Memorial Weekend, THEhotel, Mandalay pool, LAX

You will read some negative comments in this TR, but I assure you they were all minor incidents and we actually did have an awesome trip. I just think some of it is worth passing on. We also arrived on the Saturday of Memorial weekend, knowing well in advance that it would be very crowded and we could possibly have a few issues.

This trip was my annual Vegas trip with my two sisters. Also joining us this year were my Vegas virgin daughter, one of her GFs and my sisters BF, also a Vegas virgin.

Vegas Virgins first thoughts of Vegas:
VV #1 (daughter) “Man, all the people here are really rude.â€
VV #2 (BF) “I’ve never seen so many beautiful people in one place.â€



THEhotel at Mandalay Bay
We always like to stay mid-strip but decided to try something new this time and stay at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay.

Right off the bat I had trouble checking in. I had booked three rooms, all with two beds and two of the rooms smoking. Rooms were not ready after the 3 pm check in time even when showing my MGM credit card (one of the perks of having the card is early check in and late checkout). Actually they could only find two of the three bookings. The girl behind the desk was extremely slow. After spending around 45 minutes trying to get things straightened out I told her I had a spa appointment I wasn’t going to miss. She then informed me she would put a $150 credit on my room to use toward my spa treatment and the rooms would be ready by the time I was done.

After my spa visit we had keys to our three rooms, all non-smoking and only one of the three had the two beds we had requested. At this point we were tired of waiting so we took them. Of course I took the one with the two beds as I was going to have some of my favorite guests staying a night or two so we could party. VegasDrea, AngelChick and Baby Cougar showed up in no time. Miss you guys!

As for the suites themselves, I absolutely loved them, especially having the extra half bath! My suite was on the 32nd floor and every night I could not only hear the music from MIX but I could also feel the vibration. It didn’t bother me, but if you’re a light sleeper you may want to request a lower floor. If you like lounging in a tub, like I do, the tubs here are great. They are not jacuzzi tubs just over sized tubs. The hotel itself is very nice. Fast elevators, good room service and housekeeping staff.

Side note: When I checked out, the $150 credit I was promised was not showing up so I had to spend some extra time getting that straitened out and I was not able to get a late checkout either.


Entrance to Hotel Lobby




Walk to Mandalay from THEhotel




Beautiful Fresh Flowers in halls everyday




Room 32912








Night View from Room







Mandalay Pool and Cabanas
The pools — what can I say…absolutely loved them… the walk outside from the hotel to the beach area made me feel like I was at Disneyland complete with turnstiles. Knowing it was going to be very crowded that weekend I had booked cabanas for the first two days. This trip was also my daughters college graduation gift so I wanted to spoil her a bit...oh ok, and myself too :wink.

The first day we had a private garden bungalow. Absolutely loved the cabana and the privacy, but the service was sub-par. Once again, I know it was an extremely busy weekend, but when you are paying top dollar for a cabana, the service should be at it’s very best. In the past, I’ve had cabanas at Paris and Mirage and the service at both put Mandalay to shame. Needless to say it wasn’t so bad that I didn’t end up getting the very same cabana a couple days later. Even the BF came and joined us at the cabana for about a half an hour. That’s all he could spare away from the poker room. In fact, I don’t think he saw anything but the inside of MB’s poker room.

The second day we had an East Lagoon cabana. Same crappy service as the day before. Floats and tubes for the lazy river were supposed to be included with the cabana, but when we asked our host if we could get them, we were told they were all out. Needless to say we were not to happy when we had to go and purchase tubes for the lazy river. On the upside, it was a blast!


Walk to the Pool








Private Garden Bungalow








View of THEhotel from Bungalow




View around East Lagoon Cabana




Beach Area





LAX nightclub at Luxor
This was my first and last trip to this club. Maybe if I had a better host it may have turned out differently.

I had contacted a host at LAX several weeks in advance for bottle service on Saturday night. Bottle prices and minimum number of bottles were sky high that night as it was not only a holiday weekend but it was also the official after party of the USB fight. It was at my daughters request that we go, as she wanted to see the guys after the fight. So I lined up a host at LAX and requested a balcony table. She told me it was a four bottle minimum for balcony tables that night but we decided to go with it. She gave me her personal cell # and told me to call her when I arrived so we could schedule to meet early to get a prime table. When I called she asked us to be there by 9:30, which we did only to find several hundred other people already waiting in line. She told us to wait and another host would take us to our table. We must have waited half an hour, all the time watching as they took one group in after another. I thought Drea was gonna explode!

Finally, they took us in and to a table on the main floor off in a corner. I asked to be moved to a table next to the dance floor and was told they were full. I then explained to the host that I was told I would be getting a balcony table and could he get me one. Yes, he could, but it would be a five bottle minimum. There were only seven of us and my daughter doesn’t really drink, so I decided to just stay where we were as we only had to get three bottles at that table. The place was packed and the dance floor was very tiny so we mostly just stayed at the table and drank our rather expensive three bottles of booze which at some point in the night I managed to knock off the table and spill all over myself (hope you’re happy Al!) and all the cell phones and cameras on the table. I thought my daughter would die of embarrassment!

But, all was not lost. We did get to see a fight that night and let me say that chick was not gonna let her man get the best of her! And when we left, a rather friendly cowboy bought us breakfast.


LAX - Baby Cougar, AngelChick, VegasDrea and Beach Crazy





Gambling
I am now the proud (or not-so-proud) owner of a $1 megabucks machine at Mandalay Bay. To say the gambling was bad is probably an understatement. I also played some blackjack at a few other casinos and had no luck there either. I did get to the cashier cage at the Palms, but that was just what I had left over from my buyin. At some point I ended up playing blackjack at Falcon Rob’s table…hey Rob, how much did you take from me anyway...things were a little fuzzy at that point.



Other Highlights
Here are some of the other places we stopped and either gambled, ate, drank, shopped or all four:

Downtown for the light show, Hogs & Heifers (which my daughter absolutely hated), Golden Nugget, Voodoo Lounge, Palms, dinner on the patio at Mon Ami Gabi, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Miracle Mile shops, MGM, Luxor, Excalibur, RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay, O’Shea’s, Caesar's, Mirage, Harrahs, M&M World, the inside of a couple limos, Fashion Show Mall, Rainforest Cafe and NYNY. Might have missed a few, but you get my point.


Downtown




Souvenir Photo of Mom and Daughter




Photos From the Light Show















View From Table at Mon Ami Gabi






Voodoo Lounge View





Some Closing Thoughts
Memorial weekend must be a very popular time for weddings in Vegas. Everywhere we went we saw brides and grooms. It was nice to see everyone congratulating them. Helped to ease my daughters mind about rude people in Vegas. She ended up liking it so much that I changed her flight to stay an extra night. The other VV in the group did the same thing.

Holiday weekends must also be a popular time for celebs - past and present - to hit Vegas. My daughter is definitely a people watcher. We had no more than walked into the lobby of THEhotel to check in when she came running up to show me a picture she had just taken with Kato Kaelin (of OJ fame). That seemed to continue the entire weekend. I think the funniest photo we have is of her GF with Shaq. She looks like a midget standing next to him. :evillaugh

All in all a very good trip. My daughter is ready for her second trip but I told her she’s on her own from here on out. I’m ready to go back without her so I can party at Carnival Court. After taking her to Hogs & Heifers and seeing her reaction I didn’t think it would be wise to take her to a bar where the bouncers and bartenders recognize me and set me up with freebies so I just kept walking! Besides, it just wouldn’t be the same without Sin at my side!

Thanks for reading. :wave2:

 

Aww...I miss you already!

It was a great time, even if for a night! And sure, you rubbed it in w/ the pics from H&H and the pool, but that's OK, I was bonding with Bailey Yeah, Ok, it doesn't compare! Oh, and compeltely agree, no more LAX!


Can't wait to see you again for PaM!!!

 

Beach Crazy- thanks for bringing all the info to light. My DH begs me to consider a stay at THEhotel after seeing one of the suites. We always use that entrance when we see Mama Mia, and thanks to your pics I remembered the sight and smells of those gorgeous flower arrangements. Customer service can be perfect for some, and not so perfect for others as was the case with your stay. It is a shame to have it happen on a special trip, and the credit was the right thing to offer. It's a damn shame you had a problem even with that. Oh well, is it really ever a problem when it is Vegas?

Two new converts added to the fold of Vegas - Welcome to our World!

Great read.

 

What, no poolside bathing suit pics??!

After you took me down memory lane with your account of the MB, you've also reminded me why I haven't set foot in the place in three trips now (that, and my falling out with my host and subsequent blacklisting).

Nice report and pics...who's the dude 5 years younger you're h@mping??

E

 

You guys really know how to party Angy.

 

You tell her E. Beyotch, we want THOSE pics!

Although the one of Haidy, Drea, Sandra, and Ang should be titled "I'll take hot Vegas sluts for $10,000, Alex."

 

I am completely offended

We warrant at least $5000 :evillaugh

 

I still can't believe you went without us Angy

At least I got a phone call Tuesday morning at 8:30AM VEGAS time from you... Wonder how THAT got ommited from the report... :evillaugh

 

Awesome trip report. I always like seeing picture reports, its great.

 

Great report!

Love the mother/daughter pic. Can you recomond one for mother/son? lol
So the cabanas are permanent structures, not tents?

 

I knew that was Shaq on Saturday that I saw!!! Darn...I kept on walking cause I didn't think it was actually him (saw him from a distance).

 

Fixed that for ya Marty. :wink

Thanks all, it was a great trip.

Kim, yes, the private garden bungalows are permanent fixtures but I don't think any of the other ones are. Take your son to Carnival Court at Harrahs and do one of those fun action videos with him. I really wanted to do that but when we were there it was late at night and it wasn't open.

Yep, that was Shaq. Did you see him at the mall?

 

It's good to see that you didn't let those customer service screw ups ruin your vacation; sometimes, when that happens the whole trip goes in the toilet. You're right, when you pay top dollar for something you should get everything that goes with it. I'm glad we're a little too old for the clubs; I don't think I'd have the patients to wait in line and then get something other than what I was promised.

 

Awesome report as always. THEhotel always has service issues it seems. If it weren't for those damn suites, I'd blacklist them for good.

Did you have to work with a host to get your cabana? I know they take requests online, but I didn't think they were guaranteed.

 

Thanks Joe! :wink

I called the number on the website to book the cabanas. Also learned that they have what they call "guaranteed bookings." You're guaranteed the cabana regardless of what time you show. The catch is, they charge you...even if you are a no-show.

 

Nice Angy! Thanks for the write up – sounds like a lot of fun was had despite the efforts of a few to throw a few roads blocks in your way… they shoulda known better!!

 

Great report Angy.

 

Nice report,only problems I have had at MB was long lines at check-in. Out of all the cabanas at MB which was most secluded? Also do you have to call for the guaranteed cabana oe do it online? Sally is already looking to go back as long as we can get another cabana.

 

Bottles

Four and Five bottle minimums???? I went to Blush, and also had numerous discussions with hosts at Prive and we talked them all down to one bottle that weekend. 5 is just nuts.
Sounds like you still had a good time, thanks for the report

 

I, personally think, it is just LAX. Their bottle service is not up to par!