So after avoiding it for nearly a month, it's now time to regale you with tales from my first "real" trip to Las Vegas.
DAY ONE
J.D. and I hopped on our plane on Dec. 12 in San Francisco, headed towards Las Vegas. We enjoyed the quick one hour flight in the middle of the day, but upon arriving in Sin City, stopped to grab a quick bite to eat in our terminal. We tried to find a healthy option and ended up paying $20 for two half-sized paninis, chips and a soda. Yikes.
While awaiting our luggage, I wanted to wander through the airport, as every aisle was lined with slot machines or video poker! But again, grabbing our luggage was a breeze, as hardly anyone was flying to Vegas in the middle of the week, in the middle of winter. So we grabbed a cab and made our way through the desert, to the Strip, and our final destination, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay.
We walked up to the front desk, and I asked the woman working if we could possibly check in an hour early, since our flight arrived sooner than anticipated. She replied that it was no problem, but we'd have to wait 20 minutes before heading up to our room because house keeping was still tidying up.
No problem, we still had to eat our lunch and wanted to check out the place. So we stowed our baggage behind the desk and wandered in awe throughout the hotel. Let me just say that the ambient lighting and soft music pulsing through the lobby made me feel like I was inside of some futuristic day spa. We eventually made our way through the casino and to the central dining area. Again, hardly anyone was around, so we had prime real estate at an open table in front of some crêpe/frozen yogurt shop (guess what I had after lunch?!).
DAY ONE
J.D. and I hopped on our plane on Dec. 12 in San Francisco, headed towards Las Vegas. We enjoyed the quick one hour flight in the middle of the day, but upon arriving in Sin City, stopped to grab a quick bite to eat in our terminal. We tried to find a healthy option and ended up paying $20 for two half-sized paninis, chips and a soda. Yikes.
While awaiting our luggage, I wanted to wander through the airport, as every aisle was lined with slot machines or video poker! But again, grabbing our luggage was a breeze, as hardly anyone was flying to Vegas in the middle of the week, in the middle of winter. So we grabbed a cab and made our way through the desert, to the Strip, and our final destination, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay.
We walked up to the front desk, and I asked the woman working if we could possibly check in an hour early, since our flight arrived sooner than anticipated. She replied that it was no problem, but we'd have to wait 20 minutes before heading up to our room because house keeping was still tidying up.
No problem, we still had to eat our lunch and wanted to check out the place. So we stowed our baggage behind the desk and wandered in awe throughout the hotel. Let me just say that the ambient lighting and soft music pulsing through the lobby made me feel like I was inside of some futuristic day spa. We eventually made our way through the casino and to the central dining area. Again, hardly anyone was around, so we had prime real estate at an open table in front of some crêpe/frozen yogurt shop (guess what I had after lunch?!).
After filling our bellies and wasting over 30 minutes, we headed up to our room. Except, the keys didn't work. So we trekked back downstairs once again, asking for them to re-key our cards. So the same woman apologized, said yes the key was in fact dead, and re-keyed it. She also told us, if it didn't work a second time, to call the front desk from the phone located in the elevator room, and a technician would come up to help us.
Guess what? The second key didn't work, so I angrily called the front desk and they said someone was on his way. But J.D. and I waited, and waited. And made a pact that if 20 minutes passed, we'd call again. So he did in 20 minutes, and they still maintained that someone was on his way.
Well, after an hour of waiting, someone finally did meet us. And was appalled that we'd been waiting so long, because he only received the work order 15 minutes ago. He walked us to the room and explained that the entire system had switched to new keys and the front desk was still using the old system, because - it not so few words - they were idiots. So he told us he'd relay the word on that we'd been inconvenienced and he was on his merry way, as we, finally, made it to our room!
And what a room it was! I believe it was almost 800 sq. ft., including a living room with massive TV, front bathroom, bedroom with walk-in closet TV thing, and the largest room of all - master bathroom with TV - waterfall tub, shower, and a separate room for the toilet.
Anxious to get out, we wanted to familiarize ourselves with every corner of our hotel, then hit up the Strip at night! But while I was getting ready for our night out, J.D. angrily called guest services and complained about our hour ordeal. The front desk apologized for our inconvenience and offered us a $100 credit to the hotel owned dining services! SWEET! That would be about three free meals for each of us to share. Suddenly, that hour wait didn't seem so bad anymore.
As promised, the technician did put in a good word for us at the front desk, and they called apologizing for their f-up and were willing to offer us a mere $50 credit. However, she looked at our file, and realized we'd already been given $100. Again, she apologized and hung up. I'd be ok if I am never apologized to again after that cluster.
Then we were out, walking down the Strip when our bellies once again called to us. So we decided to enter the first casino, New York, New York, and look around there for a place to eat. Our location ended up being Nine Fine Irishmen, an Irish pub/restaurant.
Drinks around, J.D. ordered fish and chips, as I picked out a maple-drenched piece of salmon with leeks and dried cherries.
Guess what? The second key didn't work, so I angrily called the front desk and they said someone was on his way. But J.D. and I waited, and waited. And made a pact that if 20 minutes passed, we'd call again. So he did in 20 minutes, and they still maintained that someone was on his way.
Well, after an hour of waiting, someone finally did meet us. And was appalled that we'd been waiting so long, because he only received the work order 15 minutes ago. He walked us to the room and explained that the entire system had switched to new keys and the front desk was still using the old system, because - it not so few words - they were idiots. So he told us he'd relay the word on that we'd been inconvenienced and he was on his merry way, as we, finally, made it to our room!
And what a room it was! I believe it was almost 800 sq. ft., including a living room with massive TV, front bathroom, bedroom with walk-in closet TV thing, and the largest room of all - master bathroom with TV - waterfall tub, shower, and a separate room for the toilet.
Anxious to get out, we wanted to familiarize ourselves with every corner of our hotel, then hit up the Strip at night! But while I was getting ready for our night out, J.D. angrily called guest services and complained about our hour ordeal. The front desk apologized for our inconvenience and offered us a $100 credit to the hotel owned dining services! SWEET! That would be about three free meals for each of us to share. Suddenly, that hour wait didn't seem so bad anymore.
As promised, the technician did put in a good word for us at the front desk, and they called apologizing for their f-up and were willing to offer us a mere $50 credit. However, she looked at our file, and realized we'd already been given $100. Again, she apologized and hung up. I'd be ok if I am never apologized to again after that cluster.
Then we were out, walking down the Strip when our bellies once again called to us. So we decided to enter the first casino, New York, New York, and look around there for a place to eat. Our location ended up being Nine Fine Irishmen, an Irish pub/restaurant.
Drinks around, J.D. ordered fish and chips, as I picked out a maple-drenched piece of salmon with leeks and dried cherries.
And then the rest of first night was all about taking inventory. After dinner, we walked the length of the strip and ended the night with a large "vase-like" glass of yummy frozen alcohol and sugaryness.
This is what we saw that night (much to our hurting feets' dismay):
This is what we saw that night (much to our hurting feets' dismay):
Days Two, Three and Four to come!
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