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So long Imperial Palace...

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by waverunner, Dec 13, 2014.

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  1. waverunner

    waverunner ------VEGA$------

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    ...........The pagodas are finally history: http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2014/12/10/4432/4232/vegas-travel/Erasing+The+Roof+At+The+LINQ+Hotel#comment-block

    The memories i have of this place good and bad.

    The good: cheap rooms, CW's in Kimonos, free coupons to the Auto Display, balconies with bird poop, parking on the Strip, the rear elevators, the Strip cam.

    The bad: a river flowing through the parking garage, the Capri rooms, the "authentic" Luau at the,cough cough pool, the IP buffet, the front elevators.

    But, after the mistake of the Quad, The Linq has rebounded. Unlike the IP, where the ceiling was so even chain smokers needed a breath of fresh air, but now, having visited the property twice in 4 months, and with the over haul of the rooms, and 2 new pools (including the Vortex coming soon), and STILL with cheap rooms, they have a winner.

    I first stayed at Imperial Palace in the early 80's, my last time was in November 2011. So long old friend, most people hated it, some people liked it, or should i say tolerated it because the location was on point, and the rooms were fine for sleeping. I never really gambled at IP, just headed out to greener pastures until making my way back to my room after calling it a night.
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2014
  2. runningonthehub

    runningonthehub VIP Whale

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    In the last ten years, I probably stayed at the Imperial Palace/The Quad 24 times. I never had a problem with the place. For the price that I was paying for the rooms, it suited my needs and expectations.
    I remember all those things that you mentioned and still have good memories of the place. I am glad to see the place finally updated. I might even give the new place a try in the future. The casino looks so much better. I know the rooms have to be better also.
     
  3. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    As far as the Linq goes

    you can put lipstick on a pig but...
     
  4. vegasqc

    vegasqc VIP Whale

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    Has CET ever done something right in your book?
     
  5. Labeeb

    Labeeb Low-Roller

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    MMMmmmmm....kimonos...
     
  6. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    So they took down the pagodas? Talk about starting a job and not finishing!
     
  7. Terry Benedict

    Terry Benedict VIP Whale

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    Full disclosure, I never stayed there.

    I figure for free or $25 a night, the Imperial Palace was a good value. It's hard to complain about something you get for free. You get what you pay for.
    I do like the improvements to the casino, Linq Street, and exterior. I like it a lot. Simple designs, they kind of know what they are (now).
    I will consider staying there when the pool is good enough to hang out for six hours or so.
     
  8. Tellafriend

    Tellafriend MIA

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    Not in mine.
     
  9. landsburger

    landsburger High-Roller

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    I've always had a soft spot for the IP. I stayed there with my parents as an early teen. I stayed there my first "adult" trip. I stayed there during the first trip or two with my wife. I walked through with my kids (these go back very early 1980's till a few years ago)

    Yes, there were some awful rooms from the pics I've seen, but I think it was about the best choice for a single representative of "old vegas" since most are gone. The love tub rooms were classic old vegas. The casino, bars and gift shops were all the same all those years, but I thought because of the themeing they stayed pretty cool.

    Sad to see it go, but time moves on. I'll miss it, and the Stardust sign.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  10. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    I really liked the CWs but the pool was abominable. Quite possibly the worst pool to ever (dis)grace the Strip.
     
    Annual CCA (Casino Collectibles Association) Show at South Point
    Long Overdue Stay At The Golden Nugget
  11. azbob

    azbob MIA

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    I can one-up you Landsburger...we stayed there the night we got married. The best memory is that night I taught my wife to play craps and we won about $1,000...of course, I don't think she has won since.

    They did have some rooms with hot tubs, but even without that cesspool of bacteria, the place always felt a little old and dirty. With that said, I stayed there many nights because of cost and location and actually didn't mind the place at all. Staff were friendly, the waitresses were outstanding and I usually managed to win a dollar or two. They had a nice selection of restaurants upstairs and I spent a lot of time in the sportsbook area...anyone remember Burger Palace?

    I've been to the Linq, but don't really have any desire to stay there...I'm pretty much done with CET properties except for some dining options to use up my points.
     
  12. REELmoneySlotFan

    REELmoneySlotFan High-Roller

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    Of course everybody is entitled to his/her opinion but I wouldn't call renovations of several 100 million dollars slapping lipstick on a pig. Those renovations might come close to the original building costs of the property. I don't think the renovations at the Tropicana, Cromwell, SLS or LINQ qualify for the phrase "slapping lipstick on a pig". If they just changed the carpet, refreshed some paint here and there and changed some furniture I wouldn't be impressed either. All those renovations look great (even some of them might not be my style) and certainly improved the overall quality of Strip resorts. Stayed at Tropicana several times and enjoyed it very much every single time. Would like to stay at the Cromwell and the Linq some day (on a good offer), SLS just doesn't do it for me.
     
  13. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

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    Actually the original IP was built in 1959 when it was called the Flamingo Capri. It was renamed IP in 1979. I seriously doubt it cost 100 million in 1959 (cost only 2 mil). The last tower was built in 1988 (hard to believe it is only 26 years old) by a Chinese puzzle manufacturer that likes to build mazes for a living :poke:. Just kidding but the last tower was built in 1988. No idea how they planned the whole thing, they probably added onto the existing towers when they wanted to expand, hence the maze like floor plan.

    I will miss the IP greatly. It was one of the few budget minded places on the strip. I didn't mind staying there, even though the rooms were substandard (and the place was a dump) the IP was a cheap (relatively) safe place to stay on the strip. With the change to the Linq, higher nightly rates (due to the renovations and upgrade to a higher starred hotel) and high resort fees I seriously doubt I will ever stay there again (unless rates and fees are lower than downtown - while possible it isn't very likely).

    RIP IP :wave:
     
  14. bubbakitty

    bubbakitty Doing retirement again and happily so....

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    We used to stay at the IP back in the late 80's early 90's on the "run of the house" offer for 20$ without a resort fee / convenience fee / or booking fee. One time (and only once) we got the room with the tub in the middle. We got in late and that was all they had available (thank you AmericaWest for the engine trouble). First thing we did was go out and get some Mr. Bubble (the next a.m.) and take a giant tub bath.

    Ironically, it was the same trip if you wanted water at a meal you had to ask your server as they were not providing it routinely. Water crisis of some sort. We would laugh as there was no sign on the hot tub of any of that.

    We also got the "motel 6" type rooms out back on a few visits as well. The choice was more for location and price than to stay at the IP in and of itself. Caesar's sportsbook at the time was an easy way to escape the heat and bet minimally while being over-served.
     
  15. Terry Benedict

    Terry Benedict VIP Whale

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    Maybe it was "planned" by the same Chinese puzzle manufacturer that "planned" Caesars Palace.
     
  16. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    I've always though it was the real life version of the apartment complex from Ghostbusters!
     
  17. Krh2o

    Krh2o MIA

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    A few years back I stayed there with my wife over Presidents Day weekend. We looked the night before we left on Hotels.com to see if they had any decent last minute deals for a getaway road trip somewhere. I saw that we could stay 4 nights at IP for just under $100 after tax. I said this is too good of a deal (this was in the CET "No Resort Fee" heyday where they had those tacky banners all over the place, and deprived us from the resort fees we all want and will eventually ask for). It has a good location and the room didn't have bedbugs, but it looked like the guest room from 20 years ago at my Grandma's house with the decor and table cloths. I also remember having to go up an escalator, down a small flight of stairs, up another flight or something along those lines to get to the room elevators from the casino. I also liked how the check in line was right through the casino. I could move a few feet and play a few hands of blackjack. For the price can't complain. They used to give you coupons to that bar they had open to the strip, it was a cool place and with the coupons it was pretty cheap. O the fun.
     
  18. Jon E Coyote

    Jon E Coyote Low-Roller

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    I'm gonna miss that weird area up the escalators with all those ancient projection TVs, and random machines. Always nice to go grab a beer and watch sports, no one was ever in there
     
  19. urbanphotos

    urbanphotos Tourist

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    Imperial Palace in 2001

    imperial_palace09.jpg
     
  20. waverunner

    waverunner ------VEGA$------

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