Casino Reviews

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 to go to Las Vegas.

However if you are looking for a little excitement, a bit of gambling an excellent meal and 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!

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.

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 de-hydrated.  It is very easy to do in the hot dry desert air of Las Vegas.

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 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.

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 ths AAA four diamond rated restaurant.

Daniel Boulud Brassiere – provides the quintessential French brasserie

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 gourgous views of the fairways and the 18th hole waterfall.

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

Tableau – Dine ina 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 Souteast Asian cuisine, cantoneese 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. 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 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.

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.

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

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

The AVI resort casino and hotel is a rather nice place to visit as well as stay at. Although it is a bit far from the other Laughlin Casinos, it is definitely worth the 30 minute trip. The casino is lively , the restaurants offer good value at the right prices and there is always some form of entertainment at the AVI.

Patrons who book a room at the hotel will find then very reasonable both on the weekend and during the week. You can also enjoy the pool area, which is fabulous or actually swim or boat in the Colorado river. There is actually a nice sandy beach to take advantage of. Take in a movie at the movie theater or some of the live entertainment that is booked there on a regular basis.

RV owners can find lots of room to park their RV’s while enjoying the Casino , the restaurants or just takeing in a movie in the middle of the desert along the Colorado River. We had dinner at the buffet one night and found the food and the service to be excellent. We also had the 99 cent breakfast which is available to all slot card members and found that to be excellent as well. The restaurant also offers free coffee to any veteran that comes into the restaurant for breakfast, which we thought was a nice patriotic thing to do.

Slot Machines

There are over 1,100 slot machines of all types in the Avi Casino, with more than 530 penny and 2¢ slots, including over 80 penny GameKing multigame machines, plus we have all of your favorites in reel slots such as Double Diamonds, Red White & Blue, Five Time Pay and Blazing 7’s.

Video Poker is one of the most popular forms of machines, with all the most entertaining versions of poker available; Bonus Poker, Double Double, Triple Double, No Aces Pay the Faces, White Hot Aces, and hundred play machines that let you play one hundred hands at once.

Table Games

There are 27 table games at the Avi Casino,  including Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Let it Ride, Three Card Poker, Hold’Em Fold’Em and Pai Gow. Avi has some of the most liberal table odds offered in Laughlin, triple odds on craps and double down on first two original cards in Blackjack.

Restaurants

Feathers cafe, Moonshadow Grille, Restoriante  Avianos, Native harvest buffet, a fast food area and several bars including the poolside bar.

What We Liked

Variety of slot machines

Free drinks while gambling

Buffet

$.99 breakfast with your AVI slot card

Pool area and spa free to hotel guests on the Colorado River

Take your pick, swim in the cool waters of the Colorado or lounge by the adult pool or spend time with the kids at the pool dedicated to the children

Fabulous pool as well as swimming and boating on the Colorado River

Multiple pools with palm trees and lots of lounge chairs to relax on.

Drinks and food can be obtained at the poolside bar

Hotel rates are very reasonable

Covered garage parking and surface parking

Easy access from all highways

Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

Movie theater showing current movies

Fast food area for a quick meal

Huge RV parking area

What We Did Not Like

There are no real complaints about the AVI Resort hotel & casino.

It is a 3 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

As usual with Nevada casinos, the quality of the air can be pretty bad at times due to the heavy number of smokers that seem to enjoy this casino as well as other Nevada casinos.

Slot Player Card

They are part of the AVI Resort  casino slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits offered by the AVI Resort hotel & 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 tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the AVI Resort hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is also surface parking that we observed for cars and there is also a large RV parking area as well with full hookups. 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:

Kingman :

Take Hwy 68 South 35 miles to Hwy 95 South, BullHead City. Continue South approximately 11 miles to Aztec Rd. and turn right. Continue on Aztec Rd. 2.5 miles to the Avi.

Laughlin & Las Vegas:

Take Needles Hwy South 11 miles to Aha Macav Pkwy. Look for the AVI sign. Turn left and continue 3 miles to the AVI.

Needles :

Take I-40 to River Road Cutoff , which becomes Needles Hwy, North 14 miles to Aha Macav Pkwy. Look for the AVI sign. Turn right and continue 2 miles to the AVI.

The picture below is  of Harrah’s Casino & Hotel in Laughlin, Nevada. This casino is part of the chain that Harrahs has established across the country. In fact there are approximately 35 locations were you can gamble at a Harrahs Casino. Many casinos have hotels as well, so you can stay and gamble at a Harrahs nation wide and one location we are aware of in Windsor , Canada.

Harrah’s is located at the far south end of Casino Drive and you might not even see it if you decide to stop on Casino Drive without going all the way to the end. Many people walk along the street or along the river walk to the hotels. Unfortunately for Harrah’s Casino & Hotel most people will not walk since it is so far and you must walk up a fairly steep hill at the south end, so for many people it is better to take the car.

Rates are quite reasonable. When we stayed in April 2007, we paid as low as $28 a night for a decent room. The property appeared in need of a major over hall, however it provides everything that you need at reasonable rates. There are two pools overlooking the Colorado, one for adults and the other for children.Some customer reviews mentioned that the rooms are gradually being updated.

There are over 900 slot machines of all types, a variety of table games, poker games, keno and Race & Sports book betting. They also offer state wide progressive slot machines. Always bet the maximum if you want to win the progressive jackpots.

The hotel offers 1505 rooms and 170 suites, some rooms on non smoking floors as well. Based on some of the reviews about the rooms it appears that Harrahs Casino and Hotel has been updating many of the rooms. Although we have not seen them ourselves, writers have indicated that new flat screen TV’s have been added and the rooms have been updated as well. When you check in, ask for a remodeled room since all rooms may not yet be updated.

There are also three towers to stay in with some rooms offering river views while many rooms do not. Although you may pay more for the river view of the Colorado river, it may be worth it if you would like to enjoy the views of the river and the town of Bullhead across the river in Arizona.

Harrahs Casino and Hotel offers a number of activities aside from gambling that customers can consider. There are stay and golf packages, you can try the salon & day spa, there is the fitness center, shopping, entertainment night life, the beach or pool, and a variety of other local attractions.

Many people will come to Laughlin, Nevada for other reasons than just gambling. There is ample hiking near by, the river provides lots of boating and fishing and there are Indian ruins as well that folks will view.

Restaurants

Baja Blue restaurant serving Mexican food
The Range Steakhouse,
Cabo Cafe,
Fresh Market Square Buffet
and fast food chains such as Starbucks, Baskin Robbins, Cinnabon and MacDonalds

What We Liked

Variety of slot machines – over 900
Free drinks while gambling
Overlook on the Colorado River from the pool area
Access to the Water Taxi to all hotels, except the Ramada Express
Sandy beach along the Colorado River for hotel guests
Inexpensive hotel rooms
Choices of fast food such as Macdonald’s and Starbucks coffee
Lots of slot machines to play in two large rooms
Ample Parking
Buffet
Pool area and spa free to hotel guests on the 3rd level over looking the river
Hotel rates are very reasonable
Covered garage parking
Easy access from all highways
Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
Great stopover point on your way to Las Vegas

What We Did Not Like

We have a few complaints about Harrah’s Casino & Hotel

Unable to access the River Walk at all, from the Harrah’s Hotel and Casino
Far end of casino drive and up a rather long high hill to gain access
Pool areas are in the shade in the afternoon sun
Hotel is tired looking and needs an over hall
No Internet access , wireless or other wise
Business office really does not provide good service

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Harrah’s Casino 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, Atlantic City and Reno. There are other locations as well and this particular slot card membership is one of the best if you travel across the country a lot.

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 Harrah’s Casino & Hotel  in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is also some  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:

Located at 2900 S Casino Drive, in Laughlin , Nevada, access from kingman is from Route 68 in Arizona, and also from route 95 and 163 from Las Vegas.

We appreciate your comments and we will also be updating this post next time we are in Laughlin in the spring of 2010.

The Aquarius Casino & Hotel is located in the middle of the casino drive resort area along the Colorado river. With over 1300 slot machines, a variety of table games, live poker and state of the art race and sports book, this hotel and casino is a great place to enjoy your self in the old Las Vegas style.

This hotel used to be part of the Flamingo hotel chain with it’s sister hotel in Las Vegas. Several years ago it was purchased by another group and renamed the Aquarius Casino and Hotel. Next time we visit the Laughlin area we will update the pictures with the new name of the hotel prominently displayed. The hotel is gradually being upgraded  and improved. Without the volume of Las Vegas, the process is a bit slower, however we really enjoy the ambiance of the river and the ability to walk along the tranquil boardwalk along the river.

These pictures were taken from one of the many water taxi’s that ply the Colorado River between the hotels and also across the river to Arizona.

We arrived here in the middle of January on a beautiful sunny day with a day time temperature of 80 degrees! Fantastic. We walked along the boardwalk and enjoyed the sun and the warmth. Only approximately 5 hours from Flagstaff at 7000 feet elevation and 50 degrees cooler, this was pure heaven.

There are two 18 story hotel towers and this is the best hotel in Laughlin in our opinion. We will provide additional posts in the future covering the other hotels in the area. Wireless internet is available for $11.99 in the room while it is free in Starbucks as of April 2010.  There is surface parking as well ample parking in the parking garage located beside the hotel.

There is a tour that patrons can take along the Colorado river for 90 minutes with drink service provided. The captain will regal you with tales of various stories about the area. There are also themed cruises and wedding cruises as well.

Soak up the sun, and swim a few laps, while spending a sunny Southwestern afternoon around the Aquarius Casino Resort’s refreshing pool. Located atop the roof, the pool area is surrounded by the rustic Arizona desert and, being perched above the Colorado River, offers some breathtaking views. Cocktail service is available providing refreshing drinks and snacks to pool guests. There are also tennis courts to play on.

Staying in Laughlin is much less expensive than Las Vegas with hotel rates under $100 per night and usually much less for customers who qualify for casino rates with the Aquarius Casino slot card known as ACE. Always play with your slot card in place to qualify for comp’s, free meals and free rooms.

Restaurants

Vineyard – a fine dining restaurant with authentic Italian cuisine

Windows – buffet on the river overlooking the Colorado river includes free beer and wine during dinner buffet meals, excellent food and nice open dining area

Cafe Aquarius – dining around the clock for a quick bite to eat

H2OH – indoor / outdoor open air restaurant located int he heart of the river walk

Fast Food – Burger King, Subway, Panda Express, Dreyers Ice Cream

Outback Steakhouse – great steaks, prime rib, chicken and seafood

Starbucks Cafe shop – with free internet last time we were there

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

Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

Great stopover point on your way to Las Vegas only 70 miles away

Coffee shop offers free internet

They provide a fridge and coffee maker in the room

Located along the Colorado River

Access to the boardwalk along the Colorado river

What We Did Not Like

There are no real complaints about the Aquarius Casino & Hotel

It is a 3 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

We do not like the amount of smoke that seems to permeate just about everywhere. The hotel responds by using deodorizer which can be a problem for anyone with a breathing issue. The smoke odor is pretty strong.

Slot Player Card

They are part of the ACE slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Stratosphere hotel in Las Vegas and at Arizona Charlies in Decatur and Bolder.

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 at casino rate, 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 Aquarius Casino & Hotel in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is also ample  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:

Located at 1900 S Casino Drive, in Laughlin , Nevada, access kingman is from Route 68 in Arizona, and also from route 95 and 163 from Las Vegas.

We appreciate your comments and we will also be updating this post next time we are in Laughlin in the spring of 2010.

Treasure Island Hotel and Casino 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.

The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 wath folks play the slots or poker while dining. Excellent food.

Kokomos restaurant is our favorite at the Mirage and although there are othe 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.