For our 9 year anniversary we decided to do a weekend getaway to Las Vegas. Our last visit to Sin City was over 8 years ago and we knew a lot had changed since then. If we were to head to Vegas we knew we wanted to do it right and have the steak dinner, the shows and the entire Vegas package. Our last visit we stayed at the Venetian (which I loved) and although super nice it came with a price and we were unable to afford the amenities of the shows and everything else that Vegas has to offer. After scouring the web and reading a ton of reviews we settled on the Monte Carlo for this trip.
The Monte Carlo is an older hotel but still carries itself with great luxury. The hotel is still modern in its design and really does feel as upscale as many of the newer places in my opinion. They have a number of restaurants on the premises and although most reviews I read said to stay away we found a great steakhouse and coffee shop that were fantastic. Upon check-in we found that the room choice we had made were limited in availability and thus we ended up on the 7th floor which really hindered the view of the strip. I was fine with this as we really weren't planning on spending much time in the room themselves although higher is definitely the way to go. The room was spacious and nicely furnished, the water pressure was great in the shower (the tub unfortunately had a slow drain that wouldn't keep the water). The one downfall to the room is the fact that the Monte Carlo only currently offers a wired internet connection in the rooms (our didn't work) and WiFi is only in the 1st two floors (casino and spa/pool areas). It was unfortunately colder and quite windy during our visit so the Pool was never even an option on this visit.
Despite having a long line at check-in, the process was smooth and seamless and we got through it in just a few minutes. The express checkout is nice and can be done in numerous way as well including through the TV, the kiosks downstairs, via text message, calling a automated number on your room phone or filling out a card and leaving it at the desk downstairs.
The Monte Carlos also houses a number of stores throughout as well as being the current home of The Blue Man Group show. The also house the Minus 5 Bar, Ignite Bar and upscale eateries such as Andre's and Brand Steakhouse. They offer Valet parking in front or self parking in a structure to the rear between Frank Sinatra and Las Vegas Blvd (although it was a bit hard to find unless you know where it is.
For what we got and the time we spent here, I feel that the Monte Carlo was a great value and a definite good stay. The casino I found a bit lacking overall compared to some of the other nearby hotels but being as I am not a big gambler this was not much of an issue. I would definitely stay here again for future visits.