Just flew back from Las Vegas, and boy are my arms tired. Spouse was there for a three-day convention and I was her luggage escort.
The Las Vegas [-]Hilton[/-] Hotel appears to be a fading flower. I was surprised at how dirty the carpets are in the main hallways and how uneven the (concrete?) floors are in corridor to the North Tower. They are not plowing cash flow back into the business.
Their casino is almost totally automated-- slots & video poker appear to be the perfect employees. They have 20 tables for dealer games but they're not really active until the evening/midwatch. As ClifP has pointed out, they're shaving as many basis points off the blackjack odds as they can fool their customers into accepting. Gimmicks like paying 6/5 for a blackjack instead of 3/2.
I had decided that I was not going to gamble. If I had wanted to gamble, I would have immediately been turned off by the dim lighting (for my presbyopian vision), the constant flashing lights of the machines next to the tables, the constant blaring of the large-screen TVs in the corners proclaiming the casino's coming attractions, and the sound track in the overhead speakers. I would've needed earplugs and a headlight to survive that environment for more than 20 minutes. I could barely handle walking through the casino.
The LVH elevators play classic rock tunes. My spouse and I were banging our heads in time to the sound track until the awful realization hit us between the demographic eyeballs: classic rock has become elevator music. Oy.
I would like to think that the LVH rents rooms equipped with mini-refrigerators and coffeemakers. Internet access was priced at $14/day. It's clear that you're not expected to find the room a warm & comforting cave in which to hole up. Instead you're supposed to be out & about seeking the action.
Maybe the Strip's casinos are doing a better job. We briefly watched the Bellagio's fountain show, which always impresses me with the pressure transients required to lift that much water that high that quickly. We didn't get over to Fremont or into any of the other casinos. We enjoyed one evening of shopping (spouse wanted new shoes) and another evening at REI buying supplies for our upcoming Haleakala hike.
I was surprised at how sparse the Strip crowds were on a Tuesday night. But hey, it's early in the season.
I was blown away (so to speak) by the
National Atomic Testing Museum. Thanks for recommending it, ClifP! Seriously-- I spent over 2.5 hours there and could've gone back for more. The schmaltz and blind optimism of the 1940s and 1950s is unbelievable, as is the hubris of the 1960s-90s. I was also not amused to see one of "my" AN/PDR-27 radiacs in the display case along with other "dinosaur radiation detectors".
This was our second Vegas trip in eight years, but we'll probably wait longer before trying again. It seems like a good stop for gambling, shows*, and cheap real estate. It's probably great when seen from an RV or with casino comps. Otherwise it's not much better than a Nevada version of Waikiki... only with less surf.
* [With the possible exception of the ABBA tribute group "Abbacadabra" and the "Nunsense" singing nuns. I have no idea what they were [-]drinking[/-] thinking!]
