Visconti

Right.

I remember the Monte Carlo fondly. Yeah, I know their rooms were outdated and it wasn't the nicest hotel in MGM's portfolio, but their location, in my view, is unbeatable especially when the tram to the Bellagio is running. Their VIP lounge was accessible to Golds and above, unlike the others which were reserved only for Plats or Noirs. Also, the buffet back then served an excellent prime rib with slices larger than Bellagio's, form a better cut (and, obviously larger cow) and, most importantly, was medium rare. I'd come here for the for the 10 slices of prime rib for, if I recall, $29? Can't beat it. Oh, they also had a fresh made to order pasta bar at the buffet. The desserts were utter crap though, but it's fine if you ain't too into sugar.

In addition, on very late or early morning arrivals, I love the Park MGM since I could easily get water from CVS/Walgreens, some food at Shake Shack and short walk to check in after drop off. At the Bellagio, when that tram isn't running, you're stuck on that side and it's such a trek to leave the Bellagio to get anything on the strip.

PS - Another reason is that life is funny. Two of my biggest single hand "larger stake" Royal Flushes were at the Monte Carlo and, if you could believe this, the Cromwell. Both, I just killed time waiting for someone by playing VP, and within around 30 minutes in each case, hit the RF--they were both 3 to the RF drawing 2 to complete it. So, I'll always have fond memories of those two casinos.

platbrownguy

OT, but I must be doing something wrong on those VP machines. (I only ever play them when waiting for someone, etc, maybe 10 times ever in my life, each time for as long as a $50 or $100 bill would last, but I can count on one hand the number of straights & flushes I've had. Never seen a boat let alone quads or a straight flush of any sort. Maybe twice out of those ten times I had something left worth cashing out.) Cromwell accounts for the majority of those spells of wasted time, so I switched my time-wasting there to the craps machine with the big "hopper" by the front door.

Visconti

LOL...It happens all the time! I have some friends who, to this day, after 20 years have never hit a single hand RF, not even on simulations. On the other hand, I saw an associate who clearly had no idea what she was doing or anything about poker per se, hit the RF on her first $100. So, it's just the Gambling Gods, I suppose. Over an infinite amount of hands played, the odds will be what they are, but the variance can be considerable. I'm assuming to kill time your're playing 25 cents on the max 5 bet? You can go very long stretches without hitting anything substantial, like a 4 of a kind or the bigger hands.

However, if you keep playing, the larger hands will just pop up. But, if for whatever reason, you're one of those unlucky ones, VP can be an utterly miserable experience because you'll just keep losing consistently and slowly for a very long time--the only solution here is to have a large enough bankroll and play long enough for the true odds to hopefully regress to the mean.

Troopers

+1 since I'm a non-smoker. Air quality must be the worst at MGM Grand and that's why I avoid it...and MGM Grand is a mess.

Visconti

LOL...yeah, now that I'm free to remove my mask--which I do when there isn't anyone near me--those memories of the smoke filled MGM Grand casino floor came rushing back and was much more intense than I could recall. It was so bad, I just had to leave. And, I used to be able to tolerate cigarette smoke as well as anyone, but, somehow, the 2 years of masking has changed that.

VegasGambler

RF in most games is around 1 out of every 40,000 hands, if you play perfectly. That's a big if. Anyone who has never played with a computer trainer is almost certainly making a lot of mistakes. Most people don't hold 3 to a royal often enough, which is where a big chunk of your RFs come from. Of course luck (good or bad) will dominate the short term but if you're going to play a lot, learning to play perfectly has significant value.

In the other hand, 4 of a kinds are commonplace. You realistically can't go that long without hitting one. Playing properly helps here too ... most people don't hold small pairs often enough.

frudd38

which hotel?

tobikosan

DP- I visited front desk at an earlier trip and had them remove resort fees for the next 4 weeks worth of stays I had booked in at the $19 rate. Last week was the first one I did not go and check out from in person, I live close, and it is the only time I have waited more than 5 days for it to credit to Hyatt, at 7 days now and nothing yet.

ellinj

Does Park even have a front desk where you can ask to have the fee removed, I thought it was all kiosks

Matt4200

Yes they have a front desk with usually 2 people staffing it. They also have a VIP desk which I’ve never personally seen open.

Visconti

By the way, there's now a huge Cartier billboard with "coming to you soon" where the Chairman's Lounge entrance had been. So, unless they're going to place it elsewhere or Amex has bought the House of Cartier, I think the days of the lounge have come to an end.

churning

Are there any DPs of online check in and online check out, not setting foot in the hotel, and getting the resort fee removed? Can you call to get it removed?

- Edit I'll be the DP I want to see and try it.

Matt4200

Just checked out of MGM Grand as an earned not matched Gold and was told I could not use the $100 Dining Credit. Any thoughts?

platbrownguy

Interesting development -- got this in the mail yesterday. It's a substantial box with a heavy magnetic lid, and the card comes in a little logoed carrier, not that I'll use it. Of note:

-this is the first time I've ever proactively gotten a membership card in the mail from any casino
-the card has no expiration date -- it also doesn't have my name or number on it (mistake? the message itself has my name on it)
-the dining and air credit are billed as "up to" $500 and $1200, respectively, "based on spend during 2022" -- very curious... this seems to indicate that the actual credits would be awarded at some point down the line, as opposed to being available now.

I've only seen one data point of someone who claimed to be able to use the $500 dining credit (and apparently did so directly at a restaurant without first activating it or anything else). I'm hoping to get out west as soon as possible to try using both credits, but life keeps getting in the way!

Troopers

Did you earn Gold (75,000 TC) in 2022? Earned Gold from 2021 does not qualify for the $100 dining credit.