Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Strip—is the next stage in a mammary-ogling empire that now includes over 450
restaurants. Ironically set in the former San Remo Hotel (which had been the casino
hangout for Las Vegas' gay population—guess they're going elsewhere now), it's
actually a swell place to stay. As a woman, I haven't found it to be any more pruri-
ent than any of the other Vegas hotels—compared to the camel-toe costumes those
poor Mandalay Bay cocktail waitresses are required to squeeze into, the Hooters girls
who inhabit the place (it holds the distinction of having over 250 of these comely
maidens on hand to entertain customers, more than any other place in the world)
in their Farrah Fawcett-esque mix of gym shorts and tight T's, seem downright
innocent. One note to the guys: Sorry, the Hooters girls are only on duty on the
casino floor and entrance; they don't perform massages or do maid service.
As for Hooters' settings, plywood and bright orange paint have always been
the “we're rednecks and proud of it” aesthetic of the original chain restaurants,
and it carries into the decor here, which I'd call Daytona Beach tropical (lots of
fake palm fronds, palm-patterned bedspreads, surfboards as wall art). Each room
comes with one king or two double platform beds, with extremely comfortable
pillow-topped mattresses, cable TV, and an armchair. While there's no desk in
many of the rooms, there is a kind of tall bar table with stools that you can perch
on to write or type; and high-speed Internet to hook into for an extra fee (though
the outlets are inconveniently placed behind the beds). Brand spanking new (the
hotel opened in the spring of 2006), it was extremely clean when I last stayed,
though it was clear to me that they had cut some corners in the renovation. Every
morning I stared at the hairs shellacked into the plywood frame of the mirror in
the bathroom; I also noticed some gaps in the carpeting between the floor and
walls in places. (Nothing major but annoying nonetheless.) Prices can range from
$49 a night all the way up to $189.
On the ground floor, Hooters has a human-sized casino (as big as one football
field rather than six), a decent-sized pool area out back, four low-key restaurants,
two bars, and a spa.
Desperately in need of a makeover,
Excalibur
9
(3850 Las Vegas Blvd.,
$-$$$
at Tropicana Ave.;
%
800/937-7777 or 702/597-7700; www.excalibur.com; AE,
DC, DISC, MC, V)
is the place most likely on the South Strip to be throwing a sale.
As well it should: If you paid more than $49 per night here, you'd feel ripped off
once you got to your barren room; slipped into your creaky, hard bed; and con-
fronted your ancient bathroom, with its chipped tub and cracked tiles (sorry, I'm
Staying in Touch
Internet:
Every hotel in Vegas supplies either Wi-Fi or high-speed Internet access
via cables. That's a given. Hotels commonly charge $9.95 to $12 a day for this
service; in the cases where Internet access is free, I've noted that in the text.
When there's no mention, you can assume that the above charges apply.
Phone:
Bring your own! Phone charges are obscene in Vegas hotels; if you're not
careful, you could spend more on phone calls than on the cost of the room. Avoid
hotel room phones except in cases of extreme emergencies.
