Mandalay Bay, the most northerly point of the Strip, is a classy hotel, but other than that, I have no real lasting memory of the place. I do remember that it had a notice pointing to a "sand and surf" beach, but I’m not convinced that it’s open in February. There’s a free monorail link to Luxor, and this hotel has the "wow factor". To start, it is a gigantic pyramid that at night has the world’s most powerful beam of light, reaching up to the stars, and guarding the front entrance, a huge sphinx and a massive obelisk are suitably inscribed in "ancient" hieroglyphics. Inside the front door, Egyptian-type statues of guards and lions stand proudly, watching over the highly polished floors and richly carved walls. They really shouldn’t get away with such an obvious replica, but it actually seems quite tasteful (now, there’s a contradiction). Speaking of tasteful, try the self-service basement restaurant. The food is absolutely terrific, you can eat as much as you want, and it’s all fresh. Waiters and cooks are constantly replenishing the stock, and the value for money will be hard to beat. Pop in to the King Tut’s Museum, which houses replicas of the artifacts discovered by Howard Carter in the 1920s.

A short monorail ride will take you to the fairy-tale castle that is Excalibur. Now, as classy as Luxor is, the Excalibur is not. It is sheer fantasy, with no attempt to create any real images. Everything seems extreme and artificial, but somehow that holds its attraction. Our main problem with Excalibur is that we had great difficulty finding our way out—there were no visible exit signs. Perhaps that’s the trick of the casino owners—get the punters in, but don’t make it easy for them to get out!

New York, New York was next in line. It has a stunning façade replicating the Manhattan skyline at one-third of life size. The Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty are there, with a roller coaster linking them together. It’s interesting to see in the daytime, but at night it’s absolutely cracking. Inside the casino, there are more treats, and surrounding the gaming tables and slot machines are superbly decked-out shops set into New York scenes. The sounds of the casino are complimented by strains of jazz music, the chatter of people enjoying a coffee, and the sight of steam puffing out of the false sewer covers. Large screens project horse racing from across the world, and there’s a real sense of excitement from the race watchers. All in all, there is a truly authentic feel to this "no expense spared" tourist attraction.

Excalibur was next, the one I looked forward to the most. I love medieval things and thought this would be amazing, but, unfortunately, I was kind of disappointed. The decor was very nice, but the whole place seemed a little too fantasy-style to me; I just wish it was a bit less on the children's level. Apparently Vegas is trying to become more family friendly, but I don't think the guys (and a few gals) outside on every corner and in front of every door slapping their "Direct to you Stripper" cards make this a good place to bring the kiddies. Back to Excalibur, I am excited to the see the Tournament of Kings show. I have heard good things, and for dinner and a show, I don't think there's better, especially for your wallet. It is around $45 per person.