This is a little late, but I wanted to be sure to get this out there. I was in town from Jan 4-10 with about 10 friends. I share a birthday with one friend, and a couple has their anniversary on the same date. My birthday buddy likes Vegas too, so when she suggested we do Vegas, of course I was all for it. I'm the Vegas Veteran, so I ended up doing a bit of crowd control during the week. As always, details follow, with a summary/observations at the end. My apologies for the length.
Jan 4 - The direct flight from Indy was interesting. As we were taxing away from the gate, the flight attendant noticed a gentleman in the front row wasn't feeling well. Long story short, the pilot made a u-turn back to the gate, medics were called, and he eventually walked off the plan. So we got in about an hour late.
Quick setup: I had my own room at Bally's (comped), and a friend had his own room there, also comped. Two couples were at Aria, the anniversary couple was at Luxor, and my birthday buddy and her friend were also at Luxor. So we were a bit spread around.
Check in was easy, even for about 7pm on a Friday. No need for the $20 trick; I think the guy at the desk was nice because it was my birthday. I got a nice room on the Diamond floor, looking over Bills, Batistas, and the construction at the Linq. But I was high enough it still wasn't a bad view.
Went to meet the couple at Aria. That is one heck of a walk around Cosmo, through Crystals, to Aria. They had a damn nice corner suite. Separate sitting and bedroom. And the bathroom had lots of windows, tub, shower, and heated toilet. Fancy! But they did make the mistake of picking up a bag of nuts and bottle of water. They were on a sensor, so they were charged a ton of money for just moving them. At least, until they were able to get the charge reversed.
I got them to walk across to PBR Rock bar, where we met the friends from Luxor. Sat around, caught up, had a few drinks. Nothing exciting for the first night. Me and my friend walked back to Bally's, but instead of going to bed, I had to go back to the casino for a little bit. Played some 3-card and lost, played some craps and only won a little. But craps was $5, so it was all good.
Jan 5 I had been to Mac King back in November, and swore that I would take my friends there. So, I went and got the cheap tickets for our group of 10. The auditorium was being renovated, the show was at the Improv, so I didn't get the VIP upgrades. Stopped by the sports book and placed a bet on the Colts. Whoops. Met everyone for the show; they were worried when he opened with "If you're happy and you know it...", but then they loved it. Still something I'd see again.
After the show, I told them I was going to PJ Clark's for oysters. I thought one or two would join me, but all 10 ended up going. That was a bit of a problem when it came to the check. They see a big group like that, and they get dollar signs in their eyes. But it was only beer, oysters, and a few apps. And a split check. That got ugly for a few people. Some of the group went to dinner then at Julian Serrano, but not me.
4 of us wandered through Caesars after that; got them some kick ass drinks back by the moving statues. Showed the anniversary couple the Belagio fountains, then we ended up going back to a room at Bally's to play cards and teach my friend Blackjack. Hey, were were there 6 nights, we had to pace ourselves!
Jan 6 The big plan for Sunday was to watch football. We monorailed it down to MGM, since that was about midway for everyone. Since the game started at 10 Vegas time, we had to wait for the bar at the front of MGM to open. But when it did, we almost had the place to ourselves. A bucket of beer was $30 (ouch!) but it was very comfortable for all of us, and the sports book being around the corner added some great crowd noise. Too bad the Colts lost.
Back to the room to rest up, then it was on to what I was looking forward to most: The 7:00 "Love" at the Mirage. Now I'm not a cirque fan, but I love good music. The acts were somewhat entertaining, but I spent the entire time just soaking in the music. Definitely good for a one time thing; the only way I'd go back though is if I was with a lady who wanted to see it. Tickets were a nice group rate, so it only cost me about $110. Still an "ouch!" though.
I then took everyone over to Toby Keith's at Harrah's, where I found out Serrano's had made some of our group sick. Good thing I didn't go. Lots of drinks, some food, and another good night with friends.
Oh yes, then a few of us wandered through the Caesars again (had to show it to more newbies). Stopped at a bar near the entrance to the Forum Shoppes, and had a few drinks. As I was playing VP at the bar, a lady sat next to my friend. Of course, I knew what her line of work was, and my friend quickly figured it out. So he sent her over to talk to me. Gee, thanks. As good looking as she was, I had to sent her on her way.
Jan 7 My birth started pretty slow. Went to Paris for the 2 for 1 martinis. Oh, and did I mention I befriended a lady on the plane to Vegas? Met her and a couple of her friends there, too. Unfortunately, the martini's were not good at all. The dirty I ordered was made with skunk vodka, and a couple others weren't good either. Very disappointing.
Made the long walk down to Luxor to watch the Notre Dame game, but stopped at MGM to place a bet on the under. Oops. Met my friends at a bar in Luxor (can't remember which one). Like the bar at MGM, there was a TV, good seating for the group.
5 of us ended up going downtown: me and my friend from Bally's, the lady from the plane, and two friends of hers. Me and my friend love downtown, but the others hadn't been. So we went and walked Fremont, showed them the lights, and had a fun few hours. But damn is that an expensive cab ride to do twice in one evening.
So we got back to the strip around midnight, and me and the lady from the plane ate breakfast at the Flamingo. After leaving her, I decided to finally get some VP in at Bally's, since I was finally alone. The best VP I could find was 8/5 JoB, on machines next to (but not at) the Keno bar. I ended up having a good run of luck playing $1, and walked away $350 ahead. Then it was to 3-card, where I was down and ready to go until I got a three of a kind. Then I was definitely ready to go!
Jan 8
Last few hours on the strip. Me, my friend, and the anniversary couple were going to spent 2 more nights at the Golden Gate. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well when I woke up. It was the breakfast from the night before. Met the friends from the plane and walked through Caesars with them, though I was a bit slow. After saying goodbye, we grabbed our luggage, and took a cab to the Golden Gate.
OK, I'll end this here, and do part 2 (downtown) tomorrow.
Summary
-I got lucky being put in a Diamond "suite". Really a big room, with a walk through closet to the bathroom. But I guess sometimes they do go a bit above and beyond for special occasions.
-Mac King is still something I'd see over again. Good value, and it's still funny. Even though I knew a few things to look for, I was still amazed.
-I've got lots of points from CET's Race for the Rewards, so I had plenty of free eats, most of the days were comped, and points took care of the balance. I don't gamble enough to earn that many points, so that promotion definitely is worth it to me.
-January weather really is cold. I needed a jacket in the evenings, and even then it was a bit chilly. That was my first January trip, and probably the last. Better than Indy, but I prefer the heat of July to the chill of winter.
-Love is a good show; if you like music and your friends like the Cirque stuff, it's a great compromise.
-I'm still not a fan of Luxor, even though I was only in the casino and a bar. And my friends who stayed there for the first time were not impressed, even though my birthday buddy thinks it's great.
-Once again, the monorail is worth it, especially considering the weather and distances we had to travel. Yes you walk to the stops, but still worth it.
-I didn't get to do as much gambling as I usually do, since I was always with friends. But when I did, I tried to focus more on video poker. I'm getting there on strategy, and while I know CET doesn't have the best odds, it still was pretty nice to me.
-Ah, another example of good service for the birthday boy: When I sat at the 3-card table, the pit boss noticed that it was my b-day, and told me he backed up my timer a bit. It's the little things that count!
-So service was pretty good at Bally's/CET. I know they get a bad rap, and I don't agree with some of the things they do. But for someone who likes value, doesn't gamble a lot, but still spends some money, the way they treat me is pretty good. And Race to the Rewards puts it over the top.
So long, until part 2!
Jan 4 - The direct flight from Indy was interesting. As we were taxing away from the gate, the flight attendant noticed a gentleman in the front row wasn't feeling well. Long story short, the pilot made a u-turn back to the gate, medics were called, and he eventually walked off the plan. So we got in about an hour late.
Quick setup: I had my own room at Bally's (comped), and a friend had his own room there, also comped. Two couples were at Aria, the anniversary couple was at Luxor, and my birthday buddy and her friend were also at Luxor. So we were a bit spread around.
Check in was easy, even for about 7pm on a Friday. No need for the $20 trick; I think the guy at the desk was nice because it was my birthday. I got a nice room on the Diamond floor, looking over Bills, Batistas, and the construction at the Linq. But I was high enough it still wasn't a bad view.
Went to meet the couple at Aria. That is one heck of a walk around Cosmo, through Crystals, to Aria. They had a damn nice corner suite. Separate sitting and bedroom. And the bathroom had lots of windows, tub, shower, and heated toilet. Fancy! But they did make the mistake of picking up a bag of nuts and bottle of water. They were on a sensor, so they were charged a ton of money for just moving them. At least, until they were able to get the charge reversed.
I got them to walk across to PBR Rock bar, where we met the friends from Luxor. Sat around, caught up, had a few drinks. Nothing exciting for the first night. Me and my friend walked back to Bally's, but instead of going to bed, I had to go back to the casino for a little bit. Played some 3-card and lost, played some craps and only won a little. But craps was $5, so it was all good.
Jan 5 I had been to Mac King back in November, and swore that I would take my friends there. So, I went and got the cheap tickets for our group of 10. The auditorium was being renovated, the show was at the Improv, so I didn't get the VIP upgrades. Stopped by the sports book and placed a bet on the Colts. Whoops. Met everyone for the show; they were worried when he opened with "If you're happy and you know it...", but then they loved it. Still something I'd see again.
After the show, I told them I was going to PJ Clark's for oysters. I thought one or two would join me, but all 10 ended up going. That was a bit of a problem when it came to the check. They see a big group like that, and they get dollar signs in their eyes. But it was only beer, oysters, and a few apps. And a split check. That got ugly for a few people. Some of the group went to dinner then at Julian Serrano, but not me.
4 of us wandered through Caesars after that; got them some kick ass drinks back by the moving statues. Showed the anniversary couple the Belagio fountains, then we ended up going back to a room at Bally's to play cards and teach my friend Blackjack. Hey, were were there 6 nights, we had to pace ourselves!
Jan 6 The big plan for Sunday was to watch football. We monorailed it down to MGM, since that was about midway for everyone. Since the game started at 10 Vegas time, we had to wait for the bar at the front of MGM to open. But when it did, we almost had the place to ourselves. A bucket of beer was $30 (ouch!) but it was very comfortable for all of us, and the sports book being around the corner added some great crowd noise. Too bad the Colts lost.
Back to the room to rest up, then it was on to what I was looking forward to most: The 7:00 "Love" at the Mirage. Now I'm not a cirque fan, but I love good music. The acts were somewhat entertaining, but I spent the entire time just soaking in the music. Definitely good for a one time thing; the only way I'd go back though is if I was with a lady who wanted to see it. Tickets were a nice group rate, so it only cost me about $110. Still an "ouch!" though.
I then took everyone over to Toby Keith's at Harrah's, where I found out Serrano's had made some of our group sick. Good thing I didn't go. Lots of drinks, some food, and another good night with friends.
Oh yes, then a few of us wandered through the Caesars again (had to show it to more newbies). Stopped at a bar near the entrance to the Forum Shoppes, and had a few drinks. As I was playing VP at the bar, a lady sat next to my friend. Of course, I knew what her line of work was, and my friend quickly figured it out. So he sent her over to talk to me. Gee, thanks. As good looking as she was, I had to sent her on her way.
Jan 7 My birth started pretty slow. Went to Paris for the 2 for 1 martinis. Oh, and did I mention I befriended a lady on the plane to Vegas? Met her and a couple of her friends there, too. Unfortunately, the martini's were not good at all. The dirty I ordered was made with skunk vodka, and a couple others weren't good either. Very disappointing.
Made the long walk down to Luxor to watch the Notre Dame game, but stopped at MGM to place a bet on the under. Oops. Met my friends at a bar in Luxor (can't remember which one). Like the bar at MGM, there was a TV, good seating for the group.
5 of us ended up going downtown: me and my friend from Bally's, the lady from the plane, and two friends of hers. Me and my friend love downtown, but the others hadn't been. So we went and walked Fremont, showed them the lights, and had a fun few hours. But damn is that an expensive cab ride to do twice in one evening.
So we got back to the strip around midnight, and me and the lady from the plane ate breakfast at the Flamingo. After leaving her, I decided to finally get some VP in at Bally's, since I was finally alone. The best VP I could find was 8/5 JoB, on machines next to (but not at) the Keno bar. I ended up having a good run of luck playing $1, and walked away $350 ahead. Then it was to 3-card, where I was down and ready to go until I got a three of a kind. Then I was definitely ready to go!
Jan 8
Last few hours on the strip. Me, my friend, and the anniversary couple were going to spent 2 more nights at the Golden Gate. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well when I woke up. It was the breakfast from the night before. Met the friends from the plane and walked through Caesars with them, though I was a bit slow. After saying goodbye, we grabbed our luggage, and took a cab to the Golden Gate.
OK, I'll end this here, and do part 2 (downtown) tomorrow.
Summary
-I got lucky being put in a Diamond "suite". Really a big room, with a walk through closet to the bathroom. But I guess sometimes they do go a bit above and beyond for special occasions.
-Mac King is still something I'd see over again. Good value, and it's still funny. Even though I knew a few things to look for, I was still amazed.
-I've got lots of points from CET's Race for the Rewards, so I had plenty of free eats, most of the days were comped, and points took care of the balance. I don't gamble enough to earn that many points, so that promotion definitely is worth it to me.
-January weather really is cold. I needed a jacket in the evenings, and even then it was a bit chilly. That was my first January trip, and probably the last. Better than Indy, but I prefer the heat of July to the chill of winter.
-Love is a good show; if you like music and your friends like the Cirque stuff, it's a great compromise.
-I'm still not a fan of Luxor, even though I was only in the casino and a bar. And my friends who stayed there for the first time were not impressed, even though my birthday buddy thinks it's great.
-Once again, the monorail is worth it, especially considering the weather and distances we had to travel. Yes you walk to the stops, but still worth it.
-I didn't get to do as much gambling as I usually do, since I was always with friends. But when I did, I tried to focus more on video poker. I'm getting there on strategy, and while I know CET doesn't have the best odds, it still was pretty nice to me.
-Ah, another example of good service for the birthday boy: When I sat at the 3-card table, the pit boss noticed that it was my b-day, and told me he backed up my timer a bit. It's the little things that count!
-So service was pretty good at Bally's/CET. I know they get a bad rap, and I don't agree with some of the things they do. But for someone who likes value, doesn't gamble a lot, but still spends some money, the way they treat me is pretty good. And Race to the Rewards puts it over the top.
So long, until part 2!
