Hello all,

I am just returning from my very first stay at THEhotel, and predicting it will be my last is Vegas's safest bet:

We arrived on Wednesday around 2 PM, were promptly checked into a regular suite and proceeded towards the pool (very distant and shared with the Mandalay Bay main hotel) where the cast iron bars enclosing it are more suggestive of the former East Berlin than of a resort. Give me the Bellagio any time...

The real crisis, however, began when after a nice bath in our (well appointed) bathroom, I tried to rinse-off in the shower where I was engulfed in a very strong smell of raw sewage, the kind which would attract very nasty looks in an elevator, restaurant or casino. I called the front desk, an engineer showed up within 20 minutes, almost died on the smell and declared a problem with the drains. He mentioned that it was common and would return with the proper chemicals. He did...

My lady friend decided that she was NOT washing her teeth in that water and I called to ask for a couple of bottled water, explaining the situation. While we were out, the water was delivered with a receipt for a faily high room service charge. I had no problem to have it comped and was then asked (10 PM, before going to the casino) if I would like to change rooms. The smell was gone, I was not in the mood to play room musical chairs during a 3 night stay, and declined. We came back around 3 AM and so did the smell as soon as we touched the taps... That smell, by the way was very noticeable outside, near the Strip, by the underpass between Mandalay Bay and the Luxor... it seems to be a huge problem, probably not linked to one room.

More calls the next morning, several instructions to hold, a couple of hanging ups by me after 15 minutes, and I was promised more bottles of water and more chemicals... which came, the water with the now customary room service charge receipt. One more call to have it comped, no problem.

I finally visited the front desk last night to mention that in my humble opinion, some REAL comping was in order, and was told that all that drinking water had already been given free of charge. After I commented that free drinking water was offered in places with less offensive smells (Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Kenya etc...) Internet charges ("2 of 3 days") and 50 $ worth of food were finaly offered, accepted with no argument (I am not into comp begging)... This morning, when I reviewed my bill before checking out, all the charges INCLUDING THE WATER were still on it !

I did check out manually at the front desk where all was finally deducted, but who honestly needs all that hassle ??

Is the place a healh hazard ? Probably not. But it certainly felt that way. As to the situation, it was definitely not handled professionally.

very disgusting indeed.

But I would have changed rooms or even left the hotel.

Stayed at TheHotel three years ago...same sewage smell was in the lobby and restaurant area...didn't understand how people could eat with that kind of smell permeating the air. Obviously, it's a chronic problem. I was surprised people didn't seem more disgusted ! I vowed then never to come back...

I agree, I would have changed rooms after it wasn't fixed the first time. I mean, did you shower in that smell, or did you go for 3 days washing with bottled water?

There is actually nothing wrong with the water...The hotel would have been shut and boarded long ago... It is the smell from the drains AFTER you stop the water. As said before, it permeates out as far as the corner of the Strip. I washed in it during 3 days, never a smell from the water or anything wrong. I admit I may have over-cologned afterwards unconsciously but nothing more. I guess that any rash or eruption would have sprouted by now so... no real harm done. It's just the unpleasant experience and the very poor service and attitude.

Do they REALLY need this kind of publicity now ?

While the problem should not happen in the first place and I can certainly understand not wanting to change rooms at 10pm, I don't understand why you wouldn't at least change rooms the next day. IMO, it's unreasonable to expect management to be forthcoming with compensation if you aren't willing to work with them to resolve your issues.

By the time we realized the smell extended as far as the strip, I could see no clear advantage going through the hassle of changing rooms. What I CAN see, is the use of warning people and of knowing I am not setting foot there in the future... As I always carry my own ethernet cable, I am happy with a lake-facing room at the Bellagio... The view cannot be beaten.

We stayed at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay in October 2007 and never noticed any odour or any plumbing issues.

If there is some sort of persistent or recurring problem, it may be confined to only particular areas of the hotel.

Provided the smell was akin to rotten eggs, it may have been from disuse. I moved into a brand new apartment that was heated using a hot water/air exchanger. The apartment was built about 2 years before I moved in but never rented. The water was rancid for over a week and full of scale and sulfur. It sounds like a biofilm problem. People won't die from it (provided they don't drink it) but I wouldn't be paying THE High prices and putting up with it either.

Given what the economy is doing, shutting in portions of the hotel to clean out the plumbing might not be a bad idea. If the economy bounces back at the end of the year (doubtful but then I was on the foreclosure loudspeaker in 2005), MGM won't be able to rent the rooms anyways unless it's at a deep discount.

Yet another instance where Mandalay fails to provide top line service for the prices they charge.

Any news on reservation drop offs from the Swine Flu scare?

Considering that there are better hotels in Vegas, there's no point taking the chance that it might be 'sewage' day... the worst part was that when I pointed out the smell, the staff acted oblivious.

I second this.

I hope this sewage smell isn't the issue next June when I'll be staying in THEhotel for a couple of days... Don't want to fly about 6.000 miles one way to end up in a hotel with a nasty smell...

Well, you have several weeks to think and act. This is exactly the purpose of these boards and I know what I would do....

The 4Seasons is in the same complex too. If the smell went as far as the Strip, it would have been affected too. But we have stayed there repeatedly and never noticed any smell.

when we went, smell was mainly in lobby of THEhotel - Mandalay Bay (and Four Seasons) were fine...