May 19th, 2011 admin Posted in Mississippi, Tunica | No Comments »
We just received news that some casinos are reopening. The Gold Strike has reopened as of May 18th. Obviously they still have a lot of work to do, and the residents have many repairs to make, but at least some of them have jobs, even if it is part of cleaning up after the flood.
May 17th, 2011 admin Posted in Mississippi, Tunica | No Comments »
The water has surrounded the casinos in Tunica as well as the surrounding areas and it looks like they will be closed for another few weeks. Originally we were told that they would reopen sometime around May 23rd, however based on the level of the water, the damage that it is causing and the fact that it will slowly recede, these casinos may be closed for sometime.
We have included a picture of Harrahs in Tunica, which we have visited several
Thanks to WMCTV Action News
times. This picture is courtesy of WMCTV Action News. Pictures are worth a thousand words and it is certainly true in this case. Based on this picture the main lobby area, the restaurants and perhaps even the casino is flooded with water. Rooms at the hotel will be find, however before guests can come back to the hotel thorough cleaning and repair to the building, electrical systems and all furniture that could not be removed prior to the waters appearing on the scene.
At the present time there is over 7 feet of water covering the parking lot and the hotel entrance. The casino itself is supposed to float which will protect the slot machines and the casino operations, however there is a limite to how far up they can float.
As more information is made available we will include an update on this blog regarding the rising flood waters at the casino hotels in Tunica.
While this blog focuses on casinos and information about them for our readers, we also want to acknowledge the hardship that many people in the Mississippi delta are experiencing. We have traveled to Tunica, to Memphis and Helena many times and our hearts and prayers go out to these people.
We once had car problems in Helena and the people at the garage were extremely helpful and friendly to us. They sure do not deserve this huge flood and the damage it causes to land , to buildings , to families and the ability to earn a living to support your family. Our prayers are with you!
May 7th, 2011 admin Posted in Las Vegas, Nevada | No Comments »
The fashion Show 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 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.
May 5th, 2011 admin Posted in Mississippi, Tunica | 2 Comments »
Apparently the casinos in and around Tunica will be closing from May 3rd until approximately May 22nd due to the rising flood waters from the Mississippi.
We had reservations at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica for May 5 and 6th. We received an email advising us that this casino along with all others in the area were closing due to the expected rising flood waters cresting as much as 60 feet above normal. This is an unprecedented flood level!
We wish all of the employees and the residents in the area good luck and to take special care that they and their families are safe during this difficult time. We have watched the weather over the past week and although the rain has stopped, the swollen river will not crest in this are for another few days.
Several articles have that we have read indicate that employees will continue to be paid during this time while the casinos are closed. Hopefully all of the casinos will do this, so that employees can meet their financial obligations. This will also ensure employee loyalty and return to their jobs when the casinos reopen.
We will be back to Tunica, perhaps in the fall when hopefully all repairs have been made and everyone has recovered from the Mississippi river floods
April 21st, 2011 admin Posted in Las Vegas, Nevada | No Comments »
The Venetian Hotel & Casino 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 were you 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. 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 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. The rooms are a bit more expensive, with everyone 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 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 Venetian 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 Venetian proudly offers a luxurious high-stakes slot experience 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 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. Casino table games include:
Restaurants
All of the restaurants are excellent and include the following:
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 Venetian Hotel & Casino.
What We Liked
These are some of the items or areas that we liked about the Venetian Hotel & Casino.
What We Don’t Like
These are some of the items or areas that we did not like about the Venetian Hotel & Casino.
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 as well as 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 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. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and 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 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.
April 7th, 2011 admin Posted in Las Vegas, Nevada | No Comments »
ThePalazzo 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.
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 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:
Restaurants
All of the restaurants are excellent and include the following:
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.
What We Liked
These are some of the items or areas that we liked about the Palazzo Hotel & Casino.
What We Don’t Like
These are some of the items or areas that we did not like about the Palazzo Hotel & 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.
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 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.
March 21st, 2011 admin Posted in Laughlin, Nevada | No Comments »
We visited the AVI Casino again this year and thought it would be appropriate to give an update to our previous post. You can refer to the previous post by, 
clicking here.
For those of you who have not been to this casino before, the picture on the left gives up some idea about the property. Located on the banks of the Colorado river it is a sprawling property with a show area for conventions and entertainment, RV parking and a golf course all within walking distance of the hotel and the casino.
We visited the casino on two different days and enjoyed ourselves both days. We even participated in a slot poker tournament. You start with 1350 credits and have 10 minutes to see how well you do. I ended up even, which is not very good as it turns out. Several players were up over 500 credits and this is on jacks or better video poker.
Pool Area
One of the comments we made last time was how much we admired the pool area and the beach along the Colorado river. Since we are not guests at AVI, we cannot enter the pool area, however we did take a picture and also made a short video of the beach and pool area. Since a picture is worth a 1000 words here it is.
The Beach on the Colorado River
The following video shows the beach area on the river during off season.
Environment
One of the issues we had with this casino along with many others is the amount of smoke from smokers that you have to deal with. We are not sure if there are less smokers or they have a better ventilation system, but the air in the casino was much better than previous times we have been there.
Visitors should note that there are smoking areas in the restaurants since this casino is in Nevada and it is also on Indian tribal lands were they make their own rules. I wish someone would bring them up to speed about the problems with smoking and the impact it has on cancer rates. Their machines and casino would be a lot cleaner as well.
March 7th, 2011 admin Posted in Las Vegas, Nevada | No Comments »
We recently stayed at the Wynn Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas and 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 not only designing and building a work of art, he also runs a hotel the way it should be run. Everything is kept clean and sparkling and 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.
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 and 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 and found the service and the food to be 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, meals served to you at your table after you have ordered them at the counter 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.
February 21st, 2011 admin Posted in Laughlin, Nevada | 1 Comment »
All you can eat hot juicy crab legs,at the Aquarius buffet on Friday or Saturday nights, or perhaps you like prime rib or both! We just ate at the Aquarius buffet for two for the huge price of .92 cents. Can you imagine what a deal this is. We also had 4 glasses of wine! There was a choice of red wine, white wine, beer or margaritas and we could have had more to drink, however this was enough for us.
We sat by the windows along the Colorado river, had our meal of crab legs, 
desert and coffee, and we could have also had all of the other selections such as mashed potatoes, gravy, prime rib, salads, soups, buns and a hundred more items from this fabulous buffet. So how did we have such a fabulous buffet for only .92 cents. Well it is all about using the casino slot card while you play and then taking advantage of your comps! Some of our other posts have talked about the advantages of using slot cards, however this just demonstrates why everyone should have a slot card and use it when they play.
The following is a short video of Laughlin Nevada, taken from the eastern side of the river in Bullhead City, Arizona. Click on the following link.
Colorado River in Laughlin Nevada
We are also taking advantage of a free rooms offer from the hotel while we stay here, also again because of the slot card that we use. We have had breakfast as well on the comps which was also actually a brunch. We had one of the best omelets we have had on our trip. For more information about slot cards and why you should always carry and use them when you are playing the slots at any of the hotels, click here.
If you would like more information about the Aquarius Hotel and our original review of the hotel and casino, click here.
There has not been a lot of changes at the casino or the hotel. We noticed that the elevators are being updated, some of the rooms have been redone since we here last and there seemed to be more poker and keno machines around the floor. We spend most of our time in the non smoking section of the casino, however there are just as many people smoking as ever, so if the stale cigarette smoke bothers you, then this is the place to be.
We noticed one new penny slot machine which was getting a lot of action. This is the wheel of fortune with 6 seats or slot machines sharing a giant 10 by 8 foot TV screen were you get to watch everyone’s wheel of fortune wheel spin when they get the free spin award. It is fun and exciting to see people win, however as with all of these machines you must be careful about how much money you bet. The maximum is $2.70 per spin, so you can go through a $100 in a hurry. We watched one lady work her credits up to over $300, only to lose it all over a period of 30 minutes.
As the saying goes, know when to fold them. It was fun to watch these players as well as play. Unfortunately for us we did not win anything on this machine.
A note to readers if you drive to Laughlin, Nevada. While you may be tempted to fill up with gas on the Nevada side, take the time to drive over to Bullhead, Arizona just on the other side of the river. Gas is a lot cheaper on the Arizona side and you can even get better deals if you wash your car at the same time. When we filled up, gas was selling for $3.09 on the Nevada side, while it was $2.91 on the Arizona side . I also got my car washed and while the car wash cost $10.00 for the works, the gas was further discounted to $2.71 a gallon for regular gas. A great deal! They even scrubbed the car first with a brush to get the worst of the dirt and bugs off the bumper before we went through the car wash. They gave us a cloth to dry the car and an air freshener, what a great deal.
There are water taxis along the Colorado River which you can take for $6 a ride or $10 a day. check with the local taxis to confirm prices, since they seem to change on a regular basis.
We were very happy with the service and the quality of the food and drinks that we received at the Aquarius casino. Although we did not win anything at the slots, our room and food was comp’d and we had as much as we wanted in terms of drinks. All in all not a bad deal.
We are off to Vegas next, staying at the Mirage Casino and Hotel. If you would like more information about the Mirage, click here.
Your comments are welcome, to assist our readers enjoy their vacation in Laughlin Nevada. Spam comments will be auto deleted.
February 7th, 2011 admin Posted in Biloxi, Mississippi | No Comments »
We just finished staying at the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi Mississippi for two nights and have to report that it is just as nice as it always has been. Unfortunately for us the weather was a bit on the cool side so we could not use the pool, however we did have a great view of the ocean from our room on the 18th floor. To look at the original review of the Beau Rivage casino, click on the link in bold.
Although they have rearranged some of the slot machines around as most casinos do from time to time, they still had all of our favorites. There are more penny and nickle machines, however their casino floor is large enough they can accommodate slot machines of all types and denominations. We ate in the cafe and enjoyed a really nice meal as well as had our coffee in the coffee shop, called the Roasted Bean.
They still also have fantastic seasoned bloody Marys, with olives and okra in the drinks. I can only handle about two of them, but they are excellent and everyone should try them at least once.
The MGM chain, which the Beau Rivage is part of, recently updated their casino slot card membership system. It is now called “MLife”, with new cards and a couple of new benefits which we like. The card still lists all of the properties with individual phone numbers that are hard to see because they are so small and they are color coded depending on the level of play.
One of the new features is the addition of express comps, which show on the screen on the slot machine so you can monitor how much you have to spend on food in the restaurants. Express comps can only be used in restaurants in any MGM family casino. You do not have to see the slot host. Just go to the cash when it is time to pay and present your MLife card and they will deduct what they need from your express comp balance. This is a nice new feature.
We also like the Roasted Bean and have included a brief review of the Roasted Bean. Hope you enjoy it.
Coffee at the Roasted Bean at the Beau Rivage casino in Biloxi! Fresh coffee under a glass canopy with shrubs and trees around you, background music and free WiFi. Wait it gets better, although the first coffee is expensive, as long as you have your receipt, all of your refills are free for the rest of the day! For a large coffee you are going to pay $3.85, which is one of the most expensive around, surpassing even 
Starbucks. However all you need to do is show your receipt and you can get a free refill any time that day. So if you are a coffee lover, then after even a 2nd cup of coffee you are starting to get to a reasonable price for coffee.
The Roasted Bean coffee shop is better than any coffee shop we have been in, including Starbucks! Muted earth tones decor, open to the atrium above, it is an enjoyable place to sit and savor your morning coffee. It can get a bit crowded at times, especially if the hotel is full, however most people only stay for a few minutes and they are on to their conference, the pool or to the casino.
All of the chairs are padded and they have invested in easy to clean marble tables. None of these short stay uncomfortable non cushion chairs which make you want to leave at the Roasted Bean coffee shop. And the place is clean, which says a lot about the management.
On nice warm days in Biloxi, you can also go outside and enjoy the warm air on the patio while you enjoy your coffee. The Roasted Bean has solid tables and chairs with umbrellas for patrons to sit and enjoy their coffee! All in all the Roasted Bean coffee shop is one that we enjoy going back to! This is one of the features that keeps us coming back to the Beau Rivage Casino and Hotel.
The only negative thing about the Roasted Bean coffee place is that there are not enough wall plugs to plug in your computer. I could only find two. I guess they really do not want you to stay too long working on your computer.
Informative comments are appreciated especially those that will help our readers with their travel planning. If you need additional information about general travel planning, click here.