Originally Posted by
Boraxo
Due to an odd set of circumstances I will be visiting twice in the next month, first time since before the pandemic. I will report back and update as appropriate.
I used to go twice a year as it was an easy hop from SF (and those $25 National Air flights and $100/nt rooms didn't hurt either). Why did I stop?
- Cheapest weekend airfare (e.g. FR/SU) usually runs $500-600pp RT.
- Cheapest "discounted" rooms (e.g. club members) at 5* properties usually run $500/nt all-in with taxes, resort fees.
- Front desk lines are absurdly long (see VFTW). In past years we have mostly managed to avoid waiting (luck of the draw, timing, elite status etc.) but I fear the next trip. One thing I absolutely do not do anymore is wait in line for any service where I am paying good money. Checkout is also bad and unfortunately necessary as credits rarely post correctly.
- I was never a huge buffet fan, but they are a complete nonstarter now due to absurd pricing and long lines (see last point). Even the "VIP" line is 20 minutes - not worth it even for "free"
- The $10 steak dinners have long since disappeared. Thankfully there are still many decent steakhouses (see existing thread) but it has become more of a PITA to get transport around and off the strip.
- The pools all have ridiculous fees for chairs etc. and good luck getting drink service or finding shade.
- The shows are crap, especially in the summer. In the past I saw Sam Kineson, Jay Leno, Tom Jones. Good luck finding talent now except maybe at the Sphere.
- Smoking! This has always been a nightmare in Vegas but seems worse than ever especially as people don't seem to understand that "no smoking" includes "no cannibis". It is a rare occasion when I stay at a Vegas or California hotel and don't smell some type of smoke in the elevators, corridors and sometimes even drifting into my room from HVAC. Makes no difference if it is a non-smoking hotel or floor.
- Denigration of odds and increase in table minimums. Vegas has always been stacked against the gambler (doh!) but a good player could still make a run with .5% odds at BJ, 2% at craps and double zero roulette. Now it is impossible to find 3:2 BJ anywhere on the strip and many casinos have 3 zero roulette. The high minimums also make it more difficult to bet the odds at craps (I do not like to have 100s on the table when the roll 7s out). The only way to get decent odds is to play the high limit rooms which used to run $100/hand but I think much more now.
- Automaton dealers. In the old days you had dealers that were encouraged to be friendly to the players (no doubt in their self interest for tips). It definitely made the experience more enjoyable, and probably kept me at the table longer even when losing. These days I might as well be playing against AI robot.
All great points, especially the long front-desk and buffet lines, automaton dealers, and again nickel-and-diming.
Never heard of triple-zero roulette.
That is outrageous given how larcenous the roulette odds are anyway. This is something I never play, except the automated machines when I just want to lounge around with a cigar.