| Billy Joe's Blog |
Las Vegas 2006
This year I stayed at the Westin Casuarina, and had a fabulous time. It is a
Hotel, Spa, and Casino. The casino is small and quiet. If you come in from the
parking garage, register, and go to your room, you will not pass through the
casino. If you don't look to your left as you go to the elevator, you won't even
see the casino. It was quiet, and the decor was contemporary and very clean.
The bed was extremely comfortable. They call it the "Heavenly Bed." It was true
to it's name. The bath was heavenly as well.
The casino, although small, was never filled to capacity. There was always a
place to play. During the week the table minimums are dropped to attract more
business. Blackjack was either six deck shoe games or a continuous shuffling
machine. Blackjack minimums were $5 and $10. There was no high roller area
like the larger casinos have. We were all low rollers. Many who played were not
very experienced, but they were a fun crowd. I relieved the Westin of a few
hundred dollars, and had a great time doing it.
The Westin is two blocks off the strip, and just across the street is Bally's Sports
Book, and entrance to the Monorail Station. This makes it a short ride to every
casino (and Buffet) on the strip, from MGM Grand to the Las Vegas Hilton. The
Westin is a four star hotel and in my book is a four and a half. The pool, spa,
rooms, decor, and uncrowded casino all rate highly, and the staff was very
friendly. Must Stay Here.
The second place that impressed me is Red Rocks. It just opened in April, and
some construction is still going on. The place will definitely be five star. There
were a lot of water features, inside and out. The decor reminded me of the
Wynn, with lots of wood. The place spared no expense on architecture and
furnishings. The only thing missing was a lot of shops. I was informed that a
new mall, bigger than the Mall of America, was being built next door so that is
probably why there were few shops.
It is located in Summerlin, west of Las Vegas. There are a few other casinos in
the area, but it is too far from the strip to be going back and forth. If you stay
there, you will spend most of your time there. It is truly a destination resort. Must
See, Play, and Stay Here.
Las Vegas 2005
This is just a little report about my recent trip to Las Vegas. I was there to
attend a conference at the Wynn, but because of the cost of a room, I decided to
stay down the street at the Venetian. I did, however, play Blackjack at the
Wynn, and had a great session there. The rules at the particular table had late
surrender and the dealer stood on soft 17. I tripled my money there and most of
the time I used a simple progression, but played a strict basic strategy. It goes
without saying that the casino was immaculate, and very quiet. The reason for
the quietness was the slot machines were coinless. My, but that made the
experience more pleasant. The conference was first class as well. For coffee
stirrers, we had small, real silver spoons with Wynn engraved on them. They
even had waiters working the area, keeping it immaculate and everything filled.
There was no running out of the freshly ground, fresh brewed coffee (gourmet
coffee beans). If you ever get a chance to attend anything at the Wynn, do it. If
you think of holding a conference in Las Vegas, contact the Wynn. This
commercial is totally unsolicited, and I put this casino as a Must See!
The Venetian also was immaculate. It was almost too beautiful to be a casino.
The suite was less expensive than the Wynn, and it was as fine a room as this
country boy has ever stayed in. I went on their website to get an idea of what
their suites looked like, and it was just exactly the same as it appeared. I want
to design my bathroom in my next house after theirs. And, this was just their
lowest priced room! So, if you want a beautiful place to stay during a visit to
Vegas, Consider the Venetian. It is in the heart of where you want to stay. Must
See!
After my wife flew back home, I moved to a cheaper room. I wanted to be
downtown, and I knew I could get a cheap 4 Star hotel downtown off of the
internet. I also knew that there was only one 4 Star hotel in downtown, and
that was the Golden Nugget. The room was just OK, but the casino was big,
nice, and FULL. I lost about a hundred dollars there, but had a good time, and
the dealers were very nice. I also caught the show there and it was worth every
penny. If you are on a budget, you will find it a great place to stay. Budget Must
See.
I went across the street to the Horseshoe and had a $4.99, 12 ounce sirloin with
vegetables and baked potato. This is why I wanted to go downtown- to
experience Vegas the way it used to be. I also wanted to play Blackjack there
since there is so much history there. I played at a $5.00 min table with a crowd
of people from Idaho, down for a UNLV game. I didn't think the dealer was too
bad, and the Idahoans were addressing her by her first name. But when I hit a
12 against her 2 up, she told me I was incorrect. I said my basic strategy card
said it was correct. I pulled it out and showed her that I had one, and thought
nothing more.
Right before her break (there was a dealer waiting behind her), she dealt me a
pair of nines. She had an eight up card, and I was contemplating splitting them.
She never gave me the chance. She went from the player to my right, skipped
me and turned over her hole card. I said "wait!", and told her that I was going
to split the nines. I should have called over the pit boss, but I didn't. She
concluded the hand and the next dealer took over.
Then she came back. The Idahoans had to go, so it was just us. She began
speeding up, faster and faster. I finally had enough, gave the time-out signal
and said in a louder than normal voice, "TIME-OUT!!" I then said that I didn't
know why she was mad, and that I wasn't mad at her. The pit boss rushed over
again to see what was going on. I said she was mad for some reason and just
slapping the cards and trying to speed through every hand. He said there were
other tables like it, and invited me to go over there. I picked up my chips and
was going to go to the other table, then when I turned around, there was the
cage. I just took my chips there, cashed out, and got the heck out of there. This
is also the correct move!
My worst experience in Las Vegas was in the Horseshoe. Needless to say, it
doesn't make the must see list. Must Avoid!!
This year I stayed at the Westin Casuarina, and had a fabulous time. It is a
Hotel, Spa, and Casino. The casino is small and quiet. If you come in from the
parking garage, register, and go to your room, you will not pass through the
casino. If you don't look to your left as you go to the elevator, you won't even
see the casino. It was quiet, and the decor was contemporary and very clean.
The bed was extremely comfortable. They call it the "Heavenly Bed." It was true
to it's name. The bath was heavenly as well.
The casino, although small, was never filled to capacity. There was always a
place to play. During the week the table minimums are dropped to attract more
business. Blackjack was either six deck shoe games or a continuous shuffling
machine. Blackjack minimums were $5 and $10. There was no high roller area
like the larger casinos have. We were all low rollers. Many who played were not
very experienced, but they were a fun crowd. I relieved the Westin of a few
hundred dollars, and had a great time doing it.
The Westin is two blocks off the strip, and just across the street is Bally's Sports
Book, and entrance to the Monorail Station. This makes it a short ride to every
casino (and Buffet) on the strip, from MGM Grand to the Las Vegas Hilton. The
Westin is a four star hotel and in my book is a four and a half. The pool, spa,
rooms, decor, and uncrowded casino all rate highly, and the staff was very
friendly. Must Stay Here.
The second place that impressed me is Red Rocks. It just opened in April, and
some construction is still going on. The place will definitely be five star. There
were a lot of water features, inside and out. The decor reminded me of the
Wynn, with lots of wood. The place spared no expense on architecture and
furnishings. The only thing missing was a lot of shops. I was informed that a
new mall, bigger than the Mall of America, was being built next door so that is
probably why there were few shops.
It is located in Summerlin, west of Las Vegas. There are a few other casinos in
the area, but it is too far from the strip to be going back and forth. If you stay
there, you will spend most of your time there. It is truly a destination resort. Must
See, Play, and Stay Here.
Las Vegas 2005
This is just a little report about my recent trip to Las Vegas. I was there to
attend a conference at the Wynn, but because of the cost of a room, I decided to
stay down the street at the Venetian. I did, however, play Blackjack at the
Wynn, and had a great session there. The rules at the particular table had late
surrender and the dealer stood on soft 17. I tripled my money there and most of
the time I used a simple progression, but played a strict basic strategy. It goes
without saying that the casino was immaculate, and very quiet. The reason for
the quietness was the slot machines were coinless. My, but that made the
experience more pleasant. The conference was first class as well. For coffee
stirrers, we had small, real silver spoons with Wynn engraved on them. They
even had waiters working the area, keeping it immaculate and everything filled.
There was no running out of the freshly ground, fresh brewed coffee (gourmet
coffee beans). If you ever get a chance to attend anything at the Wynn, do it. If
you think of holding a conference in Las Vegas, contact the Wynn. This
commercial is totally unsolicited, and I put this casino as a Must See!
The Venetian also was immaculate. It was almost too beautiful to be a casino.
The suite was less expensive than the Wynn, and it was as fine a room as this
country boy has ever stayed in. I went on their website to get an idea of what
their suites looked like, and it was just exactly the same as it appeared. I want
to design my bathroom in my next house after theirs. And, this was just their
lowest priced room! So, if you want a beautiful place to stay during a visit to
Vegas, Consider the Venetian. It is in the heart of where you want to stay. Must
See!
After my wife flew back home, I moved to a cheaper room. I wanted to be
downtown, and I knew I could get a cheap 4 Star hotel downtown off of the
internet. I also knew that there was only one 4 Star hotel in downtown, and
that was the Golden Nugget. The room was just OK, but the casino was big,
nice, and FULL. I lost about a hundred dollars there, but had a good time, and
the dealers were very nice. I also caught the show there and it was worth every
penny. If you are on a budget, you will find it a great place to stay. Budget Must
See.
I went across the street to the Horseshoe and had a $4.99, 12 ounce sirloin with
vegetables and baked potato. This is why I wanted to go downtown- to
experience Vegas the way it used to be. I also wanted to play Blackjack there
since there is so much history there. I played at a $5.00 min table with a crowd
of people from Idaho, down for a UNLV game. I didn't think the dealer was too
bad, and the Idahoans were addressing her by her first name. But when I hit a
12 against her 2 up, she told me I was incorrect. I said my basic strategy card
said it was correct. I pulled it out and showed her that I had one, and thought
nothing more.
Right before her break (there was a dealer waiting behind her), she dealt me a
pair of nines. She had an eight up card, and I was contemplating splitting them.
She never gave me the chance. She went from the player to my right, skipped
me and turned over her hole card. I said "wait!", and told her that I was going
to split the nines. I should have called over the pit boss, but I didn't. She
concluded the hand and the next dealer took over.
Then she came back. The Idahoans had to go, so it was just us. She began
speeding up, faster and faster. I finally had enough, gave the time-out signal
and said in a louder than normal voice, "TIME-OUT!!" I then said that I didn't
know why she was mad, and that I wasn't mad at her. The pit boss rushed over
again to see what was going on. I said she was mad for some reason and just
slapping the cards and trying to speed through every hand. He said there were
other tables like it, and invited me to go over there. I picked up my chips and
was going to go to the other table, then when I turned around, there was the
cage. I just took my chips there, cashed out, and got the heck out of there. This
is also the correct move!
My worst experience in Las Vegas was in the Horseshoe. Needless to say, it
doesn't make the must see list. Must Avoid!!
November 15, 2007
I'm going to Las Vegas the first week in December. I have taken on a new
game which has required a lot of study and practice. Texas Hold'em has been
my latest obsession. My plans are to play in as many daily tournaments as I
can while there. I should be able to finance them by winning at Blackjack.
The last time I was there I played in one poker tournament at the Golden
Nugget and didn't do so well. I played a couple of Blackjack tournaments
which went well - second place in each.
I will be publishing a hold'em website in the spring also. It will be
appropriately called averagejoeholdem.com.
I'll talk to you again after the trip. I'll be staying at the Palm's this trip. I'll
probably do a feature casino page on it when I return.
I'm going to Las Vegas the first week in December. I have taken on a new
game which has required a lot of study and practice. Texas Hold'em has been
my latest obsession. My plans are to play in as many daily tournaments as I
can while there. I should be able to finance them by winning at Blackjack.
The last time I was there I played in one poker tournament at the Golden
Nugget and didn't do so well. I played a couple of Blackjack tournaments
which went well - second place in each.
I will be publishing a hold'em website in the spring also. It will be
appropriately called averagejoeholdem.com.
I'll talk to you again after the trip. I'll be staying at the Palm's this trip. I'll
probably do a feature casino page on it when I return.
January 17, 2008
I had a great time in Vegas. I stayed at the Palms and I loved it. It was a
great room at a great price. What's more, it was the quietest room I have
ever been in. The bed was very comfortable, the view amazing, and the bath
was nicely furnished. The staff was helpful when I needed anything. Parking
was convenient and access to the strip was convenient. I highly recommend
the PALMS.
I didn't play a lot of Blackjack this trip. I wanted to concentrate on my new
passion, Texas Hold'em. I played in four tournaments and made two final
tables. The nicest poker room I was in was at Caesars Palace. It was huge,
and they ran a great tournament. Other tournaments I played in were at
Binion's Horseshoe, Planet Hollywood, and Golden Nugget. They all were
great facilities, with good service.
I had a great time in Vegas. I stayed at the Palms and I loved it. It was a
great room at a great price. What's more, it was the quietest room I have
ever been in. The bed was very comfortable, the view amazing, and the bath
was nicely furnished. The staff was helpful when I needed anything. Parking
was convenient and access to the strip was convenient. I highly recommend
the PALMS.
I didn't play a lot of Blackjack this trip. I wanted to concentrate on my new
passion, Texas Hold'em. I played in four tournaments and made two final
tables. The nicest poker room I was in was at Caesars Palace. It was huge,
and they ran a great tournament. Other tournaments I played in were at
Binion's Horseshoe, Planet Hollywood, and Golden Nugget. They all were
great facilities, with good service.
November 20, 2009
This year I'm splurging and staying at Bellagio. Last year I stayed at Paris,
and I really liked it. It is a 4 star hotel, with great food and comfortable
rooms. Bellagio will be closer to where I play poker - Caesars. I'm not rich
enough to play at Bellagio yet. I'll have to sell a few more ads on the website
to play there. It's great to stay in a different place each time I go to Vegas. I
can then make recommendations to my readers. I would recommend Paris.
The decor was that of a Paris street with restaurants, shops, wine, pastries,
and cobblestone streets. The Buffet comes highly recommended, with its
selection of French food. I will probably go there to eat even though I'll be
staying across the street this year.
When I return, I'll write about Bellagio.
Bill
This year I'm splurging and staying at Bellagio. Last year I stayed at Paris,
and I really liked it. It is a 4 star hotel, with great food and comfortable
rooms. Bellagio will be closer to where I play poker - Caesars. I'm not rich
enough to play at Bellagio yet. I'll have to sell a few more ads on the website
to play there. It's great to stay in a different place each time I go to Vegas. I
can then make recommendations to my readers. I would recommend Paris.
The decor was that of a Paris street with restaurants, shops, wine, pastries,
and cobblestone streets. The Buffet comes highly recommended, with its
selection of French food. I will probably go there to eat even though I'll be
staying across the street this year.
When I return, I'll write about Bellagio.
Bill
July 25, 2010
I'm leaving for Vegas in a couple of weeks, and I'm looking forward to it as
always. This trip I plan to do general gaming. Blackjack of course, poker, and
craps. I'm still a beginner at craps, but its exciting with some pretty good
odds. Staying at the Bellagio and taking my daughter for her 21st birthday.
I'm leaving for Vegas in a couple of weeks, and I'm looking forward to it as
always. This trip I plan to do general gaming. Blackjack of course, poker, and
craps. I'm still a beginner at craps, but its exciting with some pretty good
odds. Staying at the Bellagio and taking my daughter for her 21st birthday.