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The Hotel Nov 4 to 8

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by rje, Nov 8, 2010.

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  1. rje

    rje High-Roller

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    My Trip Report

    Just got back.
    I'm a little heavier, and my wallet a little lighter. Great time. More details to follow.

    In brief summary:
    Hotel: The Hotel at Mandalay Bay
    shows: O and Carrot Top
    Food: The Palm, Isla, BB Kings, Rare 120
    drink: much
     
  2. Say No To 6-5

    Say No To 6-5 Newbie

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    When were you at O? I was there November 5, 10:00 p.m. show. Did the two opening acts miss their tricks at your O showing?

    Also, did the audience seem a bit tepid, or subdued?
     
  3. rje

    rje High-Roller

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    Back from a great time. There were 3 of us. Myself, J and A (long-time friends)

    Leave Chicago-Midway on time on Southwest. Enjoy a few in-flight cocktails courtesy of drink coupons purchased on E-bay. Quick baggage claim, fast moving taxi line, and we’re shortly on our way to The Hotel (at Mandalay Bay) with a quick detour to the Von’s store on Tropicana, about 1 mile East of the MGM Grand. We had brought some liquor with us, so we just picked up some mixers and snacks from the room. Pop was buy 2 get 3 free, so we left the store with five 12 packs, a case of water, and a 4 pack of Red Bull! (J drinks diet coke like water, so at the end of the weekend, most of it was gone.

    Once we got settled in the room, J and A were starving, so we stopped down to the M-Bay sports book deli for a few $12 turkey clubs. I was saving myself for dinner, so I stuck to a “liquid snack†of Black Cherry Effen and Diet Cherry 7-Up. Tasty!

    After our snacks, we headed up to Mix for a round of drinks before heading out. The outdoor patio was closed for a private party, but we get a inside table right by the glass to take in the view from a slight distance.

    Just before 9, we left and took a cab to the Forum Shops to have a late dinner at The Palm. After 9:30 PM, they offer a “reverse†happy hour where the bar menu items are $3.50, plus oysters on the half-shell for $1 each. (Regular price for these items are about $10-$12 each, so it was a great bargain, and the food was great. We got 18 oysters, mini steakburger sliders, chicken parm sliders, and mini crab cakes. Plus a few cocktails, of course. Everything was very good. After dinner, we made our was through the Ceasars casino, the out and across the street to Casino Royal, and eventually landed at Imperial Palace. That’s were things go down hill. Decided to get a large “travelers†mug from Fat Tuesday, with the extra shot. That was refilled at least twice! Needless to say, I felt no pain. I know we played a while at the IP, having pretty decent luck at rapid roulette with a few fun “dealer-tainersâ€. (When I say luck, I mean turning my $40 buy-in into $50 : )
    Things get kind of fuzzy after this, but I can tell you I got breakfast at the Luxor McDonalds at 4:06 AM.


    FRIDAY

    We were up and ready to go by about 10 AM. We hopped in a cab and took it to the Wynn to have lunch at the Buffet. Was very happy to see a very short line, however, after we paid, it was a good 20 minutes before we were seated. We could see several empty tables, so it had to be a staffing issue, or a lack there of. The food, I have to say was very good, but the selection left something to be desired. By the time we were seated, breakfast was actually ending, so we got to sample both breakfast and lunch items.

    After lunch we made our way down the strip visiting Palazzo and The Venetian, then walking straight to Paris and cabbing it back to The Hotel. By that time, getting to bed sometime after 4:06, and waking up about 9 AM was catching up to me, so we just chilled in the room a few hours. By about 6 pm, we were rested and ready to go.
    After showering and dressing, we headed up to Mix. This would be a nightly kick-off event as each evening we were there the “Sunset Special†was half-off specialty drinks between 5 and 10 PM. After a round of drinks we headed over to Isla at Treasure Island for our 9 PM dinner reservations. A few weeks prior, I had purchased a Groupon ($30 off for $15). Arriving at TI about 8:30 on a Friday night, I was very surprised to see it dead. Did we time warp to a Tuesday evening? Needless to say we were very quickly seated and had dinner and drinks. I give Isla very high marks for a tasty margarita, however, the food was just OK. I felt my pork tamales were a bit bland. Everyone else felt the same about their food. After dinner, we took the tram to the Mirage. Now, this was Friday night in Vegas. There was a very good crowd. After that long tram journey, I was quite thirsty so headed to Rhumbar for another round of frozen goodness in a convient 32 oz travel mug, with the extra Bacardi 151 shot. This would also be re-filled a few times over the course of the evening. Again, things get a bit fuzzy, but we basically drank and gambled our way down the strip. I think we were back at the Bay by about 4 AM or so.

    SATURDAY

    We were up and ready by about 10 AM. The weather was great (mid-80’s and sunny, so we headed down to the pool. A decent crowd, but not packed. Grabbed some chicken fingers at the pool café, and just relaxed a few hours. Around 4 we headed back to the room to get ready for the evening.

    The night started once again at Mix, then to Bellagio for O (great!), then to The Mirage for BB Kings. We had another Groupon ($50 off). I ordered the ribs with chili fries. The food was pretty good, as were the drinks. There was a very good band playing as well. However service was horrible. Very horrible. So bad, that after she took our order, we did not see our waitress again. We asked a busser to refill our cokes and iced tea, and I went to the bar to order drinks. I ordered a pretty good Long Island Iced Tea. Then it became my drink for the night. A few there… then we moved on when the band went on break. Given the drink of the night was a long island, things are once again a bit fuzzy, but the evening was basically casino hopping as we worked our way down the strip.

    I do recall having the cajones to hit on a pretty good looking girl and her friend as we walked through Aria. However, they were “girlfriends†from Canada. No chance here. But, I do have a new facebook friend…

    When we eventually made it back to the room it was daylight. Good morning!

    SUNDAY

    Last full day. And much to my delight I woke up feeling pretty good. Not wanting to crash, I decided to experiment and just stay drunk. So as soon as I got up, I made myself a drink! Long story short, I just drank all day, then into the night, then into the morning. Bedtime was 5 am…
    But, let’s back up a few hours.
    Once we were ready, we headed to Burger Bay at Mandalay Place. Pretty good burgers. And, and excellent pumpkin shake. It was a $9 shake, and I have to say worth it! After lunch, and once again thirsty, I had my mug refilled at Fat Tuesday, then just hung out at the Luxor for a few hours. From there I headed over to the Tix For Tonight and got tickets to Carrot Top. Total impulse buy, but I have read good reviews, and he was right next door in the Luxor. He was very good. Funny show. I would see it again and recommend him to anyone reading this.

    Before the show, we had a round of drinks at Mix, then headed down to TnT in the Luxor for yet another round of drinks and a few appetizers to hold us over until after our late dinner. We ordered nachos and queso dip. Both pretty good.

    After the show, we headed over to the Hard Rock for dinner at Rare 120. I had a $50 Restaurant.com coupon. Everything here was very good. I had a crab cake appetizer a NY Strip and several sides. Our drunk eyes were much bigger than our stomachs. After just a few bites of steak, we were done, so headed back to the Bay to put the leftovers in the fridge. By this time, it’s close to midnight, so we just decided to stay close. We bought some cigars and had some very good drunk talk down by the pool area. Then went dancing at eye candy, then back to the room. What was going to be an earlier night (bedtime at 3 AM) turned out to be anything but when J realized he had $50 in Paris chips from the other night… so I was like Hey, we have to cash those in and proceeded to walk there at 3 AM. We made it, but thankfully cabbed it back just as the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon. I think I was technically in bed just before “official†sunrise.

    MONDAY

    By Monday morning, the past few days had officially caught up to me. : (
    I was beat.
    Needless to say, it was uneventful. Our flight was at 3 PM, so I requested and received a 1 pm checkout. Packed, and headed down to the casino for a Starbucks and to try our luck one more time. Nothing.
    Off to the airport, uneventful flight home.
     
  4. Nick61

    Nick61 MIA

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    Thanks for the report. We're staying at "The Hotel" on an upcoming trip just days away. What were your impressions of The Hotel? We're debating whether or not to cancel the reservation and look elsewhere. Their $15 per nite not including tax "Resort Fee", is the primary reason we are now having our doubts.
     
  5. BackInVegas

    BackInVegas VIP Whale

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    I love the Hotel

    Quiet. Comfortable. A good break from the raucus sounds of Las Vegas.

    I just might have to try the oysters at Palm after 9 PM. Sounds yummy.

    The staying up until 4 AM and getting up at 10 AM is a killer for me. Since you are from Chicago that is 6 AM Chicago time to NOON. My body clock says 9 AM Vegas time is the longest I can stay in bed. How you did it, I don't know. I would have been draaaaaggggggggiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggg.
     
  6. VegasDiva

    VegasDiva VIP Whale

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    Great TR

    Glad it was uneventful but busy :) I've not stayed at theHOTEL but have had a room at Mbay 3x now ..... love the burger bar there , too
     
  7. rje

    rje High-Roller

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    Nick61,
    I like The Hotel. This was actuallty my 3rd time in a row staying there. Rooms are well appointed and it's hard to beat the extra space and extra 1/2 bath.

    I agree with you the resprt dee is hard to swallo, but it seems to be a trend these days with many resorts, particularly MGM properties.
    However, as my friend brought his laptop, we did get our moneys worth by using the "free" wireless each day.

    BackInVegas,
    I can handle the to bed at 4 AM and up at 10 AM schedule for about 3 days. Come Monday morning it was all I had to get out of bed and I was pretty much dragging all day. It was worth it though!
     
  8. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Good stuff rje! It’s always fun to read TR’s from fellow degenerates. :thumbsup: If you aren’t in at least a little bit of pain on the last day, you didn’t do it right! :drunk:
     
  9. blackjacknut

    blackjacknut VIP Whale

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    Great TR....I remember when I used to be able to drink like that and get little sleep.....:nworthy:
     
  10. Jenaeb1

    Jenaeb1 Tourist

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    Sounds like you did Vegas right!!! I need a good week to recover from my 4am bedtime and 10am wakeup - lots of alcohol in between! If you want to go to bed at 11pm and get up at 7am Vegas probably isn't for you.....right?
     
  11. ez369

    ez369 High-Roller

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    fortunatly you stayed at THEhotel this past weekend.. I checked in late on the 5th and my res had been bumped over to the MB tower in a 750 GR suite.. It's a nice suite with a really nice jacuzzi tub but I still prefer THEhotel's side.
     
  12. Nick61

    Nick61 MIA

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    Thanks for the info rje, it is very much appreciated.
     
  13. Illiniwek

    Illiniwek Tourist

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    Thanks for the trip report RJE. I have been to Isla at TI the last 2-3 times that I have been to Vegas and really like the place. I especially enjoy the drinks, I prefer their mojitos. I have always found their food quite good. I will be staying at the Mirage in December and am glad to hear that the resort fees include the internet access. That makes that fee largely a wash for me, as in the past I believe that the internet fee was $11 per day. I hope to have an interesting trip report of my own in just over a month.
     
  14. L8Bloomer

    L8Bloomer Tourist

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    Re: THE Hotel

    I've stayed just about everywhere in Vegas and THE Hotel is now my favorite hotel. Absolutely love it there. Two room suites, two bathrooms, 3 flat screens, floor to ceiling windows and quiet yet just a hallway's walk to the casino action. We couldn't get it comped for the dates we'll be in Vegas next month, so we had to settle for the Bellagio. ;)
     
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