I have stayed in the old and "new" tower, respectively. If you get the chance to choose between the two towers available, definitely go with the new tower (Tower 2). Overall, the stay in Tower 2 was really good, but Tower 1 was simply miserable.
It's not a hip and fancy hotel - sure enough. But you're still a paying customer, so there should be some type of standards that has to met. (It is super cheap to stay here!) The casino feels very old and tired. Beauty may be skin deep, but ugly goes clear to the bone. And this hotel is not an exception.
I realize that Excalibur is targeting certain type of people. With that said, I didn't spend any time in their casino, nor did I try any of their restaurants. There is a little walk across the bridge to MGM, but it's not that bad. You're walking around in Vegas anyway so this can't be the deal breaker. However... Excalibur... Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning...
Tower 1:
- Old CRT TV
- Old carpet
- Old interior
- Bad smell in the room
Tower 2:
- LCD TV
- New carpet
- New interior
- No smell (which is good in contrary to Tower 1)
Would I return to Excalibur?
No.