Hotel

This thread is to be used to discuss hotel accommodations at Harrah's.

Being a Total Rewards member, I've stayed at many of Harrah's properties. They are comping my upcoming stay in New Orleans for Jerry Lewis Day weekend. So here's a quicky rundown of the things I found nice or crummy about Harrah's accommodations.

Atlantic City:

Bally's - I stayed in a premium room on the eight floor of the old part of the hotel which had a very nice view of the boardwalk and the ocean, flat panel TV, small but clean bathroom, comfortable bed. I overheard horror stories about "The Claridge Tower" while I was in line to check in. Aviod the Claridge Tower!! The pool facility is also on the eight floor so having that right down the hall was a unexpected treat. The pool is enclosed with access to a roof area with beautiful views of the ocean and boardwalk. Bally's also has the Wild Wild West casino which is well lit and well thought out, easy to walk through, especially toward the back where they have a room set aside that's video poker only.

Caesar's - I haven't stayed there since I was a kid but I remember having a nice room. When I stayed at Bally's, I had a change to wander over into Caesar's. The two casinos are connected via an enclosed bridge over the street that separates them. The casino in Caesar's was crowded, not just with people but with slot machines. The casino at Caesar's seems to have too much clutter. Thank goodness for cell phones, the casino at Caesar's is the only place where I lost my travelling party.

Harrah's - This is the hotel I prefer when I go to Atlantic City. Harrah's Marina is not on the boardwalk so it's not the most popular place. The rooms have always been comfortable and seemed to have more space than the boardwalk hotels. The casino is large and uncluttered but the layout is serpentine, it's very easy to lose your sense of direction in there. Even today, I have to think about the quickest path to take to get from the Deli to the Pool to the Check-in desk to the Elevators. Speaking of the Pool, it's encased in a glass dome so it's open all year long. Like the Bally's AC pool, there are several hot tubs available.

Showboat - This is the last place I would choose to stay in Atlantic City. There's nothing especially 'Bad' about the hotel itself other than it's unfortunate location on the north end of the boardwalk next to the Taj Mahal (ick) and Resort (bleh). The rooms are regular sized boardwalk fare, the hotel facilities are decent, the parking is okay but the decor, its New Orleans Mardi Gras motif seems flat, cardboard, papier-mâché, gaudy. It feels like a cheap place although it's really nice. The buffet is nice ( as they are in all the Harrah's properties ), the casino is well lit but cluttered, the non-smoking area still smells like smoke. If Revel ever opens up then the Showboat may become a sleeper bargain.

Las Vegas:

Bally's - No, you can't make be stay there. Broken furniture, dirty looking, smelly. I swear it still smells like the MGM fire is fresh in the rugs. This is all unfortunate because I like the casino.

Caesar's - The crown jewel in the Harrah's empire. As far as crown jewels go, I wasn't impressed. The standard rooms are overpriced and small, the casino is a mixture of the traditional original areas and the newly renovated that just don't fit well together. The variety in the forum shops is great if you go on vacation to go shopping; I don't. I don't even think about Caesar's when I'm booking a room in Las Vegas because I know I'll get more value at the kitschier hotels across the strip.

Flamingo - Infested with a norovirus that will eventually require the whole complex to be knocked flat, the Flamingo offers the occasional bed bug as my poor sister discovered two years ago on Super Bowl weekend. Other than that, it's a really nice place to stay.

Harrah's - I stayed at the mothership on my last trip into Las Vegas. The room was nice, everything you'd expect in a Las Vegas hotel room. When I checked in, the nice lady at the front desk was concerned that I may be disturbed by the loud music that comes from the courtyard between Harrah's and the Imperial Palace. At 13 floors up (they don't actually have a 13th floor which I thought was quaint) I figured it wouldn't be a problem. It wasn't but I guess a lot of other guests do complain. Be prepared to not have Internet access. This is the only place where I couldn't find a decent WiFi connection and they don't provide hard wire support. I saw something on the telephone about attaching a modem, A MODEM!! Maybe it's time for Harrah's to renovate?

Imperial Palace - Horrors! Not the room, the room was a King Luv Tub suite which was stark but comfortable. The mirror over the bed was not quite centered over the bed and since all the furniture appeared to be riveted down, I can only conclude that was done on purpose. The sofa in the suite reminded me of my grandmother's couch. You would sit on it and it was rock hard until the air slowly was released from the cushion as you sunk into it. Very comfy room. Problem is getting to it. The elevators are a really big issue there.

Paris - Every time I've stayed there, it's been pleasant. Of all the hotels in the Harrah's universe, that's the one I have no problems with.

Planet Hollywood - I haven't stayed there since it was the Aladdin. I miss the Aladdin.

No review of the Rio? I guess you haven't gotten there yet.

I was there about 8 years ago. The wife and I loved it.




You're right about ShowBoat AC. If all you're looking for in a casino hotel is a place to catch a few Zs, it's OK. It's got the cheapest Harrah's AC hotel room rates, so the most likely to give you comped rooms.

Oh, sure, the room has all the amenities - fridge, coffee maker, hair dryer, safe - but that's about it. The pool is laughable. It's on the roof over the casino, outdoors. And it's metal. About 20' diameter. It looks, and feels, like you're swimming in a giant saucepan.

It's also the smallest of the Harrah's AC properties.

I have been reluctant to stay 'off-strip' when I go to Las Vegas. I like to walk. The only thing I am aware of that's within walking distance of Rio is The Palms. And that doesn't even look like a safe walk since its across busy Flamingo Road. I didn't like The Palms, it reminds me of a cafeteria with its drop ceiling.

The last time I stayed in Las Vegas (at Harrah's), I spent a day with a friend who moved there many years ago. He was showing me all of the desirable neighborhoods in which to purchase a house. Now that I've been given the grand tour of Las Vegas and have burst out of the strip's bubble, Rio is a consideration as I won't feel like I'm way out of town (since it isn't at all). Harrah's is perpetually offering me comp'd suits at Rio so I may try it. My only visit to Rio though was not a good one. The casino was crowded and full of young'ns. The under 30 set always gets me anxious, full of noise and generally rude too.

Quote: s2dbaker

I have been reluctant to stay 'off-strip' when I go to Las Vegas. I like to walk. The only thing I am aware of that's within walking distance of Rio is The Palms. And that doesn't even look like a safe walk since its across busy Flamingo Road. I didn't like The Palms, it reminds me of a cafeteria with its drop ceiling.

The last time I stayed in Las Vegas (at Harrah's), I spent a day with a friend who moved there many years ago. He was showing me all of the desirable neighborhoods in which to purchase a house. Now that I've been given the grand tour of Las Vegas and have burst out of the strip's bubble, Rio is a consideration as I won't feel like I'm way out of town (since it isn't at all). Harrah's is perpetually offering me comp'd suits at Rio so I may try it. My only visit to Rio though was not a good one. The casino was crowded and full of young'ns. The under 30 set always gets me anxious, full of noise and generally rude too.

The walk from Harrahs back to the strip is not a problem if you like to walk. It is about 15 minutes at a reasonablly brisk walk right along Flamingo. There is sidewalk all the way and semi-enclosed cages when you go over the freeway. I made the walk 4 times last fall when I was staying at the Rio. The Rio has never been my favorite casino and after staying there I have not changed my mind. I usually stay on the strip and won,t stay off strip again. The walk to the strip would be a problem in the summer when it is hot. Going 100 yards is a problem mid day when its is 40+.

Good info about the Rio in this thread: http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/questions-and-answers/las-vegas/1447-got-a-good-deal-at-the-rio/.
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The casino at Rio has (had?) so much promise. It's actually one of my favorite casinos in atmosphere and layout. Too bad the games are absolutely abysmal. It's good for craps and baccarat, though -- the only games where Harrah's can't alter the rules downward. The Palms across the street is similar in design and has better games. Anyplace that breaks away from the big box, right angle layout of South Point, Gold Coast, et. al. is good by me.

Quote: teddys

Too bad the games are absolutely abysmal. It's good for craps and baccarat, though -- the only games where Harrah's can't alter the rules downward.

Well, you're half-right...in the Wizard's review of Harrah's, he notes that they've lowered the payout on hop bets to 14 and 29 to 1, respectively, at all their places...making an already-high house edge bet even more ridiculous. How greedy can you get?

Unlike other games though, you don't have to make those bets, so it doesn't really have to affect you.

I guess the next step is lowered payouts and a triple zero wheel for roulette too.

One time a buddy and I were checking in at harrahs. Guy at the check in desk asks us if we are superstitious at all. We laughed and said no not really. So the guy gives us our room keys. Room 666. We took it and made it through the weekend alive. Needless to say didn't have any luck