First stay at Harrahs, any tips?

SOOOO, I'm hardcore mlife/Cosmo vs CET.

Well, my new job I cannot do my epic 10-12 trips, so I am getting creative on how to cram more Vegas time in. Which means, a 4 night mlife offer with a couple CET nights!

Mlife will be MGM, so I picked Harrahs as we can scoot scoot on the tram. Also, it's been years, but I remember liking the Harrahs casino. (Don't like Flamingo or Paris.)

Any Harrahs tips/thoughts? I know it's not a top line hotel, but the Reno of the rooms look good, and neither of us have stayed at Harrahs OR MGM, so it'll be a brand new Vegas for us! I'm really excited to be trying not one, but TWO new hotels!

 

Um harrahs is the only low end CET I haven't stayed at. So can't say. I didn't mind staying at Linq which is almost the same distance via monorail.

 

The Mardi Gras rooms haven't been renovated. Stay in the Valley Tower, way better.
If it's a comp offer you can check-in at the VIP lounge. I think you have to be Diamond too.

 

I am grinning Tring, as I KNOW it's low-end. But I like how the Valley rooms look (like @Laugh touched on below) More importantly, I (think) I like the Casino. I don't like the Paris, Bally's or Flamingo casino.

On Linq, I like the casino, but the rooms are too modern for me. I am a grandma on liking more neutral tones, dark woods, etc. I might hate it at Harrahs, but if so, I never go back.

Fyi I also picked low-end as we are booking 3 nights but only staying two, one is a late check out/buffer night. So, I want to keep my room cost low so I don't go further down on CETS S*** list

I'm just hoping they don't have a water outage like they did two years ago. We popped in the see big Elvis and NO water, period.

But, it's Vegas, a gamble is a gamble, on slots, tables.... or resorts!

Thanks so much Laugh! I'm not diamond, and don't want to do the tier match so late in the year, as you can't do it the following. $119 for resort fees for 3 nights, and not being in the doghouse with Cosmo is worth it to me. Plus hubs LOVES carnival court, and Big Elvis. It might be low end, but we are excited. And yes, ABSOLUTELY booked a valley room. Now, we could be bumped, but it's booked!

PS why I like the valley room, dark wood, neutral tones, and stone/marble surfaces in bathroom, NO shower curtain!

 

I was gna post a loophole but I'd rather pm it, lol. Check inbox.

 

Hi @Multifarious5 Those Valley room pics look promising! You really are branching out this trip!

I know from reading your posts you are a stickler on thread count and comfortable bedding, and I’m hoping the renovated Valley rooms at Harrahs meet your standards. IMO, it would be awful to get stuck in a Mardi Gras room that hasn’t been renovated. My experience is from years ago, and I’m sure it’s gotten better. We stayed at Harrahs a few times. The rooms back then were not great, thin walls, cheap bedding, not the best housekeeping, but free.

My tip: win, win, win.
If you get the midnight munchies, Mickey D’s is right next door. (we have done that )

Look forward to hearing how you like MGM Grand, have not stayed there because I’m not crazy about the casino, I can’t win there, although now that I think of it, that’s a problem I have at several places, lol.
I find myself walking in circles lost as lost can be - I’m sure you’re a better navigator than I!
For some reason I have a pretty good offer there, so if you fall in love with it, I may have to add it to my list.

Looking forward to your adventure to the east side of the strip

 

Geo you know me SOOOO well on thread count/linens! I'd be checking in on a Tuesday, pre-(remove Memorial day, typo) LABOR day weekend (if I get the time off work approved) , so it shouldn't be slammed till later in the week.

Yes, bad sheets and shower curtains drive me bonkers. If we get a Mardi Gras room, then we'll just stay one night and switch to MGM.

I'll also update you on MGM, as you and I tend to do well/bad at the same places, so probably similar games that we gravitate towards!

Again, I was grinning that you know me so well on thread count. Fingers crossed, NO Mardi Gras room!

PS on thin walls, you and I both know those don't change with renos, but a connecting room can be just as bad, so I will roll the dice

 

Stayed at Harrahs last year, similar reasons to you really. Other than one good night with a run on the Roulette table I couldn't win anything. Ended up spending more time across the street at The Mirage! The room was fine but dated - we were in the Mardi Gras tower unfortunately.
I never used to like MGM Grand (again similar reasons as you) but having stayed there a couple of times now I love it. Once you get your bearings, early mornings when less people are around, they have a good selection of games and I found all the staff, Mlife desk, cocktail waitresses, slot attendants, really friendly and helpful. I love the Grand but only at quieter times - still can't seem to book a win on a Saturday night!

 

You are booking for next May? I thought I was bad...

Although I suppose any date is technically a pre-Memorial Day date until the asteroid hits.

 

OH my gosh, I ALWAYS mix up Memorial day and labor day, I meant Labor day. But we usually go out Memorial Day too

I piggyback as many 3 day weekends as I can!

 

you don't have to be a D to use that check-in. sometimes it's good to just play dumb.
i was greeted by a host when the limo pulled up and i'm only platimum....
when my buddy went back in march, he used it and is only gold. he just went in and said he was checked
in there in october.... they took care of it.

ps... there is a semi secret toilet in the high limit table room, enter it from the high limit slot area and they will assume you were playing there.... saves a lot of steps having to go all the way near the piano bar or by the sports book depending on where you are when nature calls.

and if you see a bartender named TJ, tell him mikey from mass says hi and he will take good care of you.

 

If you know you are not supposed to get a specific ``perk`` then do not try to get it.
Honest mistakes are one thing but if you are knowingly trying to take advantage of something you should not be then shame on you.
The only reason you sometimes get it in those cases is because the person on the other end does not want to make a scene and slow everything down even more.

In your case where a host greeted you when you got there and escorted you to the room is very different then knowingly trying to cheat the system...
If you charge into a room or line that says `VIP` or Diamond/7 Stars and you are Gold, Then congratulations for making the person at the desk uncomfortable and having to decide between having to uphold the integrity of the system or just process you and hope you go away without pissing off those people who actually "earned" the perk waiting behind you.

 

Harrahs was the first hotel I stayed at in Las Vegas so I have some fond memories of the hotel and casino.
I enjoy a couple nights there every year or so.

I stayed in a renovated suite for two nights last year and it was nice.
The casino is usually busy.Its a great location and easy to get to anywhere Center Strip.
Carnival Court is a fun outside bar and I have had some fun nights in the piano bar.

There are a few negatives that may or may not be important to you.

The pool is small and limited sun.
You are used to staying at places with plenty of fine dining options .Harrah’s has A Ruth’s Chris and not much else but a short walk to plenty of good options.
It can be a madhouse outside of Carnival Court with all the kiosks hawking cheapo junk.

Overall,if you are up for a couple nights of unpretentious fun,it could be ok.

MGM although enormous,is signed very well and fairly easy to navigate.
After a few laps around the property you will be fine.
If you are working there and your meeting is in the convention center,be prepared to walk.
It’s a hike from the elevators past restaurant row and the monorail entrance to around the back of the pool and then back up into a separate building.
Looooonnnggg walk.

 

Nittany, you ALWAYS give amazing feedback. Not worried about pool or top restaurants at Harrahs, this is truly a two night pit stop to piggyback Mlife. But it makes me REALLY happy you still hit Harrahs sometimes, as I know you love Aria too.

On Mlife, I picked MGM 100% for hubs, for the pool. Otherwise I'd book my Aria offer! (Aria is always my favorite, but I want a good/fun pool for hubs in summer, which means MGM or MB, and we've hit MB too much.)

But thats also why I don't care about Harrahs pool. Harrahs will be slots for me, Carnival Court and Big Elvis for hubs, then tram it to MGM.

I doubt Harrahs will be a homebase, but we are excited about two new hotels. No worries on the walk at MGM. I always joke I lose my Vegas five in Vegas, as I walk so much!

PS @Guy don't worry, I feel a little weird using tier perks even when I DO have them, I won't try for perks I don't have!

@BlacklabberMike, I never hit bars, my fanny is camped on slots. Hubs does though. I will tell him if he sees a TJ bartender, to say hi from Mikey from MA!

 

Forgot to mention the bar at Ruth’s Chris is a quiet relaxing spot for a cocktail.
Nice view of the Strip above the madness.
Elevator right next to piano bar.

 

My tip would be:

If you are staying in the Walley Tower and plan to go into the casino or West towards the strip:

Get off on the 2nd floor and take the escalators into the middle (well, slightly More towards the middle) of the casino.

Same thing going back.

I have severe arthritis in both knees and try to find shortcuts wherever I can.

 

Harrah's is my "home casino" 4-5 times per year and I love it there. Don't be distracted by the 'low end' comments, the renovated Valley rooms are anything but low end....this from a gal who spends over 100 nights in a hotel per year. Honestly, the Mardi Gras rooms that aren't renovated aren't fancy but I've found them to be clean and comfortable, although I haven't stayed in one in a couple years. Definitely take the advice from DaiLun, if you are in the Valley Tower and taking the elevator to the casino, definitely get off on the 2nd floor, rather than going to the lobby. The 2nd floor escalators take you down to the middle of the casino where the food court is....I love being able to avoid all the lobby crowds and be closer to the front of the casino.

Also, the Futon Street Grill (food court) has some amazing and reasonably priced food, if you order the right thing. Their pizza is really good, I make sure I eat a slice every trip. The slices are huge, definitely meal sized for me, and for $8 is a pretty good deal on the strip. My absolute favorite is their Artisan Grilled Cheese, which is loaded with a number of different cheeses on texas toast. It comes with some of the best tomato soup I've ever had (and I cook a lot) and a bag of chips for $10! They box it up nicely and I zip up to my room with it, I look forward to this meal every trip! I can only eat half the sandwich and half the soup....it's really big! There's lots of items at the food court that are way over priced, but you know the food is good when ya think about it when not in Vegas haha

I love the small size of the property and I can get from my room to the strip in literally 5 minutes. I'm going back in 2 weeks and it's not soon enough! Enjoy your trip, I think you will like Harrahs!
diane

 

Thanks so much @dbueler for taking the time to write such a detailed report.

I don't need a huge room, but I need a soothing room. For me, dark woods, neutral colors, triple sheeting and walk-in showers are my "cha-ching! " thing, and the valley rooms look really good.

Being a little OCD I always do a video run through of a room before picking, and the Valley rooms seem to check all my boxes. The only downside is a small window, but they were smart with the mirror to reflect lighting.

I'm totally onboard to try this room! While I love my really nice hotels, there's also a little self-induced stress at being more anal on my coin-in numbers, so sometimes it's nice to have a hotel you like, but aren't "mother bear" protective over.

We are piggybacking at MGM for the pool and restaurants, so this will purely be a "slots with a bite here and there" two night trip.

I am pleased that you, Nittany and @DaiLun and others have had OK things to say.

And if I don't like it? Well, I just don't go back, but got to try out a new hotel!

I tried Luxor despite poo-pooing, and loved the room. The only thing I learned was no-go on floor vodka even if they say Skyy, etc., it doesn't mean thats what you get. The floor drinks did NOT do well with me at Luxor, and I didn't go crazy, so I will probably bring my own and supplement with diet cokes etc. So the waitress gets all of her tips.

Cosmo Vodka Collins and Luxor vodka Collins have TOTALLY different next day results! I'm not a teenager who doesn't know her limits, but I felt that way the next day at Luxor!

 

I'm hoping you draft up a TR for us on this new adventure. Regarding Harrah's, I've stayed there before and didn't mind it. The crowd is fun and the dueling pianos is fun for everyone. It's also relatively clean and has a solid selection of slots.

I'm sure you know this, but avoid those gimmicky bars in there. Way over-priced. And this coming from someone who now exclusively stays at wynncore.

On restaurants, I actually like the oyster bar and would recommend against Toby Keith's though there is some fun entertainment there.

Ugh now I'm thinking of doing a low budget Vegas vacation soon. They can be so much fun!

 

Another great post Spd, and great tips, as always! I definitely plan to do a live TR. Just wish me luck on getting time of work, and I'll make sure to include you all on my Harrahs and MGM shenanigans!