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| - My wife and I flew to Vegas for a conference and chose to try the Bellagio as opposed to our usual Caesars Palace suite. We stayed for three nights in a 'Fountain View' room on the 28th floor near the center of the complex overlooking both the fountain and the main strip.
If you do not feel like reading my complete breakdown, my summary thoughts can be found at the bottom.
--Day 1
Our flight arrived early (730am) so I did a pre-check in and the whole process was a much larger chore than expected.
The desk staff were rude. After a back and forth with a few agents, I was pointed to a young lady who gave me keys to the hotel, but with no directions on where they could be used
Going outside with our luggage I see the bell hop station with no one present, I thought 'no big deal' should be just a minute. 5 minutes later a guy did arrive and was the first person to say 'hello and welcome.' It caught me off guard given my earlier interactions.
I realize an early check may not be common, but given the reactions received you would have thought I was trying to check in weeks in advance as opposed to a few hours.
Our room itself was a letdown. The view is absolutely amazing, but everything falls rapidly after that.
The bathroom has a tremendous amount of unused space and a toilet that even for my wife who is 5'6 seemed really low. It is like they got a deal on elementary school fixtures and chose to install them. Wasted space aside it is well lit and the water pressure is outstanding.
The mini fridge is completely sensored so if you move make certain to look at your account to see if you were charged. There is zero room for any personal items. They actually have a label that if you are found to have stored personal items in the fridge you will be charged a $50 fee. If you would like to store drinks you can rent an additional mini fridge for $20 a day.
The decor throughout is very dated. It definitely looks like a room from the late-90's that has not been updated. The carpet hard, the desk space is OK, and the main outlet box under the TV was broken leaving us with few outlets. The hotel really seems to appeal to AARP members, not really much in terms of modern amenities or quality finishes.
-- Day 2
We were awakened around 3am with a fire alarm going off at a building nearby. This loud siren sound continued for about 30min. The windows are far from soundproof and a lot of the exterior noise can be heard (EMS vehicles, cars revving/racing, airplanes departing, etc.)
Went to Jean Philippe for breakfast. A little pastry shop located next to the garden area. Prior to ordering breakfast we wanted a soda and snacks for the conference, conveniently there is a shop just across the hall. I bought a soda and travel snacks. Upon checking out I once again received the rude behavior that seems common here. No greeting or hello, just the total charge. So, our bill at the all-purpose shop was $9 ($4.50 for soda and $4.50 for a bag of chocolate) and I paid with a $20. I asked for two $5 bills as part of my change and received a reaction that not only caught me off guard, but the others in line. The lady snapped and in a raised tone said "I only have one $5 and you are not going to get it. It throws my drawer off." Having no clue what she meant, I asked for all singles and with a loud exhale she agreed.
The staff in the pastry shop was very polite and did their jobs well. The food was not great ($11 for an omelet with one slice of toasted bread), but when you need breakfast at Bellagio with a short line this is it.
-- Day 3
Awakened around 3am again to an alarm and the pipes in the building starting to rattle with a loud 'burp' sound constantly emanating from the sink. Fortunately, we did not have to start as early as previous days so we ate at Café Bellagio. The breakfast helpings were very large and tasted good. I ordered pancakes ($15) and she the bagel with salmon capers ($15). If you are not an MLife member (we are not) arrive early.
-- Day 4
Same as the night before, alarms going off and the responding EMS vehicles woke us both. For the burping pipes, I closed the seal on the sink and shut the bathroom door which helped.
Tonight we ate at Olives restaurant. Food is average, what you are paying for is the view. You are sitting on the fountain edge. We had a 5pm reservation and to be guaranteed a balcony seat to see the show we had to stand in line by 4:15pm. The waiting in line is with a reservation. Our total cost (1 appetizer flatbread, 1 pasta dish, and 1 steak, and water to drink was $110 pre tip.)
SUMMARY
There are several places along the strip where you can experience better amenities and a nicer staff for less money. Much like the stores that inhabit the hotel, you are paying for the name as much as anything. Unfortunately, where Chanel, Hermes, and others have maintained their quality for their price point, Bellagio has fallen well behind and needs to undergo a pretty significant renovation.
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