Hotel

This thread is to be used to discuss hotel accommodations at Four Queens.

Does anyone know whether the in-room safe at the 4 Queens is big enough for a laptop? I did look through the Wizard's excellent review, but it doesn't say.

It's not a dealbreaker. But I may be able to borrow one, and I'd only take it along if I can store it safely in the room.

depends on how big a laptop. was there last week, a small one would fit

A regular sized laptop would never fit. All the rooms don't
have safes and in the ones that do a lot are missing the
keys.

I don't remember, but I highly doubt it. Those in-room safes are always about the size of a large shoe box.

I will sell you computer theft insurance for 0.5% of the insured value of the computer per day. Perhaps another member will beat my offer.

Quote: Wizard

I don't remember, but I highly doubt it. Those in-room safes are always about the size of a large shoe box.

I will sell you computer theft insurance for 0.5% of the insured value of the computer per day. Perhaps another member will beat my offer.

That's funny. I was just looking at my renter's insurance policy and I realized how much I hate insurance. It's gambling that something bad will happen to you, and getting really bad odds at that.

Quote: bigfoot66

depends on how big a laptop. was there last week, a small one would fit

I'd call it standard.

At the Guanajuato Holiday Inn Express, the laptop fit in nicely. Usually I only have cash, a passport and a visa to worry about.

Quote: Wizard

I will sell you computer theft insurance for 0.5% of the insured value of the computer per day. Perhaps another member will beat my offer.

Taking a guesstimate of the original sale value, that comes to $7 per day. So it would be around $77 dolalrs to win $1,700. I wouldn't pay that if I ahd a safe to put it in. I'm not sure it's a good bet without a safe, either. What's the half life of a 3 year-old laptop left ungarded in a Downtown Vegas hotel room? Days' Weeks? Seconds?

Quote: EvenBob

A regular sized laptop would never fit. All the rooms don't
have safes and in the ones that do a lot are missing the
keys.

The ones I've seen are all electronic locks. They would fit an iPad (cos I left one in there) which is a 10 inch screen. A lap top, not so much.

Not that one of those safe's will protect from a determined thief, but it's good enough to keep a sneak thief out.

What the 4 Queens has, no idea.

Quote: Wizard

I will sell you computer theft insurance for 0.5% of the insured value of the computer per day. Perhaps another member will beat my offer.

This is awesome! Maybe we can get a little Lloyds-of-WoV thing going here. Wizard, I assume you've done the actuarial work on this?

Or for about $15 or $20, buy a computer lock. I've taken a laptop to Fitzgeralds on multiple occasions without incident. For that matter, I've taken my computer (with the lock in use at all times) to the Los Angeles Main Library history and genealogy room without incident. And that room has been shown to be one of the top 10 places in America to have a laptop stolen.

I emailed the 4 Queens today about it. The reply said their in-room safes can fit a laptop up to 17 inches big.

So I'll risk it and bring it along. Two weeks without internet access is just too much. Now to scour the board for the locations of free Wi-Fi...

Quote: Nareed

Now to scour the board for the locations of free Wi-Fi...

Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor - FREE WiFi HotSpot list

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor - FREE WiFi HotSpot list

Thanks!

Quote: Wizard

I will sell you computer theft insurance for 0.5% of the insured value of the computer per day. Perhaps another member will beat my offer.

After your iPad theft I'm kind of shocked you'd offer such generous terms. My math is always suspect, but you're basically saying you estimate you could leave a laptop unguarded in the hotel room for 200 days and it would probably not be stolen? I praise your faith in your fellow man!

Quote: AcesAndEights

That's funny. I was just looking at my renter's insurance policy and I realized how much I hate insurance. It's gambling that something bad will happen to you, and getting really bad odds at that.

Poor EV but no variance seems like a good deal compared to neutral EV and very high variance in a world populated by risk-averse individuals me to.

EDIT: In case anyone was curious about this...

Quote: Nareed

I emailed the 4 Queens today about it. The reply said their in-room safes can fit a laptop up to 17 inches big.

I know a lot more about laptops than math. If you're not a computer person just know most cheap laptops are 15" models (probably 75% of non-Apple laptops). Large "desktop replacements" are typically 17" and highly portable models and netbooks range generally from 11-13". Sizes outside that range are quite rare.

Quote: sunrise089

Quote: AcesAndEights

That's funny. I was just looking at my renter's insurance policy and I realized how much I hate insurance. It's gambling that something bad will happen to you, and getting really bad odds at that.

Poor EV but no variance seems like a good deal compared to neutral EV and very high variance in a world populated by risk-averse individuals me to.

I am not risk-averse at all, in fact I'm probably a little too non-risk-averse. A few weeks ago I cancelled my renter's insurance and reduced my car insurance to the state-mandated minimums.

Quote: AcesAndEights

Quote: sunrise089

Quote: AcesAndEights

That's funny. I was just looking at my renter's insurance policy and I realized how much I hate insurance. It's gambling that something bad will happen to you, and getting really bad odds at that.

Poor EV but no variance seems like a good deal compared to neutral EV and very high variance in a world populated by risk-averse individuals me to.

I am not risk-averse at all, in fact I'm probably a little too non-risk-averse. A few weeks ago I cancelled my renter's insurance and reduced my car insurance to the state-mandated minimums.

Fair enough. I should have stated more clearly that I was generalizing, and feel that while insurance in general makes sense it certainly may indeed be the right call for you to ditch it.

The majority of my close coworkers are PhD economists. They do not tend to like gambling :) They simply can't get past the idea of negative EV. When I get the chance to talk up entertainment value, possibly favorable comps, free drinks, etc, I can get them to come around on that margin. But in terms of "I'll probably loose at least $2, but I have a 10% chance of making $20..." they see no appeal.

I strongly suspect though that members of any gambling board are much less risk averse than the general public.

Quote: sunrise089

I know a lot more about laptops than math. If you're not a computer person just know most cheap laptops are 15" models (probably 75% of non-Apple laptops). Large "desktop replacements" are typically 17" and highly portable models and netbooks range generally from 11-13". Sizes outside that range are quite rare.

I'm not used to thinking in inches, so I thought I'd measure the thing before taking it. I do have a bilingual tape measure :)

Quote: Nareed

Quote: sunrise089

I know a lot more about laptops than math. If you're not a computer person just know most cheap laptops are 15" models (probably 75% of non-Apple laptops). Large "desktop replacements" are typically 17" and highly portable models and netbooks range generally from 11-13". Sizes outside that range are quite rare.

I'm not used to thinking in inches, so I thought I'd measure the thing before taking it. I do have a bilingual tape measure :)

That works. You may want to call to confirm just in case, but FYI when they say 17" they probably mean the diagonal screen size. That's how laptops are measured.

Quote: sunrise089

After your iPad theft I'm kind of shocked you'd offer such generous terms. My math is always suspect, but you're basically saying you estimate you could leave a laptop unguarded in the hotel room for 200 days and it would probably not be stolen? I praise your faith in your fellow man!

I would also take that insurance 'bet'. I have travelled with a laptop eversince I got my first one 15 years ago. I always leave them out in the hotel room and have never had a problem. Not that it really means anything but that is well over 200 nights.

Quote: AlanRRT

Or for about $15 or $20, buy a computer lock. I've taken a laptop to Fitzgeralds on multiple occasions without incident. For that matter, I've taken my computer (with the lock in use at all times) to the Los Angeles Main Library history and genealogy room without incident. And that room has been shown to be one of the top 10 places in America to have a laptop stolen.

I am piqued, or my curiosity is: how do these things work? I did some quick web searches, and I can see a steel cable that attaches to the laptop. Are you supposed to attach the other end to something else? I've a feeling I'm asking a really stupid question, but the info on the stores doesn't really say.

Quote: Nareed

I am piqued, or my curiosity is: how do these things work? I did some quick web searches, and I can see a steel cable that attaches to the laptop. Are you supposed to attach the other end to something else? I've a feeling I'm asking a really stupid question, but the info on the stores doesn't really say.

Most laptops have a slot on them w a "lock" emblem. The chain lock also called Kensington locks hook into there and you then loop the rest of the chain around an immovable object. The main problem I have with those locks is finding something secure enough to anchor it to.

Quote: Wavy70

Most laptops have a slot on them w a "lock" emblem. The chain lock also called Kensington locks hook into there and you then loop the rest of the chain around an immovable object. The main problem I have with those locks is finding something secure enough to anchor it to.

It seems I'm not as clueless, then.

Or maybe I am: In a hotel, what would be a good spot to tie the laptop to?

Quote: Nareed

Or maybe I am: In a hotel, what would be a good spot to tie the laptop to?

If you are talking about securing it when you leave the room (and aren't using it) maybe you could attach it to the base of the safe, depending on the design and mounting method.

Quote: Doc

If you are talking about securing it when you leave the room (and aren't using it) maybe you could attach it to the base of the safe, depending on the design and mounting method.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see then. Provisionally I'll see first if the laptop fits in the safe. If it doesn't, then I'll get a lock.

thanks to everyone for the replies.

Just a minor update on the 4 Queens based on my recent stay there.

My room in the South Tower had a safe plenty big enough for a laptop. The safe is located on the nightstand between the beds, just about on the floor. It has a conventional electronic lock.

There was a coffee maker, too, with decent enough coffee. Also housekeeping is liberal with the coffee supplies. They left me three or four coffee packets, each good for 4 cups, and lots of little baggies with sugar, cream, Sweet & Low, napkin and stirrer. This was really nice, as I could get my morning and afternoon coffee every day.

Speaking of housekeeping, they are good, fast and thorough. This may have had something to do with a daily tip I left, or it may not have. On two occasions I returned to the room about 2 hours after leaving it a mess, and both times it was all in pristine condition. They even laid a towel in the bathroom counter under my makeup kit, folded or hung clothes I left lying around (I did that only once), and left a lot of shampoo and body lotion bottles every time.

The casino remains cramped and feels crowded, but it has some things going for it. There is a bank of 9/6 JoB machines at $0.25, with signs on top saying "Play 6/9 Poker Here" (or words to that effect, the "6/9" stuck with me). But there's also a multi-denomination bank of 9/6 machines just by the Keno lounge (funny they have a good bet and a bad bet so close together). More interesting still, both banks of machines have a working double-up feature. And there's a bank of $1 10/7 Double Bonus machines with a progressive Royal (the progressive never went much above $4,100, though, and few people played it). The craps crews were uniformly friendly and attentive, and they never once skipped thanking any player for tips or dealer bets.

I ate at Magnolia's several times. The menu is varied enough not to be repetitive, and everything I had was very good. The portions are huge. You can order the same pizzas they have at the Chicago Brewing Co., which is physically connected to Magnolia's, though the glass door between them is always closed, and the same micro-brews as well. Service was fast most times, even when they were packed. I never waited more than three minutes for a table, either. I highly recommend the Lemon chicken and the Teriyaki chicken.

Parking validation is self-serve, right at one end of the cage. So that's one free parking option for those of you going Downtown.

On the other hand, my room faced Fremont St., which means it was noisy. The rooms are reasonably soundproof, but not absolutely so. I found it impossible to sleep before midnight. The Viva Vision shows are loudest, of course, and end at around 0:15 or so. But there's also a band stand right next to the 4 Queens main entrance, which adds to the noise the rest of the time. So be warned.

The bathroom is too small and very cramped. The mirror fogs up when you use the shower and takes a while to clear up. On the plus side there's a friction mat on the shower-tub combo, which makes for secure footing in the shower.

Finally, the room had no vanity. That's really bad. The bathroom is well lighted and has a mirror, but you can't get a chair in there. So I had to do my makeup standing up. There's no two-way magnifying mirror in the bathroom either. All this would still not have been a problem had I packed my two-way lighted mirror, but in the frenzy of packing before the trip I just forgot about it <sigh> Fortunately I did remember to bring a non-lighted mirror. I've enough trouble putting on eye-liner as it is. Really, the room ought to have a vanity.

I would stay there again, as the room and hotel are good enough and the price is reasonable (not to mention they allow booking stays longer than 7 nights). Only next time I'd insist on a room facing away from Fremont St.

Stayed here for the first time recently on an out-of-the-blue two night room comp. Very impressed. I was upgraded to a corner room which was more of a mini-suite. It had a large leather couch (sweet), big TV, two sitting chairs with a square coffee table, and a wet bar. The bathroom was huge with two sinks. This was in the south tower, overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard. My favorite thing was the real coffeemaker with an actual brewing basket and a pot -- not those wimpy single-serve pod things. (Those are never enough). Oh yeah, ceramic mugs too.

Can't say I am as enamored with the casino which is one of my least favorite places to play. Too much smoke, too crowded, and the decor makes me nauseous. But dang if they don't have some of the best VP around.

Quote: teddys

Oh yeah, ceramic mugs too.

I think that's the suite. I got Styrofoam cups.

Quote:

But dang if they don't have some of the best VP around.

Did you play the $1 10/7 DB progressive?

Quote: Nareed

Did you play the $1 10/7 DB progressive?

I don't have the bankroll. Quarters for me... (but same game).

Quote: teddys

I don't have the bankroll. Quarters for me... (but same game).

Likewise.

But I wound up playing $0.50 10/7 at the Cal.

Get a couple plastic shopping bags, put the computer inside, then hang the bags on one of the clothing hooks and then hang an item of clothing over that and hang it in the closet.

Need Suggestion regarding hotel design for renovation as wanna make some classic and and ethnic style for it.

For my current stay I asked for, and received, a room facing away from Fremont St. It works. Even with the window open (well, it's more like a large vent, really) I can't hear a thing from the noise outside. For good measure I got a room on the 16th floor. I also ahve a great view of the Strat tower, the Fountainbleau (I think), and a jumble of Strip skyscrapers. I can also see the mountains surrounding the city (faraway mountains are a good way to gauge smog: if you can't see them at all, then the air is really filthy).

Quote: Rewardhotel

Need Suggestion regarding hotel design for renovation as wanna make some classic and and ethnic style for it.

Details would help. Where is the hotel? Are any neighboring properties ethnically themed? What's the target room rate?

Edit: are you actually renovating the hotel at the 4 Queens?

Quote: Nareed

I also have a great view of the Strat tower, the Fountainbleau (I think), and a jumble of Strip skyscrapers.

I respectfully disagree. There are no good views of Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

I don't have much to update beyond my last post. Though I did note something interesting:

When I was checking out, another person was checking in. When asked about a car, he was given a card to put in his car in order to use the parking garage. But then the woman at the front desk said "Validation is $3 per day. It can be added to your room charges."

I think this is the first time ever I've heard of a hotel charging a parking fee. I mean explicitly, at any rate.

I know you can validate your parking ticket at the cage. The machine that does it is at an open, unmanned window, unguarded and I've seen any number of people just help themselve to it. I don't know whether this way you're not charged for parking.

Other than that, both the hotel and the room changed little from my last visit. I'll very likely stay there again next year, barring a huge change in my fortunes ;)

When I checked-in there a few weeks back, the front desk gave me two pieces of paper to show the parking garage guard when leaving. One was a white ticket and the other said "guest parking". Upon leaving a few days later, I realized I lost the white ticket (of course) and the guard wouldn't let me leave. He was suspecting that I had stolen the vehicle and called security to verify that the vehicle was mine. I had to show my license and registration while they filled out a report.

The Plaza charges $5 to use the parking garage (occasionally the guard will see luggage in the car, ask if you're staying in the hotel and just wave you in without paying) refunded at check-in.

Quote: Nareed

When I was checking out, another person was checking in. When asked about a car, he was given a card to put in his car in order to use the parking garage. But then the woman at the front desk said "Validation is $3 per day. It can be added to your room charges."

When you use valet parking at 4 Queens, they
give you a hotel guest paper to put on your
dashboard and there is no charge for parking.
I know, I did it a month ago.

Quote: RogerKint

Upon leaving a few days later, I realized I lost the white ticket (of course) and the guard wouldn't let me leave. He was suspecting that I had stolen the vehicle and called security to verify that the vehicle was mine. I had to show my license and registration while they filled out a report.

That's common with lost parking lot or garage tickets, at least in mexico. It's happened to me twice. Here they also charge a full day's fare if you lose your ticket. The real fun starts when your car is registered to the company or your mother and not to you.

Thinking about it, I find it remarkable with so many pieces of paper, tickets and documents I carry while travelling, that I've yet to lose an important one. Passport, plane tickets, visa (though that's integrated with the passport now), credit cards, room key cards, player cards (ok, I lost one once), cash, travel checks, etc.

I've never locked myself out of the room, either. It helps to be paranoid. Or extra careful or whatever. Always the last thing I do before I close the door is to see I've got the key with me. It's a bit of overkill, as I always carry a spare key in my purse. But it also makes for a good habit when I don't carry my purse with me, as when I go out for ice for example.

So based partly on this thread, partly on the Wiz' review, and partly on price, I booked the Thu & Fri following G2E at 4 Queens.

The confirmation email is scaringly vague. It has the confirmation number, my name, dates and number of adults, but it never specified the rates or fine print. Hell, if not for the return email address, it wouldn't even mention the hotel name!

Should I be concerned?



To protect myself a bit, I went thru the process again, this time taking screen shots that show the rate.

I think it was also the 4 Queens where I had a pretty high room (teens, I want to say) where the windows opened all the way and didn't have any protective guard. The fun part was that there were obvious chiseling marks on the wall below the window where people were prying rocks out of it.