I am rarely in Vegas
during really good pool weather. Generally, I am unwilling to give up the
swimming and fishing on the lake at home.
However, this year I found myself there in good weather, that dates of
the visit decided by a graduation in Denver and a wedding and a Memorial service in Vegas.
I had planned a trip
to Sam's Town for the 10 am $23 tournament, the free buffet with 200 points
played, and $3 movie followed with a ride into Henderson, but my wife
called and told me I was to receive a surprise at 4 PM or later and to stay
close to the Imperial Palace.
So I took the
American Casino Guide free buffet with 200 points coupon, played off a
matchplay there, played off another at the Palms. (Both losers) Then I stopped by to see the new
Palms poker room and chat with a local friend there before eating my free
Gold Coast lunch.
And then I went to
the Caesars' pool. They told me here at
Imperial Palace that I could use it just by showing a room key. The truth is I could use it just by walking
in.
I changed clothes in
the bathroom and packed all my street things in my new Four Queens slot
tournament swim bag and had a fine swim
in two of the pools in the pool area.
They are easily
accessed by simply coming in the front door of the casino, heading right to the
Palace Tower and keeping to the left until signs for the pool are visible.
No one guarded the
door. It was a contrast to what I heard
about happening under the watch of the Pool Nazi at Flamingo. No one checked my bag.
I first went in the
upper rectangular pool and that was nice enough, only the shape seemed a bit
too cliche. I could easily put my bag
near the lifeguard where I could see it.
I can't imagine a thief who is barefoot and in a swim suit grabbing my
beach bag and making a run for it, but we can't be too careful.
I moved down the round
pool with the fountainish waterfall effects and that was my favorite.
Not only could I get
a shower of cool water from the fountains, but I might also encounter a slight
misting there. And the water falling
into the pool gave it a bit of slight current and some cool spurts and made it
just slightly active. So the swimming
was more fun because the water did its part.
The work of the round pool to move water a bit, add misting spray, allow a cool waterfall dip reminds me of those long hot hikes in the woods when the waterfall would be so wonderfully refreshing,.
The work of the round pool to move water a bit, add misting spray, allow a cool waterfall dip reminds me of those long hot hikes in the woods when the waterfall would be so wonderfully refreshing,.
There is music in
both places, but it is not loud enough to hear, but just a slight din of
background base.
The falling water
created a wonderfully white noise that was both comforting and meditative. I remembered long hikes in hot woods to
refreshing waterfalls.
It was really great.
At the far end there
was in-the- water gambling so I could have played blackjack, but I suppose that
might only work for folks with Caesars' room keys.
There were towels
provided, but I skipped mine. I did not
change back in street clothes, but just slipped on my pool shoes and an
overshirt and walked back to the hotel.
I did think it odd to see a lifeguard texting. He would not have seen me slip below the surface. I'm surprised he could keep his job.
I did think it odd to see a lifeguard texting. He would not have seen me slip below the surface. I'm surprised he could keep his job.
In the casino I was a
bit cold, but on the street it felt great, and I did not have to change back
into street clothes. Instead I just took
a good nap when I got to the room and waited for my surprise.
POOL EXPERIENCE NUMBER 2
Thanks and kudos to Scio's advice on POOLS. It was very helpful this trip.
I was staying at the Four Queens, so I walked over to Binion’s to swim, but Binions pool was closed Memorial Sunday for a private function. I had not called ahead. It is supposed to be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday; I never thought to ask about Memorial Day Sunday. I wasted my walk over from the Four Queens in my swimsuit.
By the way, when you take that walk, go all the way down Fremont and around to the West side of Binions and down the block so you go in the door where they are selling shirts and such stuff. Walk straight to the elevators. One goes to the pool deck. If you grab the other, switch at the steakhouse floor to the one that goes to the pool deck. Have you key ready as you will be asked.
I was mentally primed for a swim and very down on my gambling budget, so I thought I'd take Scio’s advice and visit the Stratosphere pool.
I called first, and they told me that they welcomed anyone there and to come on ahead.
Compared to the story of the Pool Nazi at the Flamingo, this was a delightful experience. Had their limit poker room been running a game, I’d have played there as well, but the place was empty. I like the Stratosphere. I wish they would get a poker room going or come back with some of those long lost 9/7 JOB.
Had I been on the main strip on Memorial Sunday I would most likely have encountered crowds on the bus, but coming from downtown on the SDX was easy and fast. I guess it was a ten minute ride, winding through neighborhoods in an uncrowded bus and then I was there.
To access the pool go to the large bar just inside the main entrance and look South. You will see a huge sign and the Number 8.
8 is the name of the pool.
All things now in Vegas are being named by a letter or a number or three.
But at least 8 is easy to remember. It is not an acronym.
That door will take you to an elevator and you can enter the pool area. Pay attention to where you enter. Exiting at other places will put you into the hotel at other places.
The pool is really spacious. It is only 4 feet at its deepest, but there is so much space that folks can play volleyball, or toss the ball around and not be in the way.
I was there on Memorial Sunday. It was crowded, but comfortable.
For those of you who want to avoid kids, this is not the pool.
I enjoyed watching the kids play ball. In one place the ball could be bounced off the cement wall, like kiddy handball.
There was a bag toss game like horseshoes, only with small bean bags that are tossed into plywood holes.
Tented cabanas were available for various prices. I think $50 a weekday was the bare bones price. Another free section was shaded with tables that had menus on them. Folks sat there and did not eat.
No outside food or drink can be brought into the pool, but no one checked my bag for my water bottle. There are bathrooms that will work as changing areas and two water fountains.
I filled my bottle with nice cold water for the bus before I left.
While I was there, not one person was advised of any rule infringements or inspected for anything. Lounge chairs could be moved without penalty. A Life Guard just came around every little while and moved them back.
Because it was a holiday, the music was mixed by a professional DJ. Most of it was rap with a few older rock songs thrown in. It would not be my pick, but then I was one of two white haired old guys in the mix, and the professional mixing and equipment made a huge difference. I remember hearing a percussion instrument for the first time in a song I have heard often over the years. It is amazing to hear parts of songs that are very familiar but missed on the radio versions.
And some of the music was unique.
Take "It’s Time for the Perculator." In this song these words are the only lyrics and when the perculation does begin to play, it is like listening to a good percussion piece played on some city corner on plastic buckets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVTvzqIHiNk
And Musto and Bones, Dangerous on the Dance floor was pretty sexy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfqTrMhWOFY
I talked to the DJ and he said that sometimes he does mix in jazz and blues, but he did not take the hint that he could give himself permission to do it that day. He worked with a computer and a turn table and he was quite skillful.
He ended with a totally different sort of song that I'd like to own. It was called "Closing time"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGytDsqkQY8
as well as a Muppets ending song.
I think Closing Time is one of the best discoveries I have made this year. A soft rock sound that layers meanings rather than uses simple repetition. It is a sad song. It tries not to be, but it is very sad.
It is not overly nasal.
So with such expert handling of sounds and at least some eclectic mix, the music was not too loud and not annoying even for this old guy, but perhaps all the bikinis distracted me from listening. Had I brought my earplugs for swimming, I could have protected myself from water in the ear as well as turned the volume down.
Still, I really loved this day at the pool.
I am not certain that a weekday might not bring piped in radio music.
There was no place to lock anything up. I was there with my wallet. However, my free beach bag from the Four Queens slot tournament was a perfect place to pack all my street clothes and wallet and shoes. I could position it right where I was swimming, leaning it against the fake rocks, so I was never nervous. I just took it with me when I went in the bathroom, which was very dry for a swimming pool bathroom and very clean.
It made changing easy.
I had thought that the pool might attract more locals on a holiday, but I was the only one I saw changing clothes.
So I think this pool is a hidden gem, and along with the disappearing resort fee, the bus access for travel, the pool encourages me to think about booking there.
Unfortunately, the poker does not encourage me. The room was empty. The attendant said maybe a limit game around 8 PM. On a holiday this seemed a very bad sign.
The jacuzzi was full of people, but we all crowded in, me and the bikinis and the little ones paddling about. I liked it. I liked all of it, really. It was such a sensuous rejuvenating experience that soothed my heavy losses, like getting drunk, only without alcohol.
POOL EXPERIENCE NUMBER 2
Thanks and kudos to Scio's advice on POOLS. It was very helpful this trip.
I was staying at the Four Queens, so I walked over to Binion’s to swim, but Binions pool was closed Memorial Sunday for a private function. I had not called ahead. It is supposed to be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday; I never thought to ask about Memorial Day Sunday. I wasted my walk over from the Four Queens in my swimsuit.
By the way, when you take that walk, go all the way down Fremont and around to the West side of Binions and down the block so you go in the door where they are selling shirts and such stuff. Walk straight to the elevators. One goes to the pool deck. If you grab the other, switch at the steakhouse floor to the one that goes to the pool deck. Have you key ready as you will be asked.
I was mentally primed for a swim and very down on my gambling budget, so I thought I'd take Scio’s advice and visit the Stratosphere pool.
I called first, and they told me that they welcomed anyone there and to come on ahead.
Compared to the story of the Pool Nazi at the Flamingo, this was a delightful experience. Had their limit poker room been running a game, I’d have played there as well, but the place was empty. I like the Stratosphere. I wish they would get a poker room going or come back with some of those long lost 9/7 JOB.
Had I been on the main strip on Memorial Sunday I would most likely have encountered crowds on the bus, but coming from downtown on the SDX was easy and fast. I guess it was a ten minute ride, winding through neighborhoods in an uncrowded bus and then I was there.
To access the pool go to the large bar just inside the main entrance and look South. You will see a huge sign and the Number 8.
8 is the name of the pool.
All things now in Vegas are being named by a letter or a number or three.
But at least 8 is easy to remember. It is not an acronym.
That door will take you to an elevator and you can enter the pool area. Pay attention to where you enter. Exiting at other places will put you into the hotel at other places.
The pool is really spacious. It is only 4 feet at its deepest, but there is so much space that folks can play volleyball, or toss the ball around and not be in the way.
I was there on Memorial Sunday. It was crowded, but comfortable.
For those of you who want to avoid kids, this is not the pool.
I enjoyed watching the kids play ball. In one place the ball could be bounced off the cement wall, like kiddy handball.
There was a bag toss game like horseshoes, only with small bean bags that are tossed into plywood holes.
Tented cabanas were available for various prices. I think $50 a weekday was the bare bones price. Another free section was shaded with tables that had menus on them. Folks sat there and did not eat.
No outside food or drink can be brought into the pool, but no one checked my bag for my water bottle. There are bathrooms that will work as changing areas and two water fountains.
I filled my bottle with nice cold water for the bus before I left.
While I was there, not one person was advised of any rule infringements or inspected for anything. Lounge chairs could be moved without penalty. A Life Guard just came around every little while and moved them back.
Because it was a holiday, the music was mixed by a professional DJ. Most of it was rap with a few older rock songs thrown in. It would not be my pick, but then I was one of two white haired old guys in the mix, and the professional mixing and equipment made a huge difference. I remember hearing a percussion instrument for the first time in a song I have heard often over the years. It is amazing to hear parts of songs that are very familiar but missed on the radio versions.
And some of the music was unique.
Take "It’s Time for the Perculator." In this song these words are the only lyrics and when the perculation does begin to play, it is like listening to a good percussion piece played on some city corner on plastic buckets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVTvzqIHiNk
And Musto and Bones, Dangerous on the Dance floor was pretty sexy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfqTrMhWOFY
I talked to the DJ and he said that sometimes he does mix in jazz and blues, but he did not take the hint that he could give himself permission to do it that day. He worked with a computer and a turn table and he was quite skillful.
He ended with a totally different sort of song that I'd like to own. It was called "Closing time"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGytDsqkQY8
as well as a Muppets ending song.
I think Closing Time is one of the best discoveries I have made this year. A soft rock sound that layers meanings rather than uses simple repetition. It is a sad song. It tries not to be, but it is very sad.
It is not overly nasal.
So with such expert handling of sounds and at least some eclectic mix, the music was not too loud and not annoying even for this old guy, but perhaps all the bikinis distracted me from listening. Had I brought my earplugs for swimming, I could have protected myself from water in the ear as well as turned the volume down.
Still, I really loved this day at the pool.
I am not certain that a weekday might not bring piped in radio music.
There was no place to lock anything up. I was there with my wallet. However, my free beach bag from the Four Queens slot tournament was a perfect place to pack all my street clothes and wallet and shoes. I could position it right where I was swimming, leaning it against the fake rocks, so I was never nervous. I just took it with me when I went in the bathroom, which was very dry for a swimming pool bathroom and very clean.
It made changing easy.
I had thought that the pool might attract more locals on a holiday, but I was the only one I saw changing clothes.
So I think this pool is a hidden gem, and along with the disappearing resort fee, the bus access for travel, the pool encourages me to think about booking there.
Unfortunately, the poker does not encourage me. The room was empty. The attendant said maybe a limit game around 8 PM. On a holiday this seemed a very bad sign.
The jacuzzi was full of people, but we all crowded in, me and the bikinis and the little ones paddling about. I liked it. I liked all of it, really. It was such a sensuous rejuvenating experience that soothed my heavy losses, like getting drunk, only without alcohol.
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