TR SNIPPET - FOUR QUEENS

I stayed there in October and November. Here are some things I learned:

The new comp dollar system is very good. I only play VP, but I started with $40 comps they sent me, ate lots of prime rib, treated my buddy one night, paid for an extra night, and when I left I had $80 comp dollars.

This is separate from cash back. I still turned in my points for cash back. I don't know if the cash back formula was reduced. If so, it was not dramatic as I got about what I expected from earlier stays.

MAGNOLIA'S

Because everyone has all these comp dollars and no place to spend them, Magnolia's is packed all the time with huge lines at some hours. They will have to rethink that.

I don't like all their food, but the prime rib is very good, served until midnight or later if you ask. It comes with a horseradish that is the strongest I have had other than what I grew myself.

I especially liked the seafood gumbo. I could make a meal on a couple bowls of that. It did not seem to have any rice or other carbs. I also like the simple vegetables that come with the meals, the carrots were especially good. I suppose they are buttered.

In the Neptune Platter I liked the crab cakes, but the rest was just okay.

And for me, having a bit of off diet mashed potatoes and au jus was a real treat. I eat no potatoes at home.

Frustrating was that for two days their computer was down and there was no back up procedure to use Comp dollars to pay for meals. It is a good idea to check first at the counter to see that the computer is working before standing in line for a seat.

Also, Magnolia's has always been a tough spot to know what to do about their specials or coupons like the ACG 2 for 1. They are fine about giving single eaters 50% off on the 2 for 1, but no 2 for 1 can then be paid for in comp dollars at the register.

Here is what to do if you can.

Charge the half off price to your room. At check out you can pay for it with comp dollars because all that gets to the hotel room desk is the dollar amount. They don't know it has been reduced by a coupon.

So, for me, the coupon is still a value because I only eat and play there when I have rooms there.

I met another solo traveler there one night and we decided to eat together. He was an interesting fellow from Alaska and had some good personal stories. He had moved his large family from Oregon to Alaska and resettled there. He liked the change. It was hard for some of the children.

He was staying at Arizona Charlie's and the only thing he played anywhere was keno. He got some good offers as well he should with a game that has a vigorish of 25%, the worst bet in the casino.

He did tell me that he thought dropping off at Arizona Charlie's from out Boulder Highway late at night was not worrisome. I had wondered about that. And he was fine with the rooms.

I was actually booked there when so many of my freebies forced it out of the picture. And because of that I missed some of the exploring I wanted to do out Boulder, the birding, the music of the Dumpkof's.

I am thinking that next trip I may pay a bit more for rooms and gamble a bit less. Arizona Charlie two room suites at $38 total a night are attractive. Unlike the Four Queens, those certainly would be quiet at night. That might help some of my sleeping issues.

It did look like they will reduce the generous 3 night offers to 2 night offers. They did that between October and November. However, the comp dollars at current rates will easily cover a third night, usually just $24.

And I used my two free nights for Friday and Saturday and paid for the incoming Thursday. Not all casinos do that.

The double 500 point coupon is good for a trip, not a day. So, if you earn the 500 points over one trip, a couple days or so, and then present the coupon, you will get the points doubled. These are cash back points. They used to be worth $12 in cashback, making that the most valuable coupon in the American Casino Guide.

Bad news is that on some weekends it will be impossible to get a quiet room. The D has taken a city block behind the Four Queens and built a huge music stage and audience area. There are not events every night. So far, they are just on some weekends. But I did two nights with my son and when he left I was exhausted. No chance for a nap. First was the rehearsal. Next was the concert. Some loud heavy metal stuff. I could not sleep. I could not really hear the television. It was my worst time on this trip.

The way to avoid this is to not book when there are events in that venue. The Four Queens said they would get the information probably as a courtesy from the D, but we could get it straight from the D by calling them and asking for the even calendar. Of course, this might be late to change bookings.

My plan will be to double book on the Four Queen weekends and if they have that concert, cancel them a week before and go to my second choice.

This is big trouble for me since I've arranged my trips around the Four Queens comping my weekends.

However, I'm thinking of alternatives.

One is The Plaza which now has full pay VP, great live jazz, great piped in music, and would be a quieter venue in every way. I'm thinking that what I pump into the Four Queens 10/7 DB would cover me at The Plaza too, at least for two weekend nights.

Quiet is a value for me.

In addition, while it would not help me pay for rooms, The Plaza has the cheapest poker tournaments on their Poker Pro machines that I have ever seen outside my own living room and right now they have them about four times a day. I play full pay 10/7 VP and live poker so The Plaza may well fit my needs.

In addition, they have a pool. Four Queens has only Binions and it is not open every day. I guess in October it would be as cold as the D pool, but I'd give it a try if the weather was right.