vespajet

Some may have issues with the hotel being a non-smoking and non-gaming property, but I don't. Bellagio, Cosmo and Aria are all a short walk away from Vdara when one needs to satisfy their gambling needs. The only things that are keeping this from being a 6 rating is the shortcomings of the housekeeping staff. When I checked into my room and started looking through the cabinets in the kitchenette, there was an empty Chivas bottle in one of them that looked like it had been there a bit as the bottle was bone dry. The last two days of my trip, housekeeping failed to replenish the coffee fixings packets so I couldn't have a cup of coffee and in the time it would have taken for someone to bring up said packets, I could have walked over to Aria and gotten coffee at Jean Philippe. However, they did do something that impressed me. Most of my last day in Vegas I spend chilling out in the room and had the do not disturb light on. While getting ready to go out for the night, housekeeping left a message on the room phone asking if I required any housekeeping. However, what goodwill they gained after forgetting to replenish the coffee supplies the day before was lost when they failed to leave them again. My only real issues with the room (Vdara Suite) were the pillows on the bed as well as some shortcomings with the blackout shades. The pillows were long narrow pillows that were too small for most folks. My freaking huge melon barely fit onto them. As for the blackout curtains in the bedroom, there were gaps between the panels that let in enough light to be bothersome. The ones in the living room did a better job., but sleeping on the couch or using the pull-out bed in it was not something I wanted to do. More than likely, Vdara will be my home base for future stays on The Strip.

When I first visited Aria several years ago, the place didn't do anything for me. In the last year or so, I've started to really like Aria more and more.

I used to feel out of place here, as if they were going to give me the bum's rush or something. In the last couple of years, I've started to spend more time there and have really come to love the place.

Great vibe both downstairs and upstairs and American Coney Island is excellent for a snack or soaking up the booze late at night. Andiamo is one of the best restaurants Downtown.

One of my favorites spots to hang out at Downtown and where I've stayed at the most. DuPar's is still my go-to breakfast and late night spot Downtown.

Still the class of Downtown. The Rush Tower rooms are excellent, but even the Gold Tower rooms are quite nice and are a good bargain. Some of the food options are middle of the road chain style restuarants, but there's plenty of other places to eat within walking distance....

Still a great place to dine and drink, but the hotel is a bit out of my price range, especially when I can get some of the nicest rooms at Caesars for what they want for their most basic room.

If you want to stay somewhere fairly nice on the cheap via Hotwire or Priceline, Trump is the place.

Still one of my favorite spots Downtown even with the hotel side closed (although reports are that they are renovating the rooms and may reopen in the near future). I miss the old Binion's Coffee Shop (The converted snack bar they call the coffee shop is not the same.) though.

The renovations are nice (Thanks again to the Trop and VT for the two free nights.), but I just didn't get a good vibe from the place. One of the pluses for it is location. Quick walk to the MGM Grand (where I did the bulk of my gambling the two nights I stayed at the Trop) and a short cab ride to the airport. The food options didn't pique my interests and the Las Vegas Mob Experience was a bit meh (granted I was not seeing the finished project and the exhibit was in previews) but was worth the $5.