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| - Hotel:
We've been coming to the MGM for roughly 20 years now - alot has changed! Remember when Vegas fashioned itself as a 'family destination', and MGM had a theme park, and the Vegas strip courted gamblers from around the world with the best gambling rules/odds?
Well thats all changed, some for the good (no kids, yay!), to very bad (worst gambling rules in the US at MGM and corporate Strip Casinos)
So this trip, we were encouraged to use the 'mobile check in' by several emails. After going thru this very tedious process (having to get my credit card out twice and filling out multiple pages of info), it tells us to 'wait for an email' before checking in. Said email fails to arrive even two hours AFTER I stated we'd be arriving (we were a bit late). So stand in line for about 10 minutes, we check in, luckily the gracious gal voluntarily moves us up from the 4th floor (!!!) to the 8th. That way, we'll have a nice view of the ugly MGM gravel rooftop and air conditioners. I'm not expecting much for $200/night, am I? Anyway, we walk away and I go 'SNAP!' I forgot to ask about the whole dang paid-parking thing, so I go back, wait in line AGAIN....and a different clerk says 'Oh!', give me back your keys, they need to be redone for parking in/out privileges. Use the key at any MGM resort. Parking is $10/day plus tax unless you're Pearl Mlife or better. Add that to the nearly $40/day resort fee (after tax)
Okay, my usual resort fee gripe: this fee allegedly includes internet access; yet, internet is offered to ANYONE, guest or not. So its not a benefit - for $40/day, you get (wait for it): fitness center access.
Thats it. No one needs 'free local calling'. No one wants to use your boarding pass printing service. One might think parking fee would be included in the 'resort fee', now THAT would be an ACTUAL benefit.
Anyway. The Room. Still the same after several years, things are aging. Notably, the once electric motor driven window shades are now hand operated with a chain, they removed the ostensibly failing motors and took out the neat control panel for them. The shades are kinda crooked now. And the inroom ripoff mini-fridge cheerfully advises that we better not touch it or use it for our own purposes; if you want a fridge we'll bring one up for $25/day.
The TV works great. There is a pretty cool A/V control panel with HDMI inputs and USB charging ports. Beds, super firm (i.e., barely slept the whole stay). Pillows, firm as well. Bathroom big, well lit, makeup mirror. Of course no coffee pot, but I have a big suitcase that my little 4cup coffee pot fits in quite nicely. Two nice chairs, coffee table and a desk with a good chair. And weird giant artwork on the walls. Overall, nice.
The pool here is fabulous, lazy river, several pools, palm trees. I like the music pumped in from Wet Republic. Great staff.
The Casino: Sadly, 6/5 Blackjack disease has invaded here too. The main casino is ALL 6/5. There are a few 3/2 BJ tables in the high-rent section ($25+ min).
Video Poker is as bad as it gets; 7/5 JoB and 6/5 Bonus Poker.
They DO have one 'single zero' roulette wheel in the high rent section, and craps is 3x4x5x, so that earns the casino a stunning:
1.0 star out of 5.0 stars (see table below)
Casino dealers are top notch in my experience. Every interaction with hotel staff was terrific.
The TV Checkout finally worked!
I'm a gambler, and MGM doesnt want real gamblers anymore. I have to play off-strip, and I guess I'll stay off-strip from now on.
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MaltbyBlu's Casino Rating
VideoPoker (using Jacks-or-Better (JoB) & BonusPoker (BP) as standards). Payoffs on FullHouse/Flush which are commonly altered by casinos to increase their take. So when it says 9/6, that means if player gets a FullHouse, you are paid 9units for single unit bet. Using Video Poker allows us to calculate the exact house take assuming skilled play (casinos CANNOT manipulate the machines). Percentages are payouts.
+2 * JoB 9/6, BP 8/5 99.54% , 99.17% respectively 'Full Pay'
+1 * JoB 8/5, BP 7/5 97.29%, 98.02%
+0 * for lower
Blackjack
Mainly to rate whether a casino has adopted the most hideous rule variation of paying 6-to-5 for a player blackjack instead of the original 3-to-2 payout (this rule change alone is an astounding 1.4% house increase). 6/5 is an enormous house advantage, and a skilled or knowledgeable gambler should never play this.
+2 * No 6/5 blackjack being dealt, casino offers the usual DOA, DAS, surrender options
+1 * Some 6/5 Blackjack, but players can find 3/2 tables that are not high-limit
+0 * Blackjack ubiquitously 6/5 or 3/2 only available at high-limit tables
Other rating bonuses
+.5 * Craps offers better than double odds (3-4-5 or 10x or better)
+.5 * Roulette offers the European single zero wheel and 'en prison'
-1 * Incompetent dealers
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