Trip Report 1/15-1/20~In Detail

Hello everyone.....This will be a lengthy and detailed review as I have very much appreciated the same from the other posts........

My DH and I flew from Tampa to Vegas on 1/15 on USair/America West. For those not familiar, these 2 airlines are merging. Which is not a good thing, in my opinion. We usually fly America West to Vegas but this merger seems to be a nightmare. For starters I booked online and booked seats also. Upon check in my DH was in front of the plane and I was in the back?! I advised check in that I booked seats online (26a %26amp;b) and had a copy of the confirmation.......which I showed her. She advised me that the website is not updated and USair planes have fewer seats than America West. She did not apologize and kept an attitude like I should have been aware of this. After boarding, the gentlemen next to me was nice enough to switch seats. (I bought him a drink later on during the flight) This plane was the most stuffiest plane we%26#39;d ever flown on. It was HOT. PS no bottled water on this flight. They give you the 6oz cup.......which everyone had to continue to ask for refills. Flight attendants never asked if we needed anything or another drink etc. (Keep in mind we are frequent flyers of JetBlue and Southwest, so I guess we%26#39;ve been spoiled.) I felt a cold coming on a 1/2 hour into this flight. Apparently, others felt the same also. I asked the flight attendant if they could perhaps make it cooler. He said, ';why are you hot?'; It was the same on the return flight also. Also, on the return flight we were on the USair line to check in our bags.............about 25 mins. When we were next, she pulled up my name and stated we should be on the America West line. I asked if she could walk us over to be next on that line, considering we just waiting on this line. She said no. Again, NO apology. (Keep in mind when we left Tampa, we checked in on USair.....so I guess within 5 days of our trip, this procedure changed.)

Rented a car through Enterprise.....I had checked them all (Avis, Budget, Dollar, Alamo etc) Enterprise was the cheapest and we got a free upgrade to a minivan which was nice because we had met friends there and they had a lot of luggage.

Hotels:

Day 1 and 2 we stayed at the Luxor. I booked this trip online 2 months prior and requested a high floor. Also, when we drove up to the valet, I asked him if the hotel was crowded........He said not at all, but it was the wk prior. Upon check in with a Chinese women who didn%26#39;t look to happy, advised me that our room would be on the 3rd floor. I said to please check again. She did her thing on the computer and said there were no rooms higher than that. I said please check again. (Keep in mind, I spoke to reservations twice that day prior to check in, before my flight and they said even though it%26#39;s first come first serve etc.......that I shouldn%26#39;t have a problem getting a high floor because it wasn%26#39;t that busy......................Which the valet confirmed again at check in.) She said there weren%26#39;t any rooms higher than that. Now I don%26#39;t know if she was waiting for a tip but she was rude to begin with etc.........so I wasn%26#39;t going that route. Also, we overheard the couple next to us get the 22nd floor. So I knew this was doable. She stayed adamant that that%26#39;s all she had. I said please go get your manager. She was gone for almost 10 minutes. Came back and voila a room on the 23rd floor magically appeared. Also, I didn%26#39;t care where the room faced. We only wanted to be high up because the higher up you are the closer you are to the inclinators. We ended up with a view of Excalibur and part of the strip. Also, we only paid $69 a night. Originally, when I booked this hotel the rooms were $109 and $99 for the 2nd night. I continued to check daily and within 2 weeks prior to leaving the rates dropped 3x. I called each time to advise them of this and they politely changed my rate each time. Also, they were running a promotion 2 for 1 on Fantasy, Pharoah%26#39;s Feast and $30 food credit. Even though I had them note the reservation of this..........I still had to ask for it at check in. They played dumb, despite this being on the Luxor website.

The room was a very nice size. Had a vanity area and table with 2 chairs. Bathroom was large.......no tub, but ';tub size shower';........From the reviews, I had assumed it was just a stall size shower. But it was a nice size shower. The only minor complaint I have about the shower is there is no place to put shampoo etc. There aren%26#39;t any shelves. There is only a small soap dish. I was a little surprised they didn%26#39;t put in a recessed area in the shower walls etc...........The bathroom itself was a beautiful earth toned tile.....plenty of counter space....(GREAT water pressure).....Bedding was 3rd rate. Flimsy styrofoamish blanket with bedspread. (Again, minor complaint considering we only paid $69.) A/C worked to perfection. And I had called housekeeping to request more towels and 2 more blankets. I rcvd them within 5 minutes. (I don%26#39;t like to step out of a shower onto cold tile and we shower in the AM and PM because personally, I can%26#39;t go to sleep smelling like a chimney)

Overall this is a hotel to be seen. The architecture is quite amazing. But I probably wouldn%26#39;t pay over a $100 for this room. Most definitely would NOT pay the $220 for the same room advertised for the following week. But it is an experience to stay in a pyramid room at least once.

While here we saw Carrot Top. I also booked this prior to our trip and rcvd 2nd row center. But it is a small venue and every seat is a good seat. We triple loved his show! Almost peed in my pants......Non stop laughing! While waiting to be let into the theater we did the %26#39;Magic Carpet'; another MUST have. Awesome souvenir..........very cute........I will not say anymore because you have to see it and I don%26#39;t want to ruin it for others. (Also, the $49.95 price is negotiable) And while waiting for our souvenir.........Carrot Top was outside the theater.......(You%26#39;d think he%26#39;d go in a back door etc.......but I was told by security that he%26#39;s not a ';hoyty toyty'; celebrity.) There were only a handful of people outside the entrance when he arrived and he talked to all of us...............I said ';Hey you'; in which he replied ';Hey YOU!'; He gave me his autograph and asked where we were from........made small talk..........an absolute class act. Would see him again and again. His comedy is a unique style of clever props........Surprisingly he%26#39;s also current with the latest news. Bottom line, puts on a great show.

2nd day had the breakfast buffet at Paris. OMG, the reviews were right on about this buffet. FAB-U-LOUS!!!!!!!!!!!! Many, many stations........check them all out before you sit down........I almost missed the freshly prepared crepes..........got excited when I saw the eggs benedict. DH had an omelette and waffles (freshly prepared before you)...........also the turkey, ham, bacon, sweet potato sausages (all in one) are delish! I was able to squeeze in an apple crepe with fresh cream and cinnamon sugar...........so good!

Spent time at Bellagio and Caesars...........DH won in a poker tourny at Bellagio.......I won at Roulette and $240 on penny video poker. Sweet. That night headed downtown. Saw Fremont Experience, Binions and Stratosphere........All must sees........Went to the top of Strat..........beautiful view! Our friends went on the 2 rides on top of Strat. One your in a car that drops off on the side of the tower.........the other is on the tower and goes up and drops etc. Both I would never do........lol But friends said they were both ';intense.'; For ride lovers.......both are a must. Also, at Fremont Experence we had to try the deep fried oreos and twinkies.............!!!!! I like the twinkies better..........but again, both are a must at least once.......lol $1.07 each with tax. (They give you 3 oreos though) After that we went to the Golden Nugget........shopped a bit back at Fremont then headed over for a late night snack. ';Luv it Custard'; on Oakey......a block away from Strat. A MUST!!!!!!!!! All homemade, family owned for over 34 years..........Very creamy..........the best we%26#39;ve ever had.......

The next day we drove out to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Took many pictures but didn%26#39;t take the tour. It is amazing to see this.......more amazing is the fact that it was built in the 30%26#39;s. It is only about a 1/2 hr away from the strip......so between gambling, shopping and eating..........it was a beautiful way to spend a couple of hours. That afternoon we went to Palace Station. (My aunt works there)..............had the $5.95 lunch buffet. To all, pass on this. Everything was bland. Chicken corden Bleu was the frozen kind. We ate there because my aunt didn%26#39;t have time to go anywhere else...........but never again. You get what you pay for here.

The next 3 nights we stayed at the Holiday Inn on Polaris. 5 minutes from the strip. This was a free stay as we moved our AMEX points to Holiday Inn%26#39;s Priority Club points. We were in an executive suite. This hotel is an oasis off the strip. No valet needed. Parking is right outside the doors..........We stayed in room 322, directly across from the elevators and didn%26#39;t hear a thing. Also, it was nice to get a break from smokey casinos. The room? Microwave, mini fridge, coffee pot. Bathroom was nice with tub and extended shower curtain and the ';rain drop showerhead.'; Beds were sooooooooooo comfy!! Pillow top mattress with duvet and either 4 oversized firm or soft pillows......Also, free continental breakfast and newspaper. Another bonus? Laundry facilities on 2nd floor.......only a buck. 2 washers and 2 dryers. Considering we changed twice daily this was a nice little plus to not have to pack ashtray smelling clothes back in the suitcase. Even in a plastic bag.........they reek. How did I have the time to do laundry? 3am Las Vegas high..........lol I don%26#39;t think we slept 8 hours the course of the trip..........which was fine..............Other little bonus%26#39;..........free internet access.....(pc downstairs in the lobby and free shuttle to Mandalay bay twice an hour.) Even though we rented a car, we did take the shuttle once to see this hotel...........(And to drink :) We will definitely stay here again and pay the normal rate........so worth it. For those who have been there and done that on the strip this is the hotel to stay in.

Had the Mandalay Bay dinner buffet. Beautiful atmosphere but foodwise on a 1-10 I%26#39;d give it a 7. For the simple reason that it specializes in crab legs and shrimp. (I am not a fish person but my DH loved it.) I will say the pasta station was excellent. Had the fettucini with chicken and mushrooms. And tried the chicken marsala which was just ok. Salad bar was good. This buffet is a must for crab leg and shrimp lovers.

Didn%26#39;t gamble here because we ';weren%26#39;t feeling it.'; We passed on the dessert also because we wanted Gelato........We%26#39;ve had it before..........very, very good......It%26#39;s located in the walkway between Mandalay and Luxor. We all had Gelato and split a cheese danish which was very fresh. Walked around did some shopping.........then took a cab to Palms. Nothing major here.........very small casino.........Poker room is a closet. Took another cab to NYNY..........I%26#39;ve been here before........Always a pleasure...........won over $300 at a Sic Bo table...........And friends went on the roller coaster.......which they loved........A little pricey......but it%26#39;s Vegas.........you pay for the novelty here.......no complaints from friends that rode it.

The next day we went to Excalibur........fun hotel.........gambled a bit..........I am not a slot player but saw 3 people hit over 2k. That night we shot over to the Wynn. There are no words to describe this hotel...........It is simply breathtaking. The dinner buffet? 1-10 a 15! A bit pricey at over $40 pp with tax........but no complaints whatsoever..........Kobe beef, shrimp, crab legs, sushi, pasta station, prime rib, turkey, chicken, roasted pork....every side dish I had was also good....they had potatoes made a zillion different ways, risotto, roasted asparagus etc...incredible salad bar with caesar salad also. Dessert was insane!!!!!!! Chocolate crepes made before you........all kinds of petit cakes, homemade icecream....(had the pineapple and coconut so good!) Also there rasberry ice tea is yummy.......(even better with a shot of malibu rum :) Without question definetly worth the $.

The next day, my DH entered a poker tourny at the Venetian and I spent 1/2 the day at the CanyonRanch Spa. Prior to this we took a ride on the Gondola............(we got married here 2 years ago) And the gondolier who sang to us was incredible.....His voice gave me goose bumps....and held a note so long that he rcvd a standing ovation from those dining around us. I%26#39;ve read posts of people complaining about the price.........Again, it%26#39;s a novelty thing.......A unique ride..........Something that you can%26#39;t really do anywhere else except Italy........My DH and I personally love it.

Now onto my time at the ';Visitor%26#39;s Choice'; spa.......the CanyonRanch. This spa is HUGE. I wasn%26#39;t given a tour but the receptionist did ';point'; me in the right direction. For the prices that they command here.........there should be a host showing you where everything is............I booked a facial @ $255 and a ';heavenly hands'; manicure $80............Before I begin........either get your manicures and pedicures done at home or go to a day spa off strip.......because for me personally.........this spa is overrated. I am a massage therapist myself........and there was nothing special about either treatment that warranted these prices. The 80 minute facial: Prior to checking my things in a locker I asked the receptionist if I should wash my face first........She said not at all......People come all the time last minute. ';The therapist will remove my makeup';...........Ok fine..........Apparently, I was the first client they ever had that wears Voluminous mascara......because the therapist couldn%26#39;t get my eye makeup off..........Nothing like paying $255 for a facial to come out looking like a raccoon........This spa has every amenity imaginable..........hairdryers, brushes, gels, mousse, mouthwash, razors, shaving cream, disposable toothbrush and toothpaste, lotions, deoderant, hairspray..........but no Ponds cream to be found.........I ended up borrowing a fellow clients over the counter eye makeup remover before leaving the spa............I will say the robes are very comfy........and they did have a nice lounge area with fruit juices, herbal teas, bottled water and fresh fruit.............I was also allowed access to the pool, spa and sauna which I declined.......I didn%26#39;t bring a change of clothes and wasn%26#39;t told this when I booked my treatments. In the brochure it states that those facilities are extra..............During the facial.......the therapist left for 10 minutes after she applied the mask...........In my opinion...........and not to mention that I get facials often being in the industry..................At NO TIME should the therapist leave the client...........especially when a treatment commands $255. Back at home when this is done........the therapist either rubs my feet, hands or gives me a light shoulder/neck massage...........The $80 ';heavenly manicure'; was anything but. There was only a 2 minute massage of my hands and arms prior to nailpolish. The rest of the time I sat with these cooking mittens on my hands while the nail tech went to complain to another tech about her hours. I was given the bottle of nail polish that was used and an emery board and nail brush............but I wasn%26#39;t given a small ';Canyon Ranch'; bag to put these items in...(I did ask, but not supplied)............And the robes that you are given do not have pockets...........So I walked away with wet nails holding these items.............tried ever so gently to put them in my locker then go sit in the lounge area till they dried..............but ended up smudging them anyway..............For those who have never experience a million dollar spa..........You may want to try it.....(maybe the massages are good).....but for those that have frequented spas of this caliber..............pass on it.

Met my DH afterwards........and he came in 3rd in the poker tourny...........so it more than made up for my cost at the spa. I also, put $5 on 28 on a roulette table and it hit!!!!!!!! So, I won%26#39;t complian too much about my raccoon facial..........lol :)

The next day we went to the Mirage.........beautiful hotel.......The Dolphin and Lion/Tiger exhibit wasn%26#39;t open when we went.........but looked beautiful. The Beatles Revolution is something to see.......especially if you are a male......At night 1/2 naked girls dance inside the ';O%26#39;s of the Revolution. Took a pic of my DH with one of the girls who was very nice. I tipped her $5....and other wives/gf%26#39;s in the area thought I was nuts..........Never understood the uptight females.........He didn%26#39;t sleep with her........he took a picture with her.............so what...........But then again, neither one of us are the jealous types.........so I can%26#39;t relate to those who are.

That night we ate at the Carnegie Deli at the Mirage.............Sandwiches are upwards of $20 each........but are HUUUUGE! I ordered the Reuben........it was delicious but only ate a quarter of it............My advice is to share a sandwich and pay the $3 sharing fee............There was at least 2 lbs of meat on the sandwich. DH had the brisket of beef........which he loved...........But the service was very slow and it wasn%26#39;t that busy. Ask for the check the same time you order your meal. We waited 15 mins until the manager saw up get up to ask another waitress for our check.

The last day we ate at the Grand Luxe Cafe at the Venetian........We have eaten at this franchise before in Florida..........always excellent, great variety, beautiful atmosphere........Then we went back to Mandalay Bay and I surprised my DH with a professional shave at ';The Art of Shaving';.........His first..........He loved it.......I watched outside the glass doors.....and it looks so relaxing I asked the gentlemen if he could shave my legs..........lol My husband was in awe...........He felt so relaxed.......Loved the hot and cold towels and pre shave massage oils............At $55 for a Royal Shave it was well worth it..........They also trimmed his goatee, neck and nose hairs............I am happy he went because now he understands why I treat myself to manicures and pedicures.............It%26#39;s nice to be pampered once in a while........

Our last place visited was M%26amp;M world......Another must........we have been here before.........love it........Bought a few gifts for our nieces and nephews...............along with a little bit of each of the 21colors of M%26amp;M%26#39;s mounted on the wall..............Fun place.

Overall........a fantastic time.........came back with more $ then we initially went with so that is always a plus.

We are going again end of Feb/beginning of March for business. (But will make time for pleasure :) And report back again on our stay at the Wynn.

Thanks again to all who take the time to write about their personal opinions and experiences. We greatly appreciate it!!

Trip Report 1/15-1/20~In Detail

Great report.

Too bad about the spa experience,but at least hubby%26#39;s pampering was up to par.

Congrats on coming back with plenty of cash.

John.

Trip Report 1/15-1/20~In Detail

Dawn- I loved your trip report!! Reading about all the yummy places you went to eat at made me hungry!! I am thinking about getting tickets to see Carrot top when we visit since everyone on here who goes to see him says the same thing you said about how funny he is. Glad to see you came out ahead in the gaming dept.!! Thats the cherry on top of the sundae when you take a vacation to LV!!

Shona ;-)

Forgot to mention...The ';Timeshare sellers'; @ Luxor and other places.........As soon as one of them asks ';Will you be in Vegas, tomorrow........just say no, don%26#39;t make eye contact and keep walking. They really aren%26#39;t that bad........doing a job that is all. If you do get a pushy sales person........just say not interested........keep walking...........Or you can just ignore them completely.

Also, we did visit South Pointe..........nice hotel...........but I don%26#39;t understand the people that raved about this buffet. It%26#39;s a step up from canned spaghetti and frozen food. Then again it was only $7.95 for lunch. The soups were ok. But the food was horrible. They had a Mexican station which consisted of what I think was ground beef. DH had the fried chicken which was like leather and mac and cheese? The boxed kind are better than what was offered here. No exaggeration. I didn%26#39;t have the mashed potatoes but a friend did and said they were bland. Dessert? I had the cheesecake........I put my fork in it and the entire piece came up. The frozen ice cream is frozen sugar water.

Also, my DH wanted other poker players to know that he enjoyed Caesars the most. You are not crunched in like a sardine. Nice layout.

Dawn that is one excellent TR to bad about the plane part i am not a big Useless Air fan,thank goodness for Jetblue.

Why thank you for the comments................Honestly, we would have flown JetBlue but there aren%26#39;t any direct flights to LV from Tampa. You have to stop in NY then fly over. (Which doesn%26#39;t make sense.) But we fly JetBlue often to NY as I am originally from Long Island.

I checked into Delta aka ';Don%26#39;t Expect Luggage To Arrive'; and Continental both were $200 more pp.

Awesome post! Thanks for the details.......you had me laughing regarding your raccoon facial.

And I totally agree with you on the South Pointe Hotels buffet. McDonalds is better than what they serve........and I am not crazy about McDonalds.

I%26#39;ve heard about Luv It Custard too.......gonna have to try it during my trip in March.

Thanks for taking the time out for a nice detailed review.

Glad you came back a winner!

Dawn, fantastic TR. Thanks so much!

I admire your persistence at getting the higher room. A lesser person would%26#39;ve given up on that! I also appreciate your Luxor and Carrot Top reviews. He does seem like the kind of guy who would be approachable before and after shows.

Awesome TR Dawn!!

I%26#39;ve seen Carrot Top at Foxwoods in CT. He is great. A true genious with props. 2nd to none. Love his show.

Thanks for filling us in on everything.

Nice review.

I%26#39;ve had those deep fried twinkies. So good. And the Wynn buffet is the best I%26#39;ve ever had. You forgot to mention the lamb chops. Out of this world.

Gelato is great at Venetian too.......Pistachio is my fav. I%26#39;m gonna have to check out the custard next time.

Dawn, Fantastic Trip Report! Truthfully when they start out with a lot of flight detail and the warning that%26#39;s it going to be long, I must admit that I skim over the %26#39;not so interesting%26#39; parts. Yours, I read every word. Actually got up to start dinner in the middle of it and rushed back to finish. GREAT detail, but to the point which makes reading enjoyable. You have given me some great ideas of places to eat on our next trip and also thinking about getting my husband the ';shave';. I don%26#39;t think my husband has ever even had a massage!

Sounds like you had a great time, seeing and visiting a lot of different places. Congrats on coming home not only with some money, but with a true profit!

Thanks again,

Love