Paree... Paree... Paris Las Vegas lives up to its reputation!
Written: Nov 01 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful and elegant surroundings, gourmet food, and pleasant staff....
Cons: the slot machines remind you that you're not really in Paris...
The Bottom Line: The Paris Hotel had alot to offer at a very reasonable rate, and provided a beautiful setting to enjoy the "Vegas Experience"!
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| susan1118's Full Review: Paris Las Vegas |
Introduction:
My husband and I decided to take a “fun and fast-paced” vacation week in Las Vegas during the first week of October 2002. We made all of our arrangements less than 3 months prior to the trip, and booked air and hotel reservations online. We are in our mid-20’s, and take 3-4 vacations per year. I had never been to Las Vegas, my husband had visited once, in the mid-1990’s.
Rates & Reservations:
We decided on the Paris hotel for a variety of factors. The hotel offered great weekday rate specials, is relatively new in age, and is located on a great part of the strip (across from the Bellagio). I made a point of checking the hotel’s website daily, for rate fluctuations. I found that they mostly update the rates on Sunday night. I initially booked the five nights online, and then I called the hotel reservation line to have a few of the nights’ rates adjusted when they were lowered online. One thing to note is that adjustments cant be made online, without calling first to cancel your reservation, and then re-booking online.
We spent Monday through Friday night at the Paris hotel – rates were 2 nights at $59.00, 2 nights at $79.00, and Friday night at $180.00. This was for a non-smoking, non-view king sized room. We were able to book a flight online at $205 apiece on Continental from Fort Lauderdale to Vegas, changing planes in Houston.
Check-In:
Our flight arrived in Vegas about 1pm, and we were able to pick up a shuttle van right outside of the baggage claim. The shuttle service runs to all hotels, and costs about $5 per person, one-way. It took about 5 minutes to get to the Paris hotel, and the drop-off spot is (surprise) right at the entrance to the casino. After navigating through the casino, we found the lobby and checked in within 10 minutes. We asked the attendant for a room on the highest floor, and with a view if possible. She politely offered a view of Bellagio’s fountains at $20 extra a night, we politely declined. The room we were assigned was on the 30th floor (there are only 33 floors), and had a slight view of the Bellagio lake – when I say ‘slight’ I mean that we could see the corner, about 5% of the lake. But hey, we had a great view of the south end of the Strip – Mandalay Bay, Alladin, MGM Grand, and the mountains.
The Room:
The Paris room was quite nice, and everything was newish. The room consisted of a king-sized bed, small sofa with coffee table, desk and armoire. There was no closet, but instead the armoire opened up with room to hang clothes. The bathroom was beautiful, with a separate shower and marble tub. There was plenty of counter space for toiletries, etc. We did have a little trouble with our credit card style key halfway through our stay, however when we reported this we were issued new keys right away.
The Hotel & Casino:
The Paris hotel is a very upscale hotel, at a reasonable price. The décor is all very French, which you would expect from the Arch de Triumph replica at the entrance to the hotel. There are outdoor fountains, and molded entryways, paneled elevators, and mirrored hallways. There are plenty of photo opportunities throughout the hotels, in front of the many fountains and along the cobblestone “street”. The staff constantly greets you with ‘bonjour” and “bon chance” throughout your stay.
The pool area was beautiful in a minimalist sort of way – lots of lounge chairs and towels available, and still being widely used at the time of year we were there. The pool is right next to the Eiffel tower, and you can hear the Bellagio fountain music while you lay by the pool – overall very relaxing. You can even take a ride up the Eiffel tower, for a fee of course.
The casino is very spacious and airy. The ceiling is painted like the sky, with lots of clouds. The gaming tables are set apart by pergolas and the air is remarkably not that smoky (highly appreciated by us nonsmokers). I have heard that they pump pure oxygen into the casino, and after being there, I believe it. There were plenty of cocktail waitresses walking around while we were at the tables – roulette mainly. The dealers were all very competent, as expected. The sports bet area was very nice as well, but be advised that complimentary cocktail service is not available there. I really liked that the casino was on the same level as the lobby and the restaurants and shops. You didn’t feel like you were in the basement of the hotel, as you do in some casinos.
The Restaurants:
Yummy! We tried a few of the Paris hotel’s own restaurants and were pleasantly surprised with each. First off, Mon Ami Gabi (run by Lettuce Entertain You) is phenomenal. Mostly French inspired food offered in either an indoor atmosphere or patio setting. If the patio is open, and we were told it’s only open April – October, opt for it. You’ll enjoy spectacular views of the Bellagio fountains, and be able to people-watch everyone passing by on the strip. We ate here on our first night in Vegas, and liked it so much we returned our last night.
Also very tasty is the Paris hotel’s buffet. Set right off of the casino in a French-type marketplace, the buffet offers anything and everything. We went for lunch, on a weekday, and were seated right away. There is an assortment of cold cheeses and meat, fresh rolls and croissants, soups (the corn chowder was awesome), hot meat entrees, pastas, veggies, and lots of seafood. Make sure you leave room for dessert! There is a made-to-order crepe station and a huge assortment of pastries and cookies offered. Remember to bring your Paris connection casino card for a discount.
Lenoche is one of the best things about the Paris hotel. This bakery is straight from France, and I have been told that the only store that they put their name on in America is located in the Paris hotel. We enjoyed breakfast here each morning, delicious pastries, croissants, cakes, tarts, and eclairs. You will feel the need to sample one of each – I did! Also tried the poolside café for an afternoon snack, and were pleasantly surprised with the quality of food, although we were decidedly less impressed with their drink prices (upwards of $10 for a frozen drink).
While in Vegas, we also tried Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant in the Venetian hotel, which was delicious. They offer reasonably priced pasta and seafood dishes as well as the pizzas he is known for. There are definitely some pricier options on their menu, but you can get out spending under $50, which is pretty good in Vegas. The restaurant spills out into the shopping forum of the Venetian hotel where you can enjoy live Italian style music.
Over-all:
The Paris hotel met and exceeded all of our expectations! We would definitely look into booking a return trip there. Many of the other hotels on the strip are fun to visit, but don’t appeal to everyone as a place to stay in. Keep it in mind as you plan your next trip to Vegas.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
susan1118
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Location: Philadelphia, PA
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 4 members
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