Live Mini TR: Observations from the Skylofts

Sometimes when I don't write a full TR, I provide a recap of a few interesting observations. I for to Vegas yesterday and realized today there is no reason I can't give these mini observations in real time. So, this is not a recap report. But it is a list of thigns I have seen (and will see) that I find interesting/amusing and think others might too. Here it goes:

*Not very busy for Thanksgiving weekend. Its been a few years since I have been out here for the holiday. During past trips, this holiday was busy. Not big even busy. But busier than a typical weekend. Not this time. Multiple employees have told me they think its because so many people already came in last weekend for the race and that last year Thanksgiving weekend was slower as well. A Skylft butler told me the lofts aren't even half full this weekend.

*Stopped in at Resorts World for some quick shopping and played a little BJ. I made soe comment about FB and the games supervisors asked "Are they still in business? I thought they were bankrupt? lol" She made this joke as I looked around the RW high limit and noticed that I was one of only two players, lol. Pot, kettle and black went through my head, but since I don't have an emotional attachment to either resort, I just nodded and agreed that FB often seems kind of emoty (a true statement).

*I brought some perishables back to my skyloft and was trying to squeeze them into the drink fridge in the loft. A butler told me to stop and three minutes later, they had a fridge in my room. Not a little one. This thing is almost as tall as me, lol. Good to know those are available and all my precious cheese and caviar is safe til I go home!

*Overall, MGM Grand doesn't seem overly busy, but the restaurants were very full last night. Plus, a lot of workers are somehow off. The poor teppan chef at Morimoto was the only one working last night. I know him from past visits. Very good guy. I felt bad for him. And a little guity in general that all these people are working on a holiday while I am enjoying their efforts.

*Casino wasn't too busy last night. Had no problem finding a post at craps and mostly had tables to myself in the high limit room.

*After school special lesson of the day: asking for a table spot so you can make a table max wager at baccarat is never a good idea. Asking for another table spot the next hand to bet the table max again is also not a good idea. The more you know

*Skylofts staff is still great. Excellent turndown service, including chocolate covered strawberries would eduble gold leaves. I can't wait to crap gold tomorrow.

*So I did not realize until I checked in that there is a basketball tournament at the MGM this weekend. A lot of college fans and very tall young men walking around. I also noticed that a lot of fans of losing teams from yesterday were headed to the front desk with their luggage this morning, lol.

*The Mansion atrium was freaking freezing this morning! I know this observations only maters to a few limited VMBers, but WTF! During past stays in the Mansion, I always marveled at how they were able to maintain the atrium at a consistent temperature. Today, it was cold. And it created a breeze that went down multiple hallways into the high limit room.

*Why is the Coke store and M&M Store so busy on Thanksgiving??? The line for stuff at the Coke store was around thrty deep

*I am not going to search out the existing threads on this topic to post it, but anyone else feelf ree to share this casino information there. Craps minimums were $25 last night, but only $15 this morning. High limit room has offered mini bac at $50 (two tables, one standard and the other no commission) every time I have been in there.

*Why won't mf HGS points update on my app??? All my other stuff has gone up consistently (tier credits, reards points, etc), but my HGS is stuck exactly where it was before I started gambling. I need to know how much I have to blow next weekend!

*Skyloft are offering a four course Thanksgiving dinner in your loft for $90 per person. I am going to Robuchon for dinner. But still, that is a nice touch.

I will post more observations if I see anything that piques my interest. Or if there are any on the ground questions anyone wants answered, I will if I can. Hope everyone is having a great holiday

 

I feel we need a bit more elaboration on this snippet of a story

That is surprising. I'm sure I've not been as many times as you have but it's enough to know the climate control in the atrium is 10/10... usually. Makes me wonder if something was being maintained.

Honestly, that's a good price for what I imagine the level of food and service will wind up being. Cheaper than the NoMad Library dinner I'll hopefully get tomorrow, if it wasn't a one-day only thing!

 

You had me at tall young men. Keep it coming!

 

ps: weird about the Mansion. I wonder if it might be related to the renos that are underway?

 

Enjoy the rest of your stay!

 

I didn't think of that, but that might make sense. I was sitting in the corner of the restaurant patio. So I couldn't see a ton through all the foliage back in that area. But it felt very cold and drafty

 

Couple more observations:

*The line for the MGM grand buffet was long. Not sure if that was just because of the holiday, but the line stretched back out into the casino at 1pm. Kind of surprised me

*I love and hate the master remote in the Skylofts. Everyone that ahs stayed here has griped about some of the room tech I like the fact that you can control eveything from one big remote control. But it craps out too often. I reported a problem with mine hours ago and its still not fixed! I can't even change the tv channel without it. Sigh

*I think Robuchon has stopped giving the to-go pound cake to all guests. They brought out my sweets to go along with my check this evening. No pound cake. Then I could hear one of the servers that knows me whisper to the gy working my table that I am a regular and to get me a cake. So, not entirely certain what that means, but I'm glad I still get it. Its just a nice little touch to remind you of the great meal when you get home.

*The casino seemed a bit busier tonight. Hopefully a good sign for business

 

Curious about the cool ac or whatever it is running from the mansion rooms/central area down to the HL room? Never stayed at the mansion part but played a lot in the mansion casino lower limits area lol. Just wondering how and connected they are but guess I can look up a property map, just to see how I’m close..

 

Buffets are ridiculous for Thanksgiving. No way I would wait in line for one. And most people think the MGM Grand buffet sucks. Their turkey dinner or whatever they offer on Thanksgiving is unlikely to be better.

 

I've never stayed at the skylofts before. What kind of rating would someone need to get comped a one bedroom? I hope this question isn't too general but I guess what they look at is past play and avg bet amount?

 

Skyloft is: Appropriate play history + 100k FM deposit.
Mansion: Appropriate play history + (when it's slow, 500k, else ~1M FM deposit)

 

I don't know the specifics, but I will add that I think play history is the more important factor. I have stayed at the Mansion multiple times and I do not ever do FM deposits.

As for Sklofts, I just don't know. I have stayed in them for many years now comped. Years ago, when I realized I was getting Skysuites at Aria comped, I stated to get curious about the Skylofts and whether I could get those comped. I tables supervisor in Tunica that I was friendly with back in the days when I would go there twice a month gave me the name of the host she and her bf used at MGM Grand. I called him, he looked at my play, and said it was no proble to comp me a Skyloft. I think ocne you get cleared for tat level once, it gets pretty easy thereafter. Nowadays, even though I always include by Grand host on the first email I send requesting a comped Skyloft stay, I know his assistant it authorize to book that for me anytime without question.

Not exactly the info being sought, but I hope that helps

 

I have stayed in the Skylofts twice and just paid my way in. Christmas 2023 in a 1 bedroom and January 2024 in a two bedroom.
Surprisingly affordable. The January trip included a Saturday night which was $1500, but below $1k for all the other nights.
It was nice, I will probably try the Skysuites this Christmas if I can get the wife to go.

 

The craps minimums again were $15 this morning. Also, I noticed they have cameras at the roulette wheels on the main floor. I recall reading about this a couple months back. I think they are broadcasting live tables for online gambling in Mexico.

 

@VegasDaytripper you would have loved the craps table this morning. When I get there, the first shooter hits four points and the small. Then it’s my turn. I hit four points, the small, and for place bet purposes I hit the eight twelve times. But since it was a fifteen dollar table, nobody was really betting large. Very few place bets out there. Even the one person betting the small hedged the final number both times so he didn’t win really big

 

In the mansion again. Still freezing. I talked to the staff and they confirmed that it’s because of the renovation work being done they are working on the pool presently and for some reason it requires some of the doors to remain open. So there you go. I did notice the mansion security guard in the entrance hallway is at least wearing a ski cap today! Brrrrrrrr

 

They are connected by a medium-to-longish hallway; I can definitely see how the drafts would move down them.

Edit for @Travel Fanatic - if they’re doing chlorine shock / chlorination treatment for a periodic service, this would require maximum ventilation depending on the method.

 

^ it’s the room renos, specifically painting and carpets that are driving the necessary ventilation.

 

$90 per person for Skyloft Thanksgiving dinner actually sounds pretty reasonable especially given the service you’d get.

 

Were you playing light side today?