April 4
This was a 3 night solo trip with the first night at South Point for some serious Video Poker then 2 nights on the strip, the Stratosphere and MGM Grand, doing the "tourist" thing. I had originally planned on flying but waited too long and the price doubled inside of 2 weeks. Lesson learned... If you see a good price, book it! Rental cars were also looking expensive recently in Vegas. You used to be able to regularly get one for $20 a day at a major place now they are $40-50. My local Hertz was able to give me a Ford Escape for $18 a day so it was a no-brainer to drive. There was little traffic on a Saturday afternoon and was at South Point in less than 3.5 hours.
I have stayed at South Point quite a few times in the last few years and I currently consider it my "home" casino. I finalized my plans just a week before the trip and within 3 minutes of sending an email to my host, I was comped the usual 1 bedroom suite. The room is great with 2 actual seperate rooms, a living room with a bar and dining area and the bedroom and large bathroom in the other. The room is only a few years old and still in excellent condition. The casino is great with a lot of full-pay games around and the drink service is second to none. There is a good selection of food choices including a great deli near the sports book which serves up an excellent bagel and egg sandwich!
In the 24 hours I was there, I gave them a good amount of play and the small amount of food I had charged was picked up as well as given a 4PM check-out. I can't say enough great things about South Point, but of course, will try in greater detail on the home page in the near future.
April 5
The second night, it was on to the Stratosphere. I used just every last minute of my 4 PM check-out and then zipped up the freeway to the Stratosphere. Getting there at the time I did, I was concerned with the check-in line as the Strat is notorious for horrendous waits at the front desk. Much to my surprise, there were only 3 people in line with ample staff at the counter. When I asked to make sure I was in a smoking room, the clerk told me that it was not so I asked for the room to be changed. She said she had to check with the manager?!?! After a few minutes, she comes back and says that they "will give it to me" and I was changed to a room a couple of floors higher. You would think by the way she acted, she was upgrading me to the VIP Suite! It gave me a nice chuckle on my way to my room.
I was in a "Premier Strip View" room on the 20th floor and it definitely had a strip view though it is somewhat ruined by the monstrousity that is Fontainebleau. I paid $60 for the night directly off the Strat website. Like the room I gotten at MGM the next night, the room was recently "beautified" as they called it but it definitely wasn't a complete remodel as it still had an old TV and a cheesy formica counter-top in the bathroom. The bed, floor and furniture were all in good condition however. All in all, not terrible accomodation considering the Strat often is amongst the cheapest on the strip most night.
When staying at the Strat, you almost have to go up to the tower and they were giving free admission to hotel guests so I couldn't pass it up. I ended up spending over an hour up there taking pictures as the sun went down and watching people on those insane rides. I now have plenty of new material to update the picture page!
For dinner that night, I had my 1 and only meal at the Strat, a graveyard breakfast special at Lucky's Cafe, their 24 hour coffee shop. This place has been consistently good over the years and was just as good this time around. The food was all cooked just right and the service was fast. As a single diner I really appreciate that, just give me the damn check so I can go!
The casino isn't very good as video poker is usually poor and the table games are filled with gimmicks like crapless craps and 6/5 BJ. This is coming from a casino that boasts "Get Better Odds at the Stratosphere" in its ads. In several of the elevators, they actually had the balls to post this ad. With "better odds" like that, I will take my business elsewhere thank you!
The Stratosphere has gotten a bum rap over the years but for what it is and what it tries to be, it really is a good value. The rooms are definitely decent and usually priced right, the restaurants are much improved over the years and the tower is one of the must see attractions in Vegas. The downside being a not so great location and a poor casino but a rental car or an all-day Deuce pass are simple remedies for both of those issues.
April 6
The last night of my recent trip was spent at MGM in a standard "Grand Tower" room. It was a single king room on the 20th floor looking towards the east, IE not the strip! The room has been "remodeled" since my last stay in a regular room in at MGM back in 2003 but definitely not up to the level of today's standards (still sporting the 20" tube TV!) The room is a decent sized, as its not terribly old, allowing for a couch instead of just a chair or two by the window. The bathroom is exactly the same as it was in 2003 and like the rest of the room, its bones are starting to show some age. Both of the faucets in the sink leaked onto the vanity, some of the tiles were a bit beat up, the heat/AC made noise occasionally and there were a couple of large stains on the carpet. Certainly nothing that was a dealbreaker but not 5-star accomodations by any means. Overall, the room wasn't terrible and definitely worth the $49 I paid for it but feels more and more dated with each new place that opens or remodels.
I have stayed at the MGM a few times in the past couple of years as I generally like the place from a resort standpoint. The casino is absolutely atrocious so I resign myself to playing elsewhere but for everything else, it serves its purpose well. For starters, aside from Mandalay Bay, I think it has the best pool in Vegas. It is enormous with a several pool areas and jacuzzis, a lazy river and a lagoon plus the "ultra-pool" Wet Republic, if that is your sort of thing. It has the greatest selection of restaurants from fast food to 5-star of any casino in town and the location, while not perfect, is still good enough to get out and about easily. Add in numerous shows, nightclubs and other entertainment options, it really is "Maximum Vegas" as their motto boldly states.
The MGM definitely is not for everyone however... As I stated previously, the gambling is about as poor as you can get. Fortunately, scant play like a $20 in a penny slot machine will generate offers like the one I stayed on. Also if you are looking for luxury, this is not the place for it. With 5000 rooms, they operate on volume not personal service. If you want to be waited on, Encore is just down the road. But if you are looking for a place with a half-decent room with plenty of action, a great pool and all the feel of a "Vegas" casino then MGM definitely fits the bill.
