The Swamp

rass wrote:

brian wrote:Fair enough. I don't know your wife or her sensitivity. I'd be surprised if it were an issue though. And fact is, if it is unfortunately it's probably going to be an issue at just about any place you guys were to stay since I think damn near every casino has something. To hopefully answer your question, I've never noticed one place having a stronger scent or more noticeable than another though.

To be clear, I'm the delicate flower here.


The casinos in AC do the same thing, and I've never had an issue. There really were a lot of people bitching about it in reviews I came across, more so than any place else (I even saw other people praising the coconut-y Mandalay Bay).

Ah, well. If you were OK in AC, I can't imagine an issue at any place here.

I've never noticed any scents in any Vegas hotels or casinos.

govmentchedda wrote:I've never noticed any scents in any Vegas hotels or casinos.

In theory, that's the idea. It's supposed to be a feeling of "cleanness". Not necessarily the addition of a smell, but the absence of any defining smell other than what they want you to smell. There's a whole science behind it -- I'll try to find a link to a super long story about it. Each casino contracts with essentially the same company to have a defining scent. Some are more noticeable than others, but in almost all cases you actually have to remember to notice it. If you were to notice it as soon as you walked in, then they're doing something wrong.

Found the link.

Since I started looking, the Venetian's prices have gone down a couple of bucks, Caesar's are up a couple of bucks, and the concert ticket prices have held steady, with a net change of -1 ticket as far as availability.

Living here and having a smell-sensitive GF and her kids, they unanimously complain about MGM and NY-NY. Fine with Venetian and Mirage. Didn't look like you were booking on the MGM end but be aware if you are walking down that way.

I will ever so slightly give a different gambling opinion from Brian: If you plan on gambling even for an hour somewhere, get a card and have them track your play. You don't need to be a high roller to get $$ off offers; not saying they'll offer to comp your room but every bit helps. They usually mail offers once a quarter or so but if your wife loves the experience, it will be a bit easier to convince a return visit.

Also if the Strip gets to be a bit much, keep in mind renting a car and heading to Hoover Dam or Red Rocks Conservation Area as both are only 40 min away (though in different directions).

Thanks man.

The drive to Hoover Dam is gorgeous, especially since I'd never seen a desert before.

Rams Fanny wrote:I will ever so slightly give a different gambling opinion from Brian: If you plan on gambling even for an hour somewhere, get a card and have them track your play. You don't need to be a high roller to get $$ off offers; not saying they'll offer to comp your room but every bit helps. They usually mail offers once a quarter or so but if your wife loves the experience, it will be a bit easier to convince a return visit.

I absolutely agree with this. My only advice was relative to choosing a place to stay based on the probability of gambling elsewhere. In that scenario, Caesars probably trumps Venetian/LV Sands. But yeah, wherever and whenever you gamble get a players card and make sure you use it.

Rams Fanny wrote:Also if the Strip gets to be a bit much, keep in mind renting a car and heading to Hoover Dam or Red Rocks Conservation Area as both are only 40 min away (though in different directions).

Agreed on both accounts. We did Red Rocks last September and we were blown away. Also, we drove out Hoover Dam back in 2012 and that was awesome as well.

You're dying to know how this worked out. Well, my wife has been in Atlantic City since Saturday (at the Trop) for a work conference. Her being down there brought this comment back to mind:

rass wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:Are you looking for a big resort on the strip? Or, would a lower priced place, in the heart of the strip interest you? Like a Hampton Inn type place that is pretty no frills, but is clean and safe?

I think one of the resorts. Because dammit, I can stay in a Hampton Inn here.

We can stay at a Caesar's here, too, dammit.

So I took Caesar's out of the running, went back and forth some more, and ended up at Aria over the Venetian or Bellagio. I was really tempted by their corner suite, but figured I would be happier that week spending too much on food and drink if I know I could have (but didn't) spend an extra $400 on the room.

If anyone wants to throw out restaurant or bar suggestions within walking distance of (but not necessarily on the Strip or in a resort), let me know. We might do one fancy dinner, but in general both of us will take really good food over ambiance, so don't worry about suggesting a dive.

I also booked the concert tickets via StubHub, the day before Keg bumped BuffSol's StubHub thread. As I said in there, shit.

Side-ish note:

My wife got home last evening while I was out with the kids at an after school activity. When we got home, I noticed the contents of her overnight bag and suitcase dumped in front of the dryer. A couple of her co-workers found (a) bedbug(s) in their room, and she had stashed her stuff in that room for a couple of hours on Saturday because the hotel didn't have a room available for her until almost 9PM*. In addition to practically burning her clothes in the dryer, she tossed her suitcase out in the snow/sleet storm because it's apparently trash now. It should be mentioned that the conference she had attended was organized by the New Jersey Environmental Health Association, and her colleagues are public health inspectors.

*Despite the late room check-in and the shoddy pest control, she didn't get comped a damn thing from the hotel. I really wanted to tell her how she should have handled it, but I felt like I couldn't have done it without sounding like I've been reading way too many whiny reviews of Las Vegas resorts.

Anyone been to Virginia Beach? I'm going in a few weeks for a conference, anywhere to get a good beer?

rass wrote:Side-ish note:

It should be mentioned that the conference she had attended was organized by the New Jersey Environmental Health Association, and her colleagues are public health inspectors.

Irony? Unless they found the bugs on inspection and not when they got home.

The Sybian wrote:

rass wrote:Side-ish note:

It should be mentioned that the conference she had attended was organized by the New Jersey Environmental Health Association, and her colleagues are public health inspectors.

Irony? Unless they found the bugs on inspection and not when they got home.

No, they found it themselves in the room. I never asked what they did (moved rooms?).

rass wrote:

The Sybian wrote:

rass wrote:Side-ish note:

It should be mentioned that the conference she had attended was organized by the New Jersey Environmental Health Association, and her colleagues are public health inspectors.

Irony? Unless they found the bugs on inspection and not when they got home.

No, they found it themselves in the room. I never asked what they did (moved rooms?).

So exactly as expected. Note to hotels, check yourself before you wiggety host a conference for health inspectors.

I asked her what happened exactly. One guy found one bug in the shower(?). They did a general check of the bedding and furniture and didn't find anything else. There is some debate on whether he could have actually brought the bug with him...

We're staying at a hotel in NYC tomorrow night so I just looked up how to inspect for bedbugs. Easy enough. The place we're staying at has only one reported incident in the past couple of years (since the big epidemic) in what seems to be the main crowdsourced bedbug registry, but it was from this past January. Exciting!

No bugs...



If anyone ever tells you that you can't get great pizza near Times Square, they're wrong.. Get the Montanara Starita. Holy shit.

So, as we were walking out of the hotel on Saturday morning, the lobby was flooded with paramedics and firemen and they were wheeling a gurney in through the door.

Here's why...

MisterMoustache on TripAdvisor Nicaragua forum wrote:Hey so I'm going to the hippie rainbow gathering in South of Cr in Pavones after the 25th of arch, visiting a fruitfarm of a friend and rainbow crystal land, but before that i would like to travel a litle bit in nicaragua, know the alternative scene and explore farms and wonderfull places to go down to costa rica after.Right now im with raquel, a funny braceleted girl a spiritual mistic kid that brings luck.

who wants to come?

No replies.

bump...

so were going to be renting a car in ireland, and i'm seeing a lot of conflicting info regarding the purchase of collision damage waivers from the rental company vs. your credit card co. vs. independent travel insurance companies, etc... also, it appears that ireland has different policies regarding this kind of blarney than most every other country on earth besides jamaica and isreal.

if you've rented a car in ireland, what did you do for the cdw insurance? did you go with the coverage from the car hire company, credit card or other? would you do the same thing again?

My wife started treatment for bronchitis today. We leave for Vegas on Wednesday...

rass wrote:My wife started treatment for bronchitis today. We leave for Vegas on Wednesday...

Isn't the desert air good for respiratory problems?

Hope so. Hope the meds work their magic before that.

rass wrote:Hope so. Hope the meds work their magic before that.

Air quality's been pretty bad out here because of high winds and dust, but...suppose to be past the worst of the wind by the middle of next week so that's a break.

rass wrote:My wife started treatment for bronchitis today. We leave for Vegas on Wednesday...

Oh man. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Shit. Give that woman a heavy Jersey accent and that's what my wife sounds like this morning.

So I made a little playlist to play on the way to the airport as a way of springing on my wife that Vegas is our ultimate destination. Started with standards, (Come Fly With Me, Somewhere Beyond the Sea), then Tumbling Dice, Little Bribes, Night Life, I Love Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas. I switched to the radio* after that last one.

My wife is so convinced that we're headed to Mexico this morning that it went right over her head. My not quite stifled giggling made her suspicious, though. I guess she'll figure it out when we switch flights.

Check Out Time in Vegas will be more appropriate for the ride home anyway.

*heard Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits (the dice were loaded from the start)...

rass wrote:Viva Las Vegas

Dead Kennedys or that other guy?

Anyone have any advice about Minneapolis? (I go the most fantastic places.)

Rush2112 wrote:Anyone have any advice about Minneapolis? (I go the most fantastic places.)

I got you beat. A week in Groton, CT next month. The two previous sites for this conference were Sonoma and San Diego, next year it's Santa Barbara.

Groton's actually OK if you ignore Groton.

The Sybian wrote:

Rush2112 wrote:Anyone have any advice about Minneapolis? (I go the most fantastic places.)

I got you beat. A week in Groton, CT next month. The two previous sites for this conference were Sonoma and San Diego, next year it's Santa Barbara.

The submarine museum in Groton is very cool. You can tour the USS Nautilius, which was the first nuclear-powered submarine and is the only nuclear sub you can tour. You don't get to go into the engineering rooms, but it's still pretty neat to see. All the other US subs you can tour are World War II-era subs, and the difference in size between the Nautilius and the older subs is impressive.

Rush2112 wrote:Anyone have any advice about Minneapolis? (I go the most fantastic places.)

Don't know. Minneapolis is awesome. Go over to St Paul and check out Summit Brewing

Sabo wrote:

The Sybian wrote:

Rush2112 wrote:Anyone have any advice about Minneapolis? (I go the most fantastic places.)

I got you beat. A week in Groton, CT next month. The two previous sites for this conference were Sonoma and San Diego, next year it's Santa Barbara.

The submarine museum in Groton is very cool. You can tour the USS Nautilius, which was the first nuclear-powered submarine and is the only nuclear sub you can tour. You don't get to go into the engineering rooms, but it's still pretty neat to see. All the other US subs you can tour are World War II-era subs, and the difference in size between the Nautilius and the older subs is impressive.

I'm in a conference all day, all week, so not going to get out before 5 or 6. I went to Mystic seaport when I was five or six. I remember going on the sub and seeing the "Christmas Tree" which was a tiny red lightbulb they switched out with a green bulb on Christmas. I couldn't believe how small everything was, and I knew then I would never go into the Navy. The museum had a skeleton of a whale, or maybe just a life sized model. Any good restaurants, breweries or anything in the area worth going to?

Minneapolis seems like a cool city, I'd like to go there.

Ryan wrote:Groton's actually OK if you ignore Groton.

Do you mean the surrounding area is OK, or that it is just shitty.

The former. I went to a conference at the UConn campus there, and it was beautiful. Right on the coast. Mystic is nice, too. Then we went to some bar in the downtown area and I called my life insurance company on the way in.

Ryan wrote:The former. I went to a conference at the UConn campus there, and it was beautiful. Right on the coast. Mystic is nice, too. Then we went to some bar in the downtown area and I called my life insurance company on the way in.

Worst case scenario, hotel has a bar.

Is it just me, or is there something about being in a hotel that makes you want to drink? I usually try to find some beers I can't get at home, and stock the fridge. Last trip, I had a coworker with me, and I felt like a drunkard stocking up for the week. She packed 2 bottles of wine in her suitcase in case she couldn't get any near the hotel and I had the car for both of us.

Syb see if you can get up New England brewing. It's an hour from Groton, but their beers are fantastic.

BSF21 wrote:

Rush2112 wrote:Anyone have any advice about Minneapolis? (I go the most fantastic places.)

Don't know. Minneapolis is awesome. Go over to St Paul and check out Summit Brewing

Excellent. We do have a outing planned to Surly.

Yeah, alls I know about MSP these days is Summit Brewing and Skyway by The Replacements. Supposed to be lots of good restaurants and bars in downtown Minneapolis though. For whatever that's worth.