Harrah's Ak-Chin

We may stay there in September 2011 as part of the 'Great Race'. Please comment on the rooms and hotel quality if you have stayed there. We have stayed at Rincon and found the rooms were very nice. Thanks.

Lisa is the resident Ak-Chin PRO.

My 2c.

Ak-Chin is very nice. Always a nice room there. Low key. Peaceful with Pool View. Has Balcony with
large seating area, 2 tables & a chair. Sliding glass door to your patio. NICE.

Sometimes its crowded with Local Phoenix folks or busses. Other times, feels like you got the
casino to yourself. The Buffet was good, and nary a line.

I won alot there on a silly Penny vp machine. So I don't knock those anymore! lol

Its about 20 mins of driving off the freeway.........but we enjoyed our stay very much.
Plus the room was Comped courtesy of HET. So, Enjoy.

Also on July 18th the new hotel opens.

I stayed there a few years ago and really liked the room. They're on par with Rincon and have the bonus of the patio.

I thought the casino was a little small and crowded and our dinner in their nicer steakhouse was just so-so.

Also, like Rincon it's out there by itself. There's nothing close by, so expect to have at least a 30 minute drive if you want to go to Phoenix. I do remember there being a large casino on the way from Ak-Chin to Phoenix.

Ak Chin has improved the casino has some more room now. The gift shop was moved to where the pretty lobby was. A lobby is not really making any money. There is a small lobby by the checkin at the new tower of rooms. It was open this past weekend, just for checking in. The new rooms open the 18th as Judy said. They will be called tower rooms and the older section resort rooms.

Here's my 2 cents. . .

As Judy said, the new hotel tower opens next week. I haven't seen the rooms, however, the check in area and cactus garden outside the check in area are gorgeous. The original hotel is 2 stories. All the rooms have recently been updated, have either a balcony or patio depending on your floor, flat screen tv, safe, refrigerator, and in room coffee. They give extra amenities to diamond and 7* players including a box of chocolates. Premium rooms have a pool view. From the descriptions I read, the rooms in the new tower are smaller and probably more elegant. Last summer, sionow posted pictures of the rooms. Do a search around June 25 or 26, 2010. It's one of the most friendly casino hotels that I've stayed at.

I think the quality of food at The Range has improved from a couple years ago. The buffet has recently been redone and is quite good. They have indoor grilling sections so the food is freshly made. Wireless internet is limited depending on the location of the room. I've read the rooms in the new tower will have access to wifi. Currently, it is free and I don't know if that will change.

Ak-Chin is located just outside the small city of Maricopa about 35 minutes from the airport. At one time, Maricopa was the fastest growing suburb of Phoenix. There are banks, grocery & drug stores, fast food places, and some local restaurants within a 10 minute drive. You'll need a car and need to commute if you want to do anything in the greater Phoenix area. Be sure to allow commute time for anything you do especially if you are driving back during the evening rush hour. In the mornings, you'll want to leave by 6:15 am or after 8:15 am if you want to avoid the great parking lot of I 10. If you can avoid 10 E going south from downtown Phoenix between 4:30 - 6:00 pm, I'd recommend doing so.

After Labor Day is a good time to visit Phoenix as the &*$^*)( humidity of monsoon season is gone. It will be warm during the day, but it becomes a dry heat and the early mornings and nights cool off. The evening and early morning temps are also a bit cooler than Phoenix.

What else do you want to know?

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for all the info on Ak-Chin. We'll be staying there in mid-October.

Can you recommend some "must do's" or "must see's" while we're in your fair city??

Thanks!

Dave

I know I hate it when someone answers a question with a question, however, what do you like to do?

Spend a day in downtown Phoenix and visit the Phoenix Art Museum (PAM), Heard Museum, Library, Science Center and Children's Museum,or pick a few that interest you. There's free parking at PAM, the Heard and Library. The Heard is the farthest north. Park at the Heard, buy a day pass for the light rail, explore the museums & library and explore downtown Phx. Have lunch at Friday's Front Door. It's part of Chase Field and the tables overlook the ballpark.

The Desert Botanical Gardens are a must do. Old town Scottsdale is fun to walk around. If you like the college scene, visit Mill Avenue and ASU. You can get there from the light rail. We have tons of shopping from high end to discount, excellent restaurants, golf, tennis, hiking,spas, casinos, and a zoo. I'm not into zoos, however, ours is large and spacious.

There's a bunch of restaurants at Westgate located near the football stadium. If you're in town on game day, I don't recommend going to that area unless you are going to the game.

Unless you're going to visit my mother, plan to commute.

Thanks Lisa!!

That gives us a lot of options. My better half seems most interested in the Botanical Gardens & Old Town Scottsdale.

Are those two relatively close to each other??

We'll have a car, so getting around isn't a problem.

Thanks!!

Thank you all for your advice on the hotel and casino. We will definitely make it a part of our next trip.