Viva Las Vegas

Quote: We really enjoyed the Rick Thomas magic show. It is at 2 and 4 in the afternoon. His show included tigers and was quite impressive for .

Quick Tips:

My wife and I went for a long weekend and didn't have enough time to see everything we wanted. Make sure you go for at least a week. We spent a day touring the casinos and that takes longer than you'd think. We really liked the Bellagio and Venetian. Make sure you visit Madame Tussuads wax museum, the celebrities look like they are alive! You can touch the figurines and take pictures. The Bellagio fountain show was incredible, don't miss it. We also enjoyed the older casinos downtown (Freemont St), much cheaper gambling than on the strip.

Best Way To Get Around:

Bring a good pair of walking shoes because everywhere you go is a hike! There are free trams running from Ballys - MGM and Excalibur - Luxor. Taxis can be expensive. The 301 CAT bus route takes you from the strip to downtown for a person.

Quote: This was our second time staying at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club and I wanted to add some comments. This is by far the best timeshare on the strip. You can't beat the location. Unfortunately, if you are not an owner, Hilton's policy is that you can only make reservations every 4 years.

When you arrive, you are given a card with your room key that allows you to charge meals at the Flamingo casino to your room. The resort has a private pool that only Hilton Grand Vacations Club guests may use. This came in handy 2 days of our stay because the Flamingo pool was packed and we couldn't find chairs to lay on.

We stayed in a 1 bedroom, which included our own jacuzzi. We had 2 tvs, a beautiful living room and dining room.

The resort did not have a business center, so we had to go to an internet cafe near the Harley Davidson shop to check email and go online.

There is a very convenient shuttle from Harrahs---which is next door---to the Rio. If you go out the back door of the Hilton, you can take a back street (I think the name is Audrie St) and walk to the Harrah pickup in less than 2 mins.

We had a full kitchen, so we decided to go grocery shopping. We were told there was an Albertsons on Maryland Parkway, which was too far away to travel by foot. There was no shuttle from the resort so we took the public bus, which worked out alright. Across the street from Albertsons was a very large 99 cent store. The rest of the passengers on the bus got off and went inside the 99 cent store, so we decided to check it out. We were amazed with all of the groceries and products they were selling at 99 cents.

Quote: Best Things Nearby:
This resort is located right in the middle of all of the action. Caesars is across the street and the Venetian and Mirage are within a block of the resort.

Best Things About the Resort:
The pool/spa area was enormous. The rooms were clean and very modern looking.

Resort Experience:
This resort is located behind the flamingo casino, so it is not actually on the strip. The pool was very large and had waterfalls and slides. Flamingos and penguins roam around outside adding to the tropical flair. Make sure you watch the penguins get fed, it's quite an ordeal, they are fed at 8:30 and 3:00.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

Quote: Best Things Nearby:
The Strip. This resort is located behind the Flamingo and Imperial Palace. You can get to the strip in 2 mins by walking through the parking lot of Imperial Palace. The Imperial has a restaurant named Betty's that has great icecream and pastries. They are open 24-7, so it's a good place to stop on your trip back to the resort.

Best Things About the Resort:
Free shuttle service to many locations. Nice kitchens for preparing meals. The units were gated, you needed to swipe your card to enter, so it was definitely safe.

Resort Experience:
We were disappointed with the appearance of the timeshare when we arrived. The lobby is updated, however the individual units are not. Our unit looked like a low income housing apartment converted into a condo. The outside windows had metal bars for protection. The inside of the unit had been renovated but the air-conditioning units were old and very noisy.

Leisure advertises that is has 13 pools, so I was expecting your normal Las Vegas resort pools, not the case. They have very small rectangular pools in the courtyards of the clusters of units (see picture). If you had more than 15 people in the pool, it would be crowded.

The monorail project is currently at the Leisure area (as of 5/03). At times you cannot cut through the Imperial due to the construction and it can be quite loud during the day.

The resort did offer daily activities and the shuttle service was a lifesaver a few times. The shuttle runs downtown every hour and to several points on the strip that are a distance from the resort. They also run to the grocery store daily. We took advantage of this, when we arrived we went grocery shopping so we wouldn't have to eat out the whole week. Our unit had a full refrigerator, stove and microwave, but no oven.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Fair
• Unit Satisfaction: Fair
• Family Friendliness: Fair
• Service: Fair

Quote: Best Things Nearby:
The unfortunate aspect of this resort is that it is off the strip. You must drive or take a shuttle to get anywhere. That being said, the resort itself makes up for its poor location. There is an Albertsons grocery store within walking distance, you make a left out of the resort entrance and it's a block away.

Best Things About the Resort:
The one bedroom suite was beautiful. The rooms are recently remodeled and very spacious.

Resort Experience:
Staying at the Club de Soleil is certainly better than a hotel room on the strip. The one bedroom suite is very spacious and tastefully decorated with a fireplace in the living room. Each unit is equipped with a full kitchen so you can enjoy dining in the room. There is a shuttle that runs on the hour to the strip from 9am to 11pm. We were disappointed that the latest shuttle was at 11, which seemed early to return back to the resort. There are activities planned daily and a concierge desk which was helpful. There are two pools at the resort and a putting green. The club offers wireless Internet service for a fee. I believe we paid $10 for 24 hours unlimited.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Good

Quote: This buffet features a prime rib dinner buffet and chilled seafood bar. The buffet had everything you could possibly imagine. The dessert bar was unbelievable, everything was delicious. Drinks were included in the buffet price.

Quote: Thomas includes animals in his shows. Thomas' cockatoo does charming imitations of an eagle and a bat, and four beautiful Bengal tigers (two white, two golden) contribute for a spectacular finale.

Thomas' afternoon shows are geared toward families. If you can forgive Thomas for a few corny jokes, you'll fare just fine.

Quote: The show was cute; however, I didn't find it overly thrilling like the advertisements state. Tiana Carroll, a bird trainer has several skits that are aimed for people with children. The birds sing, dance, ride a bicycle, and even juggle. Unfortunately there aren't many seats, and the stage is in front of the walkway to guests' room, so there are many interruptions. I suggest getting there early to get a good seat so you can thoroughly enjoy the show. The show is at the Tropics Lounge. The shows are daily at 11:30, 1:30 and 2:30.

Quote: "O" is an awe-inspiring production. Basic elements of water, earth, fire, and air are mixed and mingled in a variety of spectacular performances of dancing, swimming, acrobatics, and clowning.

The theatre is designed in the style of a European opera house. The name of the show "O" is a homonym for the French word, "eau," which means, "Water." The central element of the set is a large pool built into the stage. The pool contains more than 1 million gallons of water. Within the pool there are several stages.

The performers are inspired artists that have the ability to create magic with their movements. The athleticism of the production keeps the audience filled with wonder.

One unfortunate aspect about "O" is the cost. The show is expensive. In my opinion, "Mystere at TI" is a better show for the money you pay. See my review of Mystere.

“O” plays at the O Theatre inside the Bellagio Hotel & Casino.

“O” performances are twice nightly, at 7:30pm and 10:30pm, Wednesday through Sunday. There are no performances on Monday or Tuesday.

Tickets for “O” are available for $150, $125, and $99.

Quote: The Bellagio, whose design was inspired by European towns, overlooks an 8.5-acre lake where dancing fountains are choreographed to lights and music. Inside, guests are treated to artistic touches such as the Dale Chihuly glass sculpture decorating the lobby ceiling and the exotic plants and flowers in The Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Shoppers can stroll along Via Bellagio, a promenade featuring a collection of upscale boutiques, and browse through collections at Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Giorgio Armani, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and the rare jewelry of Fred Leighton. Guests enjoy a full range of services in the Spa and Salon Bellagio, where the menu includes treatments such as massage therapies, hydrotherapy, facials and Vichy showers. Divided into six courtyard settings, Bellagio's pool area portrays a classical setting of a Mediterranean villa.

An international cast of synchronized swimmers, divers, acrobats, aerialists and characters has been assembled for the Cirque du Soleil production of "O", which is performed in, on and above water. The show is staged in a theater reminiscent of the Paris Opera House.

In our opinion the Bellagio is the most luxurious casino/resort in Las Vegas.