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| - Frustrated with some of the changes to the MGM mLife loyalty program, I decided to abandon my usual place at the Bellagio and stay at Encore (which necessarily includes aspects of Wynn). Overall, I would say that Wynn-Encore caters more to the younger crowd (in distinct contrast to Bellagio) but still has the games (at least at the higher limits) to appease the more hard-core gamers. Encore, however, suffers from a fatal flaw with respect to noise from the dayclubs and nightclubs that would prevent me from recommending a stay at the hotel to anyone.
The noise problem was surprising, having stayed at many hotels on The Strip (all of which have nightclubs) and never encountering a problem. What makes Encore particularly problematic is that one side of the hotel (the side overlooking the pools and Wynn golf course) is also exposed to two partially outdoor nightclubs (which also occasionally serve as pool dayclubs). The beats can be heard in the mid-afternoon (which really isn't much of a problem) and then well into the 4am early morning, which would probably be torture for a light sleeper. I am fortunately a pretty heavy sleeper (I used to live next to the Holland Tunnel)--while the noise was distracting, closing the curtains and turning the A/C fan on high was just enough to fall asleep. I would, however, strongly recommend to anyone staying at Encore, if you find out your room is on the pool/golf course side and the front desk is unable to offer you another room, simply get your bags and head to a different property--there are plenty of other places to stay.
I actually liked the layout of my standard Encore Resort Suite. While not technically a multi-room suite, a divider between the bed and the rest of the room sort of gives the feeling of a two-room suite, and the flat panel TV on the divider with swiveling base was clutch. Mirrors on a whole side of the room also give the impression of more spaciousness, and floor-to-ceiling windows provide dramatic views of the golf course, pools, and desert mountains (though they also probably exacerbated the aforementioned noise problem).
Before really delving into the gaming specifics, I will state that the casino floor easily has the most consistently attractive drink servers of any casino I have been to. If that is something that you count as enhancing your gaming experience, this is a certainly a bonus for Wynn-Encore.
As I mentioned before, Wynn-Encore really seems to cater to a younger crowd, and this is reflected in the table games. There are an abundant number of blackjack games paying 6-to-5 on blackjacks and hitting soft 17--an automatic 1.61% hit to expected player return. On the flip side, limits at these tables go as low as $10. More standard blackjack tables maintain "Dealer Hits Soft 17" up through the $100 and even $200 limits, though there are some tables featuring "Dealer Stays on All 17s" at $100 (though possibly as little as 3--1 in the Encore Baccarat room and 2 just outside the Wynn Baccarat room). Craps doesn't seem to be as popular at Wynn-Encore than other casinos, but limits are as low as $10 even during weekend-night primetime. As for video poker, most mid-limit Jacks-or-Better paytables were at 9-5 with 9-6 JoB starting at $10 on certain machines. (Be aware that 9-6 JoB earns Red Card points at a slower rate--1 point for every $15 coin-in rather than the usual $6 coin-in for most other video poker.) For Super Times Pay fans, Encore has 9-5 JoB STP multi-play as low as $1/credit--a game Caesar's Entertainment refuses to offer above 6-5.
Among other observations, I wasn't particularly impressed with any of the casual dining options at Wynn-Encore, and the resort has a dearth of late-night dining, with only the relatively small Allegro open until 6am. The Nuclear Tipping Point channel loops an hour long documentary on ridding the world of nuclear weapons. While it's easy to tune it out, the gaming floor music butchers your favorite songs from the 80's, 90's, and today. And, as you would already be aware if you had taken any cab in Las Vegas, Steve Wynn is in love with his voice: He narrates the cabs, the website, and the two hotel tour television channels.
Overall, had it not been for the hotel room noise problem, Encore could easily garner 3-stars, and if the food were improved, the resort would probably be competing for a 4-star review. I wouldn't be totally averse to revisiting Encore but would need some assurance as to my room's susceptibility to the noise.
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