Las Vegas: Details you may not have heard

We stayed at the Venetian for 7 nights in November 2005. We enjoyed our stay very much, but there could have been improvements. Here is all the information on the room.

The hotel is beautiful. All rooms are suites. The standard room is 650 square feet. The rooms all have a high-speed Internet connection at $9.95 per day. Each standard suite has two televisions and three two-line phones. The sunken sitting area has a pullout couch, two side chairs, a desk with a chair, a coffee table, an end table, and a game table with three chairs. The bed a touch too soft. The pillows are really lumpy. Parts of the room did look a little worn. The bathroom was beautiful, but the dressing table was very dinged up. The door jams were all beat too. The wallpaper near the toilet was dirty. The separate bath and shower was nice, and so was the hidden toilet. The marble vanity was nice as well. All the doors (bathroom, toilet room, and closet) have LOUD ball closure. This is especially bad if someone in your room is sleeping when you are up or your neighbors are up and you are not. A real hair dryer is provided, not attached to some funky wall unit. There is a wonderful magnifying makeup mirror on the dressing table.

All amenities are provided as well shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shower cap, and soap. The room also comes with two white terrycloth robes, they are a bit stiff, but very handy to have. Towels were a bit on the stiff side as well.

The beds have beautiful canopies and headboards. Unfortunately the headboards are not attached completely to the wall, and if you move much it hits the wall loudly. We had some loud neighbors that “moved around” in bed a lot, and we could hear everything. The walls are also not quite as thick as you would like with such a problem. We were woken up by this a few nights.

Having two TV’s was quite nice. Unfortunately the volume on the TVs were: LOUD, a little less LOUD, and too quiet to hear, they were not very adjustable at all. Every time you turned on the TV it was on a very LOUD setting, and you quickly had to turn it down as not to disturb the neighbors.

The storage for clothes was adequate, not enough hangers were given in the closet we had to call down to housekeeping for more. It is best to call down when you want your room serviced by housekeeping, or else it may not get done until 3:00 in the afternoon.

The service was impeccable. We had a 5:40 AM phone call from room service one morning that was a wrong number. We were given a $75.00 food voucher at the Grand Lux restaurant. We also complained about loud shouting neighbors at 3:00 in the morning, and it never happened again.

In this section I would like to tell you about the facilities available to you at the Venetian.

The hallways and entrances to your rooms are beautiful. Some of the floors have enormous fresh flower arrangements right off the elevator. Much to my husband's dismay the doors closed loudly. It kills him when you close your room door and it slams instead of lightly closing. He is a pretty light sleeper, and was woken by this.

There are over 20 restaurants to choose from at the hotel. One restaurant is on the 7th floor in a courtyard, on the casino floor, near the convention area and some are located within the grand canal shoppes. Your elevator will take you directly to the floor they are located on for easy access. There are upscale places and more food court-like places as well, which are great for breakfast or a light lunch.

The Grand Canal Shoppes are amazing: Jimmy Choo, Prada, Moraino Glass, Movado, and the list goes on and on. It literally took me three trips down to get through it all. The canal runs through the shop area, covered by a "Las Vegas Sky" painted on the ceiling.

My husband spoiled me and treated me to a couple treatments at the Canyon Ranch spa. I will never be the same again; they were just the best. There is also a great exercise facility for $35 per day, or $15 with a treatment. I believe they are the only spa on the strip to offer exercise classes as well. I did a couple, and the Cardio Boot Camp was the hardest workout I have ever done in my life. I really thought I was in shape before I took that class.

The pools are beautiful and very well maintained. There are several to choose from. Some close in October for the winter, but all year-round there is always a place to swim. They even have little Astro-Turf areas with flowers and lounge chairs.

The casino area is less smoky than older casinos, but in Vegas smoke is hard to avoid. The casino is actually pretty small compared to the rest of the hotel, which is kind of a nice change. It is also confined to one area. You will not find any random slot machines in the canal shoppes, or near the upscale restaurants.

With a view of the fountains and a beautifully appointed Tuscan restaurant, what's not to love? I'll tell you. First of all, we truly enjoyed our meal and service, and the view wasn't bad.

Waiters were a touch on the snobby side. They seemed aghast that I was not going to order a $15 salad that was the size of my fist. Our main dishes were the homemade crab tortoli and spinach ravioli at $27 each. Both were superb! It was the best-tasting meal we had in Vegas. The portions were small, about six tortoli and maybe nine small ravioli.

Make a reservation early and ask for a view of the fountains. You can see most of the show from the dining room. Some trees do block a touch of the view. The restaurant itself is beautiful--bright cheary and a feast for the eyes. The ceilings are draped with silk red and gold fabric. Goblets on the tables are bright colbalt blue.

This is the place to take your loved one to pamper them or a business person to get them on your side. Menu prices are about the highest you will find in Vegas. For the two of us with our small pasta dishes and Pellegrino, our check was over $75 with tip.

Rated #1 in 2005 by Las Vegas Mag. for buffets. I would have to agree that this was the best all around buffet we went to.

The amount of food is almost overwhelming. What I loved was the different ethnic choices: Mediterranean, Asian, fish, Mexican, and Italian. I'm probably missing some, the place was huge. Seating is adequate, usually a small wait. The quality of the food was very good. Most everything that I tried was very good. Unlike buffets with tons of choices, but nothing is really all that good. The prices were just a touch above average. We were there for lunch and it was $23.00 per person. We were certainly full, and had many, many things to choose from.

Our service on drinks was a little bit slow. The breads in the Italian section were wonderful. Desserts were very good, make your own crepes, ice cream and many other little yummies available as well. The enchiladas were really good, I was craving them, and they hit the spot.

We were in Vegas in November 2005, and stayed right across the street from the Mirage at the Venetian.

We ate here for lunch - prices were $17.95 per person. Lower than some buffets on the Strip for lunch. Cravings is the name of this buffet, and it is beautiful inside. Nice booths, the chairs unfortunately are overly hard.

The selection was pretty large, with ethnically based stations. Everything was ok, but nothing was really great. It was kind of like they put tons of effort into choices, and skimped on the actual food. The gelato was really good, and available lunch and dinners. All the other food was bland.

You really ended up not eating as much as you expect to in a buffet. You spend more time hunting for something that is really good, but keep finding "uhhh it's ok" kind of food. Another reason you have to hunt for the food is because it is soooo spaciously laid out. It does not allow you to remember where everything is, because it is such a long way to get to everything. If you want a good selection, and really well thought out recipes, go to Aladdin's Spice Market Buffet. Aladdin's is more expensive, more choices, and better food. I guess sometimes it pays to pay :).

We ate here during our stay at the Venetian in November 2005. It was rated the best breakfast in Vegas by a local publication, so we decided to give it a shot.

The bacon and sausage was very good. However, our breakfast was nothing out of the ordinary. But they did have options for French frites (French fries) for breakfast served in a silver cone. We did not opt for them.

The pastries are quite wonderful, and a chocolate croissant, so rich with Nutella, should not be missed.

The ambience of the restaurant is lovely. It is located in a courtyard on the tenth floor of the Venezia towers. The floors are tiled, and everything looks crisp and clean, like the linens.

Our service was, well, okay. Our waiter spoke very quietly, and with all the tile, and hard surfaces it was terribly loud in there. It was next to impossible to hear him. Our water glasses did run dry, and we had to ask for more. The atmosphere was lovely, the food was okay, and service was okay. At $40.00 for breakfast, I guess I was hoping for more.

We visited the Stratosphere in November of 2005 and discovered this wonderful little restaurant. What a find!

This restaurant is tucked in the back of the casino on the main floor. You could certainly walk right by Fellini's and not even know it was there. We could not get into the "Top of the World" restaurant and decided to eat here.

We were VERY pleasantly surprised by the menu, food, service, and atmosphere of this little gem. Prices were about the same as an Italian chain restaurant. We believed it to be a good value for the portion size.

It is a Disney-esque-decorated, Italian-themed restaurant (in a good way). There are lovely murals on the walls of different locations in Italy, a sky-painted ceiling, and courtyard-type feel to the place. The nonsmoking area is not visible from the main entrance and has all the murals. The smoking section is located in the main entrance, and it looks like an outdoor courtyard, indoors. The service was fantastic, attentive, and non-snooty, with waiters who seemed genuinely pleased you were there to eat.

Our food was wonderful. Huge portions, great flavor, and fine presentation made this our best Italian meal in Vegas. My husband is a big eater and went away with full belly and a smile on his face. The Stratosphere is worth visiting to see the view and this restaurant. It is about $11 per person just to go up in the tower, but I found it well worth it. The view from the Stratosphere is without a doubt the best in Vegas. Make sure to go at night. The Stratosphere is a hike from the rest of the new Strip. They have to do a little bit more to get people through the door, which is good for us tourists. Take the Deuce bus; it is the best transportation value in Vegas. It is more direct than the Trolley, and you see everything. $2 per trip, or $5 for the night, with as many stops as you want.

We visited Vegas in November 2005. My husband in past years has spent a lot of time on the old strip, or Fremont Street as it is now called. He loves this hotel. I have to admit that I was much more attracted to the flash of the new Strip, but the service here was the best we had in Vegas.

We ate lunch here for $7.99 per person; breakfast is $5.99 and dinner, I believe, was $10.99. Prices for the buffets are much cheaper on Fremont Street than the new Strip. They are smaller and have less selection, but if you want to get just as fat and happy, they work splendidly.

The servers that work here have been here forever and are very attentive. They seemed to know exactly what you were about to need before you needed it. I cannot say enough good things about our server. She was the best.

The food was good, a little blander than some of the more exotic cuisine in other buffets. The bread pudding is "World Famous" (or so the sign says). It did have wonderful flavor, and I ate a good deal of it. Soups were homemade, with great flavor. Some salads were made there, others were not. The macaroons were AMAZING! Not to be missed were the cheese blintzes, available lunch and breakfast. I literally ate five of them. The lunch buffet was great because some breakfast options were available then too, like bacon, eggs, sausage, pancakes, and other staples. If you go to Fremont Street, go to the Golden Nugget Buffet and enjoy. Make sure to see the largest golden nugget in the world while you are there, too.

We visited and stayed at the Venetian in November of 2005. We had a comped meal at the Grand Lux and enjoyed it very much. Our service was okay, but our server was a little distracted. I think she was ready to go home.

Our meals were so different, with tons of different styles of cuisine. I had a Thai dish and my husband has pasta. Both were delicious. They are owned by the same people as the Cheesecake Factory. The meals were blessed with huge portions; the dessert would have served a small country!

This restaurant is 24 hours and right inside the casino at the Venetian. We had dinner, but they have an extensive breakfast, lunch, and after-hours menu. Everyone in your family or group would be able to find something wonderful on this menu.

Prices are very reasonable. We had an appetizer, dinner, and one dessert for $55. Lines are sometimes out the door at prime times of the day. If you go at off times, you can walk right in. The half-round booths are very comfy, and you can cuddle with your loved one, so make sure to ask for one.

We visited Jean Philippe Patisserie at Bellagio during our November 2005 visit. What a neat takeout dessert place! There were a few tables scattered around if you wanted to eat there, but most everyone had their desserts and coffee to go.

This little spot has the largest chocolate fountain in the world, and it is not to be missed. It is made up of cut-glass islands with milk, dark, and white chocolate free-flowing over them all day long. It starts at the ceiling and hits about 15 cut-glass islands all the way down. The chocolate is then cycled through and sent down again. This item was worth the trip for that alone, but the desserts are wonderful!

My husband and I had crepes, sugared brioche, cafe mocha, and hot chocolate. All were wonderful! There was also gelato, and all kinds of decadent-looking pastries.

We took our yummies outside and enjoyed the fountains. Here is a huge tip: if it is chilly outside for the evening water shows, go and grab a hot drink here and have yourself a little picnic near the fountains - this free show is the best in Vegas! The service was quick, and proficient at the Patisserie. Our coffee and hot chocolate were up faster than Starbucks.

We visited the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace in November 2005. This restaurant was located two doors down from Spago. We looked at Spago's lunch menu, and nothing looked very appetizing. We decided that Bertolini's had more options for us.

We had a short wait, about 10 min. for a table at lunchtime on a Saturday. There is a large "outside" eating area. The smoking area is located next to the "fountain of the gods" in a courtyard in the forum of shops. It kind of looks like it is outside, even though you are still in the forum shops mall area.

Inside is the non smoking area. It was pretty loud, dishes clanging and hard surfaces. My husband loved his canneloni; my panini was ok.

The creme brulee was listed on the menu as an "award winning recipe" - whoever ranked this was on the money. This was the best creme brulee that I have ever had in my life! Trust me when I say I've eaten a lot of it. All in all, this restaurant was pretty good, but the CREME BRULEE is not to be missed.

We visited Isla at Treasure Island in November 2005. The restaurant is conveniently located near the side Siren's entrance, just off the casino.

Reservations were recommended, but we were able to walk in and get an earlier table than our reservation was for (we were hungry). The restaurant is quite lovely. The walls are tiled in a turquoise blue, with a blue neon light hidden above. Very nice artwork has been hung all around, and lively Spanish music was playing.

The menu had many choices that looked wonderful. All tables receive a two-tiered tray of salsas and chips. Both the salsa and chips were homemade and very tasty. My husband had a sampler of all their appetizers. This item was not on the menu; you have to ask for it. It was very good. The plate was about 20 inches across and 10 inches deep, filled with all kinds of appetizers. I had the crispy red snapper, which was very different. It was served over a chipotle coleslaw. It was good, but I don't know that I would try it again.

Presentation on both dishes and others I saw coming from the kitchen was wonderful. I also had a type of cupcake. They were two tiny little spice cakes filled with cream. The presentation was outstanding, but the portion size was itty-bitty.

Service was fine, but the restaurant was a bit slow when we were there, which made everything come that much quicker. The uniforms of the wait staff were different, very nice.

We enjoyed our meal, and would probably go back again when next in Vegas.

The admission price for the shark reef is pretty pricey, but we found it to be worth it. The aquarium area is set in a rain-forest-type environment, and it is done kind of realistically, if maybe a teeny bit cheesy.

Every exhibit has a voice recording that you hold to your ear to learn about the residents. The neatest area for kids is a touch pool. The kids and adults can touch horseshoe crabs, stingrays, and baby sharks. There was a very large jellyfish exhibit and a tunnel you could walk through. If you stopped at every exhibit and listened to all the information, it could take you several hours to get through. We went relatively quickly and spent about an hour and a half there. I would recommend going but finding a coupon in some of the local publications before going.

Every half-hour during the day and every 15 minutes at night the lake in front of Bellagio explodes with color, light, and water! We visited Vegas in November 2005, and this was my favorite thing we did. The first show I saw made me cry; it was so beautiful. The music was a mix between classical and Southwestern; it sounded like it was made just for that show. We stayed and watched about 10 different shows, and they were all wonderful. We never saw a repeat the whole time we watched the shows. The water is pushed up in the air to impossible heights and flows to the music. The shows last as long as the song and then start up again to the next song a few minutes later. The music was suited to all genres. There was Broadway, classical, contemporary, and even a country song or two. My best suggestion is to go at night; you truly get the full effect of the lights that time of day. If it is chilly, go in to the patisserie inside Bellagio and grab a hot chocolate. Find yourself a place down front and enjoy the show. If I could only do one thing in Vegas, it would be this.

We visited Las Vegas in November 2005. There were so many shopping opportunities, it became almost overwhelming.

There were just a few shops at Bellagio compared to other hotels. They were high-end and lovely but would not be my top choice if I could only pick one place to shop. I would head to the shops at Caesars, where there is a bigger selection of shops and it is laid out much nicer.

The shops at Bellagio consisted of only a few very high-end merchants. I had to go because Tiffany's & Co. was among the list. I was not that impressed with the size of the storefront for Tiffany's. I guess I was expecting Manhattan. The lane of shops is very visually appealing but small.

We visited the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace in November 2005. I was really impressed by how large the Forum was. More than 160 stores comprise the Forum shops at Caeser's. We did not even get through all of them. There was such a diverse selection that everyone would feel right at home. If you want to go shopping for the high-end auto, there is a retailer just for you. If Abercrombie & Fitch or Gap is your style, you are all set. How about some toys? FAO Schwarz has everything your little heart could ever dream of. Looking for some ice? Bvlgari or Opals & Gems of Australia are there, among so many others to cater to you. Now, every lady is looking for shoes, if she knows it or not. Everyone's shoe desires can easily be met at Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, or Footworks! Say you are getting a bit hungry and you are only the four-star kind of gal--how about SPAGO? If chicken and ribs are more your style, try the Cheesecake Factory or Planet Hollywood. How often in a mall do you get entertainment? At Caesar's Forum Shops, every hour with the Atlantis Show. Want faster entertainment? Take a gander at the fish tanks lining the center courts. The fountains are beautiful as well. All the large hotels have shops, but only Caesar's has the Forum. More shops, more food, more choices--it's my pick for the best shopping experience.

We visited in November 2005. With more than 130 shops set in a climate-controlled dessert, what girl wouldn't be in heaven? The facade around all the shops looks like you are truly in the desert, with a "Vegas Sky" painted on the ceiling. There are affordable and exorbitant shops intermingled along this mall. This is where I fell in love with Sephora, by far the neatest cosmetic store I've ever seen. The greatest thing is that you can test EVERYTHING! Anyone would feel welcome in there, too, unlike Yves Chantre, where I feel like I need to be wearing my Prada to enter.

This is a really neat place to spend an afternoon. It is not as busy as the Forum Shops at Caesar's. There is entertainment along your journey in the Passage as well. There are contortionists, jazz pianists, acrobatic body balancing, and even a live rainstorm with thunder lightning, pouring rain, and a cloud burst! There is plenty to fill your tummy after a hard day of shopping, too. There is everything, from gelato and paninis at Aromi d' Italia to a cheeseburger at the Oasisi. If you are in the mood for more, check out the Spice Market Buffet, my best pick for buffets in Vegas. I liked this passage of shops; however, if you can only hit one mall in Vegas, let it be the Forum at Caesar's. This mall is a bit more budget conscience for those who spent it all at the black jack table, though.

We visited this mall in November 2005. We could actually see it from our hotel room at the Venetian. The most eye-catching thing is the huge sign and funny dome structure in front.

To look at this place from the Strip, it seems pretty small, but it is huge. There are over 200 stores. Unlike the casino shops, this looks like a real mall. The casino shops are all glitz and glam; this is just a mall, a very big mall but a mall.

The fashion show mall is three stories, which is great to see what is going on below you. There are all kinds of shops that you probably would not have in your local mall, like Teavana (with more teas than you could ever drink in your life), A Pea In The Pod (maternity clothing for the chic mama), Omni Chemists (exotic drugstore fare), and Wentworth Gallery (a leading chain of fine art galleries in the United States), not to mention more high-end department stores than you can count.

Okay, so this is not my ordinary mall, but it may be to some people. If you need your mall fix, or just a little number for dinner that will be cheaper than Prada or Chanel, stop here.

They also have a pretty well rounded food court, that will be cheaper than most of the hotel food you` will find. We ate here a couple of times when our pocket book started to be a little thin.

We visited in November 2005. I loved staying in the Venetian because I could spread out the Canal Shops over a few days. If my husband got tired from walking, I could sneak down to the shops and do a little more walking/shopping in the comfort of my own hotel. Honestly that was one of my favorite parts to staying at the Venetian. Having such beautiful things right beneath my room was wonderful!

There are so many shops here. I thought I had gotten through them all, and realized there was an entire section I had missed. Stores like Jimmy Choo, Kenneth Cole, Burberry, Bernard K. Passman Gallery (with real live beefeater soldiers at the door) and Canyon Ranch even has a store here. One thing to know about the Canyon ranch stores is that they do not carry the same products that they user in the spa. I guess they want you to come back for treatments, instead of doing them at home.

This section of shops in the Venetian really was a feast for the senses. It is beautiful, with the "Vegas sky" light up inside, the gondolas passing by, street performers and brides and grooms everywhere. This is my favorite pick for atmosphere, but I liked the shops better at Caesars. Caesars had a much bigger selection of shops. Please don't get me wrong, you must must must visit the shops here before you leave Vegas, for the atmosphere alone.

What I loved about shopping here was once my feet got tired, you could rest and watch what ever was going on around you. Maybe a wedding gondola was coming down the canal, or a singer, insturmentalists, or even a human statue. It was the neatest shopping experience in all of Vegas in my opinion.

My tip to truly enjoy it: Grab a gellato, or shake from Haagen Daaz and stroll through forgetting you are even in Vegas. Let the atmosphere transport you all the way to Venice.

We visited Vegas in November 2005. Here is the top 10 list of free things to do in Vegas.

#10 The Parasols and escalator at Wynn Las Vegas
Just on the outside of the casino, there is the world's only curving escalator. Above that are the most beautiful parasols you have ever seen. They are moving and spinning just enough to keep your attention. This sight is truly art in motion.

#9 Treasure Island Siren's show.
It runs ever hour and a half from 5:30pm to 10:30pm. In this show, there is dancing, fireworks, cannon explosions and a sinking ship. What more can you ask for for free?

#8 Gameworks
This is a HUGE two story building right on the strip filled with arcades and table games. Admission is free.

#7 The Luxor light
On warm nights, this light attracts all kinds of bugs and bats to eat them. The neat part is that the bats almost glow when in the light. They look like sparkles in the air.

#6 Fremont Street
I actually enjoyed the free entertainment along the street better than the light show. A baby grand piano on a Semi truck with a very talented musician at the keys. A great saxophone player. A man who painted amazing pictures with spray paint cans. A woman who twirled around in a big hoop 30 feet off the ground.

#5 Bellagio's botanical garden and Dale Chihulli ceiling.
The garden is changed seasonally with creative interpretations of the weather. The ceiling is not to be missed, it is so beautiful.

#4 MGM's lions.
Most likely, this is the closest you will ever get to lions. There is a huge glass enclosed lion habitat right inside the casino at MGM. There is a glass walk way for humans, and sometimes the lions are lying right on top of it! They looked well cared for, and pretty happy.

#3 Walking along the streets of Venice (even if you can't afford a $60 gondola ride, or a pair of Jimmy Choo's).  The street entertainers are free, and so is the amazing man-made view.

#2 The light view
There are several walking bridges that go across Las Vegas Blvd. Stand there for a while and just look at the amazing lights that have been made. I noticed we got so caught up in trying to see all the places, that the lights faded to us. The show is certainly amazing and totally free. If you feel like getting the bigger picture you can go to the top of the Stratosphere for about $12 per person, it should not be missed.

#1 Bellagio Fountains
These will be in my memory for the rest of my life, they are breathtaking. The fountains shoot up and dance to the music. The shows run every 1/2 hour during the day and 15 minutes at night. My husband and I must have watched 10 different shows, and it never got old. Go to the patisserie and grab some hot chocolate for those cold nights. Find a nice spot in front and enjoy.

All of these activities are free but getting there may not be. The cheapest most direct transportation we found is the Deuce bus. $2 per trip, or $5 for 24 hours of stops.

We visited Las Vegas in November 2005. We stayed at the Venetian, and I had treatments done at the Canyon Racy Spa Club & the Spa at Treasure Island.

I am so spoiled now that no spa experience will ever be able to compare to Canyon Ranch.

I used their fitness facilities twice during my stay. The equipment is great, and their classes are the best. I thought I was in shape, but after I took the cardo boot camp class I thought I would die it was so hard! It's $35.00 per day to use the fitness facilities. This includes all the free weights, aerobic equipment, all classes, Jacuzzi, steam rooms & saunas broken up by gender. The $35 also includes fruit, all the bottled water you can drink, and fresh squeezed juices in the locker rooms. The days I went I made it into breakfast by going early having fruit & juice for breakfast.

The locker rooms have every amenity that you could need: lockers, hair dryers, shaving lotion, razors, hairspring, mouse, gel, bathing suite dryers, robes, sandals, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and the list goes on and on.

Okay, onto the good stuff: the treatments. I had a massage, scrub, hair cut, and color. What a wonderful husband I have to treat me to all that.

Number one: I started with the mango sugar glow scrub. Angela was my therapist, she was a professional's professional. This treatment was so amazing, my husband could not get over how soft my skin was. You body is sprayed with warm water. The sugar scrub is massaged into your skin, and rubbed off to exfoliate you. Then you take a dip in an amazing whirlpool tub to take off any extra scrub that may be left. After you are massaged with a moisturizing lotion. The therapists are also massage therapists so the lotion rub is mini massage.

Next, I had my Canyon Ranch Signature massage 50 minutes. It felt like 15 minutes. It went by so fast. Any massage you have had in the past will pale in comparison to this. Any areas that are troubling you will be taken care of. The therapists are so professional. I literally drooled it was so good (shhh don't tell anyone). After the massage I could walk I was so relaxed.

After I had my hair taken care of in the salon. They are true professionals. This is the best hair cut/color I have ever had in my life.

The atmosphere was relaxing and beautiful. Staff were friendly and wonderful. Service was amazing. This spa has been voted best in the world by several magazines. Now I know why. It is a must must must must!

We visited Las Vegas in November of 2005. My husband treated me to some spa treatments while we were in Las Vegas. I had a facial here, and some treatments at the Canyon Ranch Spa at the Venetian (see my review).

We were attending a conference in Vegas, so I had my treatment early in the morning before we started working. I worked out in their fitness facility before my treatment. The Fitness facility is small but pretty adequate. There were no lines for machines, and you could get a pretty well-rounded work out there.

I also visited the hot tub area and steam room in the female locker rooms before my facial. The hot tub was pretty small and sort of in the middle of some treatment rooms. I felt a touch exposed in there. The steam room was wonderful. It was very large and very clean. Both of these are included in the gym price for the day.

This spa is kind of small in comparison to others, but it still had the same amenities that others do. All of the following were provided with the price of gym access, or a treatment: Hot tub, lockers, showers, razors, shaving cream, hair spray, hair dryers, mouse, lotion, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, juice, robe and sandals. All the comforts of home were provided in the small locker rooms.

My Facial was ok. I chose to have it here because the price was about $30 less than at Canyon Ranch. It seemed like my therapist was trying to upsell the whole time. "If you would like any waxing it is best to do it before your facial". "Because it is such a dry climate here you may want the more expensive facial". She did not allow it to be very relaxing either, she talked a bit too much, and asked rather probing questions.

This was my first facial, and I guess I was thinking the results would be visable. I looked at my skin when we were done, and it didn't look much different. It felt a little softer, but that was about it. After my treatment I was happy, untill I had services at Canyon Ranch. There is truly no comparison.

If you are staying at Treasure Island, I'd pay the $15 for gym access a few times. It is a pretty typical hotel gym, no bells and whistles. If you really want a treat cross the street and go to the Canyon Ranch Spa for your treatments.

We visited Vegas in November 2005. I wanted to let you all in on the best way to get around in Vegas.

Taxis: From the airport we asked our taxi driver to get us to our hotel as quickly as possible. If you are looking for cheap, that was the wrong thing to say. Ask them to get you there the cheapest way possible, and your fair should be between $15-$20 depending on the location of your hotel location. All taxi fairs start out with a set fee of about $2-5.00 you fair climbs from there. We were surprised how difficult it was to get a taxi. At our hotel the wait was usually about 45 min. to up to 2 hours depending on the time of day. The only way I would use them is if you are going off the strip, or to the airport. I don't think we ever got ripped off by our drivers while we were there, but there are much cheaper ways to get around.

The Strip Trolley: We did like this mode of transport, the trolleys are restored wooden trolleys. Trips are $2 per trip, or $5 to ride for the day. If you purchase a $5 ride it will expire at the end of that day (I believe 2am), no matter when you purchased it. This is a pretty good bargain, but the stops are sometimes in the back of hotels, or really out of the way from where you want to be on the strip. The drivers are generally knowledgeable, and helpful. The wait is usually about 15 minutes. however we waited as long as 30 min., and a driver went right by us one time with out stopping at our stop. The trolley only travels on the new strip and there are about 10 stops.

The duce bus: This was our favorite mode of transport. The prices are the same as the trolley, but a $5 daily pass is for 24 hours (I believe the busses run 24 hours too). They are quick and stop all over the old and new strip. The busses are public transportation, so no alcohol, or smoking. They are clean, seats are comfy and quick. They only stop on the main street, so the transportation is very direct. The busses come every 5 minutes or so. It is a double decker bus, so that's kind of neat for kids especially. The busses are busy, usually very crowded at peak times. We found this to be the fastest, cheapest way to get around.

The Monorail: We had planned to use this exclusively, but never rode on it at all. The stops are really spread out, and very hard to find. The prices are much more expensive than either the trolley or the Duce. I guess the only way this would be worth it is if you are really close to a stop (which we weren't) and where it is going is right next to where you need to be.

Rental Cars: The parking is horrible in Vegas. The roads are so very busy, and drivers are horrible. I don't think you could pay me to have a rental car on the old or new strip. However if you are planning a side trip to the Dam or Canyon you can get cars cheap, and I think that would be the best way to do it. Tours can be expensive, and the roads are very well marked to the main tourist destinations.