Casino Reviews

A friend who has never been to Vegas before is going for the first time and will be celebrating his 30th anniversary. This is a trip they have both been looking forward to for some time. He asked me what there is to do in Las Vegas. I sent them the following list of things to do, and hopefully, this will help other people going to Vegas for the first time as well.

What is there to do in Las Vegas

Here is a list of things you may want to consider as something to do while in Vegas, in addition to gambling and seeing all of the shows that are available, in no particular order

• Downtown Fremont experience at night
• Caesars Forum indoor mall
• Venation Indoor Mall
• Take a ride on a Gondola at the Venetian
• Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris hotel
• Bellagio fountains
• Bellagio-themed gardens off the main reception area
• Pool area Bellagio
• TI pirate show, weather permitting
• Tour the casinos, many are just plain amazing – Bellagio, Caesars, Wynn,
• The shopping center mall across from the Wynn

More Things to Do in Las Vegas

• Red rock canyons – 1 hour away
• Grand Canyon – 5 hours by car, can also take helicopter rides
• Trip into the desert if interested
• Pool time at your hotel
• Search shows playing and book in advance – Cirque de Soleil are spectacular
• Go to at least one good buffet – Wynn, Bellagio, Mirage
• Lots of inexpensive fast food places – at the mall, and some casinos
• Dueling piano bar at New York New York casino
• Tigers at the MGM Grand hotel
• Just walk the strip and take in the sights
• Sit at a bar in a casino, have a drink, and people-watch. Mirage Sports bar is good for this (if you are sitting at a bar with a 25-cent slot machine in front of you, stick a $20 bill in, play slowly, and your drinks should be free)
• Split your meals when you can; most are huge, and one person cannot eat everything by themselves.
• Visit the Apple store in the Fashion Center mall across from the Wynn Casino.
• Visit the Fashion Center Mall for all types of shopping. There is also a food court on the 3rd floor if you want a quick, inexpensive meal.
• Get a slot card and use it when you are playing. They are free, and you might get free room offers in the future.
• Sit at a slot machine, put $20 in, and play slowly. Ask a waitress for a drink of pretty much any kind, and tip a dollar each time to have a free drin.k

Make sure you take really good walking shoes. You will be walking a lot. Drink lots of water. You can be dehydrated quickly if it is hot.

Back in Sept of 2011, we wrote a post about receiving an invitation from the Encore and Wynn Casino in Las Vegas to stay free at either hotel. You can read this post by clicking here.   Well we went to Las Vegas and stayed in a suite at the Encore Hotel , which is part of the Wynn chain of hotels that were designed and built by Steve Wynn. He is a leader in Las Vegas.

We were only on the 11th floor, however even with this view we were more than satisfied. The picture on the right shows you what we saw of the strip and also the mountains in the distance.

Circus Circus and the Las Vegas Hilton hotels are not far away and all in all we were very satisfied with this view.

Our room was also grand. It was a two-room suite with a work area, large couch to recline on and a flat-screen TV that rotated between the bedroom and the living room. Everything was elegant and the bathroom provided a shower as well as a tub to soak in. There was also another small flat-screen TV in the bathroom to allow you to keep up with the news or your favorite soap TV show.

Encore Casino Hotel Rooms

I added a couple of pictures at the bottom of this post to show you what the room is like. Hope you enjoy them. When you are staying free at a hotel like this you really appreciate just how nice they are. This is a 5 category hotel for sure.

We were very impressed with the hotel. The only negative and really all of the hotels in Las Vegas suffer from this is the size of the place. They are huge and that means a lot of walking. When you consider that there is probably 3000 rooms in the Encore and another 3000 rooms at the Wynn, these places get really large.

Gambling Encore

We tried gambling at Encore and it just did not work for us. So we would walk over to the Wynn casino, all indoors of course and play at the Wynn Casino. We did far better here and I must say that the waitresses were always around with free drinks for us. We tipped a dollar every time. They made sure we had whatever we wanted.

We also ate at the Switch restaurant located at Encore. This is the second time we have dined at this restaurant. My wife had Alaskan King Crab legs and I had the 9 oz filet Mignon steak. I was very satisfied with the steak, however, my wife was disappointed with the crab legs. They were not very large and not very many for the price.  Overall we felt a bit rushed and the meal was very pricey.  With a glass of wine each and the meal it came to over $200 for the two of us and I think that this is really too much considering the service we received and the quality of the food.

For those of you who may not be aware of the restaurant walls at Switch along with the ceiling change every 20 minutes or so. There are about 3 or 4 different designs that are displayed while you are dining. They change automatically and give you a different atmosphere each time. We saw 3 changes and it does get a bit boring the second time around. I would suggest you dine once to see this and then try another place.

Encore Casino Hotel Rooms

Here are the pictures of our room that I promised earlier in this post. If you have stayed at the Encore and would like to leave comments, please do so at the bottom of this post.

If you cannot go to Paris France, why not come to Paris Hotel Casino Las Vegas. Admittedly it is not the same thing at all, however you can visit a replica of the Eiffel Tower and even take an elevator ride to the top. We have not stayed at the Paris hotel yet, however perhaps the next time we visit Las Vegas. It is centrally located along the strip and close to all of the major hotels on the strip such as Caesars, Bellagio, Ballys and many others.

Whether you spend time at this hotel or stroll along the strip, this is a great city to visit and the hotel will more than live up to it’s name.

Following is a quick summary of what you can expect. When we visit this hotel , we will update this post more with our own pictures and personal comments.

Paris Hotel Casino Las Vegas – Slot Machines

There are over more than 1,700 slot machines which are set alongside streets capes, fountains and statues beneath the massive legs of our Eiffel Tower. You’ll find the very latest in themed slot machines, the most popular multi-line games and the infamous, statewide progressive Megabucks machines. The Champagne Slots, is in the high-limit slot area, which resembles an exclusive, Parisian courtyard.

Table Games

There have all of the popular table games that many people enjoy including: Craps ; Texas Hold’Em poker and Seven Card Stud; Baccarat ; Mini Baccarat ; Roulette with a wheel marked with numbers 1 through 36 and American roulette has a 0 and 00; Pai Gow

Restaurants

The Paris casino has great french based restaurants that offer the best in cooking for visitors. From 5 star restaurants to quick coffee shops, there is something for everyone. Café Belle Madeleine;Cafe Ile St Louis; Cafe du Parc; Eiffel Tower Restaurant; JJ’s Boulangerie; La Creperie; Le Provençal; Le Village Buffet; Les Artistes Steakhouse; Mon Ami Gabi; Le Burger Brasserie; Sugar Factory American Brasserie

Paris Hotel Casino Las Vegas – Major Points of Interest

If you are just passing through the Paris Hotel and Casino, you will want to take a moment to see the following areas of the Paris Hotel and Casino

• Great French restaurants
• Great entertainment
• Eiffel Tower
• Outdoor café’s, particularly along the strip
• French atmosphere in the hotel
• Nice pool

What We Liked

• Great location for the hotel
• Outdoor café’s
• Some of the best French restaurants
• Eiffel tower
• A very charming hotel & casino
• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling
• Buffet
• Pool area and spa free to hotel guests
• Hotel rates are very reasonable and competitive
• Covered garage parking
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

What We Did Not Like

There are no real complaints about the Paris hotel & casino

It is a 4 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Harrah’s Total Rewards slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at many Las Vegas hotels,  as well as sister hotels in 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. Harrahs has hotels as well as casinos in most major markets across the country and all are available to Harrahs Total Rewards members. 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.

Paris Hotel Casino Las Vegas – Parking

There is ample parking at the Paris 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.

Directions:Located at 3655 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, it is easily reached from the Las Vegas Strip. Access to the Strip from I15 can be from a number of exits. They will take you on to the strip and then to the Paris Hotel. It is located across the road from the Bellagio, and it is beside Bally’s Casino right in the center of the strip action.

We are visiting the Gold Strike Casino once again this fall. We are writing a brief update about this casino, as well as it’s neighbor the Horse Shoe Casino and the Roadhouse Casino. You can click on any of the links above. Review more information about all of these great vacation spots.

We checked in a bit early and were given our room key right away. The October time frame prior to thanksgiving is a slow period for the hotels in this area. There are lots of rooms available.They put us on the 31st floor with a great view of the river.

We are staying free at the hotel as part of a comp package we received in the mail from the hotel. We were offered free rooms for two nights, $25 towards meals and $55 in free play. When you combine this with the new express comps feature and points conversion for food while staying at the hotel, it turns out that this is a pretty good deal.

Gold Strike Casino Meets Expectations

The hotel as usual met all our expectations. We would recommend this hotel to anyone who wants to spend a few days gambling, playing golf in the area or taking in some of the activities in Memphis.

We noticed that the buffet is perhaps a little bit reduced from past years. However the food is just as great and the value is there.  Service was a bit slow, but then we are on vacation and not in a hurry.

The new express comp feature is a really nice add on. Your screen on the slot machine you play will show you exactly how much you have in express comp’s. You do not need to visit the M-Life desk any longer to get a comp for a meal. Just hand over your M-Life card to the cashier. They will use the comp’s on your card to pay for your meal. And the best part is that when you use your comp’s the meal will be half price! We think this is a really good deal for everyone and another reason to always use your slot card.

Gold Strike Casino Update

They have updated the slots with all of the latest multi-line penny machines while still maintaining many of the traditional reel machines as well. There are less video poker machines as well and very few keno machines. There was no damage at all due to the floods as far as we could tell to the hotel, the casino or even the grounds around the hotel.

This is a great place to visit and we will be coming back here again.

We passed through the Presque Isle Downs Casino and decided to write a review about it. An hour in the casino is all we spent.  We did not try any of the bars, or restaurants at the casino. So our comments are based on looking at the web site and our brief time spent there. This is a casino only facility. There is no hotel with this facility, although there are motels and hotels in the area.

Presque Isle Casino Reviews – From penny slots to Virtual Blackjack, Three-Card Poker, & Roulette, you’ll find a wide variety of choices and denominations to suit your gaming needs. At Presque Isle Downs & Casino, they are the Home of the Big Jackpots! Look for our Progressive Slots conveniently located throughout the casino.

Presque Isle Casino

The Presque Isle Downs Casino has over 2000 slot machines and a number of virtual table games such as blackjack, roulette and several others.

There is ample parking at the casino, all surface parking which means on busy days there may be a long walk involved to get to the casino. There are two entrances, with Valet service at the main entrance.

The casino is nice, there is no hotel and there are lots of slot machines. There is also a high roller area as well. The Presque Isle Downs Casino is a combination casino and race track . It is similar to many that have sprung up across the country were the race track has been struggling and the casino addition has meant that the racetrack can continue to operate.

Presque Isle Casino Review

Slot Machines

There are over 2000 slot machines of all types. The casino is large enough to have all of the popular slot machines as well as poker and keno machines.

There are many 5cent and penny machines as well as 25 cent, 50 cent and $1 dollar machines to choose from.

Table Games

There  are 7 or 8 virtual table games that players can try out. These include blackjack and roulette and a number of other table games. Virtual table games have gorgeous virtual dealers that manage the game and deal the virtual cards.

Restaurants

La Bonne Vie Enjoy a Classic American Prime Steak House at La Bonne Vie located in the heart of the casino. They are open every Wednesday through Saturday from 5pm to 10pm.

The Downs Clubhouse & Lounge features a beautiful year-round view of the racetrack and casual dining at its best. They are open Friday & Saturday nights for live entertainment!

The Triple Crown Buffet If you’re looking for a quick bite, visit The Triple Crown Buffet which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They feature Prime Rib & Shrimp every Sunday through Thursday and Crab Legs & Prime Rib Buffet on Friday & Saturdays from 4pm to 11pm.

Experience one of the four lounges. Zelda’s, The Paddock Bar, The Speakeasy Lounge, and The Clubhouse Lounge offer your favorite spirits daily until 2 am.

Lit’l Al’s Need a quick snack? Stop by Lit’l Al’s located in the Elevator Lobby just off the casino floor and you’ll find hot dogs, pizza, and more!

What We Liked

• A variety of slot machines
• Buffet
• Easy access from all highways
• A safe environment in the casino and parking areas
• Great stopover point on your way to Columbus or points west

What We Did Not Like

• Smoking in the casino
• No hotel
• A long way to walk from the parking to get into the casino

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Roarin’ 20s slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the casino including cash back as well as discounts on meals at the 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 Presque Isle Downs Casino in a large surface multiple parking lot system that we observed.

Directions:

Presque Isle Downs is conveniently located on I-90 Exit 27.

Presque Isle Downs & Casino, 8199 Perry Highway, Erie, PA 16509, 1-866-ERIE-FUN or (814) 860-8999

Additional Driving Directions:

From Buffalo, NY

I-90 West to Exit 27 • Make a left off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Cleveland, OH

I-90 East to Exit 27 • Make a right off the exit. The entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Pittsburgh, PA

I-79 North to I-90 East • Exit 27 Make a right off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Youngstown, OH

Route 11 North to I-90 East. Take exit 27 • Make a right off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.