Why did the reception of Aria change over time?

I noticed a lot of love for Aria recently that was not there soon after they opened. Why is that?

 

I know they had a lot, I mean a lot of hiccups when Aria opened. Lots of problems and some very vocal unhappy people. They were tore up during their teething stage. My guess is the kinks have been worked out, people are giving them a try again and liking what they get. We are in the group of folks giving them a try in April. Can't wait! We loved the casino floor when we visited, but it's our first stay.

 

I've noticed some people bashing Aria lately for the standard reasons (poor customer service, malfunctioning equipment in the guest rooms, bad housekeeping, etc.) so I'm not sure it has changed.

Every hotel, even the nicest 5 star ones, will have lots of fans but also plenty of detractors.

 

I liked staying in the Sky Suites this past November.

Very quiet. Still liked Vdara's rooms better tho'.

 

In my opinion, two reasons…

First, the aforementioned hiccups. During my first stay there, the hotel folks were clearly not ready for prime time. Front desk, housekeeping, room service, the bell desk…everyone seemed to be incompetent and so sloooooow. And this was several months after it opened. My next few stays, things got much better and from comments I’ve read on this board and elsewhere, things seem to be even better now. The property, rooms, restaurants and casino have always been great, IMO. Now the service seems to match.

Second, I think that some of the anti-City Center vitriol from the purists has calmed somewhat. As folks have grown used to seeing it on the strip, it has become less of an “eye sore”. And I think that the “de-theming” push has become so prevalent that it is just taken for granted these days.

 

I agree with what thecarve said and will add some additional info to that.

Our host moved to Aria for the opening of the new property. She was so excited about it and we were really looking forward to going. We were planning our December trip around it when she suggested we come in January instead as she said "we're just not ready to open but we'll be opening anyway because we need to start bringing in some cash flow". If you remember the timing, City Center was in deep debt and had to bring in Dubai to help with the cash situation. There were sinks that weren't even connected to pipes yet.

Compare that to the opening of Encore........Not a glitch was reported (we stayed there during that opening too) and the service was impeccable.

There have been enough threads on this board about all the casinos that have been imploded that people miss. I, for one, am all about moving forward and have not a single twinge about any of them that are gone or any of them that will be gone in the future. I guess I'm just not very sentimental. City Center brought out a lot of bad feelings from people who missed the "old days" and those have mostly faded so they can now focus on Cromwell.......

We regularly stay in Sky Suites where the service is top notch. Also, Aria has one of the best slot floors on the strip IMHO. We like the quiet of Wynncore better than Aria, but the slot floor of Aria is sooooooo much better than Wynncore. Although, my gambling results at Wynncore are a LOT better than Aria. LOL

Aria also has some outstanding restaurants and not all of those were up and running smoothly after the opening.

 

I think when Aria opened they were billing it as "better than Bellagio." It's not really better than Bellagio, it is very different from Bellagio.

SO, when it first opened and people like me thought it might be "like Bellagio but better"--we were disillusioned. Now that I know what to expect, I like Aria very much.

 

IMO, they have worked hard to improve. I still have some service issues with Aria. But the place has come a long ways. People, like me, who stayed there in the early days recall a lot of the headaches: almost no cell phone service with some major providers, not enough range of restaurant variety and prices, and computers at the front checkin that were hardly reliable.

I haven't liked all the changes (I miss Bar Moderno!) and they still need to focus on customer service issues, but the property is vastly improved.

 

Very nicely stated... especially agree with the second part!

 

My big problem initially was the location being so far back from the strip. I was naive and uninformed. Since then, I've found more efficient ways of getting out, including exiting through connected Monte Carlo or tram to Bellagio, or just finding the better ways to exit and cut through the Cosmo or other properties there. Once I got over that - my world changed in regards to Aria.

 

nailed it.

 

Aria is my favorite casino, only hiccups I experience are with their in room automation systems which are pretty annoying for the most part. I'd think someone in the IT realm would consider some kind of software upgrade.

 

Pretty simple. They got better.

 

That'd be me right there. I haven't been since opening and when I went at that time it was an adventure to get in and out. I much prefer the casinos that are strip side or at least have a straight shot to get in and out like The Mirage or Bellagio.

Also not a fan of the detheming but I think I would have gotten over it quicker if the casino wasn't so deliberately detached from the strip. In this same regard, I'm actually looking forward to The Cromwell despite the demise of Barbary Coast.

 

Oh the perception has ABSOLUTELY changed.

Very few people had anything nice to say about the place when it first opened & this board was no exception.

I'm glad people are giving it another shot as it's a fantastic property.

 

This! Aria was positioned as the new flagship hotel of the chain as if MGM knows how to design and open a hotel better than Steve Wynn. They raised expectations really high and the ADR was really high. Also, when they did open, they didn't open all the rooms and it looked like they were playing games to make the occupancy rate look better and to artificially justify a higher room rate. Basically, MGM was writing checks with their mouth that they couldn't cash with their performance. And because I can't control my cynicism today, I will point out that there is a direct correlation to Aria love and the room rate coming down. :Þ

 

With respect to proximity from the strip, I find it to be average. That being said, I love staying at the Aria.

I agree with the poster that alluded to the fact that no once can compare to Wynn in regards to the hotel business in Vegas. As much as his voice annoys the shit out of me in the cabs, I find the design and attention to detail exhibited by Wynn properties to be unparalleled by other properties in the strip. I do not stay at Wynncore for the sole reason that I do not like the properties' location.

 

I am in it field and goddamn their tv remote controls are horrible they are non responsive or have a lag when trying to change channels and menus. Wish they had the same tv system at cosmo as that one is amazing and fast and no lag when changing channels or menu screens on the tv guide... could be the shitty panasonic tv's they chose too.

 

I stayed for 5 nights upon the opening of Aria, I think it was 3 in a deluxe room and 2 in a 2 BR sky suites penthouse.

My first room was the one missing the sink drainage pipe, you could run the water, it would just go on the floor. That room also had lock issues, they had to use a drill to get it open so I could get my stuff out.

The sky suite was awesome, but still had some construction equipment inside. Also during turndown one night they took all the sheets and comforters from the beds and forgot to replace them so I had 2 bare mattresses the 2nd night to sleep on. Room service was also sketchy. Oh and there was no ice to be found.

I continued to stay at Aria over the years and they just steadily improved. At the end of the day I think it was always an amazing resort, just pushed to open too soon. I guess I've ended up staying there 6 or 7 times and probably spending almost a month of my life at the place. My last stay was my favorite ever! I love the place and would gladly stay there any time.

Well except when they charge us $186 for two Goose-Sodas at the pool, but that is a whole other story. :evillaugh

 

I've stayed at Wynn when it first opened and I was amazed. The I stayed at Aria for the first time 2 years after it opened.. and now I only stay at Aria. Love everything about it.