Las Vegas Hotel Tips by starship

My family and I stayed at the Paris - Las Vegas in August, 2001, and it was a great experience. When you arrive at the Paris, feast your eyes upon the distinctive architecture of the main building, and replicas of the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower. You will also see the unique and colorful Paris Hot Air Balloon which I thought was reminiscent of "Round the World in 80 Days." I was struck by the quiet atmosphere and European elegance upon entering the casino floor at the Paris. Perhaps due to its location near the end of the strip, the Paris did not seem to be overly crowded when we stayed there. There are a number of different eating venues though they are somewhat expensive for Las Vegas), and an entertainment venue on the ground floor; the Paris also has a few shops along a corridor which connects it to Bally's next door if you care to explore that casino/hotel. Rooms are large and comfortable with nice furniture; the marbled bathrooms are large and offer great toiletries and fluffy towels.

With certain hotel packages, you may receive a voucher for a "buy one, get one free" ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and a voucher to put toward a meal at one of the Paris' many restaurants. Check their website for "Specials."

Note: I had never seen this in a hotel before but security personnel could be seen making periodic rounds on the upper floors, and this was just prior to September 11th. I have to admit this gave me small feeling of security.

Unique Qualities: With all its many good points, the two most memorable features of this hotel to me were the scaled Eiffel Tower (part of which is on the casino floor) and the opportunity to have a magnificent view of the Bellagio fountains. I requested a room on one of the higher floors facing the Bellagio which is directly across the street. The Bellagio fountains are scheduled to put on a magnificent show about every half hour and this is accompanied by music. This is a spectacle that no one should miss, and when you can see and hear it from the comfort of your room, well, it's just fantastic!

Leave a Comment

Theme: Hotel
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$80-120  » Currency Converter
Phone: 877-796-2096 toll free
Address: 3655 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Directions: Next door to the Aladdin and Bally's, and across from the Bellagio!
Website: www.parislasvegas.com
Other Contact: Fax: 702-946-4405

My family and I stayed in this hotel only a few weeks after it was first opened. I was able to get a very good rate on a room through their online site and I requested a room facing their enormous pool area. The hotel decor was, as you might guess from its name, very tropical and quite elegant. You will find small aquariums, tropical plants and cool marble and limestone in the lobby. Since our stay there, to build upon the theme of the hotel, they have added a special attraction called "Shark Reef." You should allow yourself at least 45 minutes to see this attraction featuring an extensive aquarium and exhibits which actually are quite nice.

The problem we had with the hotel was a problem with maid service...they just didn't show up or only did part of the room. I attributed this to the hotel being so new, but that didn't make it any less maddening. What was worse was that the staff manager didn't think that it was as much of a problem as I did and didn't really offer any kind of compensation until I pressed the point.
The Mandalay tends to be one of the more expensive hotels and I believe the Manager should have done more to please customers.

Unique Qualities: The pool and gardens are quite extensive and give this hotel a unique appearance; I particularly liked the waterfalls and Asian elefant statuary. All this was set against the backdrop of the soaring hotel's golden-mirrored facade. This hotel also contains a venue for top-rated, big ticket personalities and groups. As you come to expect with hotels in Law Vegas, there are a number of high-end restaurants such as the House of Blues, The Noodle Shop and the lovely Raffles Cafe.

The standard hotel rooms such as the one we had was an amazing 500 sq. ft., and the marble bath was luxurious to say the least. The least favorite aspect of the Mandalay Bay to me was it remoteness from most other hotels except it was right next door to the Luxor, and the central, action-packed part of "the strip."

Leave a Comment

Theme: Hotel
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$80-120  » Currency Converter
Phone: 1-877-632-5300
Address: 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, , Las Vegas, Nevada 89
Directions: Farthest west on "strip."
Website: mandalaybay.com