Lazabout

I will be staying there for the first time in about a week. My boss claims this is his hands-down fave Vegas property. He's the one who encouraged me to sign up for the Red Card and gamble just a bit there. The Nugget, then Caesars were his faves before. Although there is no way I am willing to pay to play their table games, they have a great array of slots for the low-baller. I didn't walk out a big winner, but that's no difference from anywhere I go. I DID get a good amount of play for the money spent. The drinks are well served (one waitress tracked us down to the other side of the room to deliver out booze when we wandered off) and strong enough. I probably still wouldn't be staying here except they sent me a $120/night deal with $150 in free slot play as a player's club member (thanks boss!). We'll see if I'll feel compelled to do it again sometime after I see what the holiday experience brings....maybe another spot on the dice.

The Sahara is a nice midway point for folks like me who like to putter from the strip to downtown...and wander in the desert. Last time I stayed there the rooms were fine. Al I do is sleep in them anyway. And they had a functional balcony where you could watch the buzz of the strip. It seems a decent enough place.

I stayed there a couple times. Once before the Horseshoe branding was removed. Once right after. Both times I was able to get rooms for $25-30/night. They are passable places to sleep, but I wouldn't want to spend a lot of time hanging out in them. Because Downtown is my favorite area to play, Binion's has been a fave of mine for a while. Even when they had the country trollops carting around the casino doing songs. Corny, but a fun change of pace. Frankly, this place has always felt the most like I expected from a gambling hall. Low ceilings, dark, old and wizened dealers and waitresses (like the short, big-haired woman who turns up in EVERY show on Vegas), serious craps players at all hours. The post-trollop layout changes are not my favorite, but I'll cope. Our family tradition is to go to the snak bar first thing and get one of the heaping bowls of beef stew. Now that Al (the dude in charge of the snack bar) has retired, I may have to develop a new tradition. Huzzah to Al.

Obviously not top of the barrel, the Plaza is a perfectly reasonable value The last time we stayed for 5 days and the hotel bill was less than the cost of a reasonable room in any other city. The staff seems nice. My biggest gripe is the awkward locations of valet parking and hotel registration. Until you've stayed there once, it feels like you wander aimlessly and magically (if you ride the elevator up) happen upon checkin. I figure at $25-30/ night my right to bitch is severely limited.I read lots of comments about the funny smells, but have found there is a funk-zone in nearly every downtown casino. Nothing like free fruity drinks to add to the upchuck ambience.