Las Vegas - Imperial Palace...Neither??

Recent Opinions wanted Please...

Here is my scenario: Mom staying at Harrah's, with sis...I just got "invited" to "help" my sister getting our Mom around Vegas :rolleyes: . Anyway, I have been to LAS enough times to last my lifetime...many other places I would love to visit/revisit, so do not need to stay at the Venetian or Bellagio. However, will take Mom to visit :) .

I found a deal at the IP....6th Aug to 10th Aug, in one of their newly renovated "Deluxe" rooms, ie, not the cheapo rooms (see Emerald Tower of MGM Grand-Yikes!), but one category up. Will mostly be out of hotel anyway, but still like: 1. clean rooms & sheets, 2. not having to fear leaving basic belongings in the hotel room, and 3. a fun bar to hang in. Will I find any of these at the IP?? Should I continue my search....I have found the problem to be the 1st 2 nights, Fri & Sat to make the hotel portion most expensive. Already looked at: Caesar's, Harrah's (of course), Flamingo and Bally's - none come close to my $350 total at the IP. The above are all about $200 more.

I already know to be underwhelmed by the pool and buffet at the IP, but you can't expect miracles for $350. So any recent reviews/opinions/suggestions?

Thanks in advance...NJRob

We were upgraded to a Deluxe room during our stay at the IP this past May. It was a large room on the 17th floor with two queen beds, and it also had a small balcony (our room had a view of Harrah's pool* and a somewhat obstructed view of the Strip). We only stayed in the room (and hotel) long enough for sleeping, showering, and napping, and it served its purpose very well.

* - We never visited IP's pool, but Harrah's looked really nice. Since your mom and sis are staying there, I'd try to go to that one.

My only gripes with the room is that the A/C unit is pretty loud and there is no in-room safe.

But to answer your questions:

1. Yes
2. Yes, albeit there is no in-room safe (I hid our valuables under clothes in a drawer)
3. I wouldn't know, but Tequila Joe's (or whatever that bar is called) located next to the Strip sidewalk seemed to be hopping. However, the overall atmosphere of IP is very cheesy (Dealtainers, anyone?).

For the price and location, IP is a fantastic value for those looking to stay on the Strip inexpensively. However, I would look elsewhere to find food (for proximity, Harrah's buffet was a decent value).

The Flamingo has rooms for $140 on Fri and Sat and $75 the other nights. Flamingo has a great pool area and is a great central location.

Flamingo has a great pool area and is a great central location.

...and penguins! :D

...and penguins! :D

...that smell kinda funky, even in January :rolleyes:

Well, down to the wire. I have 2 reservations...the Imperial Palace "Deluxe" room @ $371 for the 4 nights next week or the standard room at the Flamingo for $469. Thanks to prncess, btw...

Both have some horrible reviews, with the IP ones being much more gruesome (yikes). The pool and safes in rooms at the Flamingo are quite tempting. But Mom IS staying at Harrah's...hmmm

So which room should I keep?

Well, down to the wire. I have 2 reservations...the Imperial Palace "Deluxe" room @ $371 for the 4 nights next week or the standard room at the Flamingo for $469. Thanks to prncess, btw...

Both have some horrible reviews, with the IP ones being much more gruesome (yikes). The pool and safes in rooms at the Flamingo are quite tempting. But Mom IS staying at Harrah's...hmmm

So which room should I keep?

If you can afford the extra $100, you'll probably be happier at the Flamingo. I used to stay there a lot (though my last visit was probably 2-3 years ago.) Rooms are fine, and the casino, common areas, restaurants, amenities, etc. are several cuts above IP.

We stayed at the IP ONCE because of a good package deal. Never again. At 5pm one night the maid was just getting around to cleaning the room. To me the IP is dark and dingy. Overall the customer service was very,very poor. Go with the Flamingo, it's not that far away.

You really don't want to stay at the IP. If you can afford the difference go with the Flamingo. You will be much happier.

The Flamingo, of course!

Great deal at the IP, but you DO get what you pay for, so it is very worth the extra $100....Hard to pass up:

1. Airport Check-In for all Caesars Hotels
2. The gorgeous pool areas
3. In Room safes.
4. Most Important, the great advice of my fellow FT's.

Once again, many thanks to all. NJRob

These are two of the worst hotels in town, both in excellent locations. The Flamingo has a better pool.

QL

Hi QuietLion,

I know they are far from any type of glamour :p , but looking for a decent place to stay near Harrah's since the cheapest room in that place for the 4 nights would be $645 + tax, so the difference is a nice chunk of my spending $$. I've been to Vegas many times and had the pleasure of staying at the "bests", so just looking for acceptable room and of course that location.

It is the choice of the lesser of two "evils" if you will. Thanks again all.

NJRob -- Don't sweat it! Although I've been posting only a short time, it's clear that QuietLion both knows about and enjoys some of the finer places to stay and eat. But, seriously, you will enjoy the Flamingo.

I started going to Las Vegas in the early 80s and for the first several years I stayed almost exclusively at the Flamingo. (You know, the hotel that Buggsy built!) As the newer hotels started going up in the early 90s, and as my income and tastes went up as well, I started drifting to other properties. The Flamingo has undergone some massive reconstruction in the last decade to modernize and open-up their casino and common areas. As far as I know, the rooms are about the same. On my last visit a few years ago, I remember that my biggest complaint was the long and disorganized check-in lines -- despite the fact that I supposedly was in a premier line!

Is the Flamingo Hilton one of the worst? Hardly. On the strip, I would put it on a par with something like Bally's and perhaps Excalibur. But it's definitely better IMO than the IP, the Riviera, Saraha, Frontier, Circus Circus, Stratosphere, Boardwalk, and Tropicana. I also would put it above Harrah's, where the ceilings are so close you get claustiphobic.

Don't worry about your choice, and just have a great time!

At the Flamingo,wait to check in @ the hotel, slip the check in person a 20 and ask if you can be put on the executive floors... much cleaner/newer than the other rooms. I have tried this 3 times has worked all 3.

At the Flamingo,wait to check in @ the hotel, slip the check in person a 20 and ask if you can be put on the executive floors... much cleaner/newer than the other rooms. I have tried this 3 times has worked all 3.
Thanks for the tip...will I be able to do this at the airport? I arrive in the mid afternoon from EWR and would love to check in at LAS instead of the hotel directly. I will be sure to have Andy Jackson out along with my Bally's MVP Card (I know they give em out like candy, but it is something to show Caesars loyalty) and my Hilton HHonors Diamond VIP card (I know it no longer gets me anything, but thinking of playing the naive LAS visitor and smile a lot :) ). Thanks...

I am not sure, I would assume it would work at the airport as well I just have never done it. As for all of the cards you are bringing with you they might help, again not too sure. However, the first time I did this was my first time in vegas, didnt have a connections card and I have no hotel status. I gave the little old lady a 20 with my ID she smiled and said I am sure we can work something out. I did feel funny greasing a 80 yr old lady, but hey its vegas it all works.

Thanks for the tip...will I be able to do this at the airport? I arrive in the mid afternoon from EWR and would love to check in at LAS instead of the hotel directly. I will be sure to have Andy Jackson out along with my Bally's MVP Card (I know they give em out like candy, but it is something to show Caesars loyalty) and my Hilton HHonors Diamond VIP card (I know it no longer gets me anything, but thinking of playing the naive LAS visitor and smile a lot :) ). Thanks...

Yeah, you will most certainly get the VIP treatment doing this. They dont get many visitors to Las Vegas anymore, especially with (incoming) smiles, MVP and VIP cards. Good luck.

MisterNice

...I did feel funny greasing a 80 yr old lady, but hey its vegas it all works.

:p What happened after you finished "greasing" the old lady? :eek:

Hello All,

Just a thanks again for the sage advice on LV. I got back Tuesday late night (upgraded on CO on the way out ^ ). Anyway, GLAD I chose to stay at the Flamingo and not the Imperial Palace. What a sad, tired hotel. It looks so out of place near the newer resorts. Very little street strip frontage (it reminds me of a very downmarket Jersey Shore boardwalk arcade), very aggressive employees out front to lure you inside...not a good sign. I did venture up into the bar, Tequila Joe's, eh...much better to go to Margaritaville at the Flamingo or the live entertainment center at Harrah's.

I can't imagine any rooms at the IP that don't hear music from Harrah's till the wee hours...beware if you are a light sleeper!

On the subject of getting a better room at the Flamingo....presented my HH Diamond Card + Bally's MVP Card and $20 slipped in between. It got me a slightly larger room on 19 where two towers meet near the elevators (but could not hear them). The plus was a killer view! Could see all of Bellagio, the dancing waters, Eiffel Tower, and all the way south down the strip to Mandalay Bay - quite nice! At check out, I mentioned I live near AC and came to LV to show Mom around and off came the in-room safe charges ($15)-very cool gesture.