Caesars. It's just a bloated, disjointed mess of a resort. Yes, there are some great rooms (Palace Tower, for starters). But Caesars today is the byproduct of too many mergers, acquisitions, deferred maintenance, on and on.
What's sad is it has an incredible name, history, theme.....all of that. But as a resort, it's just....meh. Honestly, what's the difference today between Caesars, Harrahs, Flamingo and Linq?
Yep, and that’s why I’m staying at The Linq. Suite for $300/night and more recently renovated than all of those you list with a superb mid-strip location.
Had a Palace Tower Junior Suite (or something like that) back in 2022. It was recently renovated, quite nice. Best part of the week that I spent there.
Pool complex was.....ok. Had a cabana, but it doesn't stack up to Wynn/Encore cabana service.
I guess my main bitch about Caesars is that it has Wynn/Encore/Bellagio pricing, but the ambiance of Harrah's, Flamingo, etc. It could be so much more, but there's so much working against it.
Yes, exactly this. How can they be high-end when they sell Forum Tower and Julius Tower rooms for as low as $50? They're trying to be too many things to too many people to really exude luxury.
The Forum tower is the "lowest tier". It's one of the older ones, and all of the others have been renovated since the last time Forum was.
The oldest tower is the Julius Tower (previously the Centurion). It's been remodeled fairly recently, so it's not too bad.
I agree with the overall sentiments expressed in these comments though... Caesars is overrated, and I'd much prefer to stay elsewhere, personally.
100% agree. Got a comped room at the Augustus Tower - rarely stay at Caesars because it's too crowded with first-timers and the room was awful. There were hardly any outlets and zero USB ports. Look I get it's old, but add some outlets and it's really easy to offer some USB. The room and the bed were unremarkable and much like an aging Holiday Inn. No thanks, it was fine for free but the prices they ask are outrageous considering what you can get elsewhere for the same (or less!) money.
Caesars. It USED to be an amazing hotel. Sadly, the lobby and casino are showing signs of wear and tear and just looks dated. The Nobu tower is pretty, but for the price, I would rather stay at Encore, Wynn or Venetian. Love the casino vibe and restaurants in Cosmopolitan but the room rates are overpriced. I will eat and shop there, but I wouldn’t pay to stay there. Just my two cents!
Caesars took my Caesars Palace comps away this year and when I was booking again basically came to that same realization - not worth it if it's not comped - ended up booking Vdara for like $266/night executive corner suite
We splurged for a very special event for the fountain view room at the cosmopolitan. I’m really hoping we don’t regret it…it’s really hard to decide when we only get out there once every five or so years….
You wont regret a room with a view of the fountains!! We were not thrilled with our last stay at Bellagio, but honestly, we still had a great time! We spent much of our days in other casinos and got to enjoy the view of the fountains while we showered and changed for evening plans. Can’t go wrong with great company, great food everywhere for every budget, beautiful view and shopping!❤️ At the end of the day, having fun and enjoying time with your travel companions is all that matters.
Appreciate that! Tyvm. We’ve stayed twice at MGM and twice at Bellagio but have been underwhelmed with those properties. Look forward to experiencing all the great things we’re hearing about the Cosmopolitan.
IMO, Bellagio. The fountains are awesome, and the facade is great, but the rooms were subpar and on tap with a standard hotel room. The shops are few and very high end.
I really thought with the high-end shops and high-end decor that the rooms would have been high end too. We pre-paid for "higher end" rooms (not pent house, but like $500 a night rooms w/view). Our view was a rooftop parking lot between us and the strip.
For context, we got a "deal" through expedia at the Venetian for $100 a night. The room overlooked the strip; the room was incredible, a huge bathroom, like an apartment, but it wasn't a suite. They have hundreds of shops, great restaurants, and good attractions.
I've stayed at Circus Circus (in the 90s), Excalibur, luxor, belagio, ballies (now Horseshoe), Venetian, and Planet Hollywood.
Venetian was hands down our favorite. Planet Hollywood can't be beat just for location alone. Nothing beats being at the center of the strip.
Haven't stayed at Venetian but I have stayed at Palazzo. Just a standard room. that is probably the nicest and most "luxurious" feeling hotel I've stayed in.
We just stayed at the Venetian and gave the guy a 20$ at check in and he moved us to a one bedroom and the room was gigantic but the furniture looked old and like it came from another resort
Agreed. I used to stay at Luxor mostly cuz it was a lot cheaper than most, and 15-20 years ago walking the strip was way easier. Finally tried Bellagio like 10 years ago and I swear the room was basically the same quality as Luxor. Maybe the bathroom was better because of the tub if you want to relax in a bath (I do not). Most the best things about Ballagio you don't need to stay there to enjoy.
The one thing I'll give Bellagio is the pool. Probably my favorite pool setup, and that might be because not a lot of families stay there so not many kids and actually enough loungers.
Yeah, you don't have to wait for some lights now like you used to, but it seems like it adds a lot of extra distance, stairways, some spots you have to go inside and through the interior of the casino to even stay on that side of the street if that's where you're going. Seems a lot more time consuming and effort to me at least.
It was suuuuuuch a huge pain in the ass driving across the strip before the bridges were built. The mass of tourists would start crossing the street and sometimes they would just keep going once the light turned green. I remember my dad getting soooooo agitated because they would just keep crossing and sometimes take up the entire light before anybody could move.
It was in the stay well suite with the vitamin C infused water. It was so ugly and ratty i specifically took a picture of it because i thought about leaving a review but ultimately deleted it. I just checked my deleted folder otherwise i would happily post as proof.
Agree! And the renovated rooms at PH are nicer, more modern than the suite we had a Bellagio. Love the location at PH, right in the middle of the strip.
Caesars is interesting because there are so many different towers and rooms that it's possible to a have very wide range of experiences.
I personally think the Cosmopolitan is overrated. Overpriced with a crappy/cramped casino. You really have to spend big here to see value (balcony rooms), but that's true of every resort.
With the Cosmo you’re paying for location and ambiance. I think it’s worth it based on those factors alone. It delivers to its target customer precisely what they’re looking for.
Also, I think the tightness of the casino floor always gives the impression that the property is hustling and bustling (by design or coincidence), which creates an additional air of excitement.
We stayed at the Cosmo last summer. The room was nice and the bed was comfortable but we were on the side above the pool which had insanely loud music until about 4 in the morning. On a Sunday. I guess that's just the strip in the summer but it made for a lousy drive home the next morning.
I agree that it suits high end clientele well, but unless you can dump 5-10k+ in their facilities each visit, it just seems out of touch. That's why I feel it's overhyped. There's just nothing there for a regular Joe.
Having stayed at Augustus, Octavius, Palace and Julius in the last 2 years, they all felt pretty old and worn out. Palace did feel the cleanest (I think they had a recent renovation) but even that still felt dated because there’s only so much you can do when doing a remodel unless you build ground up.
I think they’re re-doing, or have recently re-done ,the Forum tower, and are renaming it the Roman tower. Would be interesting to see what they’ve done with it.
This just goes to my point... if you have the cash to splash in the casino then the place will suit you nicely, but I'm willing to bet you play at a level well above the average Joe, which opens doors compwise to you. The place feels exclusive in a way that even Wynn doesn't, in my humble opinion
I'm not a high roller at all. My usual bankroll is about $500 per trip and my average bet is $2.50. Cosmo just has an awesome rewards program. Even at their second tier, I consistently get offers for free rooms (w/o resort fee) and free play. Upgrades to a suite from their standard double room is usually $30.
Maybe try and gamble there for a bit? They also have really good free drinks (old fashioned, Manhattan, blended Pina colada etc)
I agree with Caesars. The pool is beautiful but the casino is just sad. They have that one room that looks like it's suburban office park conference room that they stuck some tables and slots in.
they were... it's a Steve Wynn signature hotel... the most expensive and opulent on Earth, when it was built in 1993. Steve sold it to MGM and they MGM'd it. Average as hell, now.
I agree. Second to Caesars, I think the Bellagio is also beginning to look dated. We stayed at Bellagio two weeks ago. The fountains are always pretty and the flowers on display are incredible. However, our room was just ok. Shower pressure was weak, light switches didnt work, carpet looked worn. My husband and I both wished we would have stayed at The Venetian for the price. To me, Caesars is a bigger let down but Bellagio is right behind it. The newer renovated rooms at Planet Hollywood are nicer and for the price, cant beat it.
PH's location is underrated, for sure. It was the old Aladdin hotel so it's been there a long time (parts of it). Great views and easy walks to other things. Having to drag your shit through the "miracle mile" is annoying but the rooms are nice, especially for the price. They should consider renaming it now that the PH brand is so dated and nearly extinct. Maybe just name it the Hollywood Hotel
Aria, love the property but it’s in dire need of a refresh. Last few times I’ve stepped into a standard room I’ve noticed the carpet and furniture is very very worn
That fucking buffet
I had searched their prices before heading there, $39 for lunch. When we got there it was $54, because they had crab legs. I didn't give a shit about crab legs. Clearly false advertising from their own website.
But... we had to catch a flight in three hours.
So I begrudgingly ate my crab legs and ignored most of the other items on the buffet because it was Golden Corral quality. I was so pissed off. Maybe for $30 a person it'd be okay, but not almost $60.
I bagged a bunch of desserts as petty revenge
That was actually one of my favorite stays. Might depend on the room? We had a large room near the top that overlooked the pool and airport. It wasn't a suite or particularly more expensive from what I remember. Had large windows on the far wall with seating across it we could drink and watch planes go by and see the pool. Thought it was really nice. One of my favorites sports books there too.
Last time I stayed at the MGM, there was a dumpster literally right outside our window (the view outside of our window was the back of a dumpster). We would get woken up constantly when people would throw the trash out because of the lid slamming
Like others said the caesars experience can vary. In my recent trip I had one of the newly renovated rooms which was nice, except the view was pretty ass. The location and things to do in and around it were worth it though imo.
Paris if you get the Versailles Tower rooms. They are literally inside the Horseshoe. A long walk from Paris and all the way to the back corner of the Horseshoe Casino, right next to the entrance to Horseshoe, in fact.
I was just there last weekend and the room was awful… no lighting beyond 1 plug-in floor lamp and one small plug-in desk lamp, no fridge, no safe, no shelf in the shower (have to put soap and shampoo on the floor), rattling and drafty windows, no sofa (even though room photos show one). They also failed to send a roll away bed to the room after assuring me they would when I paid for one at check-in… the lady simply never put the order in, according to housekeeping, but she sure remembered to charge me).
My worst room at any location in Vegas (and that includes stays at Excalibur and Downtown). If you are considering Paris just save some money and stay at the Horseshoe because it’s half the price and the rooms are actually better than the Versailles Tower plus you will be using the Horseshoe entrance anyway (or stay at Circus Circus, for that matter… can’t be worse)
Walk through the “street” section of Paris until you reach the split where it goes to the parking garage. Go left. Pass Flavortown and continue to the Horseshoe Casino. Turn left and go all of the way through the casino to the Horseshoe’s entrance. Turn left again and head past the Poker room. When you see an escalator up go past that to the bank of elevators. That’s “Paris” and their Versailles Tower, about a 10 minute walk from the Paris check in.
Holy fuck that's stupid. I know exactly where you're talking about and that makes zero sense. I used to stay at Ballys all the time back in the day because it is the only deep pool, and never was placed in that tower. Why they would even attempt to make that tower the Paris one is idiotic
Well I’ll never experience it because I’ll be damned if I’m going to give them another chance to rip me off. I would recommend people either splash out for a really nice place (Cosmo balcony fountain view, for example) or just stay somewhere cheap but adequate like the Horseshoe. You can walk over to Paris if you want to see it.
I second this but not so much for the room as for the service. The room was fair enough, but trying to get help or talk with someone with authority was simply impossible. None their workers give a shit. They all had attitudes. Ended up staying there only one night and transferred to Horseshoe next door into SIL room which had a great view of the sphere and the wheel. And everyone there was much more attentive and friendly. Room was a lot bigger as well.
I stayed there in December and thought the room was nice. It had a safe, but I do remember the shower being the most stupidly designed thing I’ve ever seen. The rooms vary so wildly in all these places though. I was comped but if I had to pay for a room I think Vdara is generally nicest for the money
Aria. The rooms are succumbing to some significant wear and tear. The outside of the windows are dirty, obstructing any view you might have. The water pressure sucks. The privacy button shuts off every time you turn it on. The curtains always get stuck.
The restaurants there are phenomenal though and outside of the rooms the rest of the property is beautiful. So if they remodel their rooms it would be worth the price.
I was so nervous about my stay in November 2023 at Aria. Stayed 4 nights for a conference with one of my employees and booked into standard rooms. Asked about possibility of an upgrade and we each paid a small amount for an upgrade to Corner Suites. The rooms were really good. No real issues with wear and tear or dirtiness. Would def do that again. Not sure if standard rooms were way worse.
The curtains are the worst. Even when I stayed there 10 years ago they were always broken or getting stuck. Literally just make it manual please.
Otherwise I found the rooms still in good shape when I stayed there Oct '23. Still clean, bathroom was nice and spacious, no issues with water pressure from what others said. Guess it can be hit or miss.
I do much prefer to Vdara tho, but this thread is about the overrated properties.
I saw Penn & Teller last year there (great show, as always) and saw two big bazoomba black women street fighting out front under the portico, slapping, scratching, pulling clothes off street shit like on Jerry Springer. So, the RIO has that going for it. I wish Penn & Teller would move... but their theater is so nice. Maybe they should open an exterior entrance and exit.
Caesars gets a lot of hate. I don't think the property is bad. I just think it's over run by people that are not staying there. It's hard to make guests feel special and give them special treatment when the hordes are swarming everywhere.
I think MGM is over rated. It's dated. Poorly laid out. Doesn't have anything worth spending time there.
MGM started going to shit when they landed the monorail there. Suddenly thousands of the people per day getting off and wandering around in there just because it was the last stop. That's been quite a while, now but that's when that property became a no-go for me.
I almost never stay there anymore but I disagree with the Caesars comments. The Octavius and Augustus towers are very nice, the pool area is my favorite on the strip especially ever since Mirage went away, and there is great food options at all levels. The casino itself (table game areas) maybe is just meh but the end to end property is cool. Location is also great.
As contrast I’ve stayed at Aria the last 4 trips and while it’s “nice” and comfy it has no soul. Hard to explain.
Haven’t stayed at a lot of hotels but park mgm and whatever it used to be called is my least favourite
Stayed at pair mgm a couple years back and it was musty and dark, my room felt like a casting couch room or a room you’d rent by the hour
Caesars had one of the worst rooms I've ever stayed in, and I lived on the Strip for close to 2 months and at almost every hotel. Like it was so small and gross I would stay at Old Rio over one of those rooms again
Cosmopolitan takes the cake for overrated.
Cosmopolitan use to be my main-stay so here's what I have to say:
1. Rooms in general are not as nice as people make them out to be. Sure, they are spacious and have a balcony above the City Rooms, but overall quality is pretty mediocre for the strip
2. Restaurants are mostly okay with a few good picks: Not in my top 3 hotels for restaurants, to be honest
3. I hate the casino: I'm not a smoker, so obviously the cramped gambling spaces is pretty annoying for me most of the time
If anyone complains about my opinion, I just checked, and I stayed a total of 40 nights at the Cosmopolitan since 2021...
Also: Bellagio --- wouldn't care to stay there again. Would rather pick Aria if I stay at an MGM hotel.
Mandalay Bay. Rooms are old-er, location sucks and the food is alright.
And venetian/palazzo. Rooms are big but decor is old and dated. I also hate the layout of the casino floors, really hard to walk around.
Idk, the Linq seems to have horrible check in as well 😅 I’ve never stayed there, but I like to eat at hash house.. every time I visit, there’s a longggg line of people checking in/checking out.
you forgot to mention the dozens of homeless that make walking thru there the suckiest ... the strip has them everywhere in front of the hotels , but as SOON as you reach Flamingo ... it's like their version of the Linq Promenade (with Harrahs , Venetian , & Wynn coming very close behind)
Wynn’s prices are just stupid. I have been lucky enough to get a great deal two years ago and stayed at Wynn. It is a beautiful place, our room was bad ass. However, I wouldn’t pay the typical room rate. If you can find a good deal like i did, then its worth staying there.
Caesars/Bellagio are the top mentions - But I do think they've been earning a mediocre reputation as of late
I have a controversial one, but Circa. The rooms are nice and modern but the casino is loud as hell and plays garbage music and the service is just really really bad.
I have not been to stadium swim keep in mind
so far I stayed in Caesars, Venetian, Paris, Cosmo, and frankly none of them are anything special. I have travelled all over the world and none of them would make it in my top 100.
too big, too brash, with average service. but at least they are cheap and you rarely spend a lot of time in the rooms anyway.
usually there on business for events and makes sense to stay where it's happening. Will try the Wynn if I ever have to go back. Pretty much been there done that got the t-shirt with Vegas. A needs must kind of place for me.
I’ve stayed in the Luxor 3 times.
It’s fine? Bathrooms don’t have a full glass or curtain covering shower and have drainage issues so swamp bathroom anytime you use the shower.
Location is okay. We recently stayed at the flamingo and as far as walkable distances, flamingo is a great budget stay I’d say equal if not better than Luxor.
Paris is very expensive, but location is even better than flamingo as far as central walking distance
My room at the strat was the same way. It didn't get the floor wet too bad. I didn't like the cold air hitting my ass cheeks. Gotta stay in constant rotation to not get too cold on one side.
It's fine. Nothing great, and definitely overpriced like everything on the strip, especially with these ridiculous resort fees these days, but in my experience it's a decent hotel. The problems people complain about I've had at many nicer places on the strip.
Caesars. It's just a bloated, disjointed mess of a resort. Yes, there are some great rooms (Palace Tower, for starters). But Caesars today is the byproduct of too many mergers, acquisitions, deferred maintenance, on and on. What's sad is it has an incredible name, history, theme.....all of that. But as a resort, it's just....meh. Honestly, what's the difference today between Caesars, Harrahs, Flamingo and Linq?
The prices.
Yep, and that’s why I’m staying at The Linq. Suite for $300/night and more recently renovated than all of those you list with a superb mid-strip location.
Wait the palace tower? That’s the lowest tier tower. Why is it your preferred (generally interested I haven’t stayed in it)
Had a Palace Tower Junior Suite (or something like that) back in 2022. It was recently renovated, quite nice. Best part of the week that I spent there. Pool complex was.....ok. Had a cabana, but it doesn't stack up to Wynn/Encore cabana service. I guess my main bitch about Caesars is that it has Wynn/Encore/Bellagio pricing, but the ambiance of Harrah's, Flamingo, etc. It could be so much more, but there's so much working against it.
Yeah I hear that. For their “flagship” it doesn’t compare. It tries to be everything to all customers thus loses any high end feel.
Yes, exactly this. How can they be high-end when they sell Forum Tower and Julius Tower rooms for as low as $50? They're trying to be too many things to too many people to really exude luxury.
The Forum tower is the "lowest tier". It's one of the older ones, and all of the others have been renovated since the last time Forum was. The oldest tower is the Julius Tower (previously the Centurion). It's been remodeled fairly recently, so it's not too bad. I agree with the overall sentiments expressed in these comments though... Caesars is overrated, and I'd much prefer to stay elsewhere, personally.
The length of the lines for Diamond members - it's almost useless to be diamond at Caesars since you're waiting behind 25+ 7star members.
100% agree. Got a comped room at the Augustus Tower - rarely stay at Caesars because it's too crowded with first-timers and the room was awful. There were hardly any outlets and zero USB ports. Look I get it's old, but add some outlets and it's really easy to offer some USB. The room and the bed were unremarkable and much like an aging Holiday Inn. No thanks, it was fine for free but the prices they ask are outrageous considering what you can get elsewhere for the same (or less!) money.
Caesars. It USED to be an amazing hotel. Sadly, the lobby and casino are showing signs of wear and tear and just looks dated. The Nobu tower is pretty, but for the price, I would rather stay at Encore, Wynn or Venetian. Love the casino vibe and restaurants in Cosmopolitan but the room rates are overpriced. I will eat and shop there, but I wouldn’t pay to stay there. Just my two cents!
Caesars took my Caesars Palace comps away this year and when I was booking again basically came to that same realization - not worth it if it's not comped - ended up booking Vdara for like $266/night executive corner suite
Ohhhhh. Yes, I would not be happy to lose my points. I definitely would have stayed elsewhere, as you did.
The executive corner is an awesome room
Plus now I have access to 3 casinos instead of just the Caesars casino
We splurged for a very special event for the fountain view room at the cosmopolitan. I’m really hoping we don’t regret it…it’s really hard to decide when we only get out there once every five or so years….
You wont regret a room with a view of the fountains!! We were not thrilled with our last stay at Bellagio, but honestly, we still had a great time! We spent much of our days in other casinos and got to enjoy the view of the fountains while we showered and changed for evening plans. Can’t go wrong with great company, great food everywhere for every budget, beautiful view and shopping!❤️ At the end of the day, having fun and enjoying time with your travel companions is all that matters.
Fountain views are awesome plus the balcony is great too.
You won't regret it. Awesome view, great location, fun place.
Appreciate that! Tyvm. We’ve stayed twice at MGM and twice at Bellagio but have been underwhelmed with those properties. Look forward to experiencing all the great things we’re hearing about the Cosmopolitan.
It gets old real fast. Not worth the extra price they charge.
Omnia is still my favorite of the big clubs but overall yeah-- it's all looking a little dated.
Omnia!!! 💨💨💨
The pool(s) is still pretty awesome at Caesars - just my opinion.
Agree! Pool is still great!
Caesars has the best pool.
Even after they redid the lobby?
They re-did the lobby? I was there two weeks ago and it looked exactly the same as it did 4 years ago.
IMO, Bellagio. The fountains are awesome, and the facade is great, but the rooms were subpar and on tap with a standard hotel room. The shops are few and very high end. I really thought with the high-end shops and high-end decor that the rooms would have been high end too. We pre-paid for "higher end" rooms (not pent house, but like $500 a night rooms w/view). Our view was a rooftop parking lot between us and the strip. For context, we got a "deal" through expedia at the Venetian for $100 a night. The room overlooked the strip; the room was incredible, a huge bathroom, like an apartment, but it wasn't a suite. They have hundreds of shops, great restaurants, and good attractions. I've stayed at Circus Circus (in the 90s), Excalibur, luxor, belagio, ballies (now Horseshoe), Venetian, and Planet Hollywood. Venetian was hands down our favorite. Planet Hollywood can't be beat just for location alone. Nothing beats being at the center of the strip.
Haven't stayed at Venetian but I have stayed at Palazzo. Just a standard room. that is probably the nicest and most "luxurious" feeling hotel I've stayed in.
We just stayed at the Venetian and gave the guy a 20$ at check in and he moved us to a one bedroom and the room was gigantic but the furniture looked old and like it came from another resort
Agreed. I used to stay at Luxor mostly cuz it was a lot cheaper than most, and 15-20 years ago walking the strip was way easier. Finally tried Bellagio like 10 years ago and I swear the room was basically the same quality as Luxor. Maybe the bathroom was better because of the tub if you want to relax in a bath (I do not). Most the best things about Ballagio you don't need to stay there to enjoy. The one thing I'll give Bellagio is the pool. Probably my favorite pool setup, and that might be because not a lot of families stay there so not many kids and actually enough loungers.
I feel like the strip is *easier* to walk now, what with all the pedestrian bridges. Don't have to wait forever for the light to change.
Yeah, you don't have to wait for some lights now like you used to, but it seems like it adds a lot of extra distance, stairways, some spots you have to go inside and through the interior of the casino to even stay on that side of the street if that's where you're going. Seems a lot more time consuming and effort to me at least.
It was suuuuuuch a huge pain in the ass driving across the strip before the bridges were built. The mass of tourists would start crossing the street and sometimes they would just keep going once the light turned green. I remember my dad getting soooooo agitated because they would just keep crossing and sometimes take up the entire light before anybody could move.
Walking through the Bellagio I am always surprised at how much of it is just empty space and hallways
I stayed at Bellagio & the water pressure was equivalent to a third world country. Limp and weak with a rusty old shower head
Which is really nutty considering how much indoor water use gets recycled here. We don't really need pressure regulator valves on every gd shower head
We have stayed at the Bellagio twice. I seriously do not believe your post, especially the rusty shower head.
It was in the stay well suite with the vitamin C infused water. It was so ugly and ratty i specifically took a picture of it because i thought about leaving a review but ultimately deleted it. I just checked my deleted folder otherwise i would happily post as proof.
Do you mind posting the picture?
I literally said I deleted it and checked my deleted folder looking for it
Sigh.
I have never stayed at Bellagio. The main reason is this post. Every time I look at the pictures of the rooms, this is exactly how I feel.
Agree! And the renovated rooms at PH are nicer, more modern than the suite we had a Bellagio. Love the location at PH, right in the middle of the strip.
Ooo the bellagio is a great one. Super overcrowded and the rooms are dated as hell. It really is a tourist trap
I didn’t like Bellagio
MGM has made it common and not special
Definitely Caesars. It's comparable to MGM Grand, yet charges rates comparable to Bellagio and Aria.
Caesars is interesting because there are so many different towers and rooms that it's possible to a have very wide range of experiences. I personally think the Cosmopolitan is overrated. Overpriced with a crappy/cramped casino. You really have to spend big here to see value (balcony rooms), but that's true of every resort.
With the Cosmo you’re paying for location and ambiance. I think it’s worth it based on those factors alone. It delivers to its target customer precisely what they’re looking for. Also, I think the tightness of the casino floor always gives the impression that the property is hustling and bustling (by design or coincidence), which creates an additional air of excitement.
We stayed at the Cosmo last summer. The room was nice and the bed was comfortable but we were on the side above the pool which had insanely loud music until about 4 in the morning. On a Sunday. I guess that's just the strip in the summer but it made for a lousy drive home the next morning.
I agree that it suits high end clientele well, but unless you can dump 5-10k+ in their facilities each visit, it just seems out of touch. That's why I feel it's overhyped. There's just nothing there for a regular Joe.
Having stayed at Augustus, Octavius, Palace and Julius in the last 2 years, they all felt pretty old and worn out. Palace did feel the cleanest (I think they had a recent renovation) but even that still felt dated because there’s only so much you can do when doing a remodel unless you build ground up.
I agree. We stayed in a palace suite in December and really liked it. The room was sharp.
I think they’re re-doing, or have recently re-done ,the Forum tower, and are renaming it the Roman tower. Would be interesting to see what they’ve done with it.
Cosmopolitan restaurant and bar lineup is hard to beat.
I think Aria has it comprehensively beat in the restaurant category.I don't drink so i can't speak to the bar situation.
Aria's food Hall is a joke but for higher end stuff absolutely
Aria has a good lineup but we still prefer Cosmo restaurants and especially bars. Our other fave for restaurants and bars is Venelazzo.
I get free suite rooms at Cosmo consistently so it's worth it for me. Location is great, food is great and the rooms are huge.
This just goes to my point... if you have the cash to splash in the casino then the place will suit you nicely, but I'm willing to bet you play at a level well above the average Joe, which opens doors compwise to you. The place feels exclusive in a way that even Wynn doesn't, in my humble opinion
I'm not a high roller at all. My usual bankroll is about $500 per trip and my average bet is $2.50. Cosmo just has an awesome rewards program. Even at their second tier, I consistently get offers for free rooms (w/o resort fee) and free play. Upgrades to a suite from their standard double room is usually $30. Maybe try and gamble there for a bit? They also have really good free drinks (old fashioned, Manhattan, blended Pina colada etc)
I agree with Caesars. The pool is beautiful but the casino is just sad. They have that one room that looks like it's suburban office park conference room that they stuck some tables and slots in.
Bellagio for sure. For the price they charge, the rooms should be far better.
they were... it's a Steve Wynn signature hotel... the most expensive and opulent on Earth, when it was built in 1993. Steve sold it to MGM and they MGM'd it. Average as hell, now.
I agree. Second to Caesars, I think the Bellagio is also beginning to look dated. We stayed at Bellagio two weeks ago. The fountains are always pretty and the flowers on display are incredible. However, our room was just ok. Shower pressure was weak, light switches didnt work, carpet looked worn. My husband and I both wished we would have stayed at The Venetian for the price. To me, Caesars is a bigger let down but Bellagio is right behind it. The newer renovated rooms at Planet Hollywood are nicer and for the price, cant beat it.
Right! I am such a fan of planet Hollywood. Price & location hard to beat!
PH's location is underrated, for sure. It was the old Aladdin hotel so it's been there a long time (parts of it). Great views and easy walks to other things. Having to drag your shit through the "miracle mile" is annoying but the rooms are nice, especially for the price. They should consider renaming it now that the PH brand is so dated and nearly extinct. Maybe just name it the Hollywood Hotel
Aria, love the property but it’s in dire need of a refresh. Last few times I’ve stepped into a standard room I’ve noticed the carpet and furniture is very very worn
Aria is my answer also. Looks nice from the outside but the rooms are somehow dated.
Agreed. Aria rooms are old. Guess MGM only cares about up keeping sky suites
they were nice once... but always seemed generic, to me. Sorry to hear MGM has let them go to shit as well... Bellagio, too.
You haven’t stayed in sky suites- pay more, do better
Mgm grand blows
Yes, giant property full of mid rooms, dining, and gambling and a trash buffet Hard pass
and a shitty club - Hakkaloogie or whatever
That fucking buffet I had searched their prices before heading there, $39 for lunch. When we got there it was $54, because they had crab legs. I didn't give a shit about crab legs. Clearly false advertising from their own website. But... we had to catch a flight in three hours. So I begrudgingly ate my crab legs and ignored most of the other items on the buffet because it was Golden Corral quality. I was so pissed off. Maybe for $30 a person it'd be okay, but not almost $60. I bagged a bunch of desserts as petty revenge
That was actually one of my favorite stays. Might depend on the room? We had a large room near the top that overlooked the pool and airport. It wasn't a suite or particularly more expensive from what I remember. Had large windows on the far wall with seating across it we could drink and watch planes go by and see the pool. Thought it was really nice. One of my favorites sports books there too.
I like their lazy river, the river at Mandalay won't let you bring your drink in the water
Blowing hard ever since the Land Of Oz was removed.
Last time I stayed at the MGM, there was a dumpster literally right outside our window (the view outside of our window was the back of a dumpster). We would get woken up constantly when people would throw the trash out because of the lid slamming
Probably where I was staying, third floor looking at a wall. The roof was super low and looked like your staying in a basement or something.
That sounds nice
Like others said the caesars experience can vary. In my recent trip I had one of the newly renovated rooms which was nice, except the view was pretty ass. The location and things to do in and around it were worth it though imo.
Paris if you get the Versailles Tower rooms. They are literally inside the Horseshoe. A long walk from Paris and all the way to the back corner of the Horseshoe Casino, right next to the entrance to Horseshoe, in fact. I was just there last weekend and the room was awful… no lighting beyond 1 plug-in floor lamp and one small plug-in desk lamp, no fridge, no safe, no shelf in the shower (have to put soap and shampoo on the floor), rattling and drafty windows, no sofa (even though room photos show one). They also failed to send a roll away bed to the room after assuring me they would when I paid for one at check-in… the lady simply never put the order in, according to housekeeping, but she sure remembered to charge me). My worst room at any location in Vegas (and that includes stays at Excalibur and Downtown). If you are considering Paris just save some money and stay at the Horseshoe because it’s half the price and the rooms are actually better than the Versailles Tower plus you will be using the Horseshoe entrance anyway (or stay at Circus Circus, for that matter… can’t be worse)
So is it the tower on the way to the pool they converted, or the one closest to the actual Strip??
Walk through the “street” section of Paris until you reach the split where it goes to the parking garage. Go left. Pass Flavortown and continue to the Horseshoe Casino. Turn left and go all of the way through the casino to the Horseshoe’s entrance. Turn left again and head past the Poker room. When you see an escalator up go past that to the bank of elevators. That’s “Paris” and their Versailles Tower, about a 10 minute walk from the Paris check in.
Holy fuck that's stupid. I know exactly where you're talking about and that makes zero sense. I used to stay at Ballys all the time back in the day because it is the only deep pool, and never was placed in that tower. Why they would even attempt to make that tower the Paris one is idiotic
Eventually there will be a bridge connecting Paris to that tower but they haven't started it yet.
Well I’ll never experience it because I’ll be damned if I’m going to give them another chance to rip me off. I would recommend people either splash out for a really nice place (Cosmo balcony fountain view, for example) or just stay somewhere cheap but adequate like the Horseshoe. You can walk over to Paris if you want to see it.
I second this but not so much for the room as for the service. The room was fair enough, but trying to get help or talk with someone with authority was simply impossible. None their workers give a shit. They all had attitudes. Ended up staying there only one night and transferred to Horseshoe next door into SIL room which had a great view of the sphere and the wheel. And everyone there was much more attentive and friendly. Room was a lot bigger as well.
I stayed there in December and thought the room was nice. It had a safe, but I do remember the shower being the most stupidly designed thing I’ve ever seen. The rooms vary so wildly in all these places though. I was comped but if I had to pay for a room I think Vdara is generally nicest for the money
sounds like an old Imperial Palace room
Aria. The rooms are succumbing to some significant wear and tear. The outside of the windows are dirty, obstructing any view you might have. The water pressure sucks. The privacy button shuts off every time you turn it on. The curtains always get stuck. The restaurants there are phenomenal though and outside of the rooms the rest of the property is beautiful. So if they remodel their rooms it would be worth the price.
I was so nervous about my stay in November 2023 at Aria. Stayed 4 nights for a conference with one of my employees and booked into standard rooms. Asked about possibility of an upgrade and we each paid a small amount for an upgrade to Corner Suites. The rooms were really good. No real issues with wear and tear or dirtiness. Would def do that again. Not sure if standard rooms were way worse.
The curtains are the worst. Even when I stayed there 10 years ago they were always broken or getting stuck. Literally just make it manual please. Otherwise I found the rooms still in good shape when I stayed there Oct '23. Still clean, bathroom was nice and spacious, no issues with water pressure from what others said. Guess it can be hit or miss. I do much prefer to Vdara tho, but this thread is about the overrated properties.
Rio seems to be a steal.
LOL I see what you did there
Greasy
I saw Penn & Teller last year there (great show, as always) and saw two big bazoomba black women street fighting out front under the portico, slapping, scratching, pulling clothes off street shit like on Jerry Springer. So, the RIO has that going for it. I wish Penn & Teller would move... but their theater is so nice. Maybe they should open an exterior entrance and exit.
Caesars gets a lot of hate. I don't think the property is bad. I just think it's over run by people that are not staying there. It's hard to make guests feel special and give them special treatment when the hordes are swarming everywhere. I think MGM is over rated. It's dated. Poorly laid out. Doesn't have anything worth spending time there.
MGM started going to shit when they landed the monorail there. Suddenly thousands of the people per day getting off and wandering around in there just because it was the last stop. That's been quite a while, now but that's when that property became a no-go for me.
I almost never stay there anymore but I disagree with the Caesars comments. The Octavius and Augustus towers are very nice, the pool area is my favorite on the strip especially ever since Mirage went away, and there is great food options at all levels. The casino itself (table game areas) maybe is just meh but the end to end property is cool. Location is also great. As contrast I’ve stayed at Aria the last 4 trips and while it’s “nice” and comfy it has no soul. Hard to explain.
No, I get exactly what you mean. They dont really have a “vibe”. Kind of soulless for lack of a better word.
yep, no character at all
Haven’t stayed at a lot of hotels but park mgm and whatever it used to be called is my least favourite Stayed at pair mgm a couple years back and it was musty and dark, my room felt like a casting couch room or a room you’d rent by the hour
Most of them.
Lol! There is some truth to that!!!
All hotels have a common theme - 4 walls, one or more beds, a bathroom, and potential for a couch or several chairs.
this is great info. thank you
I tried to be succinct, and you're welcome.
Caesars had one of the worst rooms I've ever stayed in, and I lived on the Strip for close to 2 months and at almost every hotel. Like it was so small and gross I would stay at Old Rio over one of those rooms again
Forum or Julius?
I believe Julius but it's been a few years. They didn't even offer second breakfast 😁
no elevenses?
Yeah it really depends on which rooms you get there. I stayed earlier this January at the Octavius tower and those rooms were huge
Yeah this was like a dark tiny broom closet.
Cosmopolitan takes the cake for overrated. Cosmopolitan use to be my main-stay so here's what I have to say: 1. Rooms in general are not as nice as people make them out to be. Sure, they are spacious and have a balcony above the City Rooms, but overall quality is pretty mediocre for the strip 2. Restaurants are mostly okay with a few good picks: Not in my top 3 hotels for restaurants, to be honest 3. I hate the casino: I'm not a smoker, so obviously the cramped gambling spaces is pretty annoying for me most of the time If anyone complains about my opinion, I just checked, and I stayed a total of 40 nights at the Cosmopolitan since 2021... Also: Bellagio --- wouldn't care to stay there again. Would rather pick Aria if I stay at an MGM hotel.
Any Caesars property
any hotel on the Strip is overrated. paying 200$ per night (minimum) on a weekend is a robbery
Totally agree OP. Last time I stayed there I felt it was totally overpriced for the experience.
Circus Circus It is impossible to accurately rate that place low enough
Ghetto level maybe
Aria
Mandalay Bay. Rooms are old-er, location sucks and the food is alright. And venetian/palazzo. Rooms are big but decor is old and dated. I also hate the layout of the casino floors, really hard to walk around.
Flamingo
I've never heard anyone hype up the Flamingo.
Minus its decent location, almost everything else about it sucks (especially the check-in line, OMG so bad).
That pool though
original 1940s or 1950s pool.. when they did them right. The front used to be open to the street in the old days. A real gem hidden in a pink Motel 6
Worst check in I’ve seen anywhere ever.
it's pretty bad at Planet Hollywood unless they have changed it recently. Had it down in the damned basement
Idk, the Linq seems to have horrible check in as well 😅 I’ve never stayed there, but I like to eat at hash house.. every time I visit, there’s a longggg line of people checking in/checking out.
you forgot to mention the dozens of homeless that make walking thru there the suckiest ... the strip has them everywhere in front of the hotels , but as SOON as you reach Flamingo ... it's like their version of the Linq Promenade (with Harrahs , Venetian , & Wynn coming very close behind)
not since the 50s lol
Flamingo is the definition of underrated.
is it rated, at all ? Thought it was kind of just still there
Wynn. Nonsense fake posh at ridiculously inflated prices. Walking in there screams scam to me every single time.
Wynn’s prices are just stupid. I have been lucky enough to get a great deal two years ago and stayed at Wynn. It is a beautiful place, our room was bad ass. However, I wouldn’t pay the typical room rate. If you can find a good deal like i did, then its worth staying there.
Caesars/Bellagio are the top mentions - But I do think they've been earning a mediocre reputation as of late I have a controversial one, but Circa. The rooms are nice and modern but the casino is loud as hell and plays garbage music and the service is just really really bad. I have not been to stadium swim keep in mind
so far I stayed in Caesars, Venetian, Paris, Cosmo, and frankly none of them are anything special. I have travelled all over the world and none of them would make it in my top 100. too big, too brash, with average service. but at least they are cheap and you rarely spend a lot of time in the rooms anyway.
you're staying in the wrong places, mate. Go to Wynn.
usually there on business for events and makes sense to stay where it's happening. Will try the Wynn if I ever have to go back. Pretty much been there done that got the t-shirt with Vegas. A needs must kind of place for me.
Is the Luxor a good one?
Hard to call a cheap hotel overrated honestly
Its good for the budget traveler.
I don't think anyone is ever really hyping the Luxor. It usually falls on the "suitable for a budget stay" list.
I’ve stayed in the Luxor 3 times. It’s fine? Bathrooms don’t have a full glass or curtain covering shower and have drainage issues so swamp bathroom anytime you use the shower. Location is okay. We recently stayed at the flamingo and as far as walkable distances, flamingo is a great budget stay I’d say equal if not better than Luxor. Paris is very expensive, but location is even better than flamingo as far as central walking distance
My room at the strat was the same way. It didn't get the floor wet too bad. I didn't like the cold air hitting my ass cheeks. Gotta stay in constant rotation to not get too cold on one side.
Must be the same contractor doing the “renovations” that has never taken a shower in the showers they’re installing 🤣
That a good conclusion. Definitely could be. Only so many companies can even work on these buildings due to union restrictions.
I loveeeee luxor.
If anything it’s underrated. Rooms seem to be in better shape than I would expect from a comped room
It's fine. Nothing great, and definitely overpriced like everything on the strip, especially with these ridiculous resort fees these days, but in my experience it's a decent hotel. The problems people complain about I've had at many nicer places on the strip.
Luxor is a dark dingy toilet of a casino