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Recent experience at The D?

Discussion in 'Downtown Hotels' started by kingslender, Oct 2, 2013.

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  1. kingslender

    kingslender Low-Roller

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    Anyone have recent experience staying at The D? My buddies and I finally pulled the trigger on staying Downtown instead of The Strip and decided on The D since we always gamble downtown.

    I've gambled there before and like the vibe (second floor was still under some construction last year) so we're hoping it'll be a perfect fit.

    Thoughts on the cleanliness of the rooms/bathrooms? We booked the 2 Queen High Floor rooms, since most of the negative reviews I've read are related to street noise.
     
  2. robert m.

    robert m. High-Roller

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    I stayed there in August. Overall, enjoyed it.

    Comments:

    1. Location is hard to beat!

    2. Good drink service while playing slots at night.

    3. Liked the Coney Island hot dog place inside the D. Fast. Tasty & no heartburn.

    4. The D Grille (24/7 cafe) on second floor was GREAT! Okay, it was a little more pricey than the
    cheapest cafes, but it was very clean, had good service and the food was good.

    5. Was the downstairs noisy? Yes. But when it was 11 p.m., I was into my second drink, and I did
    not need to talk to anybody at my slot, it was pretty cool.

    6. Andiamo's Italian Steakhouse, on 2nd floor was great! Very good food. Upscale, but affordable.

    7. I had a standard room. I would rate it as just average for downtown. Nothing special.
    Bathroom was big enough, but not fancy.

    8. Elevators were okay for me (middle of week). Avoid crowds by catching them coming & going
    at the 2nd floor. Near the D Grille.

    Other random thoughts, unrelated to the D:

    1. LeThai on Fremont East is very good.

    2. Pop Up Pizza in the far back of the Plaza was surprisingly good.

    3. Four Queens is next door to the D, and the bartop VP at 4 Q's is MUCH better.

    4. Golden Nugget is the "class" od downtown, and worth a visit.

    5. Grotto (Italian) at GN is good.

    6. Don't miss a trip to Golden Gate sometime between 10 p.m. & 2 a.m. The place has "good vibrations" at night.

    Best wishes for a FUN trip!
     
  3. piper72

    piper72 Tourist

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    love The D! I stayed back in June and just booked another trip for November. I echo most of what the above poster said.

    Be sure to check out the Vue bar upstairs for great VP and great bartenders with premium comped drinks
     
  4. FXT

    FXT VIP Whale

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    I stayed there July 4th and wrote a quick TR about my experience. You'll be fine as long as the elevators work. Ask them to put you in the renovated rooms. We were in the old rooms and the bathrooms lacked ventilation fans and the plumbing wasn't up to par.
     
  5. pebbles

    pebbles Micro Roller.

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    We enjoyed The D earlier this year. Mi nor issues with the elevators, but everything else was great.
     
  6. jasonargo

    jasonargo High-Roller

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    Looking at your trip counter, things could change in the meantime, but here goes.

    As has been reported, the main casino floor is VERY loud "modern" music, nearly 24/7. The 2nd floor has lower volume mainstream music, and has the Sigma Derby machine, along with many coin slots/VP. The Vue bar on the 2nd floor is a great place to watch sports & play VP.

    The rooms (I have stayed both before as the Fitz & last month) are clean and functional. The bathrooms are larger than the 4Q next door, and it's a toss-up which beds are more comfortable. You are still stuck with baseboard AC/heater units, which can be very noisy.

    The elevators at the D "seem" to be slow, but I think it has to do with their computer controls. For example, at 1st floor you can see one elevator coming down while the other 3 just sit there, and by the time the 1 makes it down, there are too many people waiting. Check-out time (late AM) can be a bummer too, with the bags taking up elevator space, so plan accordingly.

    The location is great, as is access to valet parking off 4th St.

    They have recently added a resort fee, but I was told that any reservation including a comp night waives the fee. This could always change, so keep the extra charge in mind when comparing rates.

    Always check rates and book direct so you have the option of cancelling & rebooking if the rates go down.

    Have fun & good luck!

    -
     
  7. 16gauge

    16gauge Low-Roller

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    We stayed there in July (also stayed at the old Fitzgeralds in the past). Room updates are decent, but they did not do anything with the bathroom. Do not pay extra for the king corner room as it give you only about 2 extra feet of width. Also ask for a room away from the stage that is located between the D and 4Q's.

    Don't be fooled by the advertised Coney Island restaurant. It is NOT a normal Coney Island that has a full menu (including 24/7 breakfast). It is only a small outlet that sells Cony Brand chile dogs and fries - nothing else.

    The new resort fee is a non-starter for me. The initial press release claimed that they lowered the price of the rooms to offset the resort fee. This was false as I had been pricing a trip at the time they had done this and had the rates written down before the resort fee (reduction). They lowered the previous advertised rate by $4, but tacked on a $20/night resort fee.
     
  8. Louton25

    Louton25 Tourist

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    Just got back from The D today.

    I should preface this by saying, I've been staying and playing at the Fitz/D for many years now. Always have comped rooms, along with a little free slot and table play.

    Same offer this time - 3 nights, $100 slot, $100 table, $25 food.

    For the first time ever, I can say I left pretty disappointed with the D.

    In the past, I was always greeted with a big smile (sometimes even recognized me and called me by name) at the front desk. Not this time. In fact, there were 3 clerks working, not a one smiling and each struggling to do their jobs. Took me 30 minutes to check in - despite 3 clerks and only 2 people ahead of me???

    Don't ever bother trying the $20 trick here. It won't work.

    Elevators seemed a little better to me. Quicker anyway.

    I experienced TERRIBLE drink service while donating money to the joint via slots. Played for hours and brought only ONE drink.

    Music is annoyingly loud. I am only 33 years old, but got so tired of having blaring music every second. It never stops.

    Plumbing is always an issue. Drains are slow, and though the rooms have a fresh feel, the bathrooms haven't changed a bit.

    A first time for everything, I guess.

    For the first time in my 30+ trips to Vegas, I can say staying at The D may be off the table for me. Had a much better few days at Rio this time.
     
  9. mcluekm

    mcluekm Tourist

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    This March I stayed in 'corner king room'. It was originally a 'premium' corner king room, but it was facing Fremont,(too loud even from the top floor) so they offered a downgrade to a corner room plus a $25 F&B credit.

    I thought the room was much nicer than the cheapest Golden Nugget room. I guess it was a renovated room as the plumbing worked well. The room was clean, with funky decor and a great view.

    The D Grille breakfast was good, but their burger/fries- meh.

    I'm booked there again this month but I'm on the fence whether I should switch to the Golden Nugget (similar price). The only reason being is that I feel a bit more secure at the Nugget where I saw more security personnel. I saw none at the D near the elevators and felt a little creepy waiting for an elevator late at night (especially after walking past all the dancing girl tables- which to me struck a slightly pathetic/desperate tone).

    I was wondering how other solo or solo/female patrons found the D?
     
  10. marksind

    marksind VIP Whale

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    The D

    I'll speak for my wife. We stayed at the D this spring, corner king room for four nights, which was fine. We just got back a couple of days ago from another Vegas trip, this time staying at the Golden Nugget (our fifth GN stay). The D has a couple of slot and video poker machines she likes, so we spend some time gambling there. Other than that, she very much prefers the Golden Nugget and doesn't want to stay at the D even though we get their "get two nights for the price of one" offers (which we don't get from the Nugget). The price isn't that much different for a few nights, and the Golden Nugget is simply a lot classier and busier. She feels safer and more comfortable there. She doesn't let me wander too far from her at the D. Personally, I don't worry much at any of the places downtown, but I understand how a solo woman might feel differently.
     
  11. kingslender

    kingslender Low-Roller

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    Thanks for the feedback everyone - for now we are booked directly through the hotel and will monitor other offers before we go.
     
  12. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    I spent a bit of time in the D a couple nights ago and LOVED it... I didn't care much for the upstairs gaming area though. The staff was all fun and friendly and the music right up my ally. A HUGE improvement over the former Fitzgerald!
     
  13. kingslender

    kingslender Low-Roller

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    Have they completed construction up there? I was there last January and remember the second floor being mostly under construction - bar was open as well as the sports book (if you want to call it that) and some slots, but not much else.
     
  14. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    It is as you described... the Steakhouse was open in the corner by the escalators. I've heard and read read GREAT things about it.
     
  15. USCHawks

    USCHawks High-Roller

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    I was there on Thursday and walked upstairs just to check out Sigma Derby and I didn't really notice any construction. Sigma Derby was out of order though.
     
  16. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    I didn't notice "construction", I just thought it had an "unfinished" appearance compared to the downstairs.
     
  17. USCHawks

    USCHawks High-Roller

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    I'd agree with this. I was much more impressed downstairs.
     
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