A buddy and I just got back from a weekend at Circus Circus. I’ve stayed at the better properties on the strip (Bellagio, MB, Venetian) and was a little leery of CC, especially with all of the negative posts. Some event on Saturday was causing Friday room rates to go through the roof so we settled on a Tower room which was much better than I expected, it was on par with any of the older properties on the Strip. I dunno, maybe CC rooms used to be much dumpier but perhaps recent renovations have fixed that. The bathroom counters were granite, the towels were fluffy, the water was hot and had a lot of pressure. This is not something which can be consistently said for even some of the newer mid-level properties. (I’ve had some bad
experiences at places like Monte Carlo and Luxor).

One nice thing about CC when compared to other older properties is that it knows what it wants to be. The circus is supposed to be a little seedy, right? CC upholds that theme in the public areas and all of the screaming kids running around only enhances the surreal circus experience. All you need are some evil clowns roaming around to complete the picture. Can anyone tell me what the theme is at Ballys, Riviera, Sahara, Stardust, or Tropicana? Those places used to be the class act in their day but now are just generic low-roller propeties.

I can’t comment on the food at CC as we didn’t eat there. I do remember from a prior visit a few years back that the Steak House is very good.

I did have a fun time rolling the dice at CC. Even though the odds there suck at 2x, the “homeboys” at the table knew how to have a good time, yelling, joking, and trading sarcastic barbs with the table crew. Earlier that evening I was at the Wynn LV and held the dice for 15
minutes. I wasn’t making a lot of points but I was rolling all of the other numbers. Everyone at that table was so somber and non-emotional that I had to sarcastically ask if “anyone was having a good time”. All I got was blank stares and so I felt a certain self-satisfaction
when I finally seven’d out.

So that’s my 2 cents on CC. It might not be the nicest place but it certainly is good value for $135 a night (or the even better standard weekend rate of $100 per night). Don’t get me wrong, I love places like Bellagio and Mandalay Bay but they cost 3 to 4 times that of CC.
Do they really provide 3 to 4 times the level of quality? I think it was the late Benny Binion who said when it comes to gambling, “a joint’s a joint”.

As I have been helped by so many from this group thought you might be interested in our recent one week vist;

Stayed at Luxor which was great except pool area which was just a slab of concrete with a couple of dreary pools and buffet breakfast which was boring and poor value. Breakfast buffet at Mandalay bay was excellent value. Thought the strip & hotels much better than expected and far less “tacky”. Saw 3 shows; Lance Burton 10/10, Barry Manilow 8/10 a,d Cirque de Soleil ‘O’ 10/10 all booked on internet from UK 3-4 months ago.

Helicopter tour to Grand canyon with Papillon was superb and great value.

Overall we were very impressed at clenliness and level of service everywhere and good value at most restaurants, especially Blackstones in Monte Carlo, PF Chang’s outside Alladins and Cheesecake Factory in Cesars Palace!

Would definately recommend and next time want to visit Hoover dam which we just didn’t have time to get to (except fly over in the helicopter).

Worst part - Continental flights, especially the food!

Hope these thoughts are of interest.

Peter (UK)