I think I'm "over" Vegas

I agree! I am always astounded by rude behaviour I witness regularly in Vegas but rarely see elsewhere.

If you treat people pleasantly and respectfully, it is rare that you won't get that in return.

 

Vegas tap water is horrible.

 

True that

 

Sure you can find value in vegas. You just need to plan accordingly. Visit vegas the weeks that there aren't any large events like March Madness or spring break (or major holidays or big conventions). During the busy times vegas jacks up prices because of supply and demand so best to avoid those times. Weekends are also busy so stay during the week days. Because they are so busy during those times it is hard to get the "first class" treatment because the workers are all busy trying to accommodate the crowd.

For me it's also to stay away from the Strip as I won't pay their higher hotel rates. Sure you get the experience and comfort and big rooms but I just use the room to sleep and shower so I would rather stay downtown and save my money for other things.


But when it isn't as much fun to visit vegas then maybe it is time to step back and take a break from the place. Go elsewhere and enjoy yourself in other locations. Maybe then you can see if you really want to go to vegas or take your vacation somewhere else.

I am having a similar problem, airline prices from Hawaii are high even though fuel prices are down and baggage fees are up. A few years ago I could get a r/t flight to vegas from HNL for less than $400. Nowadays much of the time prices are over $600-$700 and higher and you really have to be flexible to get flights under $600. For that price I could fly to Japan from Hawaii and because I won't be gambling it will actually cost me less to go on a japan vacation over a vegas vacation.

I just came back from vegas and hated the march madness crowds. The tables were all crowded so hard to find an open spot in the evenings. Hotel prices were high as were car rental prices. Every place was crowded, restaurants, bars and generally walking around downtown and on the strip you were met with a mass of people.

Not sure when I'm going back to vegas (maybe during the January CES?) but I'm looking at taking a trip to Japan sometime in the fall. Hotels can be expensive and things are expensive in japan but at least I get first class treatment and feel like they appreciate me visiting and staying in their hotel. I think that is the difference, in Japan they seem to genuinely appreciate you visiting, you don't feel the same way in many Vegas hotels who seem to treat you like a bunch of cattle because they are so busy. Much different than when the economy was bad, now they don't have to make an effort to get your business because so many people are visiting vegas.

 

I have had great service in Vegas. Last time I went we ate at Sushi NOBU at Caesars and it was the best service we have ever had according to my wife who can be picky. I was walking through our hotel and a custodian pushing some garbage out stopped and asked me how my stay is going and if there was anything he could do to make it better. The only place I got bad service was Dicks Last Resort but I think that is what they do.

I use myvegas and social rewards plus comped rooms, resort credit and freeplay. Maybe a groupon or other deal. I don't rent a car but walk, shuttle or take the deuce everywhere I want to go. If you don't count gambling my 3 days in vegas are equal to 1 night in Chicago (Nearest major city).

I went to a club a couple trips ago and did not have fun, left and chalked it up to not everything here is for me.

Now I go once or twice a year and have a 3 hour flight so Vegas is not a weekend whim. I do see some changes happening some I like some I don't but the core of what makes Vegas fun for me has not changed. It is an escape from reality for a few days, I am never bored when I am there, and who knows what will happen.

 

Excellent, EXCELLENT point Dean. I Always make it a point to try to not just be civil to any staff I interact with, but to somehow make their day a little more pleasant, as I know how many cruds they have to deal with (rude, entitled, cheap and just plain mean guests). It's actually a little depressing to see just how much the staff lights up when they think someone actually sees them as a person, versus a tool to be used and tossed.

I'm NOT saying there isn't flat sometimes bad service (I've had my snarky person here or there, even with trying to be nice), but I absolutely think that, as civility declines, so does service. People can only be treated like poo so long before they quit trying as hard.

I personally love trying to brighten each staff member's day in some small way or another (a simple smile and "thank you" even works wonders!)..you get a dud here or there, but I find a little bit of unconditional kindness goes a long way in Vegas.... and it makes you feel good too! (Ok, I am going to go crawl in my Pollyanna hole now...)

 

Thanks! I like Blackjack, Craps, JoB VP and Let it Ride. And in between these games, I like to play slots. I try to stick to the minimums ($5-10) on table games, quarters on VP, and between 25c-40c/pull on slots.

 

Well, I too, am disappointed, board at times etc....Now, I started Vegas in 82. Have made 14 times. I remember when I first started, there was the 99 cent buffets, 1.99 spagetti and meat sauce, 2.99 steak and eggs--100% pure coin droppers--not these tito crappy ass new machines that cost u a 20 in 2 minutes for--pennies! I was happy with free drinks, free smokes, a free "coffee shop" comp, free flowers for the wife, free decks of cards etc...a 20 would and could last HOURS--now, maybe 2 minutes?? I loved being at the DUNES, SANDS, SILVER CITY!! Speaking of Silver City, a 3.99 T-Bone complete dinner was awesome there!! Service was outstanding back then--once needed 2 pillows at the Sahara--1 minute 45 seconds. I was happy bringing home massive free stuff, lost or won a few 100's, a hangover that lasted a week, 25 lbs heavier from all the 3.99 prime etc...And, that's all a man wanted for a 5 day vacation. Now, fastrack to 2016---We now have, 1000 dollar rooms, 40-50 dollars buffets, 100-200 dollar shows, Taxi's that are 30-40 dollars, $1000 bottles of wine for bratty assed 21 year olds that get 5000 bucks to get out of their parents hair and shitty tito machines and we see the "ghosts" of little ol ladies with their nickel buckets looking for coin droppers. Now, I too still get coupons, funbooks, mailers, tips, etc... to make it cheaper. I usually will come out for a week--with help from myvegas, bogo's, hotel jump, hotel mags, just asking for free cards or whatever--BUT, the service has really suffered--it's like if I'm not handing you out a "Hamilton", I don't exsist. Since Sahara has closed, I have to find a new "home". I'm really liking all I hear about the Plaza. When I bring about 10,000 to gamble and have fun on, I'm SURE they would be happy!! On the other hand, the strip probably would laugh at 10 grand.

 

No, that's not correct. Those old $5 buffets were GOOD. Acres of beautifully-prepared dishes, the same thing you pay $40 for now. Remember the buffet at Palace Station back in the late 70s?

Yes, you can get $5 buffets now, if you want to sit next to Larry the Cable Guy and get food poisoning.

Circus Circus an 80's experience? Sorry, not even close. Nothing that exists today even comes CLOSE to the 70s/80s experience. It's gone forever.

 

Give me some of the Blue, and some of the Yellla, and don't you get cheap on me!! #vegasvacation

 

reminds me of the circus circus barffet of years past.

as far as the OP goes, i can understand your plight....

 

I think I just had another revelation about Vegas. Which might explain why I liked it so much more before.
Vegas is best for the super cheap or the super rich.
People like me- in the middle- are stuck.
Super cheap people can stay at a rough hotel and think it's 10x better than the Super 8 or Motel 6 they stayed at before.
Super rich people can drop $5k a night on a suite and get treated like royalty.
Me- for $300 per night I expect to be treated better.

Super cheap- happy playing $5 black jack and drinking Miller lite while getting a meal at Denny's.
Super Rich- $80 Kobe beef and $1,000 bottles of wine is amazing.
Me- $40 steak + $10 sides + $20 in appetizers + desert and a $100 bottle of wine and I want to feel like a VIP. (And I do like Miller lite and $5 black jack. And I don't mind Denny's for breakfast).

Shopping- super cheap love the outlets. Super Rich can buy Chanel, Burberry,etc at multiple malls withing walking distance of each other.
Me- I picked up some new jeans and a few shirts at Nordstrom before my trip.

 

I think this is where you and I differ. I get the medium option, for the small price and feel like a VIP. Dealers like me because I tip well, cocktail waitresses come back more often because I am polite and tip well, and I put a bit extra planning time into everything to make everything work that way. If you don't want to look for deals, ask for comps, get on guest lists, than its not going to happen. You want the best of both worlds, I don't think that can happen for anyone. Either you pay full retail (Casinos love you) or you scratch their back and expect your back to be massaged in return.

My first trip, I had the lady at XS checking our ID's tell me "The first rule about Vegas is that you should never pay for anything. If you do pay, it should never be full price.

Maybe Vegas really isn't for you. If that is the case, take the kids to Maui and pay triple. I've been to Maui 5 times in the last 3 years. We love the Weston Kanapalli Villas for the kid friendly vibe and The Andaz Wailea for the more adult experience.

 

Agreed. But I am a pretty solid tipper.
$5 to the valet when I park and pick up
Always 20% on meals
Give $20 to the runner and security guy at our table in the club. More of they're extra helpful.
I usually play quite a few hands for the dealer when playing blackjack.
Tip the waitress at the tables between $1 and $5 per drink. (It varies based on how busy the place is and how busy our table is).

 

Hi Timbuck, I didn't play in Vegas when you did, so I have been "raised" on the new system.... but I totally get you missing a system from the past that really worked for you. Could part of it be where you're staying? The "new" Vegas has no rhyme or reason on comps...some hotels are super generous, some are not, and ironically, I've found the nicer hotels reward me BETTER that mid-tier hotels, even for the same amount of play.

Prices are crazy, but if you find hotels that fit your play/style, often you can get really good front end comps...with FP and RC, that wipe out the high prices. (Now, this is based on slots, table play I know is more brutal.)

I'd be curious where you're staying. At Aria and Monte Carlo, they pretty much (if not totally) cover my room, food, and a good chunk of freeplay, and I use miles for the airfare so the flights are free...close to a free trip on food/rooms/airfare. Every time I go, Aria's my homebase, so I get these perks at good hotels, not the cruddy ones.

Like you, I am a middle-of-the-road budget, I'm not dropping even $500 a night on a room, much less 5k. I love good food, but I love to cook, so I just can't pay $150 a plate for something I can usually make decently close (or at least close enough to be in the same ballpark...or at least the same ballpark city )...so I am definitely not in your High Roller camp.

You're burned out on Vegas now, which I get, a break is probably good. (Like staying out of the sun if you're sunburned.) BUT if you're ever open to trying Vegas again, maybe it's not "Vegas," but where you're staying. The right hotel for you will work at getting you back. If they're not, maybe you haven't found "your home." I just think you can still score REALLY stellar, cheap trips, if you find a place that works for you. It's different than it was, but can still give you a VIP experience on a middle-of-the-road budget, if you find the right place for you personally....

 

Timbuck as I read your post it reminds me of something my daughter said when we went to Biloxi to the Beau - "this is what I thought Vegas would be like". She was talking about how gracious everyone, I mean every single employee, was and how much fun she had interacting with the dealers and the other players there. We played blackjack with players of all ages - and everyone was there on their own money.

I ran into the "daddy's money" crowd you did at the pool at the Cosmo but my experience was at the Aria & they were everywhere. It puts a damper on the trip when the crowd is vile. Some places seem to draw more similar crowds - I have to say last time me & my husband went we spent more time playing at Bellagio - better crowd & better staff. (I wish they would send me the offers Aria does!)

We had a drive-thru visit (20 hours in total) to Biloxi last week & again were extremely impressed by the service & again the crowd was fun - everyone was there to have fun. One of the younger guys at our table - his friends went to the club there & said it was fun. If you get a mailer for Biloxi I suggest you give it a try.

 

I second that suggestion. The Beau is a fun place, my only complaint is the smoke....for some reason, the farther south you get the more popular smoking seems to be.

Sammo if you get good offers from Aria but would prefer Bellagio, you should call B and talk to a host type person. Those two properties are very comparable from a "comp" standpoint and my guess is they'd do the same for you at B. If you've stayed at Aria a lot, they probably just think that's where you like to be. Sometimes you have to ask.

 

Very well written post. I hope I never get to this point of "not wanting Vegas". I live on the east coast, so I visit Vegas twice a year, and ABSOLUTE max of 3 times a year (rare).
If I ever feel the service of the city drops to this point, I will probably just deal with it.

 

Not really a comment on the topic of this thread, but the talk about service and how rude some customers can be reminded me of something. Does anyone remember the TR here a couple years back by a guy who basically flipped out and yelled at every freaking bartender, waiter, etc he encountered and was soooo proud of it? Two particular things I recall was flipping out at the staff of Cabo Wabo because he didn't think the music they were playing was rock enough, and flipping out on a bartender at Wynn because he would not chill the bottle of wine they bought elsewhere for them.

That poor guy was honestly shocked when the vast majority of us here were like "Dude, you're a wicked asshole".

 

You know...although this guy sounds like a far end of the spectrum anomaly, there are probably lesser versions of him all about. When I'm dealing with the service industry folks, I am pretty much an even keel participant. I do know, however, some individuals who - under normal circumstances - are congenial and behave intelligently except in their dealings with the service industry. I don't know why, but for some reason they transform into overbearing, obnoxious, demanding, every-nit-pick-thing-is-escalated-to-the-nth-degree jerks. I think there must be something in their psyche that makes them feel that at this instant in time they are to be fawned over as if they're royalty. The cocktail waitress at the table gets $5. The maid's tips are dependent on our length of stay. I'd never short the wait staff on a tip for bad service, but I would certainly not be as generous as I can be. It's Vegas. We're just passing through. It's not like we're gonna be regulars, so why not make and leave a good impression. It must make some people feel superior to act like jerks to people who are there to make your stay pleasant.