Las Vegas - Treasure Island

Hi

Will be staying there end of the month. Any thoughts on ways to get upgrades. Also would like to play VPoker,so suggestions on casinos with better payoffs would be helpful.

Thanks
kelly786

People will tell you to slip the check in person a $20 and ask about "free upgrades" but in my experience, you can get the same "upgrade" with a smile, depending on when you check in.

Ask for a room on an odd floor. The even floor rooms have 1/3 of the window taken up with the fake railing. Most folks will ask for a view of the pirate battle, but you won't see much (or hear much) in your room. The best views (to me) are south facing the strip. Try to get a high odd numbered room, like 29093 or something like it for the best south facing views. You can also ask for a corner room, they will have windows on both walls.

The buffet there is awful, even for breakfast. We only ate there once (and learned from our mistakes). You can charge stuff from the Mirage/Bellagio/MGM to your room, and if you "rate" this stuff will be comped off. They only comp food and beverages, no tips, no retail purchases.

There is a walkway over the street to the Venetian. They have a decent cafeteria style food court with many breakfast options for $5.95. Much better option than breakfast at TI.

The best place to catch the pirate battle is to go to the "Battle Bar" at least 45 minutes (an hour is better) before the show and have a couple drinks outside on the patio and watch the show from there.

The pool area is kind of small for the size of the hotel, but if you are there midweek it shouldn't be a problem.

There are no shoe delt blackjack tables, all are CSM machines. Don't know much about VP.

Good luck...

Best VP at TI is 9/6 JB.

hockeystl

I take it you are paying for your room. Definitely be nice and ask if any upgrades are available. The rooms at TI are surprisingly nice.

What denomination of video poker do you play? For quarters, you can find full-pay Deuces Wild at Barbary Coast or The Palms. For dollars, the best game on the Strip is Pick 'Em Poker at Bally's and Paris. You can find lots of VP information on line. Try http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1955/20228/VP/F.html for starters.

And the best view of the pirate battle is actualy the secret VIP platform called the Dory Dock. You must be escorted by a casino host. The pirate battle closes in July, to be replaced by swimsuit models (I am not making this up) so make friends with a host and ask for a VIP view of the battle before it closes.

Good luck!

Thanks to all for responding so promptly with so much information. Special thanks to MIAFlyer for the detailed room info and to QuietLion (I am quite thrilled - being a big fan of yours--Hope to meet u someday but have read your posts, trip reports and heard about u from fellow FTer on Rome trip)
Thanks all
kelly786

I am surprised TI would have 9/6 jacks or better. Most everything at strip casinos is 8/5 or worse. Did not stop at TI this May but some locations that do have 9/6 jacks are:

Barbary Coast (.25 and $1, possibly even .05)
Stardust (.50 & $1)
Casino Royale (I think)
Palms had a great selection.

Make sure you check the entire paytable. I thought I had found a full pay machine at the Flamingo ($1 - just to the right of the main cage). After I played for about an hour I realize the royal payout was only $2500, not the normal $4000. It never did matter, but explains why I was the only one playing that bank of machines.

You might also consider playing at Bally's/Paris (they are for all practical purposes a single hotel). They have Pick 'Em Poker, a game with a very low house advantage, in .25 and .50 (Bally's) and $1 (both). They send out numerous room offers once you are established there, including their famous free million-dollar tournament.

QL

Wish I had known about the Dory Dock.....

Was last there in May, won't be back until Oct/Nov, so no more Pirate Battle. Oh well.