Monday and Tuesday in Vegas, Wednesday and Thursday in Laughlin South Coast: Since it has been well reported that SC is a Coast clone in layout and offerings, I’ll just go with my impressions: Great beds and bedding, nicely (lightly) decorated, comfortable rooms, but with all that square footage they should have done better with the bathrooms, which are standard in all ways ‘cept being a bit bigger than most and at least having the curved shower curtain bar. Wi-fi a nice touch. Efficient valet. Don’t think I want to be around when the equestrian center is going full bore and hubcap-sized belt buckles are all the rage; nothing against equestrians, it’s just not my bag. Surprisingly smoky casino given it wasn’t packed and the fact that it is brand new. Disappointing. Very disappointing. And I really can’t hang with the location. I know that might strike some as odd given how we always drive in and cruise all over town at will. There's just no there there, and absolutely no other sights or diversions w/o jumping on the shuttle or getting behind the wheel. South Coast food: Big Sur Oyster Bar – Oysters, chowder: typical Coast quality, which is high. Coronado Cafe – I know it’s only eggs and spuds and pork, but breakfast was sub-par. Silverado Steakhouse – 25 bucks for (advertised) USDA Prime NY, with starch and a good salad (true mixed greens, Champagne vinaigrette, properly hued toms). Doesn’t seem to know what rare is and the service was horrid; our blathering server was like a fly buzzing around incessantly. Pace was way too quick. Great price but not a great value all things considered. Other food: Sushi King – Outstanding, as always. No toro or oysters, which was a bummer. Sundance Grill, Silverton – I’ve had breakfast there several times now and it’s just top-notch. (HATE access to that place, though.) Beef Barron, Flamingo Laughlin – Wow, a cool- purple-in-the-center hunk of meat exists? Thank you. Golf: Callaway Golf Center, Reflection Bay, the Falls, Revere-Concord, Mojave Golf Resort and Laughlin Ranch. Let me tell you … oh, that will come later. OK, a tiny snippet: Angel Park kicks its ass, outstanding, damnable scrapers all over the back nine but the course still rocks, visually appealing/great hangover course, fun play, without question the real deal. I was scheduled to play Mountain Falls in Hahrumph but the course was under a deep freeze Monday morn and as I’ve no interest in indulging in the town’s only other reason to visit, I opted not to cool my heels for several hours waiting for the frost to leave. Flamingo Laughlin: In a word, implode the place. As much as we have a home in Laughlin, it’s been the Flamingo. The place is tired, dirty, worn out. One of the best restaurants on the river – Alta Villa – isn’t open the first part of the week yet the oxygen-tank crowd is queued up hundreds deep before the 4 pm opening of the barf-fet. The area by the RiverWalk bar and the book smells like the party room of a frat house, every roof and wall surface is tinged a cancerous pallor by 15 years of torchers and with Caesars pulling out, Harrah’s refusing to step in and Strat/AZ Chuck Icahn still not asserting himself, everything is in stasis. The beds are crap, the linens are like horse hair, the furnishings were dated and worn out five years ago, the décor is awful, supplies appear to be so low that unsealed (refilled?) shampoo bottles are all you get in the room and there’s not a note pad or pen in sight, and locker rooms have cleaner carpets than the casino. I had fun playing the slant top 9/6 Jacks machines overlooking the river – and with the relative air quality relief provided by the nearby doors – and Ketel One is available, but the time is at hand for a fundamental re-do. Laughlin, itself, needs to get a grip on the fact that its core demographic of 10 or 15 years ago is, let’s be honest, dying out, and to continue to cater almost exclusively to those who have participatory experience with or at least first-hand remembrances of WW II is a mistake. I don’t think a new room has been added in town since the early-mid ‘90s and no new resorts have gone up in something like 15 years. Laughlin can’t and shouldn’t try for the Palms/HRH crowd, but with the physical setting, the river, the appearance of good golf, it need not be the getaway equivalent of a mortuary anteroom. We get there about once a year now and I think we’re gonna give the Nugget a try. (Ate at Casa Serrano in the Riverside's annex; there are a half-dozen or so sister restaurants in Kingman and along the river. Good tamales, camarones diablo and chile verde; skip the carnitas.) Good vibes: Heading up to the JW Marriott for three days of golf and spa starting this coming Friday!!
Well, not if you're going to write about them like that. Nice TR, if a disappointingly brief stay in Pahrump.
Perfect assessment of the Flamingo. We spent last weekend there and it was a real drag. Typically, we stay at the Belle sure its no jewel either, but the rooms are far better kept. I couldn't believe the difference. The only thing the rooms had going were the floor to ceiling windows, other than that it was bad, real bad. Casa Serrano is a favorite of mine. I adore the fresh salsa they serve. The El Palacio/Casa Serrano over in Kingman is the cleanest restaurant I've had the pleasure of dining in and they give each dish a little more TLC. I've tried dozens of dishes and all have been delicious. Only downside is they seem to be the hub for trainees, sometimes service isn't up to par.
This is going back a way, but do you (or anyone else) know if this Beef Baron is related to the Beef Baron that used to be in the LV Flamingo? They always had excellent prime rib, a nice black bean salad to go along with it, and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. Might be worth a trip to Laughlin if it is the same place.
I'd guess it's a play off the name -- and I assume all named for Barron Hilton. But I can't fathom a trip to Laughlin for the Barron. I can't even see walking too many casinos over when in Laughlin for the Barron.
That's three words.... I haven't been to Laughlin in about 150 years; I guess maybe I'll wait till I'm that old to return to the place. It sounds dismal to say the least. Potential galore w/ the river though as you mentioned. Say it ain't so.....is it time to head even further north to Mesquite?? Or settle on Primm? Don't give up on Reno or something maybe in the Valley.....I'd like to stay a spell in that neck of the woods someday..... the Carson Valley Inn, or The Nugget in Carson City would be a neat sleep. Great deals advertised in Nevada Mag. Thanks for the write up, Ken. I'll send you that extra El Co pen that I have in the glove box of the Cavalier..... P.S. how was the MC pub meet? Many T2Ver’s around? P.P.S didn't see my buddy there from Whitehorse did you? RW
I stayed at the Flamingo in laughlin last week and i like it!I had a 19dollar a night room rate and a great view of the river. I thought the room was fine. Hey how much can one expect at that room rate. I gambled there and thought that was fine. The cocktail waitress came fast and it was no problem when i asked for two double drinks at a time .Needless to say i got pissed drunk and loved it.I complained about no hot water one morning and got comped some buffets as compensation. I have no complaints but you are right about the crowd being pension age but i just wanted to gamble drink and eat and for that it is fine!
Impy, we're comped at the PinkBird, so it's not at all a question of price for us. The important thing is that all of us get what we want for our travel dollars, and if that differs from someone else it just proves it's a big fat combo plate we're all dining on (Hoya, don't jump me for that LOL). Ross, I played at Mojave with two of your countrymen. TERRIBLE players, just awful, and perhaps two of the best playing partners I've ever had. Fun, funny, relaxed, just out there enjoying the scenery and the company. Very refreshing. Loved playing with 'em. Now my cartmate was a first-rate ASS. The kinda guy who spent the whole day muttering how he usually doesn't play that poorly and doing the science fair thing on why every other shot went otherwise as intended. I felt like shaking him and screaming: "It's golf. We all suck. You're not Tiger. None of us are. F*** off, critiqueboy." But I was diplomatic. Actually, I had a wry smile on my face the whole time, a nice inner chuckle going and almost seemed to forget how many times I went yard. LOL
My parents live in Lake Havasu City, AZ and used to go up to Laughlin all the time. It's just a quick 60 minute drive for them. But, they don't like it as much anymore, as it's all run down. Now, they go to the AVI casino just south of Laughlin, right on the river as well. They say it's much nicer than Laughlin. But, if they really want to go gambling, they've been just heading all the way to Las Vegas and make a night of it (2 1/2 hour drive). I used to like Laughlin. I think the River Taxi and River Walk are really cool things, but the place needs serious help.
