I’ll rank the rooms I tried this past trip in order of the best to the good.
ORLEANS
Of the frugal and free rooms I choose, this one is always above the others in comfort and classiness. Everything is always clean here and quiet. Generally, I don’t bother with view but take a room that will make the elevator trips easy.
I oversold that I wanted quiet this time, because I ended up with a room so far from the elevator that I did not need any time on the treadmill, just a walk to my room and back. I’ll not stress quiet so much next time.
I am not certain I will be putting this place in the mix. My play is slight here and I get two free nights with food every six months. The trip out and back from downtown is inconvenient and long. If I dropped this place, I’d save luggage on the bus, and the way downtown is shaping up, I don’t need these two free nights.
But the room was as nice as always.
GOLD SPIKE
I had my doubts about this place. But it turns out to be where I will look for a sale my next trip. Here are the details”
http://vegasbirthdaybash.blogspot.com/2011/11/tr-snippet-gold-spike-room-review.html
It really ties with the Orleans. It is not as plush but the wifi in the room as well as a heated pool and TCM on the tele makes it a great choice.
Also, the location is easy for check in check out as it is around other hotels I would use.
FOUR QUEENS
I like these rooms. Everything is comfortable. I like the television and the coffee pot. I like the way they treat me when I check in and out and the way the maids are. I like it that they comp three nights a month rather then two, and I am getting weekend nights comped. I found out that I can extend my stay without pumping more money into the VP by taking Binions poker rate of $24 a night and I’ll try that for at least a couple days next trip. Five in a row is very nice.
This trip for one weekend I was in the North Tower for the first time. I’ll try to avoid that. They said that they would put me in quiet, but I could hear faint street music. It did not matter because I never slept during that time, but clearly the South Tower is better. One advantage to dropping the Orleans is that from wherever I come downtown, I can walk over early and ask to wait for a South Tower room, and just go back for my luggage once the room I want has been cleaned.
Coming from the Orleans I showed up tired after luggage on buses and just wanted to get in any room.
PAVILLION
I got a much better Pavillion room this trip. Perhaps that is because I asked if there was a room with a table for my computer. There was not, but it may have made a difference in where they put me. Or it may just have been the luck of the draw. New safes are installed here and there is a coffee maker. I don't remember having either on my last trip.
The biggest issue here is that any noise in the walk around area outside the room is heard in the room. After an all nighter, I wanted a early morning nap, and it was impossible. The room cleaners’ carts sound like there is a little train running right outside the door and the workers or cleaners shout to one another because they are outside and that seems fine.
However, I think it will be fine if I sleep in the night time. And if I use them at the end of my trip to also get the free ride to the airport, I’ll not need to worry. The last couple days of any trip I exhaust myself getting the last little bit out of Vegas and preparing myself to be sleepy on the airplane ride back, so I shorten it with sleep.
However, with the right rates at Gold Spike, I’d skip the El Cortez altogether next trip as well. The WAX is just as good a ride to the airport, can be taken any day and at later hours than the EC shuttle, and requires no tip.
To make up for a computer table, I opened the first two drawers in the phone cabinet next to the bed and pulled over this long padded bench. My computer rests easily on those shelves. Using the phone book and some other bits of things I propped up the Gideon's bible and it makes a fine mouse pad. So I can write comfortably.
HARRAH’S
Except for location, this Mardi Gras tower room comes in last. I did not want to pay for a renovated room, and I found the room pretty old looking and dull. Also, it just was not cleaned properly. I found nail clippings on the poorly vacuumed rug.
I cleaned up enough for me and requested no service the three nights I was there because I tend to spread out a lot with piles here and there, and I just don’t want anyone in the room, and I don’t feel like picking up for the maid. Solo I always have plenty of towels. I can make my own bed.
Well, this maid had just a touch of attitude about that. Seemed odd. I was saving her work. I did not like it. Usually I just practice a bit of my Spanish and make a call to housekeeping and put up my "Do Not Disturb" and it is seen as standard practice.
It may have been that I got tired of the “Do Not Disturb” sign slipping off the door handle and falling on the ground whenever I opened the door, so I stuck a bandaid on it to secure it to the door. I liked that too because I knew if I got my room number mixed up, I could find the door with the bandaid.
In the end, on checkout I left and forgot a couple shirts, so I came back and the maid was fine about letting me in again. I had checked out, and my key did not work. So who knows.
In terms of location I love Harrah’s when it is cheap or free, so I’d go again, but this was not like the room I had in Mardi Gras Tower before. I even had to move a round table over near the bed to hook up my computer as where the table was, the electric box had a plate over it.
It did not matter, I carry two electrical splitters and an extention cord, but I expected better at Harrah’s.
FITZGERALD’S
Fine location and an okay room, but the beds are just as folks say. I was too tired to care the first night, even to move to the other bed which was soft. I laughed because I don’t think I have had a bed that hard since basic training in the Air Force. And then I feel asleep.
The second night I slept on the soft version in the other bed. However, these thin mattresses are very different from those of the Four Queens that are twice as thick and moving from Fitz to 4Q I really got a sense of the contrast. If Fitz gives me a couple nights free, I’ll take a room with two queen beds and put the soft mattress on top of the hard one.
Location was great. It is just a short walk across a narrow street to move luggage to the Four Queens.
I liked the little pool and would like it better in warm weather. One day the sun took the icy feel off and I swam for a while. Another day I put on my wetsuit and went in for a while, but the water was still pretty cold and I did not swim for the near two hours I swam at the Gold Spike.
So, here is a question to keep asking. Is that Gold Spike pool going to be heated now all the time?
ORLEANS
Of the frugal and free rooms I choose, this one is always above the others in comfort and classiness. Everything is always clean here and quiet. Generally, I don’t bother with view but take a room that will make the elevator trips easy.
I oversold that I wanted quiet this time, because I ended up with a room so far from the elevator that I did not need any time on the treadmill, just a walk to my room and back. I’ll not stress quiet so much next time.
I am not certain I will be putting this place in the mix. My play is slight here and I get two free nights with food every six months. The trip out and back from downtown is inconvenient and long. If I dropped this place, I’d save luggage on the bus, and the way downtown is shaping up, I don’t need these two free nights.
But the room was as nice as always.
GOLD SPIKE
I had my doubts about this place. But it turns out to be where I will look for a sale my next trip. Here are the details”
http://vegasbirthdaybash.blogspot.com/2011/11/tr-snippet-gold-spike-room-review.html
It really ties with the Orleans. It is not as plush but the wifi in the room as well as a heated pool and TCM on the tele makes it a great choice.
Also, the location is easy for check in check out as it is around other hotels I would use.
FOUR QUEENS
I like these rooms. Everything is comfortable. I like the television and the coffee pot. I like the way they treat me when I check in and out and the way the maids are. I like it that they comp three nights a month rather then two, and I am getting weekend nights comped. I found out that I can extend my stay without pumping more money into the VP by taking Binions poker rate of $24 a night and I’ll try that for at least a couple days next trip. Five in a row is very nice.
This trip for one weekend I was in the North Tower for the first time. I’ll try to avoid that. They said that they would put me in quiet, but I could hear faint street music. It did not matter because I never slept during that time, but clearly the South Tower is better. One advantage to dropping the Orleans is that from wherever I come downtown, I can walk over early and ask to wait for a South Tower room, and just go back for my luggage once the room I want has been cleaned.
Coming from the Orleans I showed up tired after luggage on buses and just wanted to get in any room.
PAVILLION
I got a much better Pavillion room this trip. Perhaps that is because I asked if there was a room with a table for my computer. There was not, but it may have made a difference in where they put me. Or it may just have been the luck of the draw. New safes are installed here and there is a coffee maker. I don't remember having either on my last trip.
The biggest issue here is that any noise in the walk around area outside the room is heard in the room. After an all nighter, I wanted a early morning nap, and it was impossible. The room cleaners’ carts sound like there is a little train running right outside the door and the workers or cleaners shout to one another because they are outside and that seems fine.
However, I think it will be fine if I sleep in the night time. And if I use them at the end of my trip to also get the free ride to the airport, I’ll not need to worry. The last couple days of any trip I exhaust myself getting the last little bit out of Vegas and preparing myself to be sleepy on the airplane ride back, so I shorten it with sleep.
However, with the right rates at Gold Spike, I’d skip the El Cortez altogether next trip as well. The WAX is just as good a ride to the airport, can be taken any day and at later hours than the EC shuttle, and requires no tip.
To make up for a computer table, I opened the first two drawers in the phone cabinet next to the bed and pulled over this long padded bench. My computer rests easily on those shelves. Using the phone book and some other bits of things I propped up the Gideon's bible and it makes a fine mouse pad. So I can write comfortably.
HARRAH’S
Except for location, this Mardi Gras tower room comes in last. I did not want to pay for a renovated room, and I found the room pretty old looking and dull. Also, it just was not cleaned properly. I found nail clippings on the poorly vacuumed rug.
I cleaned up enough for me and requested no service the three nights I was there because I tend to spread out a lot with piles here and there, and I just don’t want anyone in the room, and I don’t feel like picking up for the maid. Solo I always have plenty of towels. I can make my own bed.
Well, this maid had just a touch of attitude about that. Seemed odd. I was saving her work. I did not like it. Usually I just practice a bit of my Spanish and make a call to housekeeping and put up my "Do Not Disturb" and it is seen as standard practice.
It may have been that I got tired of the “Do Not Disturb” sign slipping off the door handle and falling on the ground whenever I opened the door, so I stuck a bandaid on it to secure it to the door. I liked that too because I knew if I got my room number mixed up, I could find the door with the bandaid.
In the end, on checkout I left and forgot a couple shirts, so I came back and the maid was fine about letting me in again. I had checked out, and my key did not work. So who knows.
In terms of location I love Harrah’s when it is cheap or free, so I’d go again, but this was not like the room I had in Mardi Gras Tower before. I even had to move a round table over near the bed to hook up my computer as where the table was, the electric box had a plate over it.
It did not matter, I carry two electrical splitters and an extention cord, but I expected better at Harrah’s.
FITZGERALD’S
Fine location and an okay room, but the beds are just as folks say. I was too tired to care the first night, even to move to the other bed which was soft. I laughed because I don’t think I have had a bed that hard since basic training in the Air Force. And then I feel asleep.
The second night I slept on the soft version in the other bed. However, these thin mattresses are very different from those of the Four Queens that are twice as thick and moving from Fitz to 4Q I really got a sense of the contrast. If Fitz gives me a couple nights free, I’ll take a room with two queen beds and put the soft mattress on top of the hard one.
Location was great. It is just a short walk across a narrow street to move luggage to the Four Queens.
I liked the little pool and would like it better in warm weather. One day the sun took the icy feel off and I swam for a while. Another day I put on my wetsuit and went in for a while, but the water was still pretty cold and I did not swim for the near two hours I swam at the Gold Spike.
So, here is a question to keep asking. Is that Gold Spike pool going to be heated now all the time?
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