Some Bellagio Love

She's still a stunner.

But all the new gals on the block are trying to take some of her shine.

What do you love about Bellagio? Are the comparisons to newer or (other) popular hotels justified?

 

Bellagio vs the newer properties like Aria and Cosmo always feels like old money vs new money.

 

we stayed at the Bellagio and the Aria on our last trip.
We saw a lot of differences between these two hotels.
At the Bellagio we stayed in a renovated spa tower room.
The Bellagio is sooooo crowded. The clerks (females) at the front desk were not well "groomed". For me that is a no go for a 5 star hotel.
The Aria was so relaxing. The front desk was so helpful. The room was so nice.
For us it was a huge difference in enjoying our stay!!!

 

Yes! I love the opulence and warmth of the Bellagio. I also love its size and its casino.

 

IMO, Bellagio isn't a hotel... it's more like a tourist attraction! So crowded and busy with tourists just walking by...

 

This actually made me LOL because i'm curious as to what you mean by "not well 'groomed'.".

Were the females sporting goatees?

Were they in bikinis and it looked like they were sitting on chewbacca's shoulders?

 

The property has an "iconic" feel now which takes time to develop. You cannot open as a legend.

Things I like (major):

Picasso and Le Cirque (still at the top of their game)
Fair blackjack rules, wide availability of S17 games
blackjack in club prive and baccarat salon at $100 min
beds (recently replaced, some of the very best in town)
room service (has always been Ritz Carlton/4 Seasons style and quality)
Willingness to comp food and beverage up front
top notch beverage service, particularly in club prive
General tendency for the people playing/dining there to be dressed up in the evening

Things I like (minor):
VIP checkin arrangements (free pouring wine all day)
"O"
Fountains (duh)
Pools (large, tranquil)



Things I don't like (major):

Rooms are now smallish compared to the newer high end places
Very high comp criteria and hosts can be difficult to deal with
The public areas are very crowded, loaded with tourists, which diminishes any feeling of exclusivity

Things I don't like (minor):
No longer that "exciting" since I have been there so many times
No playable video poker under $5
It can be difficult to get a suite or premium view
Spa is no longer competitive at the top end
Always seems to be a wait at café Bellagio even with a line pass



The "likes" overpower the dislikes (which are mostly fussy/minor) and make a very strong overall package for those willing to pay or play for it. The B is still in my top 3 places to stay.

 

As long as they don't let it fall into disrepair, Bellagio will still be special. The fountains, conservatory, art gallery and Chihuly sculpture will always make it unique in LV. (Unfortunately, those are also the things that draw in the huge crowds.)

That said, as a hotel/casino, I definitely think it has been passed by. Wynncore has the beauty, MO the service and Cosmo the cool. It's still a great hotel/casino but the new places will always have some advantages over the older ones.

I also think they have some "culture issues". There is way more rudeness and disinterest coming from the employees at Bellagio than at the other top tier joints, IMO. I would definitely spend a lot more time there if I felt more "appreciated".

 

There is way more rudeness and disinterest coming from the employees at Bellagio than at the other top tier joints, IMO.

I agree with this--it is intangible and hard to quantify, but it is there.

 

I think Bellagio will always be the icon even if it's not THE top joint. There are aspects of Cosmo that are too trendy to make it the Vegas flagship. I wouldn't be shocked if they had to rethink their marketing postion in ten years. The thing about Aria is that MGM wants it to supplant Bellagio. For that reason alone I hope it is the second fiddle always. But you have to wonder if they would do things to promote Aria at Bellagio's expense.

At the end of the day, though, if my travel budget allowed for a hotel of that tier, Aria and Cosmo would still be way behind places like Wynncore or Venelazzo or even MO for a splurge vacation at least on my list. I know people may prefer the new guys to the older titans but no one has ever posted anything about the new guys that has really turned my head.

 

The beauty of Vegas is all the hotels offer something. I truly love the Bellagio but I have a soft spot for Casino Royale, I'm always impressed by the ridiculous size of Caesars, I love the fun of Planet Hollywood, the modern feel of Aria and Cosmo, and there's so much more.

It may be full of tourists but aren't we all tourists? And it wouldn't be fun if it was empty.

April 15th can't come soon enough.

 

By "tourists" I suppose I mean "non hotel guests who are there to look around and have no intention of spending a dime."

 

They haven't ruined blackjack....... Yet. About the last strip property with decent rules. What a shame.

 

My wife and I are both in our 40's. Bellagio has everything we could ever want in a casino resort. We considered Aria, but the location set so far back off the strip is a big negative. The Cosmo is real nice but may cater too much to the younger crowd, plus it is quite a bit more expensive than the rate we got for the Bellagio. Originally we were booked at the Wynn, but when Bellagio matched the rate, it was a no brainer to switch reservations. We much prefer Bellagio's location.

 

The wife and I have always wanted to go to the Bellagio - other than the Venetian, it's really the only mid to high level property on the strip where we haven't stayed. Our last three trips to LV we have been at either the Wynn or Encore but have gone to the Bellagio for dinner and/or a show. We both agree that the Bellagio is too crowded, the service was somewhat lackluster, and it didn't seem as nice as the Wynn. Plus most of the places we like are on the north end of the strip anyway...

If we go, and rates are even close to being the same, we will pick the Wynn every time. In fact, we really don't even check the Bellagio any more.

 

I think there are other properties that may rate higher in service or atmosphere but I will always love Bellagio. Can't really put my finger on the exact reason; maybe ambiance which would be a combination of all the previous mentions. We have stayed at Wynn, Encore, Palazzo, Aria, Caesars, but if I could get a fountain view room at an affordable rate, I would stay there every trip. DW would take CP Octavious or Palazzo.

 

The Bellagio is beautiful from a distance but the biggest problem it has is it's no longer a Wynn property and it's been "MGM'd" kind of like a dumbing down if you will. Just my opinion

 

I got a premium fountain view reservation for June ... cant wait to experience it. Normally wouldn't be able to afford that, but the free Myvegas Aria rooms loosened up some budget

 

Good for you!! Did one of those last year for 1 night, (all we could afford LOL), and loved it. We went up to the room about 6:30p and didn't leave the room until after the last show at midnight. When I asked DW about why she wanted to go there she said, "It's cheaper than any show we want to go see and it lasts a lot longer!" She was right. Have a great time.

 

Aria being set back off the strip is the very reason we prefer it to bellagio. As others have said, bellagio fills up with fanny pack tourists. It always feels to cramped at the bellagio for that reason. Feels like MGM Grand with better finis hinges.

Having said that many of our favorite restaurants and bars/clubs are there so we usually spend one or two evenings there.