Last update: Feb 2007
Last hotel stay: Oct 2006
TRAINSTATION
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| MANDALAY BAY | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Bill's Review Last update: Feb 2007 Last hotel stay: Oct 2006 |
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| Back to Vegas Strip TRAINSTATION |
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| LOCATION +++ / ++++ |
This is the southernmost of the strip resorts. You can walk to the world-famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, which helps if you want to pose for pictures there, because it's on a median in the middle of the boulevard and stopping a car there is awkward (not that people don't do it all the time anyhow.) Fortunately, this is a really NICE end. A free tram connects it to Luxor and Excalibur, which brings you walking distance to MGM Grand, New York, New York, Tropicana, and Hooters, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| RATES $$$$ / $$$$$ |
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| As with many strip resorts, you'll typically do better booking direct through their own website than through Expedia/Travelocity/Orbitz. The hotel sites have liberal cancellation policies. Especially, check for specials. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Room furnishings are very tasteful and upscale and the bathrooms are huge with double sinks, soaking tub and separate shower. On the downside, this hotel was built just before the advent of giant plasma TV's and piece-of-heaven mattresses and bed linens, so it's not quite top-of-the-line. However "THEhotel" new suite tower has it all. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ROOMS ++++ |
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| Big casino that isn't for low rollers. It may be hard to find Blackjack for less than $25 on busy nights, and I've never seen it less than $15 on the slowest. The crowd is upper-aspiration-young-and-rich LA types.MGM Players club has replaced the One-Club card, so your comps from here are good at other MGM properties.Slots are tight as knots. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| CASINO ++++ |
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| Mandalay Bay pool area ranks at the top. Sand beach, giant wave pool, lazy rafting river, and extensive landscaping. I have heard it can be VERY crowded in summer, and you will NOT get in unless you have your own room card. On select summer evenings, concerts are held at "Mandalay Beach" where attendees can sit on a towel on the sand or stand right in front of the stage, where you're shin deep in water, or just go play in the wave pool when Fred Schneider of the B-52's starts talking too much (and you thought his singing voice was annoying.). It's a unique and fun way to see one of those bands from your youth one more (last) time. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| POOL ++++++ |
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| PARKING +++ |
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| Parking can be a little trickier here than its neighbors, due to the draw of non-guests to the attractions, nightclubs, concert venues and conventions. Due to its location at the far south end of the strip, fortunately, road access is easier than most other strip resorts. Best to approach from the south; use Russell Rd exit off Interstate 15. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ATTRACTIONS AND SHOWS ++ |
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| Mandalay Bay Events Center, House of Blues, and Mandalay Beach offer a realm of concert attractions and there are several other nighclubs. Shark Reef is a themed aquarium with a knowledgeable staff but won't make you feel like there's going to be a quiz at the exit. Mandalay Bay Theater hosts comics, as well as the dreadful "Mamma Mia" musical, which is about a woman who doesn't know which of the three men she had sex with in a week back in the 70's is her daughter's father. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fast, cheap food is lacking; exquisite expensive dining is not. The buffet falls just below the elite level of the most popular, like Mirage, Aladdin, and Rio, and that's good news for us, because this is a first-class spread without the ridiculous long waits at the more popular buffets. Recommended! | |||||||||||||||||||||
| FOOD ++ / +++ |
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| The tram takes you to Luxor and Excalibur, which puts you at Tropicana Avenue, near MGM Grand, NYNY, , Tropicana, Hooters, Monte Carlo, and UA Movie Theaters. Mandalay Bay's much hyped shopping mall is tiny compared to center strip shopping opportunities at Caesars, Venetian, and Aladdin. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WALKING DISTANCE +++ |
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| PEEVES - |
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| Very poor signage so it's difficult finding your way around. I'd rather think that people this young and pretty aren't rich enough to hang out here. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Compare to SIMILAR PROPERTIES +++++ |
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| Mandalay Bay beats all (MGM, Paris, Aladdin, Mirage) but the most high-profile of the luxury strip resorts (Venetian, Caesars, Bellagio, and Wynn.) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| While its location isn't ideal, you could spend (and I mean spend) your entire stay within the grounds and have every bit of your gaming, dining, drinking and recreational needs met. But do step out and at least see more of the Strip since it's right down the street. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ATTRIBUTES +++++ |
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