• Carnevino –  Steakhouse
• CUT-  Steakhouse
• LAVO – Italian
• Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro – French Steakhouse
• Table 10  – New American
• SUSHISAMBA – Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian
• Woo – Pan-Asian
• Zine Noodles – Dim Sum Pan-Asian

Casual Dining

• Canyon Ranch –  Grill Healthy Spa
• Dal Toro Ristorante – Italian
• Dos Caminos – Mexican
• Espressamente Illy –  Italian Café
• First Food & Bar – American
• Grand Lux Global Cusine – The Cheesecake Factory
• Solaro American  – Wolfgang Puck
• Lagasse’s Stadium – American

Palazzo Resort Casino- What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling
• Buffet
• Pool area and spa free to hotel guests on the 3rd level
• Hotel rates are very reasonable
• Covered garage parking
• Easy access from all highways including Route I15
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
• Proximity to the Fashion Show Mall, Wynn and Treasure Island, now called TI

What We Did Not Like

There are no real complaints about the Palazzo resort hotel and casino

It is a 5 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Grazie slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at two Las Vegas hotels, including the Venation and the Palazzo.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Palazzo resort hotel and casino in a large parking garage under the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino
3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Treasure Island Hotel and Casino or TI as it is now branded is a very nice hotel sitting beside the Mirage Hotel and across the street from the Venetian hotel and Casino. Next door further down the street you have the new and upgraded Fashion Show mall that is also a treat to visit with its modern and futuristic design. Also across and down the street are the Palazzo and the Wynn hotels. This hotel is in the middle of the action and a great place to stay. You can easily walk to all of these venues from TI.

The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino TI has been recently upgraded and we have stayed there several times. We find it to be very up to date, modern, clean and enjoyable. You get great value for your dollar when you stay at this casino. The outdoor pirate  show is great , free and many people enjoy seeing it. This pirate show plays every day weather permitting and it is free to watch from the sidewalk. The entire area has been updated in recent years, with a new show, restaurants and bars.

There are also restaurants and bars that you can sit in and have a drink or dinner while watching the show. The Treasure Island Casino TI and hotel also has the standard shops and games that every casino offers. One thing we liked is that the coffee shop offers wireless access so you can sit and have a coffee while checking your email.  This is one of the must hotels to see while in Las Vegas, so take a few minutes and wonder around inside to see the casino and all it has to offer. If the weather permits, watching the free pirate show is the very least you should take in during the day.

Treasure Island TI – Monorail

The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino and the Mirage hotels are connected by a short Monorail system for people who do not want to walk between the hotels. The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino is elegant with many machines and tables to take advantage of.

You can also use your MGM Mirage slot card at the Treasure Island Casino to gain comp’s towards free rooms and meals as well as shows.

Treasure Island TI – Restaurants

Upscale Restaurants

• Khotan
• Phil’s Italian Steakhouse
• Isle Mexican Kitchen

Casual Dining

• Kahunaville
• Canter’s Deli
• The Buffet
• The Coffee shop
• Pho- Vietanmese

Other Eateries

• TI Desserts

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling
• Free entertainment at the bar located in the casino
• Buffet
• Hotel rates are very reasonable
• Pool area off the lobby is very nice, although not as nice as some other hotels.
• Covered garage parking
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

Located in the middle of the action close to the Mirage, the Mall,  and across the street from Wynn, the Palazzo, the Venetian and Harrahs hotels and casinos.

What We Did Not Like

There was one complaint about the Treasure Island casino & hotel

Normally as long as you are gambling, all drinks are free. Apparently they apply these same rules to coffee at the bar in the morning. The bar tender made a big deal about the fact that we both had to be playing in order to receive a free coffee. Well we won $800 at the bar that morning and the bar tender did not get a tip!!!

It is a 5 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

Slot Player Card

The Treasure Island casino is part of the MGM Mirage slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at many Las Vegas hotels,  as well as sister hotels in Tunica, Biloxi, Laughlin and Reno.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Treasure Island hotel & casino in a large parking garage behind the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. It is a bit of a walk, although indoors for the most part, visitors must walk in the garage to the elevator, exit the elevator on the bridge level which takes you to the indoor bridge which takes you into the hotel. Next go down the escalator and follow the signs to check in. If you are concerned about the distance to walk, take advantage of the valet parking. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

Treasure Island Casino and hotel is located on the south west corner of Spring Mountain road and Las Vegas Boulevard ( the Strip). Pedestrian bridges take you across the street to the Venetian and also to the Fashion Show mall. Look for W Spring Mountain road exit off of Route 15 that runs north and south through Las Vegas.

The Mirage Hotel & Casino is one of the most beautiful and elegant hotels in Las Vegas. We have stayed at the Mirage many times and can attest to this being one of the best hotels. We have found that it has declined a small amount since MGM took over the hotel from Steve Wynn. It is still one of the greats, however being longer term patrons we notice the difference. This post is our Mirage Hotel Casino Review.

As you enter the Mirage Hotel Casino property from the strip you are greeted by a beautiful lush tropical waterfall and volcano.  The volcano erupts during the evening, once it gets dark and entertains strollers along the strip. Occasionally the volcano will be out of service due to weather or maintenance.  If you are standing across the street,( 4 lanes plus a boulevard) you can actually feel the heat from the flame erupting out of the top of this man made volcano and running down the sides.

Mirage Hotel Casino Review

The senses continue to be stimulated as you enter the hotel with a huge aquarium behind the front desk and lush tropical gardens. The hotel provides excellent service and is a full service hotel with all of the services that anyone could require. This hotel is at least a 4 star if not a 5 star hotel.  These include of course the casino, restaurants, fine dining, coffee shops, gorgeous pool, shops, conference facilities, and ample parking. With the exception of the casino, which is all carpet, the hotel is marble throughout.

The Mirage hotel and casino has recently updated the casino and other parts of the hotel. In 2009 when we were there they had completed remodeling  Kokomos from a tropical environment to a more contemporary design, however the menu is the same with great food.

The bars, the high roller area and the entrance to the theater had also been changed. All of these changes are meant to attract a more hip crowd to the Mirage hotel . The rooms have also been updated, cleaned up with new furniture and flat screen TV’s.

If you have not visited Las Vegas in some time, you should  note that the former white tiger area is no longer available and has been replaced with a brand new restaurant. Siegfreed and Roy used to entertain at the Mirage and their white tigers were always the center of attraction.

It looks great, however we have not dined in this restaurant. The Mirage is beside Treasure Island and Caesars. Harrahs and the Venetian are directly across the street making this location a prime place to stay in the middle of all of the action. These four hotels alone comprise over 15,000 rooms between them. We follow with more details about our Mirage Hotel Casino Review.

Major Points of Interest

If you are just passing through the hotel, you will want to take a moment to see the following areas of the Mirage Hotel & Casino. Some are fun and the kids will enjoy them as well.

• Aquarium behind the front desk
• Lush tropical gardens
• Tropical pool and water falls
• Dolphin Habitat – small charge, but worth it
• Volcano erupts at night and is a must see item on your list
• Any of the restaurants from the coffee shop to the high end restaurants. You will not be disappointed by the quality of the food or the service.

What We Liked

These are some of the items or areas that we liked about the Mirage Hotel & Casino.

• California Pizza Kitchen is in the casino and you can also keep an eye on the sports deck or just watch folks play the slots or poker while dining. Excellent food.
• Kokomos restaurant is our favorite at the Mirage and although there are other equally great restaurants, we have always enjoyed excellent steaks and seafood at Kokomos
• The pool, with the waterfalls , lush palm trees and tropical gardens has to be seen. You can dine for breakfast or lunch outside by the pool or in the poolside restaurant. You also have to have a room key to enter the pool area that is registered with the hotel.
• Tropical Gardens are everywhere and if you enjoy botanical gardens, the Mirage maintains all of these at their best.
• Very Clean everywhere in the Hotel & Casino
• Always great service
• Coffee Shop
• Friendly service
• Security – at first it is a little annoying, however everyone must show their room key before entering the elevator banks. Anyone who is determined could get past, but at least it stops people from just wandering around.

What We Don’t Like

These are some of the items or areas that we did not like about the Mirage Hotel & Casino.

• The hotel elevators are accessed by walking through the casino. Sometimes you just want to go to your room without walking through crowds of people in the casino. Many casinos have employed this technique to wring a few more dollars out of customers.
• Pool restaurant should open at 9 am instead of 10am
• Pool music can be too loud at times.

Parking

There is lots of parking at the Mirage with a large parking garage as well as valle parking. Pull up to the front doors and drop off your keys and your luggage and everything is taken care of for you. Patrons can also park in the parking garage and roll their bags to the front desk. It is a bit of a walk, but you should get used to it since you will be walking a great deal in Vegas. There are lots of bell hops around once you enter the hotel from the garage who can help you with your bags. They will take them to your room once you check in and also pick them up for you when you check out should you need that service.