Finally was able to travel within the US and went to see my family for the first time in a couple of years. Then swung through Vegas for a few days. I also have some family there.
Stayed at the Aria. Normally the place is impeccable but it was a little off this time. I don't know if it was adjustments due to the pandemic or just an unfortunate coincidence. I had my privacy light on but housekeeping knocked on my door and woke me up and then the last day they called my room phone. I'm fucking sleeping, leave me alone. I know the privacy light was working because when I used the in-room tablet to order room service it asked me if it could turn off the privacy light until the delivery was complete. I guess housekeeping didn't get the memo. The second day they opened my door and the lady walks in just as I'm stepping into the shower. I hope she enjoyed the view. Also the blackout shade you can control using the wall buttons or the tablet didn't quite work. It would always move to a certain position almost closed and then get stuck. I'd have to move it back and forth a few times before it finally closed all the way. It can't be moved manually. And of course their fail app has never let me check in online.
Poker room great as always.
Due to the closure of some restaurants they have a few new food options. The Moneyline pizza that replaced 550 is similar and still very good. The seafood place Catch that replaced Sage was also good, had a dinner there one night with my cousin. Unfortunately I think the quality of Lemongrass has declined. I ordered some to the poker room and was disappointed. The softshell crab fried rice used to be amazing, now it's bland, crab was over-fried and rice seemed like it had been sitting around a few days. Pork neck was tasty but not as tender as it used to be, seemed like it had been prepared differently.
The place was hopping. That and the lack of staff meant that lines were long for everything. The cage, the food, MLife desk to redeem my free play offer, everything was a longer wait than usual.
Checked out Resorts World. My overall impression was, why would I come here? They had a few interesting things to look at but I don't like the location, the poker room looks nice but has few tables running even on the weekend, and the food court is fine but there are so many food options in Vegas that a food court just isn't a draw. And the staff were clearly unprepared for it to be open.
Also checked out Circa. Very nice place, great sportsbook. The original Vegas Vickie neon sign is inside. If you want or need to be on Fremont street you have a very good option now. I wouldn't go out of my way to stay or play there though.
Walked a bit on the strip, was in Bellagio for a while and NYNY as my cousin wanted to get something in the Hershey store. On the strip and even at the Aria I did notice what others have said about the current "clientele." Lot of thuggish looking people even at Aria. I noticed tighter security especially Saturday night, the place was crawling with cops and so was the strip. And the guards they have posted in front of the elevators to check that everyone going in has a room key, who often didn't bother to check me before, were checking me and everybody else every single time I went up. One couple of that persuasion who had been drinking came to my poker table Saturday night ready to rebuy and I took nearly a grand off them on a 1/3 game LOL.
Glad to see Vegas is back, though they need to fix a few leaks. Still a good time.
Jack Daniels fire up your bookmarks, very entertaining.
