Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
disappears into the sky, invisible except for a 135,000-watt beam shooting from
its tip (the most powerful on earth . . . or so claim the not-shy staff here). The
eye-candy on the ground is just as over-the-top and exhilarating, starting at the
entrance with its obelisk and 30-foot high Sphinx, three times taller than the origi-
nal in Egypt and fresher of face, with its nose and cheeks intact (it never had to
suffer the indignity of being used for target practice by Napoleon's army, like its
Egyptian sister did). Once inside, the impulse to crow “neat-o” kicks into over-
drive as you check in next to a full scale reproduction of the temple of Ramses II,
with its 40-foot columns and gigantic twin King statues. Impressive statuary is
everywhere you look, as are hieroglyphic-scrolled columns and stately palm trees.
(Cool fact: The statues here are actually crafted from fiberglass and Styrofoam
coated with sand.) Be sure to look up if you're on the atrium-level floor for an
awe-inspiring view of the interior of the massive pyramid, which somehow seems
much larger from the inside.
The thrills don't end when you go to your room, especially if you choose one
in the pyramid itself. To get upstairs, you'll board an “inclinator” (open only to
guests), which is a Wonka-like version of an elevator that goes sideways as well as
up. (I was hoping it would be glass, like the one in
Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory,
but even though you can't see anything, the sensation of going diagonally
39 degrees through space is a hoot—or a stomach churner, depending on your
sensitivity to motion.) Rooms themselves are definitely “pyramidal,” with one
wall of dark glass slanting up (the higher you are, the deeper the angle), fun hiero-
glyphic printed bedspreads and reproduction stone tablets, again dotted with
hieroglyphics, framed on the walls. It's actually not as campy as it sounds; these
rooms definitely have character, but they're also pleasingly plush with comfy mat-
tresses, thick carpeting, and large armoires for clothing and the TV.
One warning:
Because the rooms on the higher floors have much more of a slant to their ceil-
ings, taller folks may want to go for the tower rooms which are larger, with deeper
tubs, and higher ceilings. Little people like me (I'm 5'3") will probably like the
pyramid just fine.
Other lures here include a Cleopatra-on-a-barge-worthy 5-acre pool area, with
four large outdoor pools and four whirlpools; an arcade area with appropriate
amusements, including the impressive King Tut's Tomb & Museum (p. 128) and
the IMAX Ridefilm (be prepared to get wet); ten restaurants; a food court; a fine
spa and fitness center; a showroom; a 100,000-square-foot casino; and loads of
stores. In fact, if you're a shopper this is a dangerous place to stay as it's connected
by sky-bridge to the deluxe mall, Mandalay Place. My only real quibble is with
the wedding chapel, which could have been really neat with a funky Tut theme;
Soaking vs. Showering
Don't assume that you'll have a tub to soak in when you crash at your
hotel after that ten-hour poker session. Even the swank Strip hotels have
some shower-only rooms, so if it's important to you, make sure to ask for
a room with a tub.
