Trip report...October 8-13

This was a "work" trip again...but I was able to stay on the strip for the entire trip. I landed in Vegas around 10:30 AM...for some reason it took over 45 minutes to get my luggage. I'm a Hertz Gold Club member so I headed right to the shuttle, and within 5 minutes I was in my Mustang Convertible and out cruising the strip. The weather was awesome..I think the high was only about 80 for my entire trip..I loved it.
After doing the standard strip/downtown drive..I headed over to TheHotel @ Mandalay Bay. Since it was a Saturday they said they were all booked up, and offered me a suite at the Mandalay Bay, I declined (good move or bad?), and they found me a room on the 6th floor. No real view, but the room was awesome..big 50" plasma, DVD player..I liked the dark tone of the wood, but wasn't impressed with all the mirrors in the bedroom.



I decided to head out and do some walking, I decided to walk, instead of hitting the tram...I've never walked right up to the Luxor, it was kind of neat seeing the pyramid up close. I headed over to MGM and decided to hit Emeril's for lunch...after I ate, I sat down and played some slots..(wasn't in a table gaming mood this trip), plunked in $50 on a dollar machine and hit for $400 after 3 spins...did a few more spins and hit for $50 more..so in 10 minutes I was $450 up.....well I quit while I was ahead and headed back to Mandalay Bay via the tram. I used that every time I headed out for the rest of the trip..it's a quick way to get you up to the Excal/MGM/NYNY corner.
When I was walking up the strip a little, I saw a newly married bride, she was still in a veil wearing a halter top. She was inviting men to stuff money down her shirt...It just seems like the marrige won't last long if the wife is turning tricks on her wedding night...I didn't have any small bills...but I did have a lot of change.....
Overall not a lot happened for the rest of the trip..the only real free time I had one day was spent walking up to the Venetian.....wandered through the casinos on the way up...loved the fall theme in the Bellagio garden...the whole place smelled of apples.
The only other real high points of the trip were eating at Fleur de Lys..did the tasting menu w/ wine...$173 before tip..(ouch), and Sea Blue at MGM, I loved being able to pick and choose just what I wanted on the appetizer plate. I also went up to Mix one night....since it was early, I was able to sit at a table outside..what an amazing view, it was weird looking down on the Luxor...The trip was too short, and I didn't really get to go out and have much fun...still haven't seen Wynn on the inside yet.
I will say that staying at TheHotel was very nice, service was excellent...the valet was extremely quick..I total 180 from my stay at the Venetian in May. I'm already wanting to go back...I have a free plane ticket that expires in March, but I don't think I'll have the time to use it...

 

A total 180?

Did you not like the Venetian? I've never stayed in the hotel part, and was considering it on my next visit....

 

Nice room. I need a job where "work" involves a convertible and a room at THEhotel.

 

I used to love the Venetian, but my last trip there in May turned me off. The rooms were fine, but we had issues with charging meals to our room (they authed my card for charges, but they didn't get it into the system, even after repeated calls), we asked for a fridge after we checked in at 3PM, they called and confirmed our request, called at 9PM and at 11PM when it still wasn't there, then at midnight we called and cancelled the request because we were going to bed, they knocked at 1:30...valet service was terrible no matter what time of day, one day they told us it would be 45 minutes to an hour to get the car..I guess it all added up..the thing that really did it is when I wrote in to management with my complaint about the valet service, and didn't even get a form letter response.


Thanks Al...I had to stay at TheHotel because the conference was at Mandalay Bay...and well, the convertible I can usually manage because I get a pretty good discount w/ Hertz so it's not a bad price.