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Your Vegas Favourites
Hi all
As you likely know, Tikay has been writing his guide to Vegas - see here for part 1
Anyway, we thought it would be interesting for people who have been to share their...
1) Favourite HOTEL
2) Favourite CASINO
3) Favourite PLACE TO EAT
4) Favourite THING TO SEE
5) Favourite HIDDEN GEM
Feel free to add why they are your favourites.
Thanks
Sky Poker
Comments
2) Venetian or Aria, too close to call. Not played poker there, but New York New York's casino is pretty funky.
3) Blondies for a $3 breakfast, washed down with $2 Buds.
4) Erm, a show? Tikay recommends Celine Dion I think.
5) A little hole in the ground called the Grand Canyon, but shhhh, not many people know about it.
2.Had some great nights on the craps tables with the crazy americans at the hard rock but the poker at harrahs was cheap and at the standard where I didn't feel out of place.
3.Oscars downtown, Gordon Ramsey's Steak at caesers.
4.Probably cliché but Bellagio fountains also grand canyon was good
5.Rooftop nightclub at the Rio, good restaurant at top as well with great views.
I'm going to answer them one at a time over a couple of weeks as the answers might be a bit long. It's so hard, I've been there over 50 times and so many things change.
Let's start with the hotel...
The first thing to say is that you can pay anything from $30 a night to $25,000. I've stayed in a motel-style place at the north end of the strip, close to the place where Stu Ungar was found dead, and they are simply not nice. Often times when you get a package that includes a flight and hotel they'll put you in the Circus Circus or the Stratosphere. These are not great either and you'll be a long way from the action and may waste lots of time on and waiting for buses, waiting for and paying for taxis or walking in the heat.
If they offer you Excalibur then that is much nicer but if you plan to play the smallish tournaments at the Planet Hollywood or Aria you'll soon get bored of walking but it will feel "too close" to get a cab.
Remember...you are paying by the day for your trip and I like to cram in as much poker, shopping, pool time, eating with friends, relaxing and as little travelling about as possible.
If I was looking at the lower prices and I'm going for WSOP then Gold Coast wins every time. You are just across a road and in the back of the Rio and it cost $49.99 Sun-Thurs and $99.99 most weekends. All Vegas hotels charge more on Friday and Saturday simply because they can...the whole of LA comes to Vegas on those days.
If you think about what you can spend in the UK on a Double Tree Hilton or a Holiday Inn Express or Ibis then I would say Vegas is 10x better.
A lovely hotel like Paris, Wynn, Bellagio or Aria will "only" cost about $200 a night. These days average London hotel prices are £144 a night and these are way above average hotels. I love the Wynn as the windows are floor to ceiling making he room much lighter than at Aria or Bellagio. I like the pastel colours too, the other places can be a little gloomy. You are a bit away from the main poker action but the poker room there is great and attracts rich recreationals.
At all these places you should book by calling the poker office in the poker room. They can deal with your hotel booking and will put you on poker rate if you commit to play. Some of these places will only do that the second time you stay there once they see how you go...they like about 4-8 hours of play a day and it's all recorded on your players card.
Poker rates are usually around $100 a night and $200 a night weekends so if you stay a week at Bellagio you should save around $700.
I have spent a night in a $20,000 a night Playboy suite at the Palms. It has it's own glass pool off the balcony and is on two floors. Generally people don't pay for these things and the hotels just give them to people, often if they are big losers at gambling.
If you want to keep away from slot machines the places that are a cross between a little flat and a hotel room are great. The Signature at the MGM, the Palms Place and the Vdara (next to Aria), all offer a fridge, microwave, oven, hob, dishwasher and a living room. You'll pay between $100 and $250 a night with the prices generally being great if you stay a month.
Mid range there is a lot of choice and it really depends where you want to play. Caesars is great for being central, the rooms are fun and the pools and shopping are both excellent. TI has a very young feel especially at weekends...not my thing...don't try swimming in the pool which is more of a large bar with water. Mirage is slightly for older people than TI. This used to be THE place where the big game would be held. I've heard the poker room may go altogether soon. The rooms and restaurants are great and the pool is pretty. Paris has great restaurants, you are very central and just across from Bellagio, a bit expensive but nice to try midweek. Mandalay Bay is a total pain to get to other places but it's lovely. Really fancy and posh and has the best pool in Vegas with a wave machine and a sandy beech. The restaurants are amazing and the House of Blues has 80s bands on quite often. The MGM Grand is just too big. 5000 rooms and you WILL get lost. Kraftsteak and the Joel Rubichon restaurants are amazing but I don't like to stay there. Luxor is a good mid price option. The tower rooms are cheaper than the pramid ones and twice as big. It's a bit of a pain to go elsewhere but at Luxor, Exclalibur and Mandalay Bay you can play smallish cash and $30-$60 tournaments at all hours. Planet Hollywood is nice, just next to Paris and handy for Bellagio, very nice pool half way up the hotel and they are having a decent poker festival this summer.
One thing you need to be aware of is the horrible "resort fees". Hotels are so aware of price comparison and the internet and they want to appear cheapest but they often include these hidden charges at around $20 a night. If you don't pay them you can't have the internet or use the pool.
It's impossible to say where you should stay. Like a lot of poker questions the answer is always "it depends". What you should never do is stay at Venetian or Pallazo, which is a shame as both are lovely. Sheldon Adelson the owner of these places is a massive hypocrite. He is a billionaire through gambling but spends his whole life campaigning against online poker and has donated 100s of millions to buy politicians who are helping him in his campaign.
Wherever you stay it will be great.
Casino is a tricky one as are all the questions.
In terms of the range of casino, ("pit" games versus the house), games on offer they are all broadly the same. Some places have roulette wheels with one zero instead of two, often these are hidden away and they only have one table. They sometimes describe it as "European Roulette" and if you are a roulette fiend you'll notice that the numbers are in the same order on the wheel as at home, which they aren't on the "American" wheels. Some places have different kinds of slots that aren't offered everywhere (a friend of mine and I once spent two hours in Ballys asking various staff members if they could direct us to the slots...we were pretty drunk and it seemed hilarious). Some places have different Black Jack rules (restrictions on how many times you can double, dealer must hit or stand on soft 17 etc) and some places have different kinds of blackjack like double or single deck as well as Spanish 21 and others. Some places are great for dice. Craps is a game which should be enjoyed in a big crowd socially, so that everyone gets to handle the dice, get free drinks and shout a lot. Some places allow bigger bets "behind the line"...the one true odds bet in the casino and they used to offer 100x your pass line bet in some places. I think they have all stopped that now.
For me I like the casino for people watching and card counting. On the former everywhere is good but generally places like Encore, Mandalay Bay, Cosmopolitan and Bellagio will be where you see really rich people playing massive stakes and downtown at the Horseshoe, the Four Queens and the Las Vegas Club you'll see some more degenerate low rollers.
The Wynn is a good place to generally hang out and watch the world go by as is the Aria and the Mirage. They all seem to be pretty bustly and fun. The Hard Rock is a really chilled place and I would recommend a visit.
For Black Jack I like the double deck and the Wynn is pretty good for that. The Palms is great but they throw you out quickly and the same is true of anywhere downtown where a bigger player stands out too much.
If you are on a tight budget and you run low a popular day is to go to as many casinos as possible that you've never been to.
Essentially you'll soon realise they are all pretty similar but it's the people and the memories that make each one different.
I am aware by the way Dontelmum...I wish they weren't and I wouldn't have chosen that. I'm sorry if I spoke my mind but at my age that isn't really going to change.
Buy a 48 hour 'hop-on, hop-off' bus ticket, these are the red open-top London style double-deckers. On the first day do the entire tour of Vegas. You'll see absolutely everything the city has to offer, all that's been mentioned here and a ton more, with a useful commentary from a local person who knows the place very well. On the second day take the bus again, this time get off and spend time at all the places that appealed to you most on the first day.
2. MGM Grand/Monte Carlo. Liveliest/friendliest
3. Sushisamba
4. The atmosphere just before the "shuffle up & deal" at the main event
5. Not so hidden-the weather. Hot plus low humidity: heaven
There is a wealth of info out there regarding things to see and do, be much better to do a little research in advance and decide what stuff appeals and what doesn't, and act accordingly. Vegas is such an iconic place that, unless there is something specific you want to see or do that might require advance booking, it's good to rock up with a free diary and just soak up the atmosphere and see where your curiosity takes you. Just being on the Strip and ducking in and out of all the hotels/casinos is an activity in itself.
I await a tonking from bus enthusiasts.....
Place to eat is so tough...
Vegas has actually become a great town to for culinary stuff. Being older and never really liking nightclubs when I was young anyway, a night out in Vegas is always food, good wine and good company. I don't want to give you 100 to choose from but I'll share a few in different categories...
Al Fresco Dining
I never really understand why people don't want to eat outside more in Vegas. For an English guy the chance to sit outside and enjoy the weather is way better than "enjoying" the air con. They often tell you it's too windy though.
Three favourites for this are Mon Ami Gabie, at Paris, opposite the Bellagio you can people-watch at all the crazy stuff happening on the strip and see the fountains. The food is way less pretentious than in the moderate Eiffel Tower restaurant for a lot less money. Simple French, good for snails.
Bouchon at Venetian is a gem. Kills me to give money to Sheldon Adelson but this place is so quiet and lovely. You can sit out by the swimming pool of the Vennezia towers and you wouldn't know you were in Vegas. Excellent French bistro cooking.
Bartolotta at the Wynn is an amazing Italian seafood restaurant. Really a romantic place to go and sit outside by the pools. 5 courses of fish will slightly break the bank but worth it.
Steak Houses
There are so many and it's hard to say which is best. I'll just say that you can't really go wrong. A couple I like are...
Prime at Bellagio is pricey but I've never had a bad meal there. Pretty formal and they expect you to dress up. You can sit outside on the lake now I come to think of it.
Hugo's Cellar at the Four Queens is amazing. Such a Vegas gem. If you are downtown you HAVE to go. They make a great salad for you, have the hot rocks as a starter and talk to the lovely sommelier from Leeds (I think it's Leeds). Chocolate covered strawberries and a rose for the lady. Very "old Vegas" and a favourite place for sports bettors to meet with their bookmakers and settle up.
Craftsteak at MGM Grand is really good. All that kobe stuff where you know the cow has drunk beer and been stroked every day. Expensive.
You get a great steak at the Country Club at Wynn and if you want a long lunch you can look out on the golf course and get the sound of slot machines out of your head.
Great Views...
Binnions Steakhouse. Obv could have gone in the other category but this place is a good one to try. It's on the top of the Horseshoe and you get to see over Downtown and have a great steak. Never too crowded these days as the casino is forgotten. Check out the WSOP hall of fame stuff while you are they and think back to the old days. Lots of cool photos in the card room.
Stratosphere Restaurant at the Top of the World...
Generally if a restaurant spins around and has amazing views the food will be terrible. This one is pretty decent and the views are amazing. Not too expensive which is the other downside of spinning restaurants usually. Much better for the money than the Eifel Tower and a better view.
Pub Food...
If you just want that then you have 9 Fine Irishman at the New York New York where they serve a very good pint of Guinness and the Gordon Ramsey place at Caesars is ok too. I think my favourite pub on the strip is the Todd English pub in the City Centre but if you like micro brews then the place at the back of the Monte Carlo is good. There are two pubs called the Crown and Anchor off the strip...one is east and one is west, both a short cab ride...if you want to watch football with English people and drink early in the morning or get a roast dinner on Sunday you are in luck.
Burgers...
The place I think is the best in town is Burger Bar at the Mandalay Bay. It's sort of half way between there and the Luxor. A lot of people swear by In and Out Burger which is a short drive and is behind the Monte Carlo on Industrial. BLT burger at Mirage is good and people say great things about Strip Burger at the Fashion Show Mall opposite the Wynn but I've not been there.
Fine Dining...
Apart from the places I've already mentioned I've had great meals at Aureole at Mandalay Bay where the wine is stacked so high that ladies in cat suits climb the walls to get your bottle, the Joel Rubuchon places at the MGM Grand where you might think it's one of the meals of your life, most of the Bellagio places are great...I loved Piccasso but it's fairly formal and starchy, Le Cirque is more relaxed and great food and Michael Mina by the conservatory is possibly the best option in the hotel. I've probably forgotten to mention so many.
Japanese...
The hotels are so expensive and it's so much better to go further. I love Naked Fish (South Darango). It's 15 minutes drive from the strip but so worth it. You can order up until 2am which is rare and great for poker players. Say hi to Wanda and check out the plates on the wall painted by famous poker players. They have a sister restaurant called Kyara which is very good too...this is Japanese tapas style. The food at Yellowtail (Bellagio) is good but you'll pay double what you would at Naked Fish. If I'm on strip I go to The Wynn for Mizumi (was known as Okada until a big court case...). If you are looking for a great sushi place near the Rio then go to Umiya which is almost as good as Naked Fish but closer.
Chinese is not something I eat a lot of but it's hard to beat Noodles at Bellagio. You can order from the poker table and they'll deliver, ask the floorman. Sit at the bar for quick service if there is a queue and you want to get back to your game. If you are in a hurry and need to eat on the break at the WSOP avoid the Rio queues and have a nice Chinese at Ping Pang Pongs in the Gold Coast.
Indian is hard to find in Vegas but I've heard Mint Indian Bistro is the nuts so I'll be trying that. I also love Origin India which is on Paradise close to the Hard Rock.
Buffets...
My favourites are the more expensive ones. The buffet experience is so good and you get so much for your money you may as well spend a little. Bellagio and Wynn are my favourites but I also like Paris and people tell me the Caesars Palace Bacchanal Buffet is the nuts.
My tips would be don't queue too much. You can get a line pass if you play any table games just ask the pit boss (they'll let you barge to the front). You can also "cut in line" (as Americans say) if you eat at the counter (or bar). Just go to the front and tell them that.
If you are hungry late in the afternoon check out the times of lunch and dinner. You pay less for lunch but they don't kick you out. Go at around 4.30pm and you will be there when they bring all the extra dishes and the expensive stuff.
There really is no excuse to eat at McDonalds at all on the trip and please avoid the hotel "coffee shops" with their boring menus and terrible service. They always have massive lines of fat middle Americans waiting to eat boring food.
That was long...made myself hungry.
If I keep eating the way I do I will be.
I've never really been a whale in terms of playing casino games. One of the secrets to beating blackjack is that your min bet should be fairly small compared to your max bet. It's tricky to get the ratio over 5/1 without getting kicked out. I tend to start at $50 or $100 and go up to $200 to $400 as a min so my max is usually $250 to $2000. That is enough to get you noticed and sometimes "backed off" (asked to stop playing). It can also get you thrown out (asked to leave but not barred for life). In some places it's enough to get a decent restaurant meal for four comped after an hour or three of playing and in others a money off voucher and a line pass is about it.
To be a whale getting full RFB (everything paid for food drinks and a room) you need to wire a five figure sum, they need to know you do actually play, so you've probably been there before, you need to gamble pretty hard, a minimum of four hours a day without missing days and your buy-in and average bet will be monitored and it would have to be $500+.
If you are a Wynn player gambling $2000 a go on blackjack, you wire $50,000 and you play 5 hours a day you'll get a cabana by the private pool only used by those who, like you, have a tower suite, you'll eat at all the nice restaurants and you can turn up at the Rio in one of the Rolls Royces.
A few poker players who have gone down that route have won a bracelet and lost on the summer.
I'm a small dolphin.
In poker terms I have a long-term record of playing at Bellagio and I've paid $250k+ in tournament entries there. That gets me a discount on my room even if I never play and a few free meals if I ask the right people.
Las Vegas is close to the Nevada Test Site, which was in use for four decades until 1992. Mushroom clouds, which could regularly be seen from The Strip, became a tourist attraction. Vegas experienced noticeable seismic effects from the shockwaves.
The notorious 'secret' base known as Area 51 is nearby too.
It's all covered in depth in the museum. Fascinating, a hidden gem, highly recommended.
For a place to see I'm a massive fan of Lake Mead. You can drive there in about 40 mins, you go into a national park and there are several places from where you can hire a boat or jetskis. I always make an effort to get a group, buy lots of food and drinks, head out there, rent a boat for about $300, pay a $500 deposit, and have a brilliant time. If there are four of you you'll pay about $100 to get there and back and not that much more if you take a limo, so the whole day would cost $150 each at the absolute max. If you can find more people you could easily have a brilliant day for $100.
The boats have bar b q's and music on them. You can easily get one with a sun deck and a slide. The lake is sadly not as big as it was but it's pretty amazing and the contrast with the noises of Vegas is amazing. The Hoover damn is the main sight to see and you should look out for the mountain goats who defy gravity.
My other thing to see is Red Rock canyon which is about 20 minutes west of the Mirage by car. The rocks are beautiful and there are hiking trails and a circuit to drive round and take the views. I've been to a massive tourist trap called Old Vegas which is a genuine Western town where actors play the parts of the sheriff, the rustlers and all the towns folk...great fun. I've also been pony trekking out that way.
Vegas can be overwhelming, it is quite soulless and sometimes you just need to be away from people and gambling and that would be two places to go for that.
I have a slightly weird hidden gem and in a way I don't even like it.
If ever I get miserable in Vegas I always go to "The Secret Gardens of Seigfried and Roy". S and R were a massive attraction, the headline act, not just at the Mirage, but in the whole town, in the 80s and 90s. They did a spectacular magic act that included wild animals, they made an elephant disappear and they strode onto the stage with lions and tigers in their camp and glitzy Vegas costumes. It was said that the animals all lived a fantastic life on a huge ranch but a few years ago I stayed in a big mansion with a load of people. The mansion had once been owned by S and R and there were sheds in the grounds that had big scratch marks along the wooden partitions inside them.
Anyway, the animals that are used in that week's show would stay in a small "zoo" behind the Mirage set in beautiful gardens.I guess that would save them being transported around so often. One day during the act Roy was mauled by a tiger and seriously injured. That was the end of the S and R show but of course they still had the zoo in it's fantastic gardens and so they had to really keep the rare white tigers and lions, the elephant (who dies a few years ago) and the panthers and cheetah. The Secret Gardens remains open each day as a zoo and it also has a dolphinareum.
It costs about $20 to go to the gardens and I go at least twice every trip.
I'm definitely not sure how I feel about these amazing animals being kept in quite small enclosures in a zoo in the middle of a desert where it's 100 degrees but they do certainly seem to be very well cared for and they are amazing. It takes my breathe away to get up close to them and I find it surreal that all this is happening in the middle of Vegas.
That is my hidden gem really but if you do just want to stand somewhere quiet and have thoughts to yourself and never be disturbed and think about the world you can stand under the Arc de Triomphe at Paris which is in the middle of the turning circle for cabs and nobody will ever notice you are there.
For food I do think of Hugo's Cellar as a little hidden treasure.