I have been a member for quite a few years and have never posted a trip report. It's intimidating to try to follow many of the talented and witty authors but I'll give it a try.
Girlfriend had booked a trip to Boulder to see her daughter so at the last minute I booked American RT from Boston through Dallas for $250. I much prefer the non-stop Jet Blue flight but the $400 premium nixed that.
Saturday 10/5
Flight was on time and I used to Bell Trans VIP shuttle $38 r/t for a solo sedan ride to the Orleans. Short line at check in and got a nice king with strip view on a high floor at the end of the hall. (That’s my gym time while in Vegas)
Settled at the Gator bar and had my first Fat Tire. Many 4oak’s and the hundy lasted the night. Cashed for $68. Totals 12 Fat Tires @ $3.67 each…. Huge win. Quick slice and on to bed around 12:30(3:30 edt)
Sunday 10/6
Up early as usual and had to wait for the buffet to open at 8:00. $10 food credit to go along with the 2 free nights so the buffet was free. Walked over to the sports book around 8:45 and the line wrapped around the room. Jumped to shuttle to the Gold Coast and got my $15 4-team parlay down. (The Pats killed the card early… Seattle a little later.) Settled into the Red Zone for the morning/afternoon. I love this place because it’s very low key and you can concentrate on the games you want without the distracting cheers for other games. No Fat Tire so I had to settle for the least of all the evils….Heineken. Wow they went down very well. Lost about a hundy and a half over the 2 games. For the baker’s dozen with tip, the beers were about $12.54 each (damn foreign beer!)
Shuttled back to the Orleans and remembered I should eat something. Popped into Fridays for a burger and about 3 iced teas…… Gotta Hydrate! I tried to find a seat at one of the bars to play a little more VP before the delayed Sunday Night Football Game. All the seats were tied up with non-players and I kept wandering around. Finally found a seat but never could get a beer.
I have a hard and fast rule that I get a beer before I start playing on my $20/$100. The bartender finally came up to me at the Mardi Gras bar and took my order and delivered my beer. He walked away and headed to the other side without a word. I’m really pissed now and bang out a couple hands with nothing. 3rd hard I’m dealt QKA10 spades and the Jack hit. There is literally no living soul around and the machine was silent. Cash the ticket and head up to the room for the night. 1 beer this session that I was paid $999 to drink, And a Fat Tire to boot!!
Monday 10/07
I was originally booked for 2 free nights at MSS. Love it down there and will be back for 4 nights early December. Saw an offer on LVA for $41 a night at the Palms with 2 free breakfast buffets. Add in the $20 a night FU Fee and the total with tax is around $137 for the 2 nights. I had a 50% off LVA coupon so the total for 2 nights is $87.
Really gotta give the Palms a shot for that. I arrive to check in about 11:00 am and ask for a nice quiet room. The front desker gives me an end room in the Ivory Tower… 24002. What a score…. Newly remodeled, strip view.. Way, way too nice for a half century ++ guy. Windows on 2 sides, huge flat screen and great music system.
Play a little craps on their electronic machine. I’m not a veteran of the game so I really enjoy learning the game on a $3 min table. You are in your own little world and don’t have to worry about any table faux pas. I guess that’s why I’m a video poker player….. You make a mistake you are the only one that knows. My original $20 grew to $68 and change. 2 Bloody Mary’s -$23 each.
Head over to the GC and settle in for a little Jacks or Better. Down a couple hundys but the cocktail waitress kept the dreaded Heinekens coming. I had had enough and was walking toward the door to cross back to the Palms. My non sponsor to AA tracked me down with a Heiney to go because she thought I could use it. Easy $10 tip there! 12 Heinekens @ $11.00 each (Downtown Boston prices)
Walked back to the Palms for a little more electronic craps and realized that I should eat something. Grabbed a quick bite at Earl of Sandwich, played a little VP and then up to the room for MN Football and sleep.
Tuesday 10/8
I walked over to the Gold Coast for their breakfast buffet which I always love. Paid with points so the price was right. Played a little more VP but this morning the beverage of choice was club soda and bottled water. Just a bit down on the session and slowly coming back to life. Fresh air might do the trick so I catch the shuttle to Bally’s and hit the strip.
I make it a point to visit the Conservatory at the Bellagio every trip. The Fall display doesn’t disappoint. Strolled through the Cosmo… if I could somehow have a turn in the way-back machine I think I would really like it there. The place is dead but I walk the whole complex.
Cross back over to Bally’s to look around. (Bally’s has been home base for many years but the addition of resort fees and the downgrading of the VP inventory pushed me to Boyd.) I see many familiar faces but don’t stop. The remodel of the food court looks really nice. Walk out the door and look at the watch… it’s 3:00 and my ribs will not be served at Ellis Island until 4. What to do? Get off the strip!
I catch the shuttle to the Gold Coast with the goal of heading back to the Palms. What an idiot; I make a wrong turn at end up at the Red Zone bar.
Totally discussed with myself I automatically put a hundy into the machine and order another Heineken. Service is horrible and the Heineys are tasting really bad. The only craft beer is Sam Adams (not a big fan) but I buck up and order one, then another and then another. Now the bartender is hanging around the guy next to me arguing about the best baseball player of all time. They will not shut up and get louder and louder. I’m really pissed by this time and decide to play 3 more hands and bolt. On the 3rd hand I hold the Q10K of hearts and the JA come in on the progressive for $1134. Bartender is hooting and the guy he was arguing with told me I was at his machine. Life’s a bitch and then you die! Hit the cash out, dropped a $20 for the bartender and then cashed the ticket. 3 Heinekens 4 Sams… -$158.00 a beer!
The guy beside me had weired me out so I serpentine through the casino, headed out of the casino and crossed over to the Palms. First stop was the room to safe the winnings away and freshen up.
I headed back downstairs to watch the rest of the Sox-Rays game at the bar in front of the sports book. I had my orange Red Sox cap on and bartender has many friends in the Boston area so he treated me very well. Many Sierra Nevadas later, I headed up to the room and called it a trip. ?? Sierra Nevadas $$ I didn’t really care.
Wednesday 10/9
Town car was right on time to the me to my 9:55 am flight back to Boston. Flight landed on time and I caught the commuter bus to Newburyport and was in the door at 11:30 pm.
Moral of the story…. Play pissed and drink craft beer
I can only hope that the December trip is half as good as this one.
Girlfriend had booked a trip to Boulder to see her daughter so at the last minute I booked American RT from Boston through Dallas for $250. I much prefer the non-stop Jet Blue flight but the $400 premium nixed that.
Saturday 10/5
Flight was on time and I used to Bell Trans VIP shuttle $38 r/t for a solo sedan ride to the Orleans. Short line at check in and got a nice king with strip view on a high floor at the end of the hall. (That’s my gym time while in Vegas)
Settled at the Gator bar and had my first Fat Tire. Many 4oak’s and the hundy lasted the night. Cashed for $68. Totals 12 Fat Tires @ $3.67 each…. Huge win. Quick slice and on to bed around 12:30(3:30 edt)
Sunday 10/6
Up early as usual and had to wait for the buffet to open at 8:00. $10 food credit to go along with the 2 free nights so the buffet was free. Walked over to the sports book around 8:45 and the line wrapped around the room. Jumped to shuttle to the Gold Coast and got my $15 4-team parlay down. (The Pats killed the card early… Seattle a little later.) Settled into the Red Zone for the morning/afternoon. I love this place because it’s very low key and you can concentrate on the games you want without the distracting cheers for other games. No Fat Tire so I had to settle for the least of all the evils….Heineken. Wow they went down very well. Lost about a hundy and a half over the 2 games. For the baker’s dozen with tip, the beers were about $12.54 each (damn foreign beer!)
Shuttled back to the Orleans and remembered I should eat something. Popped into Fridays for a burger and about 3 iced teas…… Gotta Hydrate! I tried to find a seat at one of the bars to play a little more VP before the delayed Sunday Night Football Game. All the seats were tied up with non-players and I kept wandering around. Finally found a seat but never could get a beer.
I have a hard and fast rule that I get a beer before I start playing on my $20/$100. The bartender finally came up to me at the Mardi Gras bar and took my order and delivered my beer. He walked away and headed to the other side without a word. I’m really pissed now and bang out a couple hands with nothing. 3rd hard I’m dealt QKA10 spades and the Jack hit. There is literally no living soul around and the machine was silent. Cash the ticket and head up to the room for the night. 1 beer this session that I was paid $999 to drink, And a Fat Tire to boot!!
Monday 10/07
I was originally booked for 2 free nights at MSS. Love it down there and will be back for 4 nights early December. Saw an offer on LVA for $41 a night at the Palms with 2 free breakfast buffets. Add in the $20 a night FU Fee and the total with tax is around $137 for the 2 nights. I had a 50% off LVA coupon so the total for 2 nights is $87.
Really gotta give the Palms a shot for that. I arrive to check in about 11:00 am and ask for a nice quiet room. The front desker gives me an end room in the Ivory Tower… 24002. What a score…. Newly remodeled, strip view.. Way, way too nice for a half century ++ guy. Windows on 2 sides, huge flat screen and great music system.
Play a little craps on their electronic machine. I’m not a veteran of the game so I really enjoy learning the game on a $3 min table. You are in your own little world and don’t have to worry about any table faux pas. I guess that’s why I’m a video poker player….. You make a mistake you are the only one that knows. My original $20 grew to $68 and change. 2 Bloody Mary’s -$23 each.
Head over to the GC and settle in for a little Jacks or Better. Down a couple hundys but the cocktail waitress kept the dreaded Heinekens coming. I had had enough and was walking toward the door to cross back to the Palms. My non sponsor to AA tracked me down with a Heiney to go because she thought I could use it. Easy $10 tip there! 12 Heinekens @ $11.00 each (Downtown Boston prices)
Walked back to the Palms for a little more electronic craps and realized that I should eat something. Grabbed a quick bite at Earl of Sandwich, played a little VP and then up to the room for MN Football and sleep.
Tuesday 10/8
I walked over to the Gold Coast for their breakfast buffet which I always love. Paid with points so the price was right. Played a little more VP but this morning the beverage of choice was club soda and bottled water. Just a bit down on the session and slowly coming back to life. Fresh air might do the trick so I catch the shuttle to Bally’s and hit the strip.
I make it a point to visit the Conservatory at the Bellagio every trip. The Fall display doesn’t disappoint. Strolled through the Cosmo… if I could somehow have a turn in the way-back machine I think I would really like it there. The place is dead but I walk the whole complex.
Cross back over to Bally’s to look around. (Bally’s has been home base for many years but the addition of resort fees and the downgrading of the VP inventory pushed me to Boyd.) I see many familiar faces but don’t stop. The remodel of the food court looks really nice. Walk out the door and look at the watch… it’s 3:00 and my ribs will not be served at Ellis Island until 4. What to do? Get off the strip!
I catch the shuttle to the Gold Coast with the goal of heading back to the Palms. What an idiot; I make a wrong turn at end up at the Red Zone bar.
Totally discussed with myself I automatically put a hundy into the machine and order another Heineken. Service is horrible and the Heineys are tasting really bad. The only craft beer is Sam Adams (not a big fan) but I buck up and order one, then another and then another. Now the bartender is hanging around the guy next to me arguing about the best baseball player of all time. They will not shut up and get louder and louder. I’m really pissed by this time and decide to play 3 more hands and bolt. On the 3rd hand I hold the Q10K of hearts and the JA come in on the progressive for $1134. Bartender is hooting and the guy he was arguing with told me I was at his machine. Life’s a bitch and then you die! Hit the cash out, dropped a $20 for the bartender and then cashed the ticket. 3 Heinekens 4 Sams… -$158.00 a beer!
The guy beside me had weired me out so I serpentine through the casino, headed out of the casino and crossed over to the Palms. First stop was the room to safe the winnings away and freshen up.
I headed back downstairs to watch the rest of the Sox-Rays game at the bar in front of the sports book. I had my orange Red Sox cap on and bartender has many friends in the Boston area so he treated me very well. Many Sierra Nevadas later, I headed up to the room and called it a trip. ?? Sierra Nevadas $$ I didn’t really care.
Wednesday 10/9
Town car was right on time to the me to my 9:55 am flight back to Boston. Flight landed on time and I caught the commuter bus to Newburyport and was in the door at 11:30 pm.
Moral of the story…. Play pissed and drink craft beer
I can only hope that the December trip is half as good as this one.
