Summer of Cal/Nev – Day 12
After having breakfast and checking out (my two breakfast buffets charged to my room cost me $2.96 for my entire stay at Sam’s Town—I’m SO spoiled). I stopped to take a picture of the atrium here at Sam’s Town. It’s very nice and in the morning a perfect place to sit and read the newspaper and relax to sounds of the waterfall and forest sounds they put out over hidden speakers.
The atrium at Sam's Town in the morning
Also, whenever I come here, I park in the back parking garage because it’s out of the sunlight, and it’s convenient to bring your bags in as there’s a back door to the hotel. A funny phenomenon has been taking place here for the past many years, and that’s for whatever reason, people have been taking off their shoes and smacking them against the overhead cement ribs of the structure. Why they do this is a complete mystery, but it certainly has turned into a bit of an attraction all its own.
Feet marks going into Sam's Town from the 3rd floor parking garage...odd tradition
I headed over to Costco to fill up ($3.43 per gallon) and then it was back on the road and back once again to Laughlin.
I needed to make a fast bathroom break at the Railroad Pass Casino and afterwards stopped by the slot club booth not remembering if I had signed up there or not. It turns out I hadn’t so I was given a new card, which came with a free vinyl tote bag and because I also gave them an email address, they’re going to send me a free night’s stay—not bad.
I still find myself staring at my temperature gauge too often. It’s funny how that works. I wonder how long it will take me to get over that. The trip to Laughlin was uneventful and considering that I’ve covered this place at nauseam, I thought I check out some of the non-tourist points. For example, there’s a Laughlin High School—Home of the Cougars.
Laughlin High School (as a HS teacher, of course I had to check this out)
This is the view from the high school looking down on the casinos and the Colorado River
I drove over to the Laughlin Library. I’ve been here before as it’s a good place to get free Internet access. It’s very modern, how a computer lab, an art gallery room where locals can display their art for the community, and a few small rooms for meetings, book clubs, and anything else that all you need is a library card and make a reservation.
Yes, Laughlin is much more than the casinos
Inside of the Laughlin Library
The locals art gallery inside the library--the display is changed every month
I spent a little time checking out the housing and rentals. Prices range from $129K to $325K though there were a few places as low as $89K but after looking at them, I can’t see buying it. Houses rent from $1000 (for a nice 3 bedroom 2 bath) to $1900 for a 5 bedroom, 3 ½ bathroom. Condos rent for $625 to $995. By California terms, these are great prices. However, if you don’t work for a government agency or the hotel/tourist industry, I have no idea how people make a living here. My guess is that this primarily a retirement community, something I confirmed with my talk a few days ago with Bobbi and Franklin. Of course, the summers here can be brutal (95 to 115 range) but the spring and fall here are wonderful.
Answering a couple of questions from your replies.
1. The car valet at Sam’s is part of the new expansion.
2. I made a mistake (what’s new?) about Sam’s “becoming” a Boyd property, what I meant was that I was referring to the merge with the Coast properties.
3. No, the train hasn’t been circling the Tropicana Express for a couple of years now.
4. Thanks Bagiant, who takes full responsibility for Sam’s adding flat top TVs to their rooms.
5. It’s hard for me to walk up to people and just start talking (shy?). Usually there’s some reason a conversation begins. I suppose I could hand them my card and tell them I’m writing these reports, but I’m a coward. I will keep trying though.
6. “Anybody who knows my history with Sam's Town won't believe this, I have never seem Sam's Town pool !! Who knew ST had a pool??” (Lolly). For those of you who don’t know, for the longest time (back in the day), we members referred to Sam’s as Lolly Town.
I arrived at Harrahs at 12:30 and though I knew it was a little early to check in, I gave it shot. The receptionist said matter-of-factly that my suite was ready. How nice. Last time I was here, I was in a room in need of work and two days later, they put me in a suite. I got my bags from the car and went to the top floor of the south tower. On the door was printed Babbitt Suite.
This is the door of my suite...would be curious as to who Babbitts.
When I opened the door, I could see right away this is not the suite I’ve had in the past, which were nice, but nothing like this. There was a dining table, a bar, a refrigerator, a microwave, two bathrooms, and a work desk. It was a corner suite so the views were amazing.
The living room area of the Babbitt Suite
The bar area in the suite
The bedroom
The bathroom area---huge shower---no tub!
The view from one of the six windows of the suite
My stay this time around is for three nights. The promotion is called the Mystery Box, which on the post card sent to me announcing the promotion, there are three boxes covered in silver, very much like a scratch off lottery ticket. The box must be scratched off in front of the promotions person that day. Tuesday the box is worth $15 to $250; Wednesday’s box is $15 to $500 and Thursday’s box $15 to $750.
The flyer with the promotion that got me here
I’ve done this promotion two or three times in the past and every time, I have either the lowest amount for ten bucks above it. Here’s my prediction (and I hope I’m wrong): Today’s box (no surprise) was $15; Wednesday, $15; Thursday, $25. It doesn’t bother me (though the cynic in me thinks that no one gets the top prize, and if they do, it’s their big players). I do these marketing schemes for the free rooms, and as rooms go, today I got the top prize! At about 5:00 PM, a knock on the door and it was a bellman handing me a “goodie package” compliments of my host. Hmm, now I know someone screwed up. I don’t have a host, and if I do, I don’t know who it is. But the goodie bag had two bananas, two apples, a bag of pretzels, a bag of cookies, and two waters. Score!
I watched “So You Think You Can Dance” (great season, the Top 20 are ALL amazing) and finally hit the sheets.
More tomorrow
After having breakfast and checking out (my two breakfast buffets charged to my room cost me $2.96 for my entire stay at Sam’s Town—I’m SO spoiled). I stopped to take a picture of the atrium here at Sam’s Town. It’s very nice and in the morning a perfect place to sit and read the newspaper and relax to sounds of the waterfall and forest sounds they put out over hidden speakers.
The atrium at Sam's Town in the morning
Also, whenever I come here, I park in the back parking garage because it’s out of the sunlight, and it’s convenient to bring your bags in as there’s a back door to the hotel. A funny phenomenon has been taking place here for the past many years, and that’s for whatever reason, people have been taking off their shoes and smacking them against the overhead cement ribs of the structure. Why they do this is a complete mystery, but it certainly has turned into a bit of an attraction all its own.
Feet marks going into Sam's Town from the 3rd floor parking garage...odd tradition
I headed over to Costco to fill up ($3.43 per gallon) and then it was back on the road and back once again to Laughlin.
I needed to make a fast bathroom break at the Railroad Pass Casino and afterwards stopped by the slot club booth not remembering if I had signed up there or not. It turns out I hadn’t so I was given a new card, which came with a free vinyl tote bag and because I also gave them an email address, they’re going to send me a free night’s stay—not bad.
I still find myself staring at my temperature gauge too often. It’s funny how that works. I wonder how long it will take me to get over that. The trip to Laughlin was uneventful and considering that I’ve covered this place at nauseam, I thought I check out some of the non-tourist points. For example, there’s a Laughlin High School—Home of the Cougars.
Laughlin High School (as a HS teacher, of course I had to check this out)
This is the view from the high school looking down on the casinos and the Colorado River
I drove over to the Laughlin Library. I’ve been here before as it’s a good place to get free Internet access. It’s very modern, how a computer lab, an art gallery room where locals can display their art for the community, and a few small rooms for meetings, book clubs, and anything else that all you need is a library card and make a reservation.
Yes, Laughlin is much more than the casinos
Inside of the Laughlin Library
The locals art gallery inside the library--the display is changed every month
I spent a little time checking out the housing and rentals. Prices range from $129K to $325K though there were a few places as low as $89K but after looking at them, I can’t see buying it. Houses rent from $1000 (for a nice 3 bedroom 2 bath) to $1900 for a 5 bedroom, 3 ½ bathroom. Condos rent for $625 to $995. By California terms, these are great prices. However, if you don’t work for a government agency or the hotel/tourist industry, I have no idea how people make a living here. My guess is that this primarily a retirement community, something I confirmed with my talk a few days ago with Bobbi and Franklin. Of course, the summers here can be brutal (95 to 115 range) but the spring and fall here are wonderful.
Answering a couple of questions from your replies.
1. The car valet at Sam’s is part of the new expansion.
2. I made a mistake (what’s new?) about Sam’s “becoming” a Boyd property, what I meant was that I was referring to the merge with the Coast properties.
3. No, the train hasn’t been circling the Tropicana Express for a couple of years now.
4. Thanks Bagiant, who takes full responsibility for Sam’s adding flat top TVs to their rooms.
5. It’s hard for me to walk up to people and just start talking (shy?). Usually there’s some reason a conversation begins. I suppose I could hand them my card and tell them I’m writing these reports, but I’m a coward. I will keep trying though.
6. “Anybody who knows my history with Sam's Town won't believe this, I have never seem Sam's Town pool !! Who knew ST had a pool??” (Lolly). For those of you who don’t know, for the longest time (back in the day), we members referred to Sam’s as Lolly Town.
I arrived at Harrahs at 12:30 and though I knew it was a little early to check in, I gave it shot. The receptionist said matter-of-factly that my suite was ready. How nice. Last time I was here, I was in a room in need of work and two days later, they put me in a suite. I got my bags from the car and went to the top floor of the south tower. On the door was printed Babbitt Suite.
This is the door of my suite...would be curious as to who Babbitts.
When I opened the door, I could see right away this is not the suite I’ve had in the past, which were nice, but nothing like this. There was a dining table, a bar, a refrigerator, a microwave, two bathrooms, and a work desk. It was a corner suite so the views were amazing.
The living room area of the Babbitt Suite
The bar area in the suite
The bedroom
The bathroom area---huge shower---no tub!
The view from one of the six windows of the suite
My stay this time around is for three nights. The promotion is called the Mystery Box, which on the post card sent to me announcing the promotion, there are three boxes covered in silver, very much like a scratch off lottery ticket. The box must be scratched off in front of the promotions person that day. Tuesday the box is worth $15 to $250; Wednesday’s box is $15 to $500 and Thursday’s box $15 to $750.
The flyer with the promotion that got me here
I’ve done this promotion two or three times in the past and every time, I have either the lowest amount for ten bucks above it. Here’s my prediction (and I hope I’m wrong): Today’s box (no surprise) was $15; Wednesday, $15; Thursday, $25. It doesn’t bother me (though the cynic in me thinks that no one gets the top prize, and if they do, it’s their big players). I do these marketing schemes for the free rooms, and as rooms go, today I got the top prize! At about 5:00 PM, a knock on the door and it was a bellman handing me a “goodie package” compliments of my host. Hmm, now I know someone screwed up. I don’t have a host, and if I do, I don’t know who it is. But the goodie bag had two bananas, two apples, a bag of pretzels, a bag of cookies, and two waters. Score!
I watched “So You Think You Can Dance” (great season, the Top 20 are ALL amazing) and finally hit the sheets.
More tomorrow
