Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
big top was so over-the-top, in fact, that one of its star performers was Tanya “the
first gambling elephant,” who would amble through the casino pulling slot levers
for guests, her trainer following with a bucket. It's all much more G-rated now,
but there are still live circus acts entertaining guests throughout the day and
evening; a huge midway with carnival games; and the massive glass Adventuredome,
an indoor amusement park with flume rides, roller coasters, 3-D movies, bumper
cars, and the like. (Read all about this on p. 135.) If your kids are anything like
mine, this will be their favorite place in Vegas.
The force of all those children dropping wrappers, spilling drinks, and gener-
ally making a mess keep the public areas of the resort pretty scruffy looking. I get
the feeling that the staff has simply given up on trying to keep the place in order,
a thought confirmed by the graffiti in the elevator leading to the pool, the bleak
concrete pool area itself, and the sloppy way in which huge racks of soiled linens
are simply left standing in the hallways. Even the areas where the kids aren't sup-
posed to wander feel dingy: The labyrinthine casino is noisy, low-ceilinged, and a
tad depressing.
So it's a shock to find that the guest rooms are actually lovely—clean, comfort-
able, in a word, great. I stayed and visited rooms in all the towers, and after the
overhaul given in 2006, I can report that they're all high quality with fine bath-
rooms, soft carpets, firm beds, and pretty circus pictures on the walls. Considering
that rates are among the lowest on the Strip, starting at $30 and rarely going far
above $100 (for standard rooms), even when the town is jam-packed, this actu-
ally turns out to be one of the best values on the Strip. In addition to regular
rooms, Circus Circus also has an RV park out back, with its own pool, for folks
who travel in that manner.
$-$$$
I'm fudging it a bit, I admit, placing the
Aruba Hotel
(
%
866/383-3150
or 702/383-3100; www.arubalasvegas.com; AE, DC, MC, V)
on the North Strip as
it's actually 4 long blocks north of the Stratosphere. Still, it's too far away from
Downtown to be categorized there, and the Aruba is the latest incarnation of the
legendary Thunderbird Resort, which was the fourth Strip resort to open (in
1948) and once played host to the likes of Mae West, George Burns, and Bob
Hope, giving it a definite Strip history. You'd never know, of course, from the
looks of it, as this seems like just one of the many old-fashioned motels in town.
When I once asked the staff what they felt their appeal is, one of the friendly
staffers answered bluntly, “we're the only motel in the Arts District that isn't a
flophouse.” And so it is. Tucked away behind a high fence and an odd mottled
wall, it's well-screened from the seedier joints that surround it, and the tremen-
dously sweet staff goes out of their way to pamper the guests. But if you're wary
about staying in this part of town, you may want to look elsewhere. That being
said, it has new owners and has been recently renovated so rooms are clean, fairly
modern, and large—though so bland in appearance you'll forget what they look
like the moment you leave. A decent pool in the back and tiny workout room are
available for active guests. For all of this you'll pay between $40 and $70 most
nights, though when Vegas is jumping prices have been known to jump too, to
about $100 a night. The legendary Thunderbird Lounge has been revived at the
front of the motel; it's a fun place to have a drink, grab breakfast (cheaply), listen
to a local band, and occasionally watch a local theatrical production. Two words
of warning: You may want to avoid the Aruba on the first Friday of each month
