During your Las Vegas vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Elvis-A-Rama
Three million dollars worth of Elvis memorabilia -- we thought surely this place would give our beloved Liberace museum a run for its top spot in our camp-lovin' hearts. But alas, while this is a must for the Elvis faithful (and admittedly, they are legion) looking to view holy relics, it's not the place for a novice to start.The amount of cool stuff is amazing: Elvis ephemera ranging from his social security card (a $14,000 auction purchase) to his "little black book" (entries not divulged, darn it!), his Army uniform, a love letter to his hometown girlfriend, fan-club souvenirs (Elvis lipstick!), and on and on it goes. But, unfortunately, these precious (and discarded) possessions are exhibited in cases that, as of this writing, are lacking much-needed labels and identification, so all too often you have no idea what you're looking at, much less its significance. The displays also fail to give you a good overview of the King's life; the museum assumes you already know the highlights (Momma's boy, the Colonel, 'Scilla), and it's hardly complete. Despite our morbid hopes for prescription-pill bottles, there was nary a mention of Dr. Nick nor even The Death. There is, however, a whole case displaying what amounts to the contents of Vernon Presley's wallet. It's also all a little too straight-faced and reverent, though the gift shop makes up for it a bit. And they do have various Elvis impersonator shows, ranging in price from around $15 to $20. All in all, best for fans thinking, "You know, I really should brush up on my Elvis-iania." Note: Not long before we went to press, the museum was hit by the kind of thieves we thought were only found in Ocean's Eleven. They made off with a number of items, including Elvis' high school class ring, valued at around $250,000. But they totally missed the coolest prize of all: a pair of the King's own blue suede shoes. Suckers.
Circus Circus
Circus Circus -- This vast property has three full-size casinos that, combined, comprise one of the largest gaming operations in Nevada (more than 100,000 sq. ft.). More importantly, they have an entire circus midway set up throughout, so you are literally gambling with trapeze stunts going on over your head. The other great gimmick is the slot machine carousel -- yep, it turns while you spin the reels. The Mandalay Resorts One Club offers slot/video-poker and table players the opportunity to earn points redeemable for cash, discounted rooms and meals, and other benefits at Circus or any of the sister properties such as Mandalay Bay or Luxor. The Circus Bucks progressive slot machines here build from a jackpot base of $500,000, which players can win on a $2 pull. Gaming facilities include a 10,000-square-foot race and sports book with 30 video monitors ranging from 13 to 52 inches, and 40-seat and 89-seat keno lounges. Unfortunately, the casino is crowded and noisy, and there are lots of children passing through (making it more crowded and noisy). That, plus some low ceilings (not in the Big Top, obviously), makes for a very high claustrophobia rating, though the current commedia dell'arte clown motif (as opposed to the old garish circus motif) has upgraded the decor.
Chapel of the Bells
Sporting perhaps the largest and gaudiest sign on the Strip, this chapel also shares a parking lot with the bright pink Fun City Motel. We won't make any jokes. It is also probably the least helpful, most cranky of the wedding chapels we've dealt with -- on such a special day, who needs it? The chapel has wood paneling, sage carpeting, and gilt trim up by the pulpit. Electric candles light the walls. It seats only about 25. They prefer advance booking but can do same-day ceremonies if called to.
Caesars Palace
Since 1966, Caesars has stood simultaneously as the ultimate in Vegas luxury and the nadir (or pinnacle, depending on your values) of Las Vegas cheese. It's the most Vegas-style hotel you'll find, covering all the bases from the tacky fabulous cheese of the recent past to the current trend in high-end luxury. And it's moving ever on, with the most over-the-top showroom in town, specially built for Miss Thang herself, Céline Dion, and yet another expansion to the Forum Shops, the first themed shopping experience on the Strip.When Caesars was originally built to reflect Roman decadence, its designers probably had no idea how guffaw-inducing this would be some years later. It's the level of kitsch all should aspire to: Roman colonnades, Roman pillars, gigantic faux-marble Roman statues, staff attired in gladiator outfits -- it's splendidly ridiculous. It's what Vegas ought to be.But all things change, and Caesars was outshined over the years by more modern glamour. And frankly, that facade was looking dated 2 decades ago. Never one to rest on any kind of laurels, Roman or otherwise, Caesars gave itself a massive face-lift, and keeps on building and expanding. Never fear, the Roman statues still remain, as do the toga-clad cocktail waitresses, and so does Caesars' giggle factor (it's still pretty campy). Past or future, Caesars remains spectacular. From the Roman temples, heroic arches, golden charioteers, and 50-foot Italian cypresses at its entrance, to the impressive interiors, it's the spectacle a good Vegas hotel should be.But the hotel is also getting a bit too big for its own britches. The haphazard layout has become ever more confusing and hard to negotiate, and it takes forever to get anywhere -- especially out to the Strip. Sometimes you feel like just surrendering and staying in, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Caesars is also known for its luxurious rooms and service. (Long lines at the reservations desk are sometimes relieved by gratis champagne.)Accommodations occupy four towers, and there are too many decorating schemes to describe here. Art in the rooms keeps to the Greco-Roman theme (some have classical sculptures in niches); furnishings tend to neoclassic styles; Roman columns, pilasters, and pediments are common. Many rooms have four-poster beds with mirrored ceilings. The newest rooms are handsome, if not as giggle-inducingly overwhelming as the classic ones, and have floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a hypnotizing panoramic view. You'll likely enjoy a lavish bathroom with marble floor, European fixtures, and oversize marble tubs (about half are whirlpools). Some of the rooms have lavish tubs in the middle of the room, which can be uncomfortable if you wish to shower and don't want your shower to turn into a spectator sport.Caesars has a well-deserved reputation for superior in-house restaurants. There are nine in the hotel, plus dining facilities in the Forum shopping area. All are highly recommended. The hotel's sushi restaurant, Hyakumi, is described in chapter 6, as are the hotel's food court and buffets. Restaurants in the Forum Shops arcade include Spago, The Palm, and the Stage Deli. In the newer Atlantis section is a Cheesecake Factory.Yet another thing to take advantage of is the Race for Atlantis IMAX 3-D Ride.Having spent over $100 million renovating its Garden of the Gods, Caesars has created a tasteful, undeniably "Caesaresque" masterpiece. With three pools measuring a total of 22,000 square feet, there is plenty of space for frolicking in the hot sun. Inspired by the healing Baths of Caracalla in Rome, each of the pools is adorned with griffins or sea horses and inlaid with classic granite-and-marble mosaics. To feel even more regal, snatch one of the 16 shaded cabanas that offer phones, TV, and air-conditioning for $130 to $265 a day (reserve them early). Several amenities are also available by the pool area, including massage, two whirlpools, the Neptune Bar, and of course, a Snackus Maximus.The Caesars Spa is another gorgeous facility, offering full salon services (a large range of facials, massages, wraps, and other beauty treatments). While we can't say we've tried every masseuse or facialist in town, we have tried a lot, and what we got at Caesars was the best so far. The spa also offers saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpool tubs, plus an incredibly well-supplied health club with state-of-the-art machinery, a rock-climbing wall, personal trainers, and more (it's a whopping $24 per day just to work out, though). Go work off some of that Caesars indulgence and then get a little pampered.The Forum Shops are in the grandest mall you can imagine (think of the La Dolce Vita walk on the Via Veneto), and are about to get grander. A massive addition should roughly double the size of the existing shopping areas, and is due to open by the time you read this. Not content to stop paying contractors, Caesars also added the 4,000-seat Colosseum, a replica of the original building in Rome. This was built for one purpose only -- to give diva Céline Dion a place to play. No kidding. She's supposed to appear 200 nights a year, in a ridiculously expensive production created just to showcase her vocal talents, and featuring Cirque du Soleil-type visuals. Also underway is yet another room expansion, a tower that will hold 900 new rooms, plus restaurants, meeting space, and who knows what all.Facilities: Casino; wedding chapel; 23 restaurants; 3 outdoor pools; health club and spa; concierge; tour desk; car-rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms; executive-level rooms.
The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel & Spa
When the ever-more-seedy Maxim was more or less stripped to its bones and turned into a Westin, we were thrilled. What Vegas needs, we keep saying, not that anyone hears us, is a true kicky boutique hotel, one that puts real service and real style ahead of slot machines. (We still have hopes for a W, actually. Silly of us, but there it is.)This Westin won't fill that bill -- coming a lot closer would be THEhotel at Mandalay Bay -- but business travelers who want a little style and don't mind if said style is just a tad generic and sterile will be pleased with this hotel. There is nothing wrong with the rooms -- they are in excellent taste, done in eye-pleasing sages and wheats, complete with the Westin's self-congratulatory trademarked "Heavenly Bed," which caused one occupant to dream she was sleeping on clouds (and the other to note it has a whole lot of polyester in its make-up), and the baths are gleaming, if small -- but they pale compared to some of the (admittedly occasionally lurid) fantasies around town. For the price, especially if you were looking for something Vegas-riffic, you might be disappointed. It doesn't help that the cool exec-style lobby/check-in area melds into a casino area that seems to have been missed in the renovations; it's weirdly dated. It also doesn't help that the staff says "no, that's not something we do or offer" more often than "yes, we can do that," though they say it nicely enough. There is an adequate (and free!) gym, reached by walking right by all the business meeting areas, and a decent pool. At this writing, comedian David Brenner is in residence in the showroom. Ultimately, it's too good a property not to give a relatively high rating to, but you need to understand that, by Vegas standards -- which means different things to different people -- it's boring.
Imperial Palace
Location, location, location. And price, price, price. That's what the IP has going for it -- don't think anything else. It's smack in the middle of the Strip -- it doesn't get any more centrally located than this, and now there's even a monorail stop right out back -- and on a weekend night when rooms at nicer hotels are running $400 (that's for a regular room), lodgings can be had here for under $60. What you get in exchange is an older, darker hotel that looks sort of sleazy in spots, but really isn't. Not much, anyway. It just seems like it in comparison to the gleaming hulks across and down the street. We actually know types who prefer this, a more classic Vegas feel, to the airy new upstarts. We aren't among those, we have to admit, and you may not be as well. The standard rooms are just that, but they all have balconies, which is exceedingly rare in Vegas. A perfect Vegas hoot, the "luv tub" rooms are some of the best deals on the Strip, especially if you can get them for the cheapest end of the price range; you'll get a larger bedroom (with a mirror over the bed!) and a larger-than-usual bathroom that features a 300-gallon sunken "luv tub" (with still more mirrors).From April to October, the hotel holds "luaus" at the pool, with a Polynesian revue and buffet. Expect Tiki torches.The hotel is also home to the long-running Legends in Concert impersonator show. The casino has relatively low (for the Strip) table limits.A unique feature is the Auto Collections at Imperial Palace, displaying more than 800 antique, classic, and special-interest vehicles spanning a century of automotive history.Is There a Doctor in the House? -- The Imperial Palace hotel has a well-appointed 24-hour urgent-care clinic, which is open to the public. Given its location, right in the middle of the action, it's well worth knowing about.Facilities: Casino; showrooms; wedding chapel; 9 restaurants; outdoor pool; health club and spa; video arcade; concierge; tour desk; car-rental desk; shopping arcade; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms; executive-level rooms.
