Bally's (+Plant H. & the Strip) 12/14-12/17/06

First time staying at Bally's. 3 nights including Fri. & Sat. for average $66 per night booking as Total Rewards card member. It was a better deal than I found elsewhere for Strip nights 2 weekends pre-Christmas.

Pros: all employees seemed happy to be there, from valet parking to casino floor. Made for enjoyable atmosphere. Indoor connection to Paris works great -- our fave breakfast buffet. Easy to cross street to Bellagio fountain show.

Bally room size was generous. View towards Strat, Wynn, Imperial Palace, etc. was cool and glitzier at night than I thought it would be from the daytime. Despite crummy pay tables, hit a royal playing 25 cent video poker!

Cons: Lots of siren noise at night from cross street (Flamingo?) Took awhile for casino employee to show up for "hand pay" of video poker win. (Great to win, just inconvenient when you need to find restroom!) Restaurant choices not that great. Deli was edible and not too expensive. For fancy eating walked through to Paris. There's a lower level food court, where sports book is, pretty lacklustre, pizza by the slice gave my s.o. indigestion. Haagen Das outlet is the tastiest thing down there, but pricey.

Nearby on the Strip: Desert Passage kind of fun for Christmas shopping. Regret that we didn't eat lunch at Commander's Palace this time.

Walked around Planet Aladdin -- it is looking nicer, more finished, glamorous and art deco but the connections between levels, front walk and inside -- and to the Desert Passage mall -- are still goofy. Can't tell how to get anyplace, temporary signs and no signs -- unhelpful. Crowds of folks milling around trying to find stuff. Makes for a lot of useless walking. Poker room still temporary and weirdly open. Hodge podge of slots and gaming tables. Didn't bother gambling since the place made it so unfriendly to find anything! I will stay away until and unless someone posts a rave TR. Big hassle.

 

Nice TR. Overall would you stay at Bally's again?

 

Bally's was decent overall, but it is a good question, would we stay there again...Probably yes, if the circumstances repeated: we needed Strip rooms on weekend and B was cheapest. (And after all, I did win at VP there!)

However, my s.o. didn't think the poker room was great (dealers, players, drink service all fine -- just not as good as poker venues he really likes: Orleans, Palms, Mirage, Wynn).
So that would be a factor.