Trip notes 3/29 – 4/3 – Monte Carlo solo

I had a break between projects and some PTO to burn so I booked a last minute trip to the mecca. I did a quick check on rates for mid-tier properties and it came down to Monte Carlo vs. Bally’s. I chose MC because I’ve never stayed there and I’m transitioning from CET to MGM so it made perfect sense.

Gaming highlights:
I received a hand pay on the Lions share progressive. Like so many before me I thought I was the one that was going to win the Lions share progressive. I cycled through my $100 and got some decent play of the machine but eventually it got the better of me and I was down to my last dollar so I attempted to cash out because I didn’t want to play a dollar for fear that it would hit 3 lions - I couldn’t live with myself it that happened. When I hit collect nothing happened but a minute later a slot attendant stopped by and radioed for a hand pay at the Lions share. The guy with the money comes by and the slot attendant says “kindly pay this gentleman one dollar”. I seemed like a lot of commotion for a buck but the attendant explained that the machine was so old that it didn’t have any ticket-out capabilities so it always requires a hand pay.

The real gaming highlight was 4 quads at the Aria City Bar!!!! I normally play quarters so I wasn’t expecting my $100 buy-in to last long but my plan was to kill em on the goose and tonics. I was on my 10th hand when I hit the first quad. :banana: Over the course of the next hour I managed to hit 3 more quads and I was up to $1000. Machine cooled down after that so I cashed out an $800 ticket which brought me back to break even on the trip.
I love this, I was dealt a throwaway hand and I drew quads. Life is good.


Entertainment:
I stopped at one of the tix 4 tonight outlets and paid $36 ($10 savings) for a 3rd tier seat at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club. Brad wasn’t there but the stand-in’s were absolutely hilarious. Marc Patrick, the host, was just okays but Landry, the first guy up was awesome and in my opinion was a wee bit funnier than the Mike Pace, the headliner. I laughed my ass off the entire night, I’ll definitely be back.

High Roller - rode the high roller on day 2 of it’s operations. The High Roller offers great views of the Las Vegas valley and mountains, it's a hit in my book. The ride itself was very smooth, I couldn't even tell it was moving. My wife was a bit jealous that I rode without her so I’ll take another ride next time that she joins me.
A view from the HR looking east.



Grub:
Monte Carlo buffet for breakfast – I’m not a big buffet fan but I wanted something quick so I gave the MC buffet a try. When I sat down I told the host that I’ll have a coffee and OJ. She points to the beverage station and says please help yourself. Jeez they don’t even bring drinks anymore, when did that start?
Monte Carlo Café - Good omelet and decent service.
BLT Burger – Had the California Chicken and a side of the horseradish slaw. Good stuff.
Grand Lux Café - I wanted to couple a good walk with a breakfast so the Grand Lux became my target destination. I had a made to order omelet with a side of turkey bacon. Well work the walk.
Monte Carlo food court – The food court was a convenient option for something quick and cheap, so I took advantage of that a couple of times.
Yard House – Pint of brew and fish taco’s. This place has potential, I’ll be back.

Other notes:
I’ve been going to Vegas for 25 years and I made my first visit to the sign. I drove by it several times but never got out the car to pay homage to it. BTW, it’s 2.1 miles by foot from the MC to the sign.

I think the LINQ is well designed, it has a nice boardwalk feeling with a good variety of food, entertainment, and shopping. Nicely done by CET!!!!


There were lots of family’s but I’m happy to report that parents and children were well behaved.

I saw a guy walking around in the NYNY Statue of Liberty fountain. I thought he was a bum looking for change but when he bent over I noticed a large but crack so I just though he was a plumber.


Monte Carlo doesn’t offer wi-fi, they have a wired internet connect. On day two I tried looking for the network cable and there was none to be found so I called for maintenance to see what the deal is. Turns out cable and modem were stuffed behind the dresser.

My biggest complain about the MC room was the lack of power outlets. They have one outlet by the desk but it’s used for the TV and lamp so found myself unplugging the lamp so I can plug in my phone charger. It’s a common problem for older hotels, most new hotels have plenty of power options on the desk and nightstand.

I did not try the $20 trick but I did ask for a complementary upgrade. The clerk said they are booked but he did move me to a higher floor (22) which was fine by me.

The Bally’s grand bizarre construction has a ways to go, it looks like they are just moving around piles of dirt, no structures in place.


Thanks for reading, cheers!!!

 

Great TR, thanks for sharing it. Wow, great luck on the quads! Nice to see a picture from the HR, I'll definitely try it out whenever I next get back to Vegas.

 

Your first sentence about the Lion's Share made me giggle. How was the MOnte Carlo buffet? I'm using my MyVegas award for 2 brunch buffets there. We are staying at NYNY so just a short walk. Was it good? Hope they aren't expecting tips to be left on the table if you have to also get your own drinks.

Thanks for posting!

 

The MC buffet was good! They had a carving station for beef and other meets in addition to an ample supply of salads and deserts. I was primarily focused on the breakfast items: eggs, hash browns, biscuits & grave, breakfast taco's so I didn't indulge in any lunch items, salads, or deserts.

Thanks for reading.