Just passing through...but then...the Rio beckoned

As we were having and had been having no-fun weather in Portland (ice storms, etc.), I decided to travel to AZ to see relatives and stop in Vegas for a few days on the way. I figured it wasn't even worth inquiring about Super Bowl weekend, so I took my free/cheap room offers and booked a stay at the good old Four Queens for Mon-Thu. $32/night net with the two free nights.

On my way down, I just on a whim tried to look up what the Rio wanted for the SB weekend and whether the LVA coupon would be usable/honored. I was surprised to see a very low base rate for the entire weekend, albeit with an $11 billion/night resort fee (plus tax on the resort fee), so I plugged in a seven-night booking (what the hell) starting Fri. 7 with the LVA code. Now, I'd tried this before for other dates, and had always gotten "INVALID CODE," so I didn't expect this to work. But it did! Perhaps the difference was that I didn't ask for the renovated rooms.

So I wound up spending Super Bowl weekend plus four more days for the grand sum of...$167. This HAS to be some kind of booboo, and in fact, the front desk people, including the mangler, didn't believe it. But I showed them my confirmation email and opined gently that they were obligated to honor it since they had accepted my deposit and I really didn't want to burn down yet another casino. So eventually, they shrugged and gave me my key. I made them swear a blood oath that I wouldn't wake up and find that the resort fee had been added back to my bill (it would have been $77 billion, plus tax). They gave me one of the renovated rooms after all...SCORE!

In my next installment, I'll tell you about the Rio as it is now...a place I never thought I'd set foot in ever, ever again.

My room was huge (do I have to say "yuge" now?). Big ol' bed, full-size couch, big screen TV, work table, desk, chairs, large bathroom, lots of storage, and the fabled floor-to-ceiling windows. Everything a person could want.

The gambling, of course, is horrid there. $25 minimum 6:5 shitjack (can't really call it blackjack), albeit thronged with happy idiots. Slots I never touch anyway, but VP was not the absolute worst...stuff like 7/5 Bonus with a player's club that awards the usual nothing. Some of usual other stuff, like craps and a sports book, but nothing remarkable.

Food was hideously overpriced, something I remember from the Rio's good old days (for instance, the Indian restaurant, in 2003, charged $45 for an entree). It was bad enough to keep me away altogether, until my last day there when the Luckley's (sic) Tavern advertised that they weren't open on the website--but they were, and had a happy hour. Very very good burger, fries, and beer for "only" $32. LOL.

There was one of those little snack kiosks on the way to my room. A little display with small bags of chips, like you see at the convenience store--how much? $5.99!!! LOL! Across the way, a Starbucks wanted $8 for a coffee..and $6 for a cute little postage stamp-sized pastry. Down the hall, Kang's Korean Kitchen wanted $108 for a "personal" sized Korean BBQ platter. 

Oh, and Hash House a Goo Girl or whatever they call it room-serviced me a really good breakfast (they're the only food outlet that does that) and it wasn't TOO insanely horribly expensive. They also have the typical overpriced food court, half of which's outlets weren't even open. I observed quite a few DoorDashers delivering pizzas from God knows where.

So this joint has reinvented itself kind of like old-school Vegas, as far as the room rates are concerned: get 'em in there with cheap room rates, then kick 'em in the nuts for everything else. The difference, of course, is that back then, the food used to be cheap, too.

I do need to add that both valet parking and parking parking are free, so unless you love walking long distances, use the valet. Attendants were fast and friendly, and accepted the well-deserved shiny quarter I gave them with a grateful smile.

I've been hesitant to post this, because I think this may have been a coupon malfunction on their part (SEVEN nights???), but I thought that other LVAers should know (risk vs. reward). Hell, I saved something like $450 in resort fees. That dwarfs all of the other coupons combined!

    I stayed there in December with the free room offer - (I paid the $50/night resort fee -  which has since gone up) - for 2 nights, just to check the place out.  Actually the  Rio deals three different blackjack games. There are 3:2 and 6:5 shoe games on the floor. There is also 6:5 Free Bet. The 3:2 tables allow surrender and re-splitting aces. Minimum bets range from $15 to $50. and .25/.50/ cent 9/6 double double bonus video poker. The high limit room has 8/5 Bonus Poker. The renovated rooms are beautiful. Valet parking was free and fast ( tip appreciated). I keep getting weekly offers for 4 free nights (pay resort fee) with $50 Bonus Frio Play (slot money). The food and drinks are expensive, but the drink service is good and free when gambling (tip appreciated by the server). I gave minimum video poker play and actually won enough to cover the resort fees. I will be taking advantage of my offers in the future, even though I detest resort fees. The overall atmosphere was laid back and everyone gambling seemed to be having a good time. 

You might have gotten the best deal in Vegas over SB weekend!  Nice score.

I wish they would put pedestrian bridges to connect Palms -Rio-Gold Cloast.    You could make that neighborhood a destination all by itself.

Yeah, you take your life in your hands to cross Flamingo. I did notice that at least, the pedestrian crossings from the Strip are better and safer 

As those three casino companies are in fierce competition, they're not going to do what they should, which is have a constantly circling shuttle among the three properties.

I used to love the Rio but it got so bad and my last stay there so terrible that I haven't been back.  But they keep sending me comp offers so maybe I'll reconsider fir my April trip (currently booked at Palms Place)

If you did stay there, what tower were you in?  Thanks.

I don't know if it's me you're asking, but I stayed in the Ipanema tower.

Good scores, Kevin.  Never hurts to ask, does it.  And you had your documentation (emails) to cover any doubts from the front desk.

Candy