Casino Reviews


Vernon Downs Casino Resort Hotel

November 7th, 2010 ernie Posted in Verona No Comments »

We visited the Vernon Downs Casino Resort Hotel one day for a few hours only. We would definitely go back if we were in the area. Unfortunately it is a bit out of the way as most racetrack style casinos are. They have done a good job of combining a racetrack with a casino and adding a hotel for guests who are staying over.  The Vernon Downs Casino also must compete with the nearby Turning Stone casino which is only a few miles away and much more elegant. Competition is a good thing and we think that the odds of winning might be slightly better at this casino as a result. Let us know what your thoughts are in this regard and any comments you might have regarding this property.

Vernon Downs Casino Resort HotelVernon Downs Casino Resort Hotel is 100% smoke-free with spacious guest rooms and suite accommodations. It is conveniently beside the casino with inside access to the adjoining 750-game casino, with live entertainment delicious fare, and only a short walk away to enjoy exciting racing action. There is also and Indoor Heated Pool.

If you plan to stay at the hotel, book early. We tried a last minute reservation and found the hotel was full. Rates on the weekends are expensive, however on weekdays they are much more reasonable.

Vernon Downs Casino Resort Hotel Business Meetings

Meeting Space & Business Center For Business & Social Events: with business-friendly amenities such as spacious suite accommodations, complimentary WiFi in the lobby area and computer with 24-hour Internet access.

Vernon Downs Casino has 761 gaming machines featuring some of the hottest games around including in house progressives and Video Poker, they range from 1¢ to $5.00 in denomination. Vernon Downs Casino has a  Wide Area Progressive link with other NYS Lottery Casinos making Vernon Downs Casino the home of one of the largest  Wide Area Progressive Jackpot Winners to date .

This is one of the typical racetrack style casinos and an ok place to visit.

Hours of Operation: Sunday – Thursday: 9 AM – 2 AM, Friday and Saturday: 9 AM – 3 AM

Slot Machines

There are over  761 gaming machines featuring some of the hottest games around including in house progressives and Video Poker, they range from 1¢ to $5.00 in denomination at Vernon Downs Casino

Table Games

There are no table games at the Vernon Downs Casino.

Restaurants

Restaurants at the Vernon Downs Casino Resort Hotel include Champions Buffet For Great Food: Savor our signature Champions Buffet, Triple 7 Cafe, Ring Eyed Pete’s Sports Bar and Lucky’s Bar & Grill. Kids under 5 eat free.

What We Liked

  • Variety of slot machines
  • Hotel rates are very reasonable on weekdays
  • lots of surface parking
  • Easy access from all highways
  • Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
  • Enjoy the horse races as well as the casino

What We Did Not Like

  • There are no real complaints about the Vernon Downs Casino Resort Hotel
  • It is a 3 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

Slot Player Card

Vernon Downs Casino has a Player’s Club which you can sign up for a “Your Club” rewards card. It’s FREE! New members receive 3x’s the points earned on the day you sign up and as a member of “Your Club”. You can become eligible to receive rewards such as invitations to special VIP concerts, Lesley Gore, Joan Jett and Clint Black just to name a few as well as invitations to VIP tournaments and VIP parties.

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 Vernon Downs Casino Resort Hotel. There is a large parking lot in front of  the hotel and casino. This casino does not provide garage parking.

Directions: 4229 Stuhlman Rd., Vernon, New York 13476

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Turning Stone Casino Resort Hotel

September 21st, 2010 ernie Posted in Verona 5 Comments »

The Turning Stone Casino and Resort Hotel is not one of our favorite places to visit. The grounds and the hotel as well as the casino are immaculate, well designed, nicely laid out and on par with even some of the smaller Las Vegas hotels and casinos. There is a hotel, in both a tower format as well as a lodge format along with a professional looking business center. On the surface it really looks great!

Turning Stone CasinoThe problem for us came down to 3 issues. We went to a really nice bar and ordered a drink with the intent of also grabbing something to eat. We expected bar food, which would have been ok.  However when we ordered we were told it would be similar to what you would get if you ordered food to your room. We thought well this should be ok. Instead it was delivered in a plastic bag and everything was crushed at the bottom of the bag. To make matters worse, the delivery girl plopped it on the bar and walked off. Talk about bad service.

Your Slot Card Works Like a Debit Card

The other issue that bothered us was that you must add money to your slot card, place your slot card in a machine, punch in your pin number and play. No ticket in , ticket out and the only way to get your money is to go to the cashier. We do not favor this concept at all.

Lastly the machines are not the popular ones and we did not see a single winner while we were there including ourselves. We got the impression that this casino does not pay well.

We will not be back to the Turning Stone Casino Resort Hotel, however in case you want to go, here is a summary of the hotel etc in our usual format.

Slot Machines

There are over 2,400 Instant Multi-Games machines including Keno. poker slots, and many penny and nickle slots. Enjoy the thrill of competition on today’s most popular Multi-Game machines (similar to slot machines and video poker machines) or at your favorite gaming table.

Table Games

There are   over 80 table games and also buy-in to win tournaments and walk away with a fabulous cash payout!

Restaurants

There are 10 restaurants including Wildflowers; Forest Grill, Peach Blossom; Pino Blanco; Rodizio; Emerald; Season’s Harvest; Delata Cafe; The Corner Market;  and Opals.

What We Liked

  • Pool area and spa area
  • Grounds very neat and well kept
  • Very Clean every
  • Hotel rates are very reasonable
  • Covered garage parking as well as surface parking
  • Easy access from all highways
  • Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
  • Starbucks Coffee shop

What We Did Not Like

  • No Free drinks while gambling
  • Not a good mix of slot machines
  • Poor bar service
  • No ticket in , ticket out slot service
  • Cannot deposit cash or bills into a slot machine

It is probably a 4 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for your needs as long as you over look some of the issues we identified

Slot Player Card

The slot card will provide you with benefits, however this is the first time we have encountered this type of slot card and we have been to a lot of casinos across the US and Canada. Basically you must go to the cashier or to a special machine were you insert your slot card, enter your pin and deposit your money into the machine. Your slot card really becomes a debit card at this point and the only way to play a machine is to insert your slot card. Also if you want to move from machine to machine, all you need to do is remove your slot card and re-insert it into the next machine.

If you want to cash in, you must go to the cashier to collect any balance that may be left on the slot card. It seems to us that this is a sure way to lose all of your money!

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 Turning Stone hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel and casino. There is also lots of 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:

From Syracuse Hancock International Airport: Take I-90 (NYS Thruway) East to Exit 33 (Verona); through the tollbooth, travel straight to the stoplight. Take a left onto Route 365 and the next left into the Resort.

From Albany, NY and points East: Take I-90 (NYS Thruway) West to Exit 33 (Verona); through the tollbooth, travel straight to the stoplight. Turn left onto Route 365 and the next left into the Resort.

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