If you have the choice between: Aria, MB, Encore, Venetian...

Lets say all of the options have the same price.

Gamble options at the casino is NOT important.
Food options (other then buffet) is NOT important.
Comps are NOT important.
Room quality is important.
Pool area quality is important. (just for relaxation; no party)

Target group: couple, late 30s, relaxation trip in the summer

What's your choice and why?

Options are:
- Aria (standard Deluxe Room)
- Mandalay Bay (Bay Suite or the Hotel Suite)
- Encore (Resort Suite King)
- Venetian (Luxury King Suite)
- Palazoo (Luxury Suite)

 

i dont do venetian sorry its personal

i would say aria , no big club or d bag factor otherwise i would go with encore but you have the nite club and beach clubs to deal with, thats my 2 cents

my 3 cents ;i would consider vdara no d bags very chill right where you want to be but quite enough that you wount know your in vegas

 

Mandalay Bay for the pool area.

 

thanks...
at the vdara i dont like the pool area.
i stayed at the aria twice, but never visited the pool.
same for the bellagio.
we never stayed at venetian/palazzo or wynn/encore before.

 

aria has a ton off very large pools and no pool day club like wynn.

 

I believe you'd be well-served at Encore. You have 4 pools to choose from and a clientele very similar in age and interests.

 

What SelfMade said. Encore's standard rooms are still among the largest and plushest in town. Besides a few hours in the evening when the nightclubs reach capacity (and this is pretty much an issue at every resort on the strip), the whole place is pure relaxation. Both its main pools fit your criteria nicely while the Beach Club pool is its own thing on the other side of the property and completely avoidable.

Mandalay's pool over the summer, while can be a lot of fun (drunk body surfing!), is overrun with children and the furthest thing from "relaxing."

Aria has Liquid which is a dayclub with music and noise that permeates into the main pool areas.

While I know you didn't mention it, have you looked into Mandarin Oriental? Great rooms, super relaxing pool, excellent location. It can sometimes be had for a relative bargain too, especially over the summer.

 

I would go with Encore and its not very close. I would consider staying at Aria or V/P if i would get half the rate i was going to pay at Wynncore. Hotel rooms and pool area are far superior at Wynncore and the only option i would consider is Aria that is if staying mid strip is important to you otherwise Wynncore all the way.

 

Aria has Liquid and its right next to the other pools. Encore has the beach club but its on the other side of the building far away from the regular pool area so you won't even notice it. On the other hand its impossible to not be affected by Liquid, it don't bother me much but i could hear the music and the bass vibrating all day long chilling by the regular pools.

 

We stay at Aria every summer, primarily for the pool area. We can go down at 10 am and still get a great spot at any of the pools, whereas too many of the other places (particularly MB) you need to be there right when it opens to get a spot.

Liquid can be slightly annoying, but it doesn't really get going until noon-ish, by which time we're done at the pool for the day.

I don't gamble at any of the tables at the places you mentioned because I refuse to play for $10 minimum per hand. I'll play the slots and drink, which I like best at Aria as well.

Venetian and MB have some decent restaurants that won't break your bank, while Aria and Wynncore don't really have anything like it.

Hope that helps a little bit.

Bushman

 

Aria. I like the relaxed pool areas there and the rooms are nice.

Venetian/Palazzo - just no.
Encore - nice, but too far north for my liking. Rooms are fancy, but Aria's beds are much more comfortable.
Mandalay Bay - way too far south and even in a suite the room quality isn't as good as the others.

 

very good info.
thanks for the input guys.
encore rate is 55% off plus lunch buffets each day of stay.

 

The only drawback for me, with respect to Encore, is the location. This is one of the main reasons I have sometimes chosen Aria over Encore. That being said, I have always felt more relaxed staying at Encore probably because of the fantastic rooms and the early morning vibe in the casino.

 

I've stayed at all your options and given your criteria Encore is the obvious choice. Aria is the runner-up.

 

If you want pure luxury, stay at Wynncore. For 30's year old, the best is Wynn or Aria. I would go with Wynn.

Gambling, food, hotel, pool at Wynn is far superior than Aria. Only thing Aria has is location.

 

Personally, I think the dining options are better at Aria.

That said, the buffet is better at Wynn, which was a minor part of the OP's criteria.

 

For your criteria I would pick Encore. I am biased though as I feel the Wynncore is the best resort in Las Vegas.

 

Absolutely dining is better at Aria than Encore, as are blackjack conditions. For a million reasons, I now stay at Bellagio or Aria over Wynn/Encore.

 

^^^^^This^^^^^

I also prefer the Encore location, as my Strip boundaries are Encore north through Cosmo/PHo to the south (MGM is the sole casino I like south of Cosmo - at least until you reach South Point).

Stayed in the rooms quoted in OP except V/P (I won't stay there), and Encore is by far the best in terms of quality, furnishing, service (maid & food). The are three pool options, and the relaxing pool setting you are seeking can be found at two of the three.

Aria would be second, but a distant second.

 

Really? What were the conditions last time you went? I love Aria, but I can't find a hand-cut shoe for under $50 anywhere in that casino.

I actually feel Encore, for the level of property, has very fair blackjack rules (that is, of course, if you know what to look for).