First trip report - Part I

My wife and I just returned from my first trip to Las Vegas (her second.) I didn't have time to take notes, so this stuff may not be in order!
We left Columbus, Ohio on Sunday June 2 for our trip through Friday, June 7. Booked the trip through Expedia.com. We left early from Columbus and switched planes in Denver, then took the remaining distance to Las Vegas over some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. But then we arrived at the LV airport to face a madhouse! It only took an hour and half to travel from Denver to Vegas, but took two hours to get just a couple miles from the airport to The Aladdin! Oh well, we were excited to be there just before noon. We were a little nervous about staying at Aladdin because we've read a few negative comments about it. But we were both very pleased with it and would not think twice about staying there again. Check-in went quickly and we asked for and received a great room on the 25th floor of the north tower overlooking the Bellagio fountains! Very nice, clean room with big bathroom and plenty of space for clothes, etc. Everyone we encountered the entire week at the Aladdin was very friendly and helpful.
That first day we went out to play for awhile, first at the Aladdin. Hungry, we wandered through Desert Passage and grabbed a quick bite at La Salsa cantina and each grabbed one of those large yards of margaritas. The first of many throughout the week! Played a little at several casinos without much luck, then stopped in O'Sheas. We both like 25 cent video poker, and they have a cubby hole with several machines, so my wife picked the first one at the corner of the main aisle. She likes the double-double bonus game, and she quickly hit a couple 4 of a kinds and finished about $200 ahead. We went over to Caesar's and watched one of the statue shows, then back to the Aladdin where we finally passed out at only 9pm Vegas time, after being up for close to 22 hours.
The next day, we were wide awake at 4:30 am. The time adjustment was rough getting used to! At seven, we walked up to the Flamingo and had their breakfast buffet while sitting against the glass to their wildlife display. What a great morning! Food was very good too, with omelets cooked to order, fresh fruit, and even steak, pork chops, and chicken breasts. Nice breakfast! We spent the rest of the day taking in the sights of the strip and playing slots. We had been practicing strategy for Let It Ride and Blackjack and were hoping to find a table to play on too. It is very difficult to find any $5 min. Blackjack tables that don't have the new 6-5 payout. And the small, older casinos that advertise the $2 or $3 minimum tables never seemed to have any of these tables open. So we were content to play slots. My wife wanted to see Madam Toussad's Wax Museum at the Venetian, so we went through that. The artistry was amazing and we took several photos with the fake stars! We took a cab to the Rio, where we didn't do well playing slots. Took in the Ronn Lucas afternoon show - had the coupons for free admission with the price of $6.95 for the mandatory drink. Great show! - though we thought it ran about 15 minutes too long. From there we went to the famous Rio Seafood buffet and gorged ourselves! We stayed long enough to see one of the Masquarade in the Sky shows before leaving. We finally went to bed early again after watching the Bellagio fountains from our window.

Tuesday morning, we woke up and walked over to the Paris breakfast buffet. WOW! I just loved the looks and feel of the Paris casino and the buffet was incredible. Piles of every kind of fresh fruit and pastry, crepes made to order, and lots more! Afterward, my wife wanted to try her favorite machine at O'sheas again. It's a good thing she did. It was hot again and she was up around $300, when I went up front to play a nickel slot. I found a good one and was up about $80, but had to wait almost 20 minutes for a hand pay. That's when my wife came running up, all excited because she hit an all Aces 4 of a kind which paid $500! We walked out of O'Sheas with about $900 more than we walked in with. Wandered around and ended up at the Harrah's carnival court, where we spent the entire the entire afternoon drinking and watching a great band. They were dressed in fake afro wigs and played 70's disco music. At the end of each of their sets, everyone at the bar got a free shot from the bartenders, who put on a show themselves by juggling liquor bottles, ala the movie Cocktail. We had a blast. From there, we went to the Venetian where we wanted to have dinner at Emeril's Delmonico. We didn't have reservations and they were all sold out for the night. However, they just opened and will served dinner at the bar on a first come first serve basis, so we were able to eat at the bar. We each had one drink, we split an appetizer - my wife ate the shrimp cocktail and I had the raw oysters. The oysters were the best I've ever had, not a bit slimy like you usually see! We each ordered the famous bone-in ribeye steak - perhaps the best we've ever eaten. Our bill was $120, and my wife treated thanks to her earlier winnings! We followed that up with fifth row tickets to see Danny Gans at the Mirage. He put on a great show, although there was some obnoxious woman and her husband who were given folding chairs to set up along the wall right beside us. After every laugh, she would scream out comments and hoot and hollar that was an embarrassment to everyone in attendance. Even the ushers tried to quiet her down, but she wouldn't listen. I don't know how she was allowed to remain at the show, or why she was given those seats to begin with. Anyway, Gans was amazingly talented, although my wife didn't think he was worth $100 per ticket for the hour and a half show. That was a wonderful day from beginning to end!
I'll post about the remainder of our trip when I get time!

 

Sounds like a great trip. We also stayed at the Aladdin earlier this year and loved the hotel itself. Now, if they can only get people to actually gamble there.

What did you mean when you mentioned the new 6-5 payout for blackjack? I had not heard that before.

 

I've also stayed at the Aladdin and had a good experience. My brother just stayed there in April and had no complaints. I plan on staying there again this fall.

I'm also a big fan of Delmonico's steakhouse. I didn't know they served dinner at the bar. That's good to know. I do know that if you want a table there for dinner you should make a reservation as soon as you know when you're going to be in Vegas as they're booked a month or more in advance a lot of the time.

[ June 09, 2002: Message edited by: Fritz ]

[ June 09, 2002: Message edited by: Fritz ]</p>

 

Buckeye Bob,
Most casinos are offering a $5 minimum blackjack table, with a single deck game, but the payoff for getting a blackjack is only 6 to 5.

 

Is the 6-5 payout on single deck only?

PS, Good to see another Buckeye on the board. There seems to be a number of us.

 

Isn't Harrah's carnival bar a hoot? We saw those same guys with the afro wigs too. We loved it there. Next time I want to stay closer to that area. That was such a good time and I got great pictures of it too.

Enjoyed your part I trip report. Thanks.

 

Another Buckeye heard from! So the Seafood Buffet is open on Monday nights? I've just changed my food itinerary. Did you go AmericaWest out of Columbus?