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| - Closer to 4.75 stars. Generally an excellent stay, but with a few dings. My husband and I brought our 2 kids, both under 10 years old, for a 3 night stay. First the good stuff:
The hotel is gorgeous. Sleek and modern with shiny crystal accents and art everywhere. We explored the property and were wowed by little bits of art here and there. Even the car entrance to the parking garage/valet is unexpectedly glam with shiny, coated concrete that gleams as you drive in.
Our room was amazing. We used the upgrade option when we booked and, since it was available when we checked in, were able to get our chosen upgrade to a wrap-around terrace suite with a fountain view (East Tower) for less than if we'd booked it directly. That balcony view of the Bellagio fountain and north side of the Strip was worth every extra penny. We spent so much time on the balcony just enjoying the sights and sounds, and it was a pleasure returning to the hotel after every outing to enjoy the room and view. The suite itself was so roomy with separate living room, two bathrooms, and a handy kitchen with fridge. The fridge was stocked with the normal up-charged hotel beverages, but the top shelf was available for personal use.
This hotel is one of the best laid out hotels on the Strip, IMO. The garage is underground so no cars in the sun and no walking half a mile to get to the lobby. The lighting system helps you easily see if any spots are available in the parking rows. Two sets of elevators take you easily to the Strip side of the hotel (East elevators) or the lobby/check-in side (West elevators). Once in the hotel you can get around easily from one tower to the next via hallways on the lower two floors. If you want to avoid walking through the 1st floor casino, you can do so by walking through the property on the 2nd floor. The 2nd floor also has direct access to the walkways across to either Planet Hollywood or Crystals/Aria.
Great location on Strip, smack dab in the middle of the most popular resorts. Easy walking to most of them.
Boulevard pool was great. Morning was a great time to go with young kids. We got there when it opened at 8am, and it was pretty empty. Our kids had their fun in an hour and were ready leave soon after 9am. By then, the pool was staring to fill up and music was playing.
Great restaurants and coffee shop. Va Bene Caffe on 2nd floor near East Tower elevators was our go-to for morning coffee. My kids got the biggest kick out of the hidden pizzeria. They just loved the idea of eating "secret pizza" and trying to keep the entrance a secret. They also enjoyed pinball for the first time while waiting for our pizza to cook.
Now for the dings:
During check-in they told us that, due to their system being upgraded that day, they had to charge us up-front for the entire stay plus the deposit fee of $150 per night. Never had this happen before. Frankly, the desk person working with us swiped our card BEFORE explaining this to us and that we'd be charged $450 more than expected, which I thought was poor service. Fortunately, we could handle this unexpected payment up front. I felt bad for some who could not easily handle this, as I was witness to several people having issues with this at the desk, even a few people who were paying in cash. I believe this is a temporary issue and will be resolved once their system upgrade is completed.
One other ding was minor regarding housekeeping. For the most part all was great, but one day we returned to the hotel to find the dining table and a small side table not wiped down and that housekeeping had left a wet cleaning rag out in one of the bathrooms. I chalk this up to just one off day for housekeeping. All other days were great.
Overall, a wonderful stay. Other reviews suggested not bringing kids, but we never felt that ours were unwelcome. (I will note that we stayed mid-week and not over a weekend.) This hotel really exceeded our expectations. We'll be back.
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