Glitz, Glamour- So NOT Worth It.

I have always wanted to visit Las Vegas- not because of the casinos, gambling is not my thing, but because of the lights, the scenery, and the vibe. Well, I finally got my chance for a brief 36 hours stay on a flight back to Boston. It was enough! Driving into Las Vegas was relatively straightforward. Lots of stop and go traffic, but the city is rather easy to negotiate. After self-parking the car, we began the long trek (and I do mean LONG) to the entrance and then through the maze of casino floors to finally locate the long line at the Caesar’s Palace Reception Desk. Crowds and smoke- not off to a great start. The receptionist offered to upgrade our room for a nominal fee. We would move onto the 14th floor overlooking the fountains of the Bellagio- ok- the price was reasonable so upgrade I did. I was glad to have done it- the room was spacious, had a gorgeous view and we could watch the fountain show all night! Why did we choose Caesar’s? Well we do love Roman History, so that was appealing, but it largely came down to location and price. Despite what I heard for years, hotels in Vegas are NOT cheap. The room price might look great on the internet, but there are charges- taxes, resort fee, etc that take the cheap room and make it moderate-moderately expensive. So do your homework before choosing the hotel that works best for you. Did we like Caesar’s? Well the upgraded room was fabulous- not to mention a HUGE bathroom- but there was no ambiance. Much of the decor gets lost in flow of the crowd- giving it a “nothing special” atmosphere which I found disappointing- I expected more prominent, immersive theming.

Well after a long day of traveling- it was off to the pool- not. The pools, at least at Caesar’s, close at the ridiculous hour of 5:00 p.m. We knew this going in- it is common with the hotels- but we desperately hoped that the time published was not for June. Plan B- off to check out the “strip”. After an eternity, negotiating construction work, we reached the main street armed with a list of “free” things to do. Las Vegas is ridiculously overpriced- multiply that for a family of 5 and you will be bankrupt before you know it. The “free” activities- offered by most hotels to lure you into the casinos, restaurants and shops are poor quality- animatronics from the early 70’s, gaudy, poor sound- and jam packed so you could barely move is what you encounter- and that’s AFTER you weave through the endless maze of casino floors trying to find the attraction. After a few-the hassle just was not worth it. So- let’s grab a bite to eat- and let’s go with bite- because a meal would set you back quite a bit. Two of us went for Mexican and ended up getting a plate of Nachos to split at 30$ because the meals were too expensive. The rest of us opted for pizza- figuring that would be cheap- sure- if you think 50$ for a large pizza is reasonable. I don’t so we ended up with a box of garlic rolls. By this point we were all pretty disillusioned by Las Vegas and its offerings. Luckily we had a river tour near the Hoover Dam the next day that I had booked in advance because I was worried that walking up and down the strip in summer heat would be too much as we waited to take the red eye home. In retrospect, I am so glad we arranged to be out of the city- it was a relief to not be stuck wandering in the mazes that are the area hotels. Would I go back- well – here’s the thing- the one positive about Las Vegas is its location. It is a perfect base or airport for Death Valley, Zion, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, The Hoover Dam, and so much more. I would opt to stay on the outskirts of the city, and just venture in to walk the “strip” and enjoy the lights. I’d rather have a hotel where I can use the pool in the evening, eat a meal after hiking, and avoid the mazes than stay in the center of the glitz and glamour.