Las Vegas Nov 2022 Low Roller

This is the long-awaited Vegas with Teens trip! Flew into Vegas at 7:30 a.m. — two hours ago! Amazingly was able to check in at Bellagio and be in our room by 8:30.

Got a Spa Tower room on the 7th floor, but any room would have been accepted! We were trying to determine whether the room was recently renovated, and it seems like it was, but signs that it wasn't are the old, 30-pin iPod dock on the iHome clock and no USB ports next to the bed, and it has a bathtub (which the Mrs. likes).

I was thirsty and there isn't a vending machine with the ice machine so I went to the newsstand right next to the first floor elevators (my son asked "does anyone go there for news?"). I asked if they have "surge pricing" and she said yes. Drinks were $5.89 for a 24-ounce Dr. Pepper and Coke Zero, and $6.39 for a 1-liter Dasani water. First $18.17 dropped in Vegas!

Welcome to Vegas strip pricing. Better hit any supermarket stocking up goodies.

After a nap, the Mrs, daughter, and I walked around the Bellagio conservatory and took pics of their Christmas-themed displays. Nice display, but not as amazing, I felt, as their other seasonal themes. We were in the Cartier store when the daughter suddenly pleaded for water. With no shops nearby, I went over to the Baccarat Bar, but no freebie waters there. A small Fiji water bottle cost $8.67 + $1 tip. $16 on Las Vegas water so far!

Bellagio Patisserie to-go order of a ham & gruyere sandwich ($17) for the kid, and a seared ahi tuna salad ($18) and Americano ($6) for the Mrs and I.

Ate at the pool area (current hours: 9am-4pm). Only two pools open — small adult pool with not too many people, and bigger pool with some kids but overall quiet and relaxing with good views of Cosmopolitan hotel in the 70-degree afternoon sun.

Dropped off the kid and the Mrs. and I walked around the casino. $25 min craps was all I really saw. Two closed pai gow tiles tables. We walked over to The Cromwell. $15 min craps, $10 three card poker. We found some seats at the bar. Meiomi pinot noir for her, Guinness on tap for me. She played 1x$1 6-5 JoB (yikes) and I played $1 video blackjack (no split, no doubling, blackjack pays even money). Absolute worst odds possible, but she had a good run of full houses, finishing up $28 and I played 29 hands at $1 and managed to come back and finish even. After two rounds of drinks, we felt like winners!

Dinner reservations for 5pm at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Casino so the kids could enjoy patio dining in front of the Bellagio dancing waters. Patio seats are based on availability, but plenty available at 5pm. We always have a good experience there, especially great service. Hot bread and butter ($3) and french fries ($7) to start. For starters, I ordered chicken liver pate ($17) and the boy had onion soup ($15). I ordered a side of root vegetables ($9); split a peppery Steak Poivre ($36) with the Mrs.; the son had the buttery classic steak ($36); and the daughter had hanger steak ($35). With tax and tip, the dinner was $199.

Each steak dish comes with french fries on the side, which was a lot — too much. I was given the option to replace the fries with the root vegetables, and should have taken it. My Thanksgiving plan was a reservation at The Steakhouse at Circus Circus, but with everyone ordering steak tonight, that plan is blown up!

We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower ($27 adults, $22 kids) and did the usual touristy things up there. Good weather, fortunately!

We walked to CVS for snacks and drinks, then walked to the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. The ABC Store is cheaper for everything ($3.50 Fiji water vs. $4+ at CVS), including 2 for $5 refrigerated Spam musubi and a pretty good $3 Vegas fabric bag to carry everything. If you're in the Bellagio-Paris-Planet Hollywood area, I recommend the ABC store to stock up.

Have your kids been out to Red Rock Canyon ? Very, very scenic. But you would need to get a rental car. I usually get an Enterprise from the Westin or the place on West Flamingo. And don't forget the Pinball Hall of Fame.

And just in case you are looking for other Dinner ideas:

The Brazilian PAMPAS LAS VEGAS place in the Miracle Mile Shops is pretty good, especially if you can get 2 for 1 vouchers at Tix for Tonight. If I recall correctly, we got tix for lunch a couple years ago but made the reservation for very late in the afternoon as an early-ish dinner.

Another reasonable place to eat is OCEAN ONE, also in the Miracle Mile shops. I would skip the burger, unless you like them well done. But I thought the Caribbean Mahi Mahi sandwich on the lunch menu was very good.

I'd hand each kid $100 and explain that is their water ration for the week. If they choose to spend $8 on a bottle of water, it's on them.

It kills me to spend $1 on water. Before I’d spend $8 I’d find a straw and a drainage ditch…..

I will tip $1 for water in a casino, but that’s different…

When with wifey all the rules are thrown out the window…. I think in Paris I spent over $20 a day on Diet Pepsi….

When I stay at Bellagio I walk over to the ABC Store in the Miracle Mile shops across the street and stock up on sodas and waters.

Yep, ABC and CVS for H2O.

Yep, I have never spent so much on bottled water during a hotel stay. I recall one Vegas trip where I refrained from buying a $4 water because I knew I'd have the Ellis Island $9 steak dinner that night!

Quote: smoothgrh

A small Fiji water bottle cost $8.67 + $1 tip.

Item # 13 on what is wrong with Las Vegas these days, and the list goes on and on and on.