Two Way Hard Three | Las Vegas Casino & Design Blog

February 4, 2006 6:19 PM Posted by detroit1051

I�ve stayed at Wynn four times and like it more than my old �home� in Las Vegas, Bellagio. Wynn is not perfect, but it just feels right for me. Many of my opinions are based on comparisons to Bellagio where I stayed since it opened in October 1998 until Wynn opened last year.

I agree with Pisces on some opinions and disagree on others. Here are a few comments:

I definitely agree that Wynn Las Vegas has some of the best hotel beds I�ve ever slept on and that the linens are excellent quality. The �Dream Bed� is made by Sealy and is for sale, like most items in the rooms, at Wynn�s Room D�cor to Go. The beds range from $1849 for a Queen to $2435 for a California King.

I disagree that the standard rooms are �odd� or �unusual.� I like the entry with the double-door closet next to the bathroom. It is superior to Bellagio�s room with closet space limited to either side of the TV in an armoire, and it is great to have a sofa in a standard room.

I disagree on the comments about the windows. The floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows make the room open and bright. As much as I�ve liked Bellagio, the small windows make the rooms appear dark and small. The subject of room views is subjective. I liked the Strip view from Wynn, more so than the views from many Bellagio rooms I�ve stayed in which overlooked I-15. After my first trip to Wynn, I began requesting golf course views. After all the high-energy activity of Las Vegas and The Strip, the golf course looks downright serene.

Wynn�s rooms with either orange or brown walls are refreshingly contemporary compared to the �Old European� d�cor at Bellagio. I haven�t stayed at Caesars, so I can�t compare wallpaper or carpet. I like the contemporary look of the Warhol prints more than the �classic art� which Pisces prefers at Bellagio, Venetian and Caesars. That�s what makes the world interesting; everyone doesn�t have to have the same taste.

It�s unfortunate Pisces had problems with the TV. I never have, but I do think it�s more complicated to operate than the good old fashioned TV�s at Bellagio and other properties. I�ve never heard of ��one computer glitch throughout the entire resort�you can�t watch TV.�

I liked the flat-screen TV being mounted on the wall. That design also makes the room appear larger than having a hulking armoire taking up most of one wall. The fact that it lies flat against wall for viewing from the sofa and swings out for viewing from the bed is fine with us.

The comment about humidifiers intrigued me. The dryness in Las Vegas, compared to home in Florida, does get to me for the first few days. I never thought about requesting or buying a humidifier. Interesting.

I�m certainly not challenging Pisces� comments, but other than my first stay at Wynn last May or June, I�ve never had problems with doors sticking. At that time, there were some problems, and staff was adjusting the strike plates on all the doors. The doors worked fine in my subsequent three stays. I also believe the soundproofing is the same as at Bellagio. The only noise I hear at either place is the sound of banging doors, not from sticking, but from people who never think to let the door close gently. Bellagio�s remodeled rooms also have marble entries with carpeting starting at the beginning of the sleeping area of the room.

Noise coming from the outside is also something I haven�t experienced. Yes, I�ve heard sirens and trains, but I�ve heard the same sounds at Mirage, Bellagio, TI and other properties. I don�t believe this is a valid criticism of Wynn.

I haven�t noticed any more smoke in the rooms at Wynn than any other property. There are always going to be as few jerks who smoke wherever and whenever they want, but the air quality is fine with me. Does Steve Wynn smoke a pipe as Pisces reported? I�ve never seen him with a pipe or smoking anything else. I believe he is a non-smoker.

I�ve already given my opinion of armoires. Pisces and I can agree to disagree on that subject.

Same on the bathrooms. I liked the bathrooms, believe any vanity chair is a waste, and who looks for arm and leg rests? The shower is the best in Las Vegas.

Buffet: I don�t like any buffets, but I have been to Wynn�s several times. It was fine, but Bellagio�s is better.

I haven�t eaten at Terrace Point. One of the high points of Wynn is the selection of restaurants. Since Pisces didn�t mention any others, I assume she didn�t try them. They are outstanding. There�s no better place for breakfast than the Country Club Grill. The view of the 18th green and waterfall is spectacular with excellent food and service. Okada, SW, Tableau, Daniel Boulud, Alex, Bartolotta and Red 8 are terrific. I haven�t tried Wing Lei; maybe next time.

This is already too long, so let me wrap it up. I like Wynn as much as I liked Bellagio when Steve Wynn owned it. Bellagio is still a fine property, but I don�t care for the �MGM Grand-ization� which has taken place since MGM Mirage became owner. Wynn�s almost $3 Billion price tag boggles the mind, but the property is my hotel/casino of choice. Pisces and I don�t see or experience Wynn the same way. That�s fine.

February 4, 2006 7:02 PM Posted by Hunter

Ok, thanks to Detroit for posting this.

As you guys might imagine, I too have a few comments...

First off, the review is well written and I appreciate that everyone has their own opinion. That's fine.

But, there are some downright inaccurate things in that report that I feel I have to correct.

As Detroit said, Steve Wynn is a non-smoker. He's actually a health freak and doesn't smoke, so that's dead wrong.

The comments about the Lake of Dreams... Well, the show may be underwhelming compared to Bellagio's Fountains but from a technology perspective, there's nothing like it. The colors on the lake floor are NOT projected from above, they are generated by thousands of LEDs in the lake floor - the only way to get even, vibrant color across the entire floor when they do smoke and fog. Personally, I think the way the lake changes colors so perfectly and with such dense, vivid color is pretty amazing, though I admit that I haven't yet seen a show that I would say was very compelling... Still, I think the tools to come up with a cool show are there, they just need to find someone that can use them well.

One question I would ask the original reviewer is WHEN they visited. My trip to Wynn for the opening was very uneven - it was obvious that they opened a bit too early. Since then the bumps in the road have been smoothed out and they've fixed all the problems I identified after that trip. The physical plant (building) is behaving much better than it did when it opened. The reviewer is correct that all the IT systems in the resort are interconnected and that has caused them some headaches but those have been largely resolved at this point.

The Wynn Dream Bed is fantastic and I'm happy to say I have my Cal King on the way - can't wait.

I think that Bellagio's guest rooms feel cramped since they renovated and added the super-huge armoires. The rooms at Wynn are much larger and it really feels great compared to the B.

Restaurant-wise I've been wowed by Wing Lei (Detroit - if you like high-end Chinese then you'll love it. I liked it more than Jasmine at Bellagio, which I thought was fantastic), SW, Tableau, Country Club, Bartolotta (one of my new fave restaurants in LV) and had a pretty good meal at Daniel Boloud. I need to try Okada and Alex at some point.

Anyway, I disagree with most of the other points but Detroit already gave a strong rebuttal...

Wynn ain't perfect but it's my new favorite place to stay in Las Vegas and I'm hoping Encore 'fixes' a few of my Wynn gripes.

February 4, 2006 7:04 PM Posted by Hunter

Okay, I just looked again and saw that he/she was there in December so my idea that it might have been timing is off...

February 4, 2006 7:11 PM Posted by Hunter

I added a comment to the review itself to let them know we're talking about it over here in case the author wants to respond.

February 4, 2006 9:01 PM Posted by Brian

Detroit, thanks for posting Pisces' review over here and thanks to you and Hunter for your comments. I only stayed at Wynn for one night last June and still prefer Bellagio. Wynn is a very good property, IMO; however, I like the fact that the self-park at Bellagio dumps you right at the registration desk, and I also prefer the pool area at the B, particularly the fact that they have several small pools instead of two large ones, and that a few of them have the cool fountains in the center.

Hunter, you're right that the Wynn Lake show has potential, but perhaps the biggest disappointment to me at Wynn was not having the show audible from the rooms. For Steve to say that the resort is "all about the guest" and then not have the guests able to fully enjoy the show from their rooms is strange. Granted, due to the lake's smaller scale, it would be harder to appreciate the show from the room than, say, the Bellagio fountains from its guest rooms, but having the show audible would be a romantic touch. Also, in Wynn's rooms, where exactly are you supposed to put your non-hanging clothes? Unless I'm missing something, the only drawers in the rooms are in the nightstands, and I think its a little cheesy to put your clothes in the nightstands. Wynn's rooms could use at least a small chest of drawers.....where could you put them?

February 5, 2006 12:36 AM Posted by Mike E

Well, I expressed my views on page 2 of the thread already. I'm normally very reserved and don't post such strong words, but there's been a lot of ridiculing of the Wynn-lovers on there so I had to defend my stance.

Bottom line: what makes WLV pretty much the only place I'll ever stay (until Encore at least) is not its service, or its rooms (though both are outstanding), but the fact that it's so well designed, it downright amazes me. Every negative review you'll read COMPLETELY overlooks this.

February 5, 2006 12:42 AM Posted by Mike E

Woops, I completely forgot. "Pisces" posted this on the LVTalk forums. That what I was referring to.

February 5, 2006 4:33 AM Posted by detroit1051

Brian, there are drawers for clothes in the same cabinet which holds the minibar. Half is drawers. There was enough space, so I didn't need to use the nightstands.

February 5, 2006 7:18 AM Posted by Mike P.

I have a few reactions, based on one week long stay at Wynn--

- You can definitely hear the trains in either a Wynn strip view room or Bellagio's west wing. I actually like the sound of trains. I couldn't hear either the Wynn show or the TI pirates&babes show from our room.

- It's certainly true that construction sites are a prominent feature of the view from a strip view room. That's not going to change any time soon.

- We were on a nonsmoking floor and didn't notice any smoke odor at all. The casino on the other hand had a pervasive stench of cigar smoke that we found pretty irritating.

- The one "odd" feature in our bathroom was a rather cheap looking plastic bench in the shower. The shower itself was fantastic though, with one of those oversized rain shower heads.

- The salon suites come with two closets that are a little smaller than the ones in Bellagio Penthouse suites. Storage is definitely not a problem in a suite.

- I kinda liked the color scheme in our suite (dark red grasscloth wallpaper in the living area; bright red carpet; brown wallpaper in the bathrooms). I can see it not working so well in a smaller space. The same brown wallpaper in the hallways made them feel a little claustrophobic.

- We had a problem with a sticky room door due to a loose strike plate too. A call to guest services got it fixed promptly. The only other glitch in our room was sporadic internet access the first few days. Someone was sent up to take a look but he accomplished nothing; whatever the problem was went away a day or so later.

- I agree you can't judge the dining options based on the buffet and coffee shop. We're definitely adding SW and Tableau to our regular restaurant rotation. On the other hand Palio at Bellagio is superior to the little cafe in the gift shop for a quick morning breakfast carryout. Also, since Boulud stopped serving lunch there doesn't seem to be a good option for a sit down lunch at Wynn. We like both Sensi and Olives at Bellagio.

- I was unmoved by the Wynn light show, and during the day the "lake of dreams" just looks like a tiny pond with an oversized wall of water.

- I much prefer Bellagio's location. Until the north strip gets redeveloped Wynn is basically at the end of the interesting part of the strip. From Bellagio we can walk anywhere we want to go.

I guess I'm not as infatuated with Wynn as some of you guys, but we have three Vegas trips planned in the next several months and we'll be staying there for two of them. That's not completely by choice. Our usual excuse for Vegas trips is that my wife takes continuing medical education courses there. Wynn's going after that business pretty aggressively, along with Bellagio and Venetian.

Mike P.

February 5, 2006 9:00 AM Posted by detroit1051

Mike P, I stayed in a Salon Suite once, and I agree, that little bench in the shower is "odd." It's very cheap plastic. Mine was a sickly greenish/yellow. One in a Villa I toured was brown. Wynn could have done better.

I, too, was disappointed that Boulud stopped serving lunch. I like Country Club Grill and also Red 8 for a casual lunch. The food is pretty good there. I can't remember, does Tableau still serve lunch? Dinner-only restaurants is the new norm. I always liked lunch at Bellagio's Circo with the daylight view of the lake. No more lunch. Sensi is very good for lunch.

February 5, 2006 9:51 AM Posted by Mike E

Yes, Tableau is still serving breakfast and lunch.

I knew Corsa had stopped serving lunch, but Boulud as well? I was really looking forward to trying both in March.

Regarding those cheap shower benches in the suites: I think it's the best they could do while still making it moveable within the confines of the shower.

February 5, 2006 10:14 AM Posted by Hunter

Corsa at Wynn was good for lunch too but since the re-opening its dinner only... Tableau still serves lunch and its a great spot.

I too miss lunch at Circo - great spot.

February 5, 2006 10:31 AM Posted by Mike

Yes, Tableau is still open for lunch -- supposedly for South tower guests only (do they enforce that?). We're going to try it next trip, I think.

I'm not sure why I mention lunch places. I have to exercise twice as hard to keep my weight under control when we're in Vegas, and I try to skip lunch when I can.

Mike P.

February 5, 2006 2:43 PM Posted by mike_ch

I was going to organize this into things I agreed and didn't agree with, and things where I think the reviewer is being a bit of a baby, but I think I'll just attack things point by point:

- I was under the impression that Steve Wynn was into smoking cigars. His magazine suggested as much in a recent issue.

- Regardless, Wynn is one of the cleanest hotels that I've been in (and I know how to look for these things) and I've never been put in a room that reeked of smoke (and I'm a California-bred smoke hater.) The casino could really use some more circulation/filtration, though, because it gets almost as smoky as a Coast/Station casino there sometimes.

- I do not like the bed. I have not tried Westin's Heavenly beds, but I imagine they're at least as nice. My Simmons Beautyrest (which is essentially a newer, fancier Westin bed with better materials at a lower price) is more comfortable. Of my 4 nights at Wynn, I could never get a good night's sleep with that bed.

- I don't mind the Warhol paintings, but I do wish they had another print besides the same painting of flowers, just something different in the bathroom would have been nice.

- I also used to live in a much more hydrated environment, and never asked any Vegas hotel for a humidifier in my many vacations. It simply never came to mind. It seems to me that the chapped lips and other discomforts are simply what happens when you choose to come here. *shrug*

- The reviewer seems to think golf course rooms are in demand. No, you have to ask for a 2-bed room. Due to the curvature of the building, the rooms facing LVB are naturally smaller the rooms stretched out along the course. Rooms facing LVB have one bed, rooms facing the course have two.

-I agree that the carpet seems kind of thin and the comments about the amoire. I cannot afford to spend a week at Wynn, so during our 2-night stays we "lived out of the suitcase" as it were. If I did stay there a week I don't see where everyone could put all their clothing.

-Bathrooms are fine except for the complaints here about the lack of numbers on the TV remote. Bathroom HDTV would be redundant since you can't make out the detail from across the room in the tub or shower.

-I do get kind of tired of seeing Steve's signature on everything from my pad of paper to my drinking glass (and why don't they have any shirts as, but "annoying slogan?" This reviewer has clearly not spent any time at THEhotel, where they go overboard with THEgimmick.

-I liked Wynn's buffet than the mediocore experience I had at Paris' buffet (Harrah's-ized?) but have not tried Bellagio's. I also think the Terrace Pointe Cafe is too expensive for me to eat there more than a few times, but the one morning I was alone I did get great service.

-I don't use the pools, but Wynn's pool looked very nice. When I stayed at Bellagio in 2003, the pool area was mostly torn up for Spa Tower construction, so I can't speak for it. I can't think of any hotels in Wynn's competition that don't give you a better experience for renting a cabana. Isn't that what it's all about?

- The music is very random now. Just a few months ago they were still using a very short playlist, but on my visit Thursday night I was hearing music in spanish amongst many other crazy songs, one of which included somebody shouting something unintelligible (either that or it was coming from Lure, but my ears tell me no.) Maybe there was a special event going on that I didn't know about.

- The water feature is more amazing in it's design than in it's presentation.

- Caesars Forum Shops are nice, no doubt, but I don't think it's the same thing as the Fashion Show. Those anchor stores don't exist at Caesars, so don't go looking for a department store or some of the specialty stores like Apple. Yes, Caesars has a lot of very expensive shopping, but so does Wynn and Bellagio.

I would agree that Bellagio knocks your socks off more than Wynn if you're a new or infrequent Vegas tourist. It's where I'd reccomend first-timers go over Wynn. Wynn does have some charms of it's own, though, provided you are wiling to pay for them and don't mind a being distanced just a little bit from everything. With the bridges, though, it's now conveniently close to Mirage and Treasure Island to almost feel like an extension of those resorts.

February 5, 2006 4:45 PM Posted by Adam

There are only a few things I can complain about at Wynn...

First is the temperature in the elevators. I was there in August and it was quite hot, especially within the pool elevators.

Secondly the TV was hard to see. I was in a room with two beds, and the TV is located across the room. The TV wasn't extremely hard to see, however it was very small.

BTW, the only comment I have to say relating to the review was about the housekeeping. Housekeeping came all the time, when the clean room sign was on the door.

February 5, 2006 5:43 PM Posted by Doug

All right, I'm going to add my '2 cents' on this topic because I think the nit-picking about Bellagio and Wynn have gotten ridiculous.

For me, the most important experience at any Las Vegas hotel is the level of clientele and friendly employees. And, yes, the hotel needs to be clean and comfortable, but most of them are just fine in that area.

I go to Las Vegas for great gambling and both Wynn and Bellagio are outstanding for that. My only nit-pick might be the bars, but I do most of my drinking at the gaming tables so it's not a deal breaker.

Instead of going over the same 'little problems' a person would have at ANY hotel in the country, the real question in Las Vegas should always be "What's the casino like?".

February 5, 2006 9:55 PM Posted by mike_ch

Sure, at one time, but the whole thing has grown beyond just casinos. There's a lot more to do now.

To me, the casino kind of comes second or third. I can wander into the casino at Bellagio if I'm staying at Circus Circus, but that doesn't make my vacation identical to staying at Bellagio.

February 6, 2006 6:02 PM Posted by Doug

Well, you're right of course. Las Vegas hotels have much more to do than in the old days. And the quality of a stay in any hotel is always open to review.

I've been a regular visitor to Las Vegas for 22 years and I've stayed in most of the strip hotels. And the pre-Mirage days compared to now are night and day. However, in all of my trips to Las Vegas I've never once been to the pool area of a hotel. I've never used the spa or gym and I've never been to a show. I have most of my meals at the cafe or one of the Chinese noodle places and I don't shop at the hotels because the prices are inflated. I'm too old for nightclubs and ultra-lounges are not even a consideration.

But...I am a black/pink chip gambler and I can say from extensive experience that all Las Vegas casinos are not created equal. So, I look for a hotel with the best casino and then adjust in finding a good room and a tasty cafe.

Anyway, that's just me. Like I said, I go Las Vegas for gambling.

February 6, 2006 8:58 PM Posted by charlie

First of all, picses (henceforth known as "little p") comments were so far off base, they should be altogether thrown out. And he should be forever banned from this site as a heretic. Granted, Q wasn't my brand of vodka, but I agree that it has its place as the #3 show at Wynn.

Instead of roughing up litle p (as is deserved), let me share my most recent experience. This is punchlist format, to save time and energy. In no particular order:
Wynn
- SW. A-. second time, its firing on all cylinders, Eric cracks me up, intelligent service, entrees = A, appetizers & salads = B.
- Wynn Casino. Best dealers & crew since Mirage 1995. They go out of there way to make your time at the tables the best they can be. For example, our dealer used her 20 minute break to hunt me down passes to Tryst, based upon a side conversation about wanting to check out the place. Pit bosses will comp you a little more than what's reasonable asking nice and treating the employees and other players with respect. Overall a perfect 100.
- Tryst. A. A great room, great music, not too loud or clubby, more like a big ultra-lounge, crowd is not too young and well behaved, Jesse/Cy and crew are doing a good job running the line, plenty of room and the place breathes well (not hot/stuffy) - good place to catch a second wind.
- Attractions. Overall B. Lac Le Reve = D. Great technology, terrible application. The half hourly shows that started as disappointment, are now a distraction. My advice, create about 50 signature shows produced by the director/producer of the hour (David Lachapelle, Soderbergh, etc) that run every 15 minutes and in the interim periods create blocks of simpler shows based on like music (Rat Pack, House, Classical, Jazz). Give a reason for the customer to come back. Once again, that damn snake just about ruined my dinner, and I'm beginning to think its bad luck. Other attractions = A. They all complement their environments.
- Wynn Buffet. B. Great selection of non-trough related items (fruits, salads, artisan cheeses), but sushi, hot items and shrimp/crab/shellfish good but not great. Trying to do too many items (like GVR), but not pulling them all off, which denegrates the overall experience.
- Country Club Grill. A-. Lunch selections could be improved. Great getaway. For lack of a bette word, a slight snob factor that somehow makes the place even better.
- Bartolotta. A. One of the greatest meals that I don't dream about having again. Its originality is its greatest strength and weakness. I was so overwhelmed by the experience, but knowing know what to expect, I think I might be underwhelmed the next go round.
- Wynn rooms. Overall A-. Love the layout and views. Slight deduction for general level of luxury. I like modern very much, but the furniture and especially the bedding is not ultra-luxe. 320 count sheets are pretty common these days and Wynn's seem a little rigid. Time to make a statement and bump up the the sheets to 600+ (especially in the Tower).
- Public Areas. B. I really wish the casino area took on the look of the ballroom/meeting room hallways, as the 2 halls around the pool may be the most beatiful hotel lobby ever created. I tend to be slightly underwhelmed by the casino, gardens and Esplanade, however.
- Overall, its getting better and better each of the 4 times I've visited. Its outpacing the competition by a long shot. Most of all, I think you guys here that are in the know would agree, is that Wynn (the hotel), is starting to develop its own personality and its own self-identity. May 2, I wasn't so sure about the place. But Wynn's people have so stepped up and working so hard to make this a truly great place. The attractions are nice, but they are playing the support role, as they should.

Bellagio
- Casino D. It actually looks old and w/o a general concept. Pick a color already, whether brown or orange and just go with it. It looks so F'ing cheap (pardon my language) to have multiple wall patterns and carpet patterns strewn throughout the hotel and casino. Cash flow is $90M per quarter. Make a decision and invest the money. Have some balls and roll the dice (bad metaphor). Gut the F'ing casino floor 50% at a time if you have to, but don't build temp buildings for your premium players. And the slot & VP machines are not worthy of a garage sell.
- Fountains C. Yes I'm proud to be an American, but I want the fountains to take me somewhere else. Zero imagination involved now.
- FIX A+ (100). Its the most original concept to ever hit Las Vegas. Preparation, service, style and 'the little things' are flawless. Its the only reason I'd ever go back to Bellagio. But now I've got STACK, so why go to visit B. A 24 hour FIX at Wynn would be my ultimate Vegas restaurant.
- Overall D. The heart and soul has left this place and she's dying right in front of us. Nothing about this place makes me feel special, particularly the people. I don't plan on returning anytime soon.

Mirage -
Gentleman, mark my words, its back. If the Bellagio has lost its soul, the Mirage got its back. Now that the restaurants are done, and the sheet rock has come down, its got something special. The High Limit Slot area is finished and totally complements the High Limit Tables and Bacarrat rooms. The sight lines are the best in any casino, even Wynn. Yes we all like VP at the old Baccarat Bar, and it looks a little funny/bare coming in. But take another look next time coming out of the elevator banks. The view straight to the atrium area is awesome. I also think that the Mirage has one the best line up of restaurants (except Samba), but it will be gone by New Years (gut feel - 2 places to have a steak with STACK and the new kokomos. As for kokomos, now that you can find the place and get to it, I think people will actually go there. As for the new bar there, it was packed all day and through the night (drinking at 7:30 AM, and these were not the JET crowd, but rather VP players. I like hopping over to the Forum shops on occasion.

MGM Grand
- Booming. Packed. Lots of casino play. The ultimate cash cow. Its a logistical mess, which can only work once, but does it ever work.

TI
- I like TI for what it is, a nice little place to come in from the cold/heat. I think its accepting its place in Vegas. In doing so, its fun again. People are great.

Venetian
- Worst place ever. No need to implode it one day, as it will probably just fall down by itself. Tao would have been a great fit at Mirage. Japonais seems like a copycat in some ways.

Mandalay
- Bellagio may be losing its heart and soul, but Mandalay never had one. The place is so lifeless, even on the biggest weekend of the year. Just convert the casino to break-out rooms or something. Its hopeless. The ultimate example of Form over Substance.

Luxor/Excrapibur - Ditto Mandalay.

Red Rock - I think this place is just going to be one fantastic, original resort. I love Red Rock Canyon and the golf in the area. This place reminds me of, hmmm, Vegas. What the Mirage did for the Strip, Red Rock will do for locals casinos. Get a few Red Rocks concentrated within a short cab ride of each other (unlike Las Manhattan), and you may have something in the next decade. I love GVR and I can't wait for Red Rock.

Thus, in the end, I have essentially pared Vegas down to 3 essential places. Wynn, Mirage and Red Rock.

Consider this my final essay. I have no more words to say. I'ts been fun, but I am retiring from this Blog.

February 7, 2006 5:45 AM Posted by detroit1051

"- Overall D. The heart and soul has left this place and she's dying right in front of us. Nothing about this place makes me feel special, particularly the people. I don't plan on returning anytime soon."

What a great (but sad) observation! Charlie has put into words what I've tried to say but didn't know how.

Charlie, I hope you reconsider and continue posting here.

Hunter, please feed us whatever information you get on Red Rock. Local friends say it will be unmatched in Vegas.

February 7, 2006 11:50 AM Posted by BillyP

Well I can say that I've had great experinces at both Bellagio and Wynn but they both suffer from the same problem, when you're in a high limit area the service is fantastic but a bit weak everywhere else.

I also love GVR but eating there can be a bit of a gamble (no pun intended). But I can't wait for Red Rock to open, it should be nice, they spent over $900 million on it (more than they spent to build Paris)and it will be a hit with locals.

February 8, 2006 3:12 PM Posted by Jking

My goodness, I am disappointed in myself for having spent the time to read PICSES entire review. Obviously, the author must have spent the whole five days preparing this overly verbose review of the least fine points of Wynn Las Vegas�the caf�, the buffet, and the nickel slots.

Anyone that makes a visit to a resort and spends more on their room than spent during the entire trip could only be expected to mull over small unimportant details and have a miserable time. By my count the author spent approximately $800 on a room and a maximum of $300 to enjoy time outside of the room.

I could continue for days, just like the author, but I will leave it at this...hopefully the author is not traveling alone due to a last companion falling victim to Vegas' chart topping suicide rate.

----Great job with 2wayhard3�love the rss feed!

February 8, 2006 8:38 PM Posted by socalduck

Charlie, you are right on the money about the Mirage. I just spent three days there last week, and had a fantastic time. I loved the original, and with all of the changes, my expectations were low, but overall I think they have done a great job not only updating the physical structure, but the attitudes of the employees, as well. Kokomos is great, but I do miss the tropical feel of the old place.

My Tower room was small compared to the newer resorts, but still impeccable and completely updated since my last stay. Perhaps most amazing, the room service dinner I ordered while working one night arrived in 30 minutes, was still hot, and tasted great. I've found plenty to carp about on past stays at MGM Mirage hotels, but I must say they were on their "A" game from check-in to check-out.

February 10, 2006 5:22 PM Posted by Mike P.

Speaking of strong opinions that go way over the top, the one a few comments up sure qualifies. But never mind. A few observations about Wynn & elsewhere on the strip:

- The in house ads for Tableau now say "open to all resort guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." They must have decided they were a little too exclusive for their own good.

- I can't count very well. Wynn has 5 restaurants where you can sit down for lunch and be served by a waiter. Bellagio has 4. That's counting the coffee shop and noodle joints at both, but not the buffets. By the way, I wonder why Pisces didn't check out Red 8 if he/she is so fond of "chow mein." By Wynn standards it's actually fairly moderately priced.

- Is success spoiling SW Steakhouse already? We had really scatterbrained service there last night (and I'm being kind). My wife and I ate there with her partner and his wife. Everyone but me ordered the "filet thermidor" (basically surf & turf). Two out of 3 were prepared properly -- one ordered blue and one medium rare. The second medium rare was closer to medium well, and the kitchen's second try wasn't any better. My veal chop - ordered rare - was fine. I had to ask 3 times for a glass of wine that I ordered well before my entree was due to arrive. It finally showed up about 3/4 of the way through the meal.

Add excessive noise and crowds to questionable service and food preparation and I'm rethinking my earlier enthusiasm for the place.

- Desert Passage at the Aladdin was a mausoleum. Half of the shops are boarded up and a restaurant we've enjoyed (Crustacean) now & then is apparently defunct. I don't see how they're going to redo the Moorish theme to fit into whatever theme Planet Hollywood represents.

- When we were last here in October it seemed pretty clear to me that Bellagio was doing a rolling redesign of the casino that would eventually excise the last Wynn touches. Nothing much has changed since then though, so maybe I was wrong. Or maybe they just figure they can afford to go slow and wall off sections of the casino during slow stretches. In the long run I think they have no alternative to a fairly comprehensive casino redesign, given that Wynn's casino is a genetically engineered clone of Bellagio's.

- Last time we stayed at Wynn we had a suite with maroon grasscloth wallpaper, light colored marble, and bright red carpet in the living area. I'd agree with Pisces that it was "odd", but it worked. This time we have brown grasscloth wallpaper, brown marble, and brown edged white carpet with squiggles. This works not so well. I'm not offended by it, but I'd sure wonder about an interior designer who came up with this look.

Mike P.

February 10, 2006 8:49 PM Posted by Mike E

"This time we have brown grasscloth wallpaper, brown marble, and brown edged white carpet with squiggles. This works not so well. I'm not offended by it, but I'd sure wonder about an interior designer who came up with this look."

Mike, this was the exact scheme in the villa I had and also the Salon Suite on Wynn's website. Personally, I love it and might actually consider requesting this each time I get a suite. It's just got this Vegas flair to it that I enjoy.

February 12, 2006 12:25 PM Posted by Mike P.

I guess individual tastes are just that, which is why I don't take opinions about things like this too seriously. Including my own.

This is the same color scheme as the Salon suite picture on the Wynn web site by the way. And my wife likes the squiggly carpet. Her main objection is the room arrangement is the mirror image of our last room here.

Mike P.

March 27, 2006 8:04 AM Posted by Unknow

Personally I believe the magazine is high quality. The pictures are just exuberant and super. The pictures have an excellent resolution. The magazine does gives you this feeling of welcoming and curiosity to visit The Wynn.
Great Job Mr. Wynn