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Mandalay Bay & Delano: Some Questions

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by thecarve, Feb 21, 2015.

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  1. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Well, an out of the blue call from an old host who's now at MB has turned my first ever downtown trip into a downtown/Delano trip. But I've never stayed at MB, Delano, THEHotel, Four Seasons or any other current or former hotels at that particular location, so I have a few questions I hope my VMB friends can help me with.

    Please feel free to answer as many or few questions as you like. And any other helpful hints about MB/Delano (or even the far-south end of the strip) would be very much appreciated.


    1. A steak is a must: Stripsteak, Charlie Palmer or none/both of the above? (I'll be solo, so a decent bar to eat at would be cool, but not a necessity.)

    2. What other restaurants are worth my time? (All price points and types of food are fair game.)

    3. I'll be staying at Delano, in (I assume) the King Suite. Any particular view or location I should request? Any upgrade I should ask for (that can be had with a friendly demeanor and/or twenty)?

    4. What kind of mins can I expect at the DD H17 games? How about the S17, DAS, RSA, LS shoe games?

    5. Craps minimums?

    6. I'll probably be there for the Final Four and championship game. What's a good spot to catch the games? Bonus points for "not terrible" VP I can play during commercials.

    7. I read somewhere about ridiculously hard pillows. Has this been fixed?

    8. Is the tram convenient? Or am I better off walking?

    9. What else should I know about MB/Delano? (It has been at least 7-8 years since I've set foot in the place.)


    Whatever you can answer would be a great help. Many thanks! :beer:
     
  2. pressitagain

    pressitagain VIP Whale

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    1. Stripsteak is a lively steakhouse. I have had the best and worst steaks in Vegas here.

    2. Citizens is great for when you don't know what you feel like. Food is very good. Open 24hrs.

    3. Request a poolside view. Stay away from the rooftop view. We had the "panoramic" view, of the rooftop.

    4. Can't answer this.

    5. Early mornings can be $10 min. Nights are mainly $25 with a couple of $15.

    6. Can't answer this

    7. I'm sure it's been fixed by now. You could request replacement pillows.

    8. Tram is the way to go. Long walk with nothing to see.

    9. It can be an empty place, if there are no events going on.
     
  3. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    Room type (this is based on room numbering when it was THEhotel, it's been a couple of years since I've stayed there)

    Delano is shaped like an L

    The upright of the L is the "9" wing. The other wing is the "8" wing. The rooms on the inside of the L (ie. Strip view) are 9-and-an-even-number, and 8-and-an-odd-number, like 914 or 811.

    A room in the 8 wing with an even number faces south towards the beach and wave pool and gets a lot of noise from concerts in season, and also from those helicopters that buzz the strip every 15 mins.
    .
    You could try for an upgrade to a Panoramic Suite (used to be V-Suite), they only used to charge $20 or $30 a night extra for those anyway. The ideal room numbers for those would be 916 or 815.

    Unless there was something big going on, Mandalay always had $10 craps during the day and usually at least one or two $10 tables at night, even on weekends. On weekend nights occasionally the lowest table would be $15.

    It's only a minute or two walk from the Delano elevators to the casino through the indoor hallway, but if you find it too congested/slow, you can walk out the entrance of Delano into the valet/bell area and up about 100 feet on the left is an entrance to the Mandalay restaurant row and casino. It's not any shorter really, just an alternative.

    I've read elsewhere that the hard pillows have been swapped out.
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2015
  4. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    I will try my best:

    1. Don't know

    2. I really like Kumi, Burger Bar, and Aureole

    3. Don't know

    4. The good BJ rules are only available in the high limit. The min is usually $200, but sometimes $100 midweek

    5. $10 and up, but $15 is more likely

    6. The sportsbook is good and big. There is also a bar nearby that has VP. If that is full, they usually set up TVs for big sporting events at the other bars (like Eyecandy). During MM one year, I found a great spot to sit and watch a game at the coffee bar just outside the elevator bank

    7. No idea

    8. If you are going to Luxor, I say just walk. If you're going to Excalibur, take the tram

    9. The MJ show is fantastic. The pool is awesome too if the weather permits
     
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  5. iamsomedude

    iamsomedude High-Roller

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    1. Charlie Palmer Steak is definitely a must-go if they are actually serving steak for their Cut of the Week special. I always leave there feeling full, and the food quality is good there.

    2. I would suggest Fleur's "Tour of the World" (you may be able to request a 1-person serving size, but I'm not sure), Burger Bar, and the Border Grill brunch.

    3. As others have said, request the poolside view. The Mandalay Bay is so far south of the strip that you can't get a satisfactory view of it, but their poolside view is great, as long as they're not still doing construction on the pool.

    4. I've had the same experiences as pressitagain.

    5. Can't help you there. I only play Blackjack.

    6. Can't really help you there other than directing you to their race and sports book.

    7. It felt fine to me when I was there, but maybe my head is also ridiculously hard.

    8. If you are going to the north end of the strip, it is definitely worth taking the tram. If you like walking around shops and casinos for fun, then you might as well walk through the Luxor and Excalibur. They're connected, so you don't have to walk outside.

    9. Being a big Wynn fan, I normally stay at the Wynn/Encore whenever I go to Vegas. I saw the rates were pretty cheap for Mandalay Bay, so I decided to stay there on a whim. I expected to be let down by the Mandalay Bay like I was with other MGM Mirage properties, but I was actually pleasantly surprised when I stayed at the Mandalay Bay. It has a lot of dining options and things to do, and since the hotel is so big, it never feels stuffy and crowded. The rooms are not bad, either.
     
  6. Iceicecool

    Iceicecool Low-Roller

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    Delano is my main hotel right now, but I am not a food person, I mostly eat buffets and fast food.

    1.I eat at the food court in Luxor and the food court near the Shark Tank, as well as the buffet and occasionally their 24 hour restaurant Citizens. The Luxor is a short 5-8 minute walk through Mandalay Place shops.

    3. Other people are better suited for this question, I almost never look out my room window and almost all the rooms at Delano are the same 1 bedroom suite. They only have a few suites bigger and they are never available when I check in.

    4. I only play BJ in the high limit pit and the last 3 times I was there it was $200 minimum at night including midweek. The regular casino has a lot of 6/5 BJ.

    6. The sports book is good and there is also a very popular Mexican restaurant that gets very crowded for sports games inside Mandalay Place called Husongs.
    Mandlaay Bay does not have any full pay VP below the $5 level. I sometimes walk to Luxor to play full pay JOB ($1 5-play) in the high limit slot lounge.

    7. Yes the pillows were horrible the first two times I stayed there after it became Delano. There was all new pillows there last time I was there a month or two ago.

    8. Tram is a good idea if you are planning on walking almost anywhere except the Luxor is a short walk through Mandalay Place.

    9. Delano shares a pool with MB and it is a VERY long walk from your room. You will have to walk the entire length of the casino and then some to get there.
     
  7. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Great info, guys. Thanks. (Love the detail, Chuck2009x...fantastic! :nworthy:)

    This is great to hear. This will be the first time I've stayed anywhere other than Wynn or Encore in quite a while. And while I'm definitely looking forward to something new, I am a bit worried that I'll be disappointed.



    Anyone have any info on the mins for the H17 DD games? $25? $50? More?

    Thanks again!
     
  8. Elf70

    Elf70 High-Roller

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    Border Grille, Strip Steak, Burger Bar, and RM Seafood are all very good.

    The pillow issue has been resolved. The beds are super comfortable.

    I agree with others - walk to Luxor. Take the tram if your headed to Excalibur and beyond. The tram is very convenient.

    I believe a "Delano only" pool is opening in the middle of March. Sounds like you may be going a bit early to take advantage of this.

    Have a great trip!
     
  9. Aces and Eights

    Aces and Eights VIP Whale

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    Stripsteak is my favorite steakhouse. Any steak with the foie gras extra is great. Red Square has the vodka flights. You get four chilled vodkas presented in a frozen gel block. Vodka glasses are larger than regular shot glasses so you get around 6 shots worth of alcohol. You're feeling pretty good after that. I also loved the food!
     
  10. dannyocean

    dannyocean High-Roller

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    StripSteak is fantastic -- my Vegas favorite -- and the bar there is awesome to eat at. Highly recommended. One of the better solo experiences you can have.

    Craps is often $10 in the morning, as others have mentioned. Depending on how busy the weekend, you can almost always find a couple $15 tables around the clock.

    The sports book at MB is one of the best spots to watch any event. Good bartenders, too.
     
  11. heatherlovesvegas

    heatherlovesvegas VIP Whale

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    1. A steak is a must: Stripsteak, Charlie Palmer or none/both of the above? (I'll be solo, so a decent bar to eat at would be cool, but not a necessity.)
    Stripsteak is great! And it's a more casual vibe.. I think it would be less awkward solo.

    2. What other restaurants are worth my time? (All price points and types of food are fair game.)
    Border Grill! So good, they have a great brunch, all you can eat small plates, but I really enjoy every meal there, I'd go for lunch/dinner if I had to choose.. I've been there solo numbers times not awkward at all. If the weather is good, sit outside. Also had a fantastic breakfast at Della's in Delano. I would go again for sure

    3. I'll be staying at Delano, in (I assume) the King Suite. Any particular view or location I should request? Any upgrade I should ask for (that can be had with a friendly demeanor and/or twenty)?
    See if you can get a strip view, the rooms are all suites anyways, can't do much better there

    7. I read somewhere about ridiculously hard pillows. Has this been fixed?
    I saw something earlier this week saying it has

    8. Is the tram convenient? Or am I better off walking?
    You can walk to Luxor.. if you need to be at Excal, take it. But they make it pretty easy to just walk through everything.. if you wanna go somewhere else on the strip just take a cab

    9. What else should I know about MB/Delano? (It has been at least 7-8 years since I've set foot in the place.)
    Pool is the big attraction... not too much has changed since your last trip, but the place has held up great.. they keep it up well if that makes sense. But there hasn't been many massive changes.
     
  12. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Many thanks, all. Great info! :beer:
     
  13. KellyLovesVegas

    KellyLovesVegas Earthling/retired space nerd

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    1. A steak is a must: Stripsteak, Charlie Palmer or none/both of the above? (I'll be solo, so a decent bar to eat at would be cool, but not a necessity.)
    It depends on what is most important to you. In my experience the steak quality is better, and the level of service is consistently excellent at Charlie Palmer. The bar at Charlie Palmer is a great place for a quieter solo meal (everything on the restaurant menu is available at the bar.) The ambiance at Stripsteak (both restaurant and bar) is definitely louder. It is open to the walkway, so noise echoes. But for me, The main negative at Stripsteak is their inconsistent level of service - it varies from awful to very good.

    2. What other restaurants are worth my time? (All price points and types of food are fair game.).
    We like Kumi (steak for me, sushi for hubby) and rm Seafood. We enjoy Lupo for wood fired pizza and pasta comfort food. Burger Bar is solid for burgers, fries and shakes. For the best Mexican-inspired food, walk through the Mandalay Place shops PAST Hussongs (their food was *okay* early on, but has since devolved to pretty bad unless you are very drunk). Continue through the shopping area and into Luxor to Tacos and Tequila (T&T). The dishes are not typical Tex-Mex (which is a plus to me) but are yummy. Plus there's an extensive selection of tequilas (including some organic tequilas) and tequila flights, if that is of interest. The T&T bar is perfect for solo dining.

    9. What else should I know about MB/Delano? (It has been at least 7-8 years since I've set foot in the place.)
    If you want to grab a cab or limo, use the Delano entrance. Generally it has much shorter cab lines than the one for Mandalay Bay. The Four Seasons entrance also has a minimal-nonexistent cab/limo line, as there are less than 500 hotel rooms at Four Seasons and most folks staying at MB or Delano don't think of using the FS cab line.
     
  14. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Good advice above.
    The shortcut from Delano elevators to Restaurant Row at MB is handy. Go out into Valet and you head right back in.

    As to Tram vs Walking. We have done both multiple times. You save walking, but we usually spend time just standing waiting for the tram. We usually prefer walking.
     
  15. parallax

    parallax High-Roller

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    There is always one or 2 H17 DD games going near the EyeCandy Bar during the day and usually vary between $25 and $50. The rules are not as good as the High Limit but they are not bad. In the evening, a couple more DD tables will open up and range from $50 to $100. I find the majority of the dealers to be quite good as well as the pit bosses.

    I would recommend RM Seafood. I think their seafood is the best in Vegas. We are a big fan of all the restaurants at MB and is one of the main reasons we stay there. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by MB. It caught us off guard and it is now our home base.
     
  16. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Kelly is right. I tried to limit my response above to just those restaurants in MB, but T&T at Luxor is my favorite Mexican food on the Strip. It is excellent and a very short, indoor walk from MB
     
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  17. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Loving all the knowledge...thanks guys/gals.

    As far UK's comment about limiting (or not) comments to MB...please feel free to give me any good info to that whole neighborhood. As someone who usually stays at Wynncore, I'm not really all that knowledgable about the south strip. So, Luxor, Excal, Trop and NYNY are all fair game...

    Thanks again, gang.
     
  18. JoJoR

    JoJoR VIP Whale

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    2. What other restaurants are worth my time? (All price points and types of food are fair game.)

    Border Grill (brunch), Citizen's (especially for breakfast), and Della's are my top 3.

    7. I read somewhere about ridiculously hard pillows. Has this been fixed?

    This has definitely been fixed.

    8. Is the tram convenient? Or am I better off walking?

    I never usually waited too long. The express tram to Excalibur is convenient and you don't have to walk through the casino. It's a decent walk from MB to NYNY, so I would take advantage of the tram. The tram also doesn't run 24/7, so if you're out late (I think it runs till midnight during the week and 3 am on the weekends) you might want to take a taxi.

    9. What else should I know about MB/Delano? (It has been at least 7-8 years since I've set foot in the place.)

    -Spa Mandalay is pretty solid. Probably one of the bigger spas on the strip. Day pass is only $25.
    -The minibar fridge in the Delano suites actually has some space for your own personal items. You could fit a couple bottles of water laying down.
    -There's a keurig machine in the room. Save a few bucks and bring your own k-cups (and maybe a mug).
     
  19. RiddickBull

    RiddickBull VIP Whale

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    Aureola had ok steaK. The garlic pepper they put on it made it taste funNy. Nice place though.

    Burger bar is a good place to get a beer and burger. I personally did not like the house of Blues. I ordered a juicy lucy and it was terrible.


    I think crap min 10-15 depending on day.

    Delano has super hard pillows. The worst ever.

    I always tram at mb over walking. They have oone that brings you to Excalibur and Luxor (without stopping at luxor )

    Mb is a quiet place overall. The rooms at Delano rooms are much better than the standard rooms at mb. The room service at mb Was crap with the new menu. The cw have always been really nice.
     
  20. pressitagain

    pressitagain VIP Whale

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    Tender at Luxor is the best steakhouse on that end. I give it the nudge over Craftsteak (MGM, also very good). The menu is bigger than most of the southstrip menus.

    Andres (at MC) has exceptional dishes. It is a French restaurant.

    IL Fornaio at NYNY is very good Italian food.

    Honorable mentions:
    Avenue cafe (MGM) for breakfast
    The buffet at MB is actually very good for dinner or breakfast. I rank it on par with Aria and Bellagio.
    Gallaghers (NY) is a decent steakhouse
    Brand (MC) is a very good steakhouse

    I could go on but others have mentioned the main ones.

    The new walkway along NYNY and MC was very well thought out and designed. Live entertainment (outside) at night.

    The best casino on the south, is MGM. MB is fun, when the hotels are packed.
     
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