Still not LIVE, report from the MGM Skylofts

So this past weekend was my final Vegas trip for the year. And today I decided I might as well write up my final trip report for the year. So if you enjoy tales of reckless gambling, the great outdoors, and obscenely rich French food, then keep reading ….

So, is the background that lead up to this trip. The plan for this trip was, in a word, ridiculous. I had some southwest flight credit that was going to expire at the end of this month and my partner can always fly in a companion pass. So the airfare was virtually free. The problem, though, was that my partner really couldn’t take any more time off from work. Hell, she has worked most weekends for the past couple months as well. So she wanted a break, even if only a short one. We talked about it and she wanted to have a fancy meal at Robuchon and the trip was on! We essentially flew to vegas for dinner, lol. Seriously, from the time we left the house til we returned, we were gone for barely forty hours, lol. Despite the short length of the trip, we decided to go for it and thought we would fill in the rest of the time around dinner after we got there.

The only other pre trip planning was setting up a rental car for Saturday and my deciding how much I was going to gamble this trip. Originally, when we planned this trip a couple months ago, I had thought I would play pretty big on this trip. I try not to play for comps per se, but I know the gamble in me is going to rev up and want to play big at least a few times a year. So I usually save my trips with bigger play for the resorts I like most (thinking that I will continue to get my best comps at those places). And I love the Skylofts at MGM. We hadn’t stayed there since January, so I definitely wanted to stay there again before the end of the year and planned to make it one of my big play trips so we can stay there again next there. But then, my trip last week at Cosmo happened ….

If you didn’t read that TR last week, the long and short of it is that I had planned to gamble small at Cosmo. But I got a bit out of control and ended up gambling big. You can read the gory details here: https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?threads/not-at-all-live-a-report-from-the-cosmo.157320/

So I ended up playing big last week, got really lucky to get out a deep hole, and part of me really did not want to risk playing big again. The memory of being down such a tremendous amount at Cosmo was still swimming through my head. So as we left for Vegas Friday afternoon, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was a bit gun shy about playing big in back to back trips. But I also regretted blowing my big play trip at a resort I like less than the Skylofts (although only a little bit less). Read on to see what happened.

That’s it for pre-planning. Late Friday afternoon arrived, we filled up the kitties bowls with a ton of food, and we were off to the airport! The takeoff of the flight was one of the two worst I have ever experienced! I usually read turbulence maps before a flight to know what to expect. And I read the map before this flight. I knew the first half hour would be bumpy. But I had no idea it would be that bumpy! A lot of passengers looked green in the face as our stomachs fell out roller coaster style multiple times. Finally, the pilot got above the weather and the rest of the flight was smooth. Plus, there was no head wind so we got to vegas thirty minutes early! For a trip this short, every minute counted, so we already felt like winners.

Airport was relatively dead for a Friday, so we found our driver quickly and we were off to the Skylofts. Since I hadn’t stayed at MGM since January (and had only popped in a couple times since then for some quick gambling sessions) this trip was my first chance to see the renovated VIP lounge and elevator area. Both looked very nice, much better than what was there previously. One of the Skyloft butlers guided us through the lounge to the top floor to checkin us in. Everything went smoothly. As usual, they had already stocked the fridge with drinks we like and even retrieved some tomato juice when my partner asked for it. We also asked the staff to make us a reservation at Morimoto once we had unpacked. Of course they took care of it promptly. The staff at the Skylofts really is the best.

So we headed downstairs a few minutes later and walked over to Morimoto for dinner. Not surprisingly, the hotel was filled with cowboy hat wearing rodeo fans. And Losers bar next to Morimoto was the most packed of all. The original Losers bar is located about a block from where I used to have my office. It was a dump when it first opened. Part of me still can’t believe it’s a Vegas brand now (or Hattie B’s for that matter).

Morimoto was a little more than half full, so we probably didn’t need the reservation. The Skyloft staff, though, must of told them we were coming down because they identified me by name as soon as I walked up to the host desk. We weren’t super hungry so we just ordered an assortment of sushi and some Chinese broccoli. It was all very good. I had eaten at this Morimoto before, but partner never had. Now both of us have eaten at Morimotos in four different cities (and would highly recommend all of them except one location).

After dinner we went to the high limit room. It was decision time on the gambling. Screw it, I decided to go big! It was my last trip of the year and I already knew our next vegas trip in January is going to be with friends and will be a low rolling trip. So time to fire away on this trip! Took out a marker for forty thousand and started throwing around multiple yellow chips at the bac table.

At first, the gambling went ….meh. Those who have read my TRs previously know I tend to bet the bank and streaks. I hate the chop. And the first shoe started pretty choppy. Fortunately, it was early in the weekend and I was able to keep in mostly under control and not bet too big against the chop. Still, I was down a significant amount with the shoe two thirds finished. So I decidedly to selectively press my bets. Again, I got lucky. Glad I only did it on certain hands, because I definitely lost more than I won. But I hit enough big hands to actually get up a couple chips by the end of the shoe. The biggest wager was 15k and resulted in a tie. But I hit multiple 6k and 8k bets to keep me afloat.

Second shoe was worse. It started choppy and I was down significantly. Then, the player went on a run. I missed the first few, but caught the last seven on the streak and got back a lot of my losses. It was a weird, player shoe. There was another player streak a few hands later that created a “box” on the board. A couple hands later, the player almost formed another smaller “box”. By the end of the shoe, I was down a little.

So we start a third shoe and I finally get my bank run. 11 of the first 15 hands were bank! So now I am way up!!! Time to stop for the night. We had been awake for over 20 hours at that point and decided to head back to the loft and crash.

I realized this trip was the first time I had a skyloft facing the Strip. Usually I end up with a view of Hooters and the airport, lol. So we decided to sleep with the window shades open and our view of NYNY all lit up was actually relaxing.

We woke up early the next morning and got ready for our adventure with the rental car. I started the day by making some bets in the sports book. I won’t recap it other than to say it did not go well. But that’s fine. We did so much Saturday that I didn’t really have time to watch the games anyway. After making the bets, we decided to go to Avenue Café for breakfast.

I am not much of a breakfast eater, but it made sense that day. We had a 6pm reservation at Robuchon and I know from experience its bets to have an empty stomach for that meal. So a little light breakfast and no lunch was the plan. The food at Avenue is pretty generic. Nothing to write home about, but it gets the job done. I had some scrambled eggs, fruit and an English muffin. My partner had oatmeal and potatoes. We were ready to go.

Our car rental was with Avis. It was not a great experience. I will leave it at that because I don’t think anyone wants to hear me bitch about Avis. I will just say that I seem to have better experiences with Hertz. Anywho, we eventually got our car and headed out to … Valley of Fire! I have been there a couple times, but my partner never has and she really wanted to see it.

We did all the highlights, the Atlal rock and its glphys, rainbow vista, and the fire wave. If you have never been to VoF, get out there. Each time I go, I am reminded that it is unlike any place on earth! Plus, a bonus on this trip I had never seen there: a family of mountain goats! It was really remarkable. We were driving down the road and I noticed a goat with really big horns relaxing atop a rock beside the road. We quietly got out of the car to look at him and then noticed that on the other side of the street were four other smaller goats eating and drinking amongst the rocks. Its always so cool to see animals in nature.

After VoF, we decided to take the east exit and drive back along Northshore drive by Lake Mead. I was surprised how few other cars and people we saw along there. It was a beautiful, sunny sixty degree day! We stopped along the way to hike up Northsore Summit peak, which is a short hike. It provided a great view of the valley and the bowl of fire area. After taking pics at the summit, we hiked back down and drove back to the hotel.

After cleaning up in the world’s best steam shower (seriously, its more like a steam cave; it could hold a dozen people, lol), I headed back downstairs for a little gambling before dinner. I found a craps table that wasn’t packed and started on the dark side. I didn’t really bet large (only $50 on the line plus odds), but wish I had. It went well and after twenty minutes I colored up with four figures of profit. Then I walked back to the high limit.

Dinner was still two hours away so I thought I would play bac until then. But I also wanted to lock in my win from last night, so I only played one yellow chip a hand. So of course I got a hot bank shoe while I was betting small. Half way through the shoe and I am well up. Os screw my plan. I pocket the winnings and head back up to the loft. We decided just to chill until dinner and I saw the end of the Texans/Jets game.

Now, Robuchon. It’s the best dining in Vegas. I don’t think there is really a debate about that. I don’t usually list it as my favorite restaurant because, let’s face it, its incredibly expensive. I can spend one-fifth the amount of a Robuchon meal and eat almost as well at Julian Serrano or Carbone. But still, its an awesome meal to splurge on every now and then and it was the point of this whole trip.

My partner had eaten at Robuchon once previously and I had eaten there four or five times by myself. I knew from experience that the food is incredibly rich and filling. Plus, I love the bread and cheese. Seriously, I love bread. I am the only person who goes to the fancy restaurant and tries to save room for the bread, lol. With that in mind, I steer away from the large tasting menus because I know I can’t eat that much. Usually, I go for the menu option that let’s the guest pick one app and one entrée. Plus I add the optional cheese cart. I know that’s more than enough food for me. But the trip, I was not enamored with any of the app options on the menu. So instead, I picked the menu that gets one entrée plus a dessert (and I ordered the cheese cart as well). My partner went with the menu that got her an app, an entrée, and a dessert.

The meal started with chef sending out a little croquet and a small bowl of some sort of vegetarian cream as a palate cleanser. The croquet was fine, but blans. The palate cleanser was delicious and did the trick. We were ready for the food. My partner is vegetarian and her app was some sort of potato and avocado thing. I tried one of them and it was delicious. Immediately, I regretted not going with my usual app and entrée menu. But oh well, I have never had a dessert at Robuchon so I was looking forward to that too. Besides, as my partner ate her app, I filled up from the bread cart!

It was a ridiculous scene. They bring the bread cart over (along with the best imported butter I have ever had and excellent EVOO) and describe all the bread options to us. My partner selects a reasonable amount: a mini croissant, a piece of some cheesy bread, and a rosemary roll. Then the waiter turns to me and I smile. I ask for one of everything from the top row of the cart, lol. They take our selections in back to warm them up. My partner gets a little plate with her bread. I get enough bread to fill a basket next to me, lol.

Next comes the entrees. I had the cod, which was excellent. Can’t recall what my partner had but she liked it. Every entrée also comes with Robuchon’s whipped potatoes, which are about fifty percent butter, lol. So you know they are delicious. Before the dessert comes, the waiter asks me if I am ready for the cheese cart. And I realize …. I am not. There’s no way I can eat a plate of cheese and the dessert I already ordered. I tell them no cheese tonight. I immediately regret it. The cheese is one of my favorite parts of eating at Robuchon. But I am confident the dessert will be too. And it is. My partner got a caramelized banana dessert (and a cup of tea) and I got their version of a black forest cake. It was fantastic. At the end of the meal, whether you get dessert or not, they always bring out one final cart with little sweets and chocolates on it. We select a bunch of those, but know we will just take them back to the room. So we got a to go bag with the sweets and they also always give you a little to go pound cake as well.

Its our last night and may partner wants to take advantage of the tub in the loft. Its an infinity tub, with jets, lights, and a larger TV right above it you can watch while you relax. So she headed upstairs to do that and I headed to the high limit. I played some more bac. It didn’t go well this time. Fortunately, I’m not betting huge and I am able to get it back with some luck on a few larger bets. After two shoes, I got it back and actually won a bit. The whole time, at the table next to me, there is a player shouting in Spanish and pounding the table. It makes me and my dealer jump a little each time he does it. So now that I am up a little for the evening, I decide it’s a good time to get away from that noise and I color up.

I go to the restroom to clean up and then head to the high limit cage to pay off my markers and cash out. Just my luck, Spanish guy is at the desk too, shouting angrily into a phone. I stand a few feet back. I feel bad for the employee working the desk. She looks very uncomfortable and so am I. I don’t know if the guy was angry, drunk, just always animated, or a combination of all of them. From what little Spanish I do know, all I could gather was that his call had something to do with a promissory note and getting some money. He finally, leave the desk after slamming his fist on it and I step up to do my business. The employee looks relieved that I am calm and smiling. As I wait for my marker and winnings, the guy returns, still upset, and stands right next to me. I was quite relieved to get my cash and walk away.

I was about to head up to the loft when I see my host. We decide to grab a drink and catch up. I hadn’t seen him in more than a year. And we’re both nerds so we talk Star Wars stuff for a while, lol. After that, the last night of the rodeo is getting out and my host’s phone starts blowing up with requests and calls from his players. So I let him get back to work and he tells me he will take care of all our room charges before we leave in the morning.

And that’s pretty much it. I went back to the loft, packed up, and got a few hours sleep before our pre-dawn flight home. Its always good to end the year on a high note. My next vegas trip is with a group of friends, including some first timers. That’s always fun, but group trips often turn into my playing tour guide and trying to herd cats. So I am glad my partner and I had some vegas time for ourselves to end the year.

Will post some pics of the trip shortly.

 

Let me see if I can sort through some pics from this trip:
the winnigs! Caching!

A panorama from inside the first floor of the loft






Pics from atop Northshore Summit


On our way up the peak




On our way up the trail




Valley of fire

And now a game of spot the goats:







And finally, a bunch of pics of and from the loft:

 

Congrats partner , glad you won big , gutsy people like you deserve it ,

 

No food porn .???

 

Thanks for the report. Glad you gotter done

 

No. I never think to take pics of the food. I will check with my partner. She may have taken a pic of the desserts. My black forest cake was designed to look like a little fairy village in a forest. I know that sounds nuts, but it really was, lol

 

Good run! Looks like it was a nice getaway!

 

Very interesting report for such a brief trip. Thank you. And those pics from the VoF reminded me of this April, when a couple of us rented Harley's and did the same tour you did through the VoF and back down the west side of Lake Mead on Lakeshore Drive. That trip was the highlight of my April trip.

 

We saw several small groups of bikers in both the park and on northshore. Seemed like good spots to ride

 

Thanks for the report, @UKFanatic.
I'm a bread and cheese lover too, especially when it comes to dining out at a great restaurant. I really look forward to it.
Robuchon's offerings sound fantastic.
Great photos of Valley of Fire. Love that area (in the cooler months).

 

Awesome trip for riding. Very light traffic, newly paved curvy and hilly roads. Besides, outstanding scenery. Only wish I had used sunscreen back then. 90+ degrees, 6 hours in an exposed position resulted in a severe sunburn. Worth it though, lol

 

Another nicely written report.

How long did you spend in the Valley of Fire? And, how far out is it from the strip? Looking to do something other than Red Rock this April.

Well done on the gambling front. Seemed well controlled to me.

 

What a great short trip; great meal with your partner, holding your own and then some at the tables, VOF and fitting in a bit of rest. You did a lot but not too much. Reading the report your trip, although short, didn't feel rushed. Congrats on ending your last Vegas trip of the year on a high note.

 

The western entrance to VOF is an hour away from the Strip. Just drive I-15 to the Valley of Fire Highway exit (there is a sign) and then you just drive it about fourteen miles into the park. Coming back via Northshore at the eastern entrance to the park took much longer, but the views made it worth it. I have always liked VOF more than RR

 

That was what we had hoped for and it worked out. I know some people will think such a short trip is kind of nuts, but I don't mind the short trip. It was just enough time to have fun doing a couple different things

 

Enjoyed your trip report and the pictures, especially the ones of your chips!

I've heard of some people from Hawaii that visit Vegas on short trips monthly! They would catch the Friday evening flight and fly home on the red-eye on Sunday night. The flight is 5 1/2 hours going and close to 6 hours returning. I give them credit for putting up with the long flights, lol!

How long is your flight to Vegas?

 

Its usually four hours coming out and three and a half going home

 

Another great trip!