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Originally posted by: pjstroh
Rooms
Bluegreen Resort 36
This is a timeshare condo resort a few blocks east of the MGM Grand. The rooms are nice and come with a kitchen, living room, and a large bathroom. The resort offers an indoor pool, fitness center, and several onsite restaurants and stores. Not bad. Its not close enough to the action for my taste, though. Oh, and make sure you bring a big wooden stick to fend off the time share salespeople here.
El Cortez Designer Suites. These are the refreshed rooms in the tower that were professionally designed. They're nice, yes. But at $175 per night plus another $12 for WIFI they are way overpriced - especially when you consider you can nab the Palazzo for under $150 nowadays. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and you wont find a bigger fan of the El Cortez than me...but I would probably just take a standard tower room next time.
And...........the dumpster diving part?
Shows:
I kept my entertainment dollars fixed at the Riviera this trip. The Riviera entertainment venues all fall within my parameters for any Vegas Show: C-H-E-A-P.
Riviera Comedy Club: This is just a simple club with the same rotation of comics you probably find at your local club in anytown, USA. $20 for over an hour. I would guess the quality of the comics is hit or miss but ours was a hit.
Crazy Girls: This is the long standing topless show at Riviera. Discount tickets go about $24. Its lip-synced dance routines mixed with some cheesy jokes offered up by the comic host. Eh. The show is about an hour long. I was bored by the 30 minute mark. I got more entertainment value from the "Family Guy" pinball machine in the lobby. For a much better show at the same price see "Fanatasy" at the Luxor where the lead singer sounds more like Christina Aguilera than Christina Aguilera.
Interesting Eats:
El Dorado Coffee Shop: Its way out in Henderson. But if you have the desire to explore the city they have a dirt cheap special in December. $2.99 Spaghetti dinner which includes garlic toast and a bowl of soup. An extra dollar gets you meatballs on top. I splurged. Hey, you only live once. Its a perfectly decent meal for dirt cheap - of course, I spent $5.00 in gas getting out there and back.
Marilyn's Coffee Shop at The Tuscany. 50% off coupon will get you a great deal here. Prices are a little steep by default but the coupon brings them down to earth fast. $6.99 Steak and Eggs special came down to $3.50 and it was a good steak - not the slab of horsemeat you get at some of the cheap joints. The Tuscany is a beautiful property and this is a beautiful room.
The Flame Steakhouse @ El Cortez. El Cortez comped me here. Jumbo Shrimp cocktail, french onion soup, Filet Mignon, Asparagus, mac-n-cheese, creme brulee, and a double espresso...and two glasses of wine. I had to pay for the wine. Total bill was $12 plus nice tip for the waiter. Its a must every trip.
Fiesta Henderson Buffet. The Fiesta properties get no respect - and they deserve it. All the station properties have discounted buffets in December - Fiesta's is only 8.50. I was expecting it to be awful but was pleasantly surprised. Good everything - carving station, fresh veggies, good salad bar and desserts. What a steal !
Oyster Bar at Palace Station. Its good but the wait is long and the prices seem higher than other Oyster Bars in town. If you can get a seat then great. Don't wait in line for an hour like some people were doing.
Gambling Notes:
When all was said and done I came home down a few hundred bucks but I managed some good hits along the way....
El Cortez has 3 roulette wheels running with $1 bets and 25 cent chips. Good luck getting a seat at one. They are packed 24/7. Also, El Cortez awards points on video poker at the same rate as slots. You can rack up comps here very fast. I got into their "Saphire" level after three days of playing quarter video poker. No Royals to report but several hefty 4OAK's
Riviera now has a single zero roulette wheel and 3/2 Black Jack. And its getting people back in their casino. Good stuff.
I hit $300+ jackpots at three different Stations Properties this trip: Boulder Station, FIesta Henderson, and Santa Fe Station. I'm talking slot machines here. Probably just lucky but thats enough to make me visit these places again next trip. I'm still singing the theme song to the new Ghostbusters slot.
Fiesta Henderson - nothing screams "class" more than a resort that boasts its very own "Denny's" onsite. This place rocks. I was here until 2AM trying to lose $100. I couldn't do it. Every bet I made seemed to turn up roses. I finally had to leave after dozing off at the blackjack table.
The Cosmopolitan is offering up reimbursement of half your losses in slot play for new signups...up to $100. I took them up on it. Before I could put a dent in my hundred bucks I hit $180 on a dollar slot. I celebrated with a girly drink in the chandelier bar.
