August 2022 Trip Report

Fellow LVA'ers,

Landed in Vegas at about 2:05 p.m. on Southwest. wasn't really that bad, all airlines have gone up, but as of this writing prices have started to fall.  Got a free room at Mandalay Bay and a discounted room for my Dad who was there as well.  Hit the crap table at Mandalay Bay and had a lady shooter who rolled the dice for about 5 minutes straight without 7'ing out. Good enough to walk away with $150.00 in chips ahead.  Like to have those chips in pocket.  Guess it makes me feel like I’m on a winning streak.  Was able to pick up my dad and drive him to the hotel.  Lines were very long at Mandalay Bay, fortunately I'm a gold member and was able to check in at priority check in.  However, being a Gold member for MGM is not all it's cracked up to be.  They did waive the resort fees, but just for me, not my Dad's room.  Also, there is supposed to be an upgrade to the room, there were no really good options for upgrades which I thought was weird.  the lady apologized and gave me a $25.00 coupon for food which came in handy the next morning at the Seabreeze Cafe at Mandalay Bay. 

Had to hit SouthPoint that night for the Prime Rib Dinner.  Gotta say, not great.  Chewy, plenty of options for Chinese food and Mexican food.  Server was good.  Price was $46.00 for three people, I used my players club to take off $6.00 off the price.  After dinner hit the VP machine I got a flush on in my trip in May.  This time 4 of a kind.  8/5 bonus poker 99.66% according to the Jean Scott Frugal Video Poker Scouting Guide.  Walked away with another $110 in profit.

Food was ok at Seebreeze Cafe, but the service was great. used that coupon and some of my comps on my card to pay for the meal.  Why not let the casino pay for the meal?  the fitness gym at Mandalay bay was good, excellent treadmills and ellipticals.  There was a pipe burst at the Spa there which still has the best Jacuzzi’s on the strip. 

After that we checked out and headed to Green Valley Ranch.  Been a fan of this hotel since the show "American Casino".  I knew Matt Sacca who is now a host at Cosmo.  I had a free three room stay there as well, however it was not free as they charged me for Saturday night.  so Friday comped, Saturday $129.00 and Sunday was comped.  Pool was great there, a lot of visual liberty at that pool.  Spa was ok, I hoping for a bit more.  After a day of walking around or gaming or meetings, I like to relax in those Jacuzzi’s.  Really helps to relax the body. 

Food is great at the cafe at GVR, service is always good and like at MGM, I give them my boarding pass to get points.  I've never been this close to moving up to platinum level at Station.  But I know Anthony has given the thumbs down on Station. Sportsbook at GVR is pretty good with a bar with lots of VP and snack bar station.  Was able to play on an 8/5 VP Bonus poker station for about 2 hours.  Had many free drinks, but lost about $150.00.  Ok with me, still even for the trip. 

Saw Lionel Richie on this trip at the Wynn.  From start to finish, 1st class at Wynn.  Does cost $35.00 for Valet, but that's the cost of entertainment.  The great thing was we had box seats for about $400.00. Then one of the stewards comes to us and asks if we wish to move down to the front.  5 rows in back from Lionel.  those seats were $1000.00 when I checked the price, so of course we moved.  Was kind of small, but worth everything. Talked to everyone around us.  Lionel came out of the stage in this small elevator with smoke.  He was apparently good friends with Michael Jackson.  As Michael did that as well.  Lionel said don't let that fool you, "hot as hell in there".  Everyone sang every song, "dancing on the celling, running with the night, hello, say you, say me"  was just great, worth every dollar to go to that show.  Everyone was so happy, just made me feel good being at that show.

did visit family in California in San Dimas, Gas has gone down, so prices were a bit reduced. The 15 going from Vegas to San Dimas was ok.  Stopped at Barstow Station. Not great, I used to stop there when I was a kid, but now kinda a dump.

On the way back we stopped at Peggy Sue's diner which our family has driven by for years, but this time we stopped.  Food was ok for the price, $60.00 for 4 people.  Not too bad.  Back on the plane early at 0505 back to DC on Monday.  Mostly a midnight run trip, packed alot in 4 days.  I'll be back at Christmas to stay at GVR again.  Hope to see a LVA's there.

Take care, your fellow LVA'er,

Dave

 Thanks for the insightful report. May I ad, the Mexican restaurant at the South Point I have found to be excellent and the service is really good. 

Good TR, Thanks

thanks for the comments fellas.  Dave, I'll check out that mexican restraunt at SouthPoint on the next trip.

Dave

 If you like fajitas, they are really good and you get enough for 2 people.

Lionel Richie is favorite, so I'm a jealous wreck you got to see him up close.  Glad to read that he hasn't lost his touch.

I like the 'feel' of chips in my purse/pocket also.  Like you are a winner until you cash them; and standing in the cashier line (if not too long) is a booster.  Unlike a slot where your winnings are either gone or on a paper TITO.  I like to hang onto the 'whites' and use for tipping.  Easier than fishing for dollar bills on the spur of the moment.

Nice report.  Good luck in December!

Candy

Glad you had a good time! Also nice to hear that Lionel Richie is still performing and the show was worth it (unfortunately, a hallmark of Vegas is performers who are WAAAAY past their prime and during their shows, they just mail it in).

One detail leaps out at me. $35 for the valet? THIRTY-FIVE? DOLLARS???? I mean, I know the Wynn is a fancy-ass Fabulous Las Vegas Strip megatoilet, but...$35??

I guess they figure, they drastically overcharge for everything, hell, why not valet parking, it's not like people are gonna turn around and go home at that point. 

One of my earliest working-in-Vegas memories was in 1983, I was a rookie casino cashier at the Stinky Silver casino (name changed to protect the guilty). End of shift, one of the cocktail waitresses, still in full regalia, walks up and dumps a big pile of chips on the counter--and not all white chips by any means. After I totalled them all up, it was more than $150. And this was 1983! (She did, of course, tip me when I cashed her out.)

At the time, they were paying me $40 a shift ("plus tokes," ha, ha). I thought, I'm definitely in the wrong racket. I need to grow a pair of tits.

  Parking is free at the Winn unless one chooses to valet park.

The parking garage at the Wynn (not "Winn") is a long walk from the casino itself, so many may wish to valet park. $35 is an overcharge. The attendants park six cars an hour (say), the Wynn collects $210. I doubt that they're paying the attendants $200 an hour.

It's all part of a disgusting trend to turn basic services into profit centers.