Viva Las Vegas

The Luxor, the great black pyramid on the Southern end of the Strip, is a nice hotel to stay in during your trip. It is easy to find and get to from the airport, however, if you want to see the main attractions of the Strip, be prepared to walk. That said, it's located next to Excalibur and Mandalay Bay, and the walk to both is easy.

I stayed in one of the Pyramid rooms, which means I got to ride in the Oscillator, which takes you sideways up the Pyramid. There are other rooms located in a separate building, which are normal hotel rooms. The room was spacious and clean, so it was worth the price.

The Luxor contains a nice casino in the "second floor" which is the lobby area. Below, there are shops and the Pharoah's Feast, which as far as buffets go in Vegas, is not really worth the price. Overall, the Luxor is a nice place to stay, if you want to stay in one of the theme Resorts on the Strip.

The Bellagio is a fantastic resort to stay at in Las Vegas. It's a beautifully built hotel and the casino is very high end. The hotel is huge and has some of the most amazing art nestled in it's corridors.

Among some of the highlights you want to hit while visiting the Bellagio are the Atrium, the casino (of course), the buffet (if you are so inclined), and the O Cirque Du Soleil show. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Las Vegas!

Le Cafe Ile St. Louis is an interesting buffet. It's very "cute" and touristy, while maintaing that Vegas buffet style that many of the resorts have. Interestingly, I experienced a much more family atmosphere than I am used to with Vegas.

The food was...ok. Compared to the genuine article it can't obviously compare, but it's not entirely inedible either. Lots of meat and veggies. The dessert bar is fantastic and worth the price, if nothing else.

My big complaint is the layout. The restaurant is laid out so that it feels like you are eating at a cafe in the middle of a bunch of other cafes. Look, I've been to Europe and eaten in this type of atmosphere. While a street may be crowded with cafes, they still maintain some order. Le Cafe does not do this. Also, one bathroom? One. Bathroom. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, considering that this restaurant has a family audience that they are attracting. Overall, not my first choice of buffet to go to.

The Bellagio Buffet is supposedly "the best" in town. While I'll admit that it is a big, very nice buffet, it isn't the best buffet I've ever been to. It's overpriced and doesn't have as good as food as the buffet in the Paris Hotel.

Good things about it: It's huge, and has a lot of seating. However, get there early for meals, as EVERYONE and their brother tries to eat there. Service is fantastic and they do have a good variety of food.

The Fremont Street Experience is definitely something not to be missed. Besides seeing the infamous neon cowboy and girl, you also get a taste of some of the more seedier part of Vegas. The part that is reminiscent of the Sin City of yesteryear. The casinos and nightclubs are much cheaper than on the strip, as is the tourist shops.

Of course, the light show that begins in the evening and runs every hour is the trademark. They change it around a lot, so you get a different experience on each visit. It is well worth the time to go see the whole of Fremont Street on your trip to Vegas!

The Las Vegas Monorail is in itself a good concept. Much like the Disney World Monorail, it makes an attempt to deliver easy transportation methods for tourists. However, it is unlike the DWM because it costs. A lot. Five dollars per ride is ridiculous considering that any other subway system around the world is much cheaper and can take you farther. Even with the 10-ride pass at $35, it's not that great of a bargain. Just bring a pair of comfy shoes and walk the strip. Much cheaper.