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Johnny's Random Thoughts on Memorial Day Week Trip At Wynn

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by Jackpot Johnny, Jun 9, 2018.

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  1. Jackpot Johnny

    Jackpot Johnny Wynn Fan

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    My Trip Report

    This is not really a trip report-just my random musings and thoughts about our Memorial Day week at Wynn. I love Las Vegas, or at least most of it. This was a very 'quiet' trip. No raucous nights, just a little fine dining, mostly running in place gambling without big wins or losses.


    1. I never get tired of Wynn. I am always a little surprised and grateful for how the place looks and is maintained, despite having spent so very much time there. Every surface in the place is clean and well maintained. The furniture, unlike the cheesy Walmart stuff at Bellagio (after the redecoration upstairs), is fine furniture anyone would be proud to own. Fixtures, art, flooring, carpet, towels, toiletries, robes and electronics/TVs are high end stuff, perfectly maintained and cleaned twice a day by an outstanding housekeeping staff.

    2. The staff at Wynn will consistently strive to individualize personal contacts with guests, and a nice please or thank you is all you need to get great service. Really nice people.

    3. The Wynn Rolls limos (ours was Wynn 2) are brand new and spectacular. (they used to be Bentleys) I don’t know Rolls models, but these are the really big, fancy ones. If you do not think riding around in a Rolls is cool, or a treat, I don’t want to know you. It’s interesting and fun for us to see people looking at us when we get out of one in case we might ‘be somebody.’ Well, of course we are ‘somebody,’ just nobody important. We enjoy the royal Fantasy before I return home to ride my lawn tractor for a dose of real life.

    4. Lakeside is one of the better restaurants in all of Las Vegas, especially if one of you likes seafood and the other would prefer a steak. My shared portion of Mrs. Johnny’s charred rib eye was terrific and the “Cherry on Top Sundae” was the best dessert I’ve ever had.

    5. Charlie’s Bar and Grill is good and, it hurts me to say this, maybe a little overpriced as a casual sports bar, even for Wynn. Their a la carte menu items and pricing, plus the high cost of drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), can run your tab very well into the plus a hundred range even if ‘all you had’ was maybe a burger and fries and a couple of drinks or beers. We were there during both the Golden Knights debut in the Stanley Cup and the NBA Playoffs, reminding us to only go there when a big event is not playing in the sports book. (very noisy!)

    6. Wazuzu’s “pan-Asian” food is a delight for both of us. The trip over to the Encore side during the EBC season reminded us how much we don’t like the Encore side of the resort. The new Encore shopping areas are not open yet. I’m trying to figure how in the hell Wynn/Encore needs more shopping (unless they went downscale and put another CVS outpost at the North end of the resort-never would happen but would save me a trip across the street.)

    7. The downstairs Wynn pool is 125 yards long and is terrific for lap swimmers if you get in before hordes of people clog up the narrow lane and kick you in the head. I feel better if I do some sort of exercise during our trips. I did not used to do anything-better now.

    8. The Wynn tower suites pool is a great place to hang out, but it’s way too small for the size of the tower suites-on Memorial Day weekend you need to go out and come in early, and even then it’s not serene.

    9. People with rowdy children who have plenty of room to play and splash other than right next to where you were already sitting always make me peevish. The only solution at Wynn is to go downstairs to the “European pool” at the South end of the Wynn pool, or stay at Encore and go to their adult pool.

    10. The Wynn Spa is very nice, but too small, and they might have plans to make it bigger, but apparently not soon. They need to put bathrooms adjacent to the workout area like Bellagio finally did so that workout users for the bathrooms only are not perpetually wandering the spa and swiping toiletries, coffee, fruit and washcloths. Not mine but seeing the larceny is disappointing. The Encore Spa is the most spectacular men’s spa I’ve ever been in.

    11. I’ve never stayed in a nicer hotel room than a Wynn Salon Suite. Different, maybe as good or big, but not nicer. I’m always comfortable and feel ‘at home.’ For cable TV aficionados, the big and beautiful Samsung 4K TVs only have a mild selection of basic cable-they do not want you in your room watching TV. It irritated me that they took the “TV guide” channel off the list-it was the only way you could tell what was on any of the channels.

    12. They have new thermostats and electronics in the tower suite rooms. The thermostats seem to work better and be more accurate, but the fancy new electronic pads do the same thing that the old pads did and aren’t as intuitive-same for the ‘do not disturb’ and ‘service’ light buttons.

    13. “Air spa” bathtubs are better than jacuzzi style and I’ll actually get in one maybe once a trip. No telling what’s in the pipes of a water recirculating Jacuzzi jetted tub at a hotel. Won’t use ‘em, won’t get in one. Does that make me a weird germophobe?

    14. Everyone has a pizza opinion, but I think Grimaldi’s at Palazzo is some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. Definitely worth the walk over there.

    15. The fish and chips at the Grande Lux Café is better than the best I’ve ever had in London. Go figure.

    16. I’ll never figure out why in the hell anyone would play 6/5 Blackjack, but there appear to be plenty of people who will.

    17. I (almost) hate penny slots and gadget machines, but I have an inexplicable affection for Dragon Spin and Quick Hit. I actually won more than a thousand on these stupid games this trip, but it’ll probably never happen again. Why does winning some at a stupid game make you go back to the stupid game, even when your brain knows to hang onto the won money and not to play stupid games?

    18. Caesars is kind of a cool and nostalgic place, but it seems like a rabbit warren (like the Grand Canal Shoppes) and seems dirtier and less well kept than ever, especially after being at Wynn.

    19. Wandering the Forum Shops at Caesars is always fun. We enjoy stopping for a casual lunch at Trevi’s and asking for a ‘people watching’ table. The parade of passers by always makes us feel a little thinner and a little better dressed-no one knows what we’re thinking. We’re not snooty or judgmental people at all, but we do like to feel thinner and better dressed. And sober, at least temporarily at lunch. Well, maybe we are a little snooty and judgmental watching people in Las Vegas.

    20. You probably should be careful about following your wife or significant other into Louis Vuitton with enough cash to buy something in there. You know the rest of the story. Same for Hermes.

    21. “Repeating Your Vows” is very much more emotional and meaningful than you think it will be if you ever decide to do it. We did it alone and without fanfare, with only an officiant and chapel employees in the place. I’ve said it before-this reminded me once again that I hit the jackpot with Mrs. Johnny. After all these years I’m still crazy about her. I wish I had half her class, brains and good looks. Las Vegas is a great place to get married and a great place to repeat your vows. Well, Las Vegas is pretty much a great place for most anything.

    22. I hate McCarran Airport. It’s a third world country shithole, always dirty, overcrowded and under construction. If we did not have TSA Pre-check and priority check-in, I’d probably stop going to Las Vegas. They had the D gate hall bathrooms closed so you had to walk the length of the terminal arm to get back to an open bathroom-the open one is now a remodeled bathroom but still overcrowded and filthy.

    23. I like gambling, but I hate smoking. I like that if you open a table at Wynn where no one is sitting, they’ll always make it a no smoking table if you ask politely. The dealers seem to like this when you ask. I’m someone who always quietly cashes out and gets up if someone near me starts smoking. Even if I’m winning.

    24. I know that lots of time and money has been spent on Downtown, but it seemed more run down and forlorn than ever. It had been a couple of years, but I did not see any reason to go back downtown on future trips. Some people like it-it certainly is more compact and a lot cheaper.

    25. If you tip well Las Vegas cab drivers don’t seem to mind when you take short trips up and down the Strip when it’s hot. We do not do Uber or Lyft for many reasons, in part because of the Siberia locations of where you usually have to go to get them.

    26. I always want to start planning our next trip as soon as I get home. Sometimes I already have my air or hotel booked because of a good sale. Happy, happy.

    27. Having a great boarding kennel your dogs like removes any guilt you might feel for leaving your children in the care of others.

    28. I played more $5 video poker this trip, mostly to get 9/6 Jacks or Better pay tables. It seemed a little excessive to roll in five $100 dollar bills to play, but I played fairly even and never suffered for playing at a higher limit.

    29. I went into the beautiful high limit slot room on the Wynn side and put a couple of hundred into the lowest denomination machine I could find-$10-to see if I might make a random hit. I was out of there quickly-so much for my high limit experiment. I do that about once a year. Only once have I ever gotten out of there with a decent win.

    30. I was reminded of my pet peeves about gaggles of people stopping in the middle of a walkway, at the top or bottom of an escalator or in front of the only entrance or exit. This goes with slow moving groups of five or six walking line abreast down a hall or walkway. Seriously?

    31. I watched four separate instances of someone walking and texting running into someone or into a fixed object. I felt no sympathy, or empathy. We also read a story about someone texting and running off the Strip into one of those pillar barriers they've put up to protect pedestrians. The pillar protected pedestrians. I wonder how many injured there would have been without the post there?

    32. The tram between ti and Mirage is still 'closed for maintenance.' Don't you think it's permanently closed and no one will pay to take it out? I'll be surprised to see it ever reopen.

    33. I sometimes wish polite front desk representatives could keep a squirt gun behind the desk to pull out and hose down gratuitously rude, mean people who think they'll get something by being assholes to the people trying to help them. Just squirt the jerk in the face and close the position. I would enjoy watching.

    34. Do you ever wonder about the young people who come up to the Blackjack table with $200, bet $25, lose and double up, lose again, increase their bet and lose and then leave tapped out? They've been there maybe three minutes. Sometimes they win a hand or two , but still they don't last long. Hitting a 16 to a dealer 5 does not help, nor does splitting 10s.

    35. Where the hell do all the young people come from with enough money to fill up all the high dollar clubs?There are a lot of these kids and a lot of clubs.

    36. Wynn still has double odds craps, but I mistakenly walked up to a 'closed' table with only three people playing and plunked down my thousand bucks-they were going to turn me away but the guy playing for big bucks who had reserved the table invited me to stay because he recognized me from playing next to me a couple of years ago. He said, "always room for a polite player with a sense of humor, your'e the Texas guy, right?" Compliment to me and I got to play 3-4-5 for over an hour. So, the rules for play change if you can bet enough-high rollers can get 3-4-5 if they ask, apparently. Won some money and played with some really nice guys betting 20 times more money than me. I've never seen so many yellows, whites and chocolates on a craps table. The guy said he liked playing out in the middle of the casino because of the vibe. Nice people, all of them.

    37. It bothers me that I can feel my age now-I can't stand at the craps table much more than 45 minutes before I get tired and I don't want to ask for a chair. My brain gets tired playing cards, so I go play a stupid game like 3 card poker or Let It Ride because I don't have to think playing those games. Bad bets, but relaxing and low stress to play. I actually took an afternoon nap twice during the trip. Yikes. Fortunately my age does not diminish my fun.

    38. Escalators and moving walkways must be the least reliable mechanical devices ever.

    39. I'm always ready to go home when it's time to go home on a week long trip, but that only lasts until I get home-then I wish I was back in Las Vegas. Maybe it's because I don't get the delicious Tableau pastry basket for breakfast and I have to make my own bed.

    40. We had a great trip. We won a little, ate great food, lounged about, wandered about, did some shopping for Mrs. Johnny and we were very well cared for at Wynn, our favorite place to go. Like I said, complete fantasy and then home to real life. Can’t beat it. You all here get that, don’t you?
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2018
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  2. Mudhen

    Mudhen Always in Dutch

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    Nice, well thought out writeup. Thanks.

    I've only stayed at The Wynn once, but I did enjoy it. It always felt like a breath of fresh air, whenever I returned from a day of wandering around Las Vegas.


    LOL....I'm not sure you have ever truly been to a third world, shit hole airport. :D

    I flew international out of Miami for several years, traveling to Central and South America, and all over the Caribbean. Trust me, McCarran feels like The Wynn, compared to some of those airports. :kill:
     
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  3. breanna61

    breanna61 Super Moderator

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    Thank you for sharing your thoughts and observations from your trip. Congratulations on your vow renewal; my husband and I renewed our vows in Vegas a couple of years ago.

    I always enjoy Grand Lux for lunch but have never had the fish and chips....it's now on my list of things to try.
     
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  4. Texas Steph

    Texas Steph A Work in Progress...

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    Great recap, thank you!

    We stayed at Wynn for the first time right before Memorial Day weekend. I definitely agree with all of your observations on the cleanliness of the room and casino, and on the friendliness of the employees. We even won a little, too. We enjoyed our stay very much... glad you did too.
     
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  5. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Agree 100%! Anyone who thinks LAS is a shithole hasn't spent a lot of time in an array of airports
     
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  6. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Your list was pure gold.


    BOOM!

    [​IMG]
     
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  7. ardee

    ardee It's only money.

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    I'm glad you had some quality time to spend with Mrs. Johnny and congratulations on your vow renewal @Jackpot Johnny.

    Totally agree with you on Grimaldi's pizza. Just as good as the original Brooklyn location.
    We have to get one every other visit or so.

    Love Lakeside too.
    I get to enjoy a little turf when hubs orders a steak and I order surf of some kind.
    Great service and ambiance. The pineapple upside down cake is also delicious.
    Just in case you might want to try sometime. :)
    It's made to order and brought out on a little pedestal with a domed glass serving dish.
    Server makes a nice little presentation cutting and serving. Was fun.
    Paired with a nice sipper of Belle Meade Bourbon (Medeira finish) is a great way to enjoy it.
    Here's a slice to try and tempt you for your next visit.
    PINEAPPLE.jpg

    I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts on your trip. :beer:
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2018
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  8. Jackpot Johnny

    Jackpot Johnny Wynn Fan

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    I
    I’m a million miler, retired pilot and my former business was aviation. I’ve been on every continent but Antarctica. I’ll agree that McCarran is not as bad as Miami, but I’ll stand by my belief that it’s a disgusting, filthy mess. It’s one of my three most hated U.S. airports-right in there with La Guardia and Miami. My biggest complaint is that they don’t clean the place and the main terminal is badly designed, badly maintained and way overburdened. Never wear a white shirt in McCarran. Maybe your international side of McCarran is better. Never been there.

    Everyone’s got an opinion, and you helped me win a bet-no matter what the post someone here will not only disagree, but will belittle you or your opinion. I promise you I’ve been more places than you have and I’ve had 71 years to do it. The only business I was ever in was aviation and I’m a former airport board member of a large airport. We just disagree, but I will not claim to know you or where you’ve been.

    Just posting my thoughts about my trip.
     
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  9. Jackpot Johnny

    Jackpot Johnny Wynn Fan

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    Thanks Ardee. Makes me wish we were back there. Delicious picture. I might try the cake, but I’ll probably just have them bring the Cherry On Top too and eat a little of both. So many choices, so little time to engage in my “pre-Diet” routine. I love the food there.
     
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  10. Jackpot Johnny

    Jackpot Johnny Wynn Fan

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    I also tried the fish and chips at Charlie’s on our last trip. Decent, but not as good as Grand Lux. My problem at Grand Lux (and The Cheesecake Factory) is making a choice from their ginormous menu.
     
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  11. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Well, we agree about Laguardia (and that LAS is overburdened). But even if you're now only talking about domestic airports, ISLIP, OGG, MSY, and MDW (in addition to LGA) are all less well kept than LAS. And ATL, DFW, and DTW are all at least as overburdened as LAS. As for the rest of your post, I think you're taking things too personally whenever anyone disagrees with you. I did, and do, disagree with your assessment that LAS is a "shithole" and it does make me wonder how you would categorize some other airports. But in no way did I belittle you and I know you're smart enough to distinguish between disagreement and belittlement.
     
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  12. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Not only all that, but now I hear people think it’s cool and frugal to sleep there!!!
     
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  13. hail2skins

    hail2skins VIP Whale

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    Johnny, love the format of your pseudo-report and the observations in quick format. I usually go to Vegas with the guys and stay downtown, but sometimes will go to Vegas for a night with my wife as a jumping-off point to drive to other places in the West and we enjoy the Wynn, although don't take advantage of as many of the amenities as you do. I was happy to see that they are at least going to waive parking fees for hotel guests.

    I'll agree with you about McCarran...…..I just think for the Vegas airport, they can do a lot better. It just seems to be somewhat run-down, and the eating options aren't that great, IMO. I think Bill Simmons (used to work for ESPN) used to write a column about his Vegas trips and once called McCarran the "Seventh Circle of Hell."

    As for the youngsters who blow through money at the tables, I hear you. The casinos biggest advantage is not the house edge on the games, but their relative unlimited bankroll compared to the players. I live in the DC area where MGM National Harbor is and the craps tables are consistently at a $25 minimum and packed, and I have no idea how a lot of these players aren't eaten alive!

    Thanks again!
     
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  14. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    For what it's worth, last trip, while waiting for my redeye out of Terminal 3 at McCarran, a little door next to me opened and two cleaners with carts emerged for the night shift. So they do clean Terminal 3 at least.

    Maybe they don't do a good job, maybe there are only two people for the 9000 acres of T3...

    There are definitely other areas of McCarran that are more shitholey than T3.
     
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  15. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    This is the second time you made this bet this week. And wrote about it. If you haven’t noticed, this isn’t the military.
     
  16. ardee

    ardee It's only money.

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    Jeebus. Can't a guy give a viewpoint on his own Vegas trip without grading it like it's a paper?
    Sort of proving his point here.
     
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  17. snoopydogj

    snoopydogj High-Roller

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    Agreed, unfortunately that’s what most of social media falls to. Although this board not so much.:D
     
  18. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Nice write up!
     
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  19. spicole

    spicole No shirt, no shoes... NO DICE!

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    Agree - nice write up. I like this type of trip report once in a while.
     
  20. Marky147

    Marky147 VIP Whale

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    Really enjoyable read, which brought back some fond memories of my times at Wynn.

    Thanks for taking the time to do it, Johnny.

    That pineapple upside down cake looks amazing, ardee!
     
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