Trip Report, March 29 - 31

I just got back from Vegas and I have to say, it was probably one of my best trips. My flight was supposed to leave Monday morning at 10:35am from Orange County, but got delayed until 11:40. This might not have been a big deal to a lot of people, but since Vegas is a 4 hour drive from where I lived, I started to regret flying out (my first time flying there). To make up for it, the entire cabin was offered free beer or wine. By the time it was served, we were ready to land so most everybody chugged down their drink pretty quickly so most of the wine drinkers were especially tipsy by the end of the flight.

We took a cab (no tunnel) to the Luxor. Check-in took nearly 45 minutes. I had one of those clear AmEx "Blue" cards, perfect for hiding a 20 underneath. I asked very specifically if there were any jacuzzi suites available since I don't think a higher floor or better view is worth an extra $20. The receptionist didn't seem like she was in a very good mood, but nevertheless was very professional, handing me back the 20 just as discretely as I had given it to her. The upgrade was available at an extra $50 per night--no thanks. I asked for the tower instead of the pyramid. I've stayed at Luxor many times, but this was my first time in the towers. This is a much better room. The room is clean, still feels new, and the bathroom is very nice with water pressure from the shower that's to die for. It was on the 15th floor with a view of the Palms and Orleans. I decided to go up to the 22nd (top) floor just to see if I could get a peak into one of the High Roller suites. Turns out, one of the maids was watching TV in the Presidential suite taking a break from cleaning so I knocked on the side of the entrance and asked if I could look around. It was an unbelievable room. The layout was about the same as the penthouses at Mirage or Bellagio, but was larger with bigger furniture.

I had a late lunch at the buffet and headed over to the Trop for some blackjack. After signing up for the player's club, I received a coupon good for a 3:2 payout on a win. I bought in for 300 and handed my card over. My first hand was $50 which is the most I've ever bet on one hand. My first card was a 6 so I was already ticked knowing I'm likely going to bust. The next card is a 5 so now I'm excited and a bit nervous. I double down and the 10 comes. I won $100 from that plus with the coupon, half of my original bet of 50 for a grand total of $125. How I managed to lose it plus another $95 in an hour is beyond me and I got some bad vibes from the place and decided to leave.

I went back to my room, slept for about an hour and headed down for dinner. After dinner, I took in the Bellagio fountains for about an hour. Then I hit the tables at the Mirage and won $200 calling it a day and heading back to Luxor.

After breakfast the next day, I spent about 5 hours at the spa. The spa at Luxor is great and I anticipated it to be more crowded since everyone who booked online got 2 free passes. It just goes to show that most people don't check the coupons they get with their room. Dinner was at the Aladdin buffet. The food was amazing, and it's so easy to just fill up on seafood without trying the other selections.

After dinner, I cought "Midnight Fantasy" at Luxor (had a $10 off coupon). This was a more risque topless review and I didn't think it was very good. The choreography seemed at times random and sloppy. The stand-up comic was hilarious, but overall, the whole show was a tad cheesy. I wouldn't recommend it.

That night, I hit up the Mirage again. I played blackjack for another 4 hours. In that time, I actually got into a friendly little argument with the dealer, Skip. Should you get a chance, sit at his table--he's hilarious. Anyway, about three times during the course of the night, I had a soft 18 against his ten or ace. I hit each time which shocked everybody at the table including the dealer which ignited our little quarrel. I didn't say anything about basic strategy so that they might think I'm a big loser, but everytime I offered help to someone who asked others at the table, I got some dirty looks. Afterall, I was just the punk 21-year-old who always splits 8s and hits on 16s instead of that middle aged black chipper on the other end of the table who never hits above a 15. A formal business meeting had just ended and a huge load of tuxedo wearing men and stunning women took over the casino floor swarming the tables. That was awesome. I felt like I was playing in Monte Carlo and I don't mean the hotel a few blocks down. In the end, I was down $48--not bad at all.

I bought a Montecristo No. 2 and took a nice stroll out to Bellagio. Along the way, I met about 6 other spring breakers from Indiana who thought it was so cool that I lived in Orange County and had been to Vegas nearly 2 dozen times. I explained to them that "The OC" depicted on TV is a gross exaggeration and that if it were so scandalous, I wouldn't be visiting Vegas so often.

When I got to Bellagio, it was about 1:30am and the casino was quiet. This allowed me to really walk around and appreciate the hotel. For once, I actually enjoyed the conservatory as it wasn't over-ridden with picture takers. The quiet atmosphere allowed me to hear the music playing in the background. It was Chopin's Nocturne in A minor (op.9, No. 1). I'm a pianist by trade so this was a very nice touch. As I walked out of the lobby, I considered a limo to take me back for $58, but decided to just take a cab and called it a night.

The next day, after checking out, I had to pass some time before my flight. I was done gambling so I thought it would be cool to check out the King Tut Museum at Luxor. If it weren't free, I would have asked for my money back. The tour is short and all of the objects are replicas plus anything of educational quality I had leaned before sixth grade.

My flight back to OC was right on time and when I got home I checked my e-mail only to find an offer from the Mirage so now I'm booked for June. Am I addicted? You betcha!

[ April 01, 2004, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: Joe Schmo ]

 

Sounds like a good trip! Thanks!

 

OK joe, at the next T2V meet we're getting you to tickle the ivories at the Gate Funny story about getting the look at the blackjack table for playing BS...

(p.s. next you're probably going to tell me 90210 was "made up". )

 

Hey Joe...

Great report! And a fine choice of cigar, I might add. Don't you pretty much have to leave your home state to light that bad boy up???

Mikey

 

Doc, I can assure you that everything on 90210 is real .

Mikey, I know what you mean. I don't smoke cigarettes so I'm not at all opposed to the law banning them in public places, but the rare chance I get to enjoy a cigar, I can be outdoors, 50 feet from the nearest person, and still get a dirty look. Even in Vegas I've been hearing so many complaints about smoke at the tables or poolside that I'm hesitant to light one up.

 

Great report!
I tried the $20 a couple years ago at Luxor and have heard reports from a handfull of people on this board and have yet to hear it work there. I think with the $50 upgrade deal they just don't allow the clerks to do it...