Viva Las Vegas

Welcome to a taster of pure capitalism, where everybody is trying to cash in on some gimmick or another. Las Vegas is all about reinventing itself: it moves and changes with the times, and the casino/hotels try to outdo each other to be the new, glitzy hotel to attract hordes of tourists and high-rollers to their tables. The newest casino hotel is Wynns, which now owns roughly around six hotels now. He spent over 1 billion dollars more than the Bellagio on his hotel and promises that anywhere from inside his casino you will be able to see natural light. He also promises plasma screen TVs, even in the bathroom.

Off course, the essential highlight in Vegas is the Strip. The Venetian; Luxor; New York New York; the Bellagio, which is featured in Oceans 11; and Ceaser’s are all musts. Even if you don't gamble, it truly is an amazing or bizarre experience.

Las Vegas is al great for shopping. There are many outlet stores and malls where you can get goods at bargain prices. Shows, of course, are also a well-known highlight, though these are really expensive. At the moment, you can still catch Celine Dion; Coldplay at the Hard Rock; and Elton John, who plays on July 26 to July 31 at the Bellagio.

Another must is to go on the roller coaster at New York New York. It’s loads of fun, you get great views (depending if you can manage not to close your eyes), and it’s only . If you want to go on again, it’s only .

If you want to do something cultural, you can visit the Guggenheim Hermitage museum in the Venetian. At the moment, they are holding an Egyptian exhibition. Adults cost .50, children are .50, and those under 6 are free. This price includes an audio tour. Failing that, you can visit an exact replication of Tutankhamen’s Tomb at the Luxor hotel. The audio tour lasts 25 minutes and costs , or it’s free if when staying at the hotel. The tour is not amazing (it would take you less than 1 minute to walk from entrance to exit when inside. It’s just the audio tour that takes up the time, but it’s still worth a look.

Quick Tips:

With regards to buffets, those at the Bellagio, Paris, New York New York, and Aladdin have been well reported in guidebooks and local magazines. As a result, the queues for dinner at these hotel buffets are ridiculously long from start to finish. Although not as up-market as its neighbours, the buffet at the Excalibur is great value for the money, with a great meat section, and drinks are included. The two times we ate here, the queues were always manageable - no more than 5 minutes on both nights!

Oh, and when you’re walking along the Strip, watch out for the guys who shove escort cards in your faces. There's at least one person every 10m along the Strip, women included.

Best Way To Get Around:

A car is the best way; otherwise, you might find yourselves never getting off the Strip.

Luxor is situated on the southern end of the strip in between mandalay and Excalibur. All three are part of the same group so its very easy to walk to either as they have connecting walkways. They even have a train you can take if you can't be bothered to walk.

Luxor comprises of a huge pyramid modelled on the pyramids at Giza, you can either choose to stay here or their new modern tower which we stayed in and can accommodate 2,000 people. The Pyramid has better views, but the tower also has a bath and shower, while the pyramid only has showers. All rooms had Egyptian decor, which was quite fun they really have made an effort. The pool area is fabulous, they have 3 huge pools, but considering Luxor can accommodate 4,000 people it would have too.

Luxor also of course has some very pricey restaurants, too expensive for us as mains started at around the $40 mark. They also have a huge buffet which was very reasonable--only $12 for breakfast. Expect all the usual foods, with the bonus of made-to-order omlettes. Luxor also has a marriage chapel, cafes, and bars--a good one is La Salsa Cantina where for $18 all in you can buy Margarittas by the yard and keep the glass!

They also have an exact replica of Tutankhamun's tomb which is free to see if you stay here, otherwise its $5 which includes a 25 minute audio tour. We paid $89 + tax for our room and got a 10% discount because we booked on their official site, which guarantees to be the cheapest (it was--we checked). We would gladly go back again if we had the money; parking is also free, though of course, valet is available. Just beware, though--prices double on Friday and Saturday, so try to go between Sunday and Thursday if you want a good deal. Oh, and if you want to try your luck at the tables, as it is one of the more upmarket hotels/casinos on the Strip, just about all of the casino tables are a $10 minumum. But not to worry just walk next door to the Excalibur hotel where a lot of the tables are only a $5 minumum.

Check in is at 3pm, and they don't look too kindly on people who show up beforehand, so try not to come too early!

Although not as upmarket as its neighbouring casinos, Luxor and New York/New York, Excalibur is unquestionably the best-value hotel on the Strip. Room rates from Sunday to Thursday are $45, which represent phenomenal value for money. We paid $49, including tax, on their own official website. The standard rooms are above average, with most offering great views of the Strip. With regards to standard rooms, they only come with shower--no bath.

Excalibur can accommodate over 4,000 people. It's also in a great location, only a walkway from New York/New York and the MGM Grand. Also, if you book online, upon arrival you will receive excellent money-off vouchers, including a marvelous 2-for-1 offer on their buffet lunch--the standard price of $10.99 already represented great value for money. The dinner buffet is only a few dollars more, the food was great--they have an excellent carvery section of turkey, prime rib, and ham, a Mexican and a Chinese corner, and a lot more.

Circus Circus has always been toted as the place to stay with children. However, Excalibur is a much more pleasant hotel with just as many distractions and shows for the family. Another advantage of Excalibur is the size of its casino floor, and unlike its neighbouring hotels, it has $5 tables available for all the classic casino games.

The hotel also has excellent spa and gym facilities and a perfectly adequate pool area. A good tip, though, is although the official check-in is at 3pm, the reception rarely turns early-comers away (we checked in at 12) and even has a red door sign to alert the cleaning staff you have arrived early and your room needs preparing, which is a facility that Luxor lacked.

Unbeatable value!

You would think that a burger bar in The Mandalay would be outrageously expensive, but surprisingly, this was great value. The atmosphere is cosy, and the TVs showing sport coupled with the booths give it a diner feel.

Service was friendly to start with, but once seated, they seemed to forget about us and not really care or bother. The food, however, certainly makes up for this, as the menu was great. You choose what type of beef you want, be it Black Angus ($9) or prime sirloin ($8), or even kobo. You then choose which type of bun you would prefer, such as onion, plain, or sesame. Finally, you have a huge list of toppings, all around the $1 mark. You could have bacon, peppered bacon, spinach, pineapple, peppers, caramilised onions… There were at least five different types of cheeses, ranging from cheddar and jack to mozzarella and blue cheese. Word of warning: the coleslaw, which you can also order as a topping, was absolutely disgusting. It looked and tasted as if it had been sitting in the fridge for a year. Stay away from that one.

French fries are extra and cost around $3, but the burgers are so filling, you really didn't need to order any. They also do salads. We shared a Caesar, which was really good.

For those that are too indecisive to choose, they also have burgers you can order off the menu, including a low-carb one, all for around $12. For those with a ton of money, they have a deluxe burger with kobo beef, black truffles, and a whole lot of other fancy stuff for a whopping $65! They also have a good list of interesting cocktails and bottled beers. It’s a shame about the service, but they have really good food.

Sip fine French wine and savor crepes, quiches, steak frites and salad Nicoise, pommes dauphinoise, bouillabaisse, or fruits de mer on a street-level patio while viewing the sights against a beautiful lake backdrop. No! This is not the bank of the Seine River in France, but rather Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Resort, Las Vegas, on the fabulous Strip.

When we went, it wasn't too busy, so no reservations were needed. We decided to sit outside and dine on the popular terrace, an exceptional outdoor "sidewalk" dining experience with unobstructed views of "Strip" action and dancing waters of Lake Bellagio.

Their heaters were not working, so it was quite chilly, but the food was so exceptional and not expensive, and the service was so friendly (very surprising for a French restaurant) that it made up for it.

The cuisine is simple yet outstanding French comfort food featuring favorites as Bouillabaisse; steak frites, prepared in various ways; and pomme frites, crispy, wide strands of fried potatoes. Classics as onglet (flavorful hangar steak) and house specialties as crepes and quiches are also served in authentic versions. Plats saisonniers (seasonal specialties) include paillard (grilled) chicken breast, roast duck, and navarin (stew) of lamb. Exceptional plats du jour (daily specials) are also available. All meals are served with warm whole loaves of crusty French baguettes presented in paper bags, whipped butter, and special accompaniments, such as slightly sweetened julienne of carrots. And don’t miss the outstanding dessert crepes.

This was one of the most reasonably priced restaurants offering excellent food on the Strip. For starters, we both had the house salade, which comprised of bacon, cheese, frise salade, and a great dressing ($8). For the main course, we both had the house steak with fries and herb butter ($21). The food was so tasty and the portions huge. We were too full for dessert, but they looked great.

I really recommend this place. It really was an outstanding dining experience.

If you're into great steaks and ice-cold martinis, have I got a place for you! The Steak House has been a top-rated place for years. I just never wanted to believe it since it is housed in the horrifying Circus Circus. I'm a believer now! Once inside, you are in a dark, quiet, calm world. We had reservations, which are an absolute necessity, since this is a small, popular room. We showed up on time and were seated within 2 minutes. We had a booth that was classic tuck-and-roll leather. It was comfortable and classy all the way. The whole room is like that.

The grill area is a prominent feature of the room. The chefs working in there are truly masters, and I think it's fitting that their performance art is always on display. Grilled items are cooked over live charcoal, not the briquettes you buy at the store. It’s the real deal.

Both my boyfriend and I had the surf and turf. The filet mignon was 7 ounces, and the lobster tail was a good size. You get a salad and get to pick from fresh vegetables or garlic mashed potatoes. I chose the mashed potatoes, and my boyfriend chose the fresh steamed vegetables. You also are served fresh rolls. I must say that the steak was probably the second to best steak I've had, and the lobster was the best lobster I ever had. The dinner was reasonably priced. (Steaks entrées are in the $30 range and include a potato and salad.)

It was also great to see the chef manage like 30 steaks on the grill without breaking a sweat. The atmosphere in the restaurant is old-world charm, very dark and quiet. Call in advance and make reservations. We were there on a Wednesday night around 6pm, and because we had reservations, were seated at once. I heard other guests without reservations being told the wait was about 2 hours. While dinning, you honestly don't realize you're about 100 feet away from utter chaos (the casino in Circus Circus). You must go to this restaurant and give yourself a treat. After dinner, run like heck outta of there.