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Mandalay Bay is the Place to Stay
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The action starts as one checks into the resort hotel. Scantily clad bird keepers entertain those checking in with parrots, macaws, and a few other species of tropical birds, but the rooms are anything but meager. Rooms are spacious with marble and brass appointments and if one is lucky enough to get a Strip view, they may end up doing a lot of site seeing from the guest room. Rates are on the higher end of the scale, but the amenities and services available rival those of the Four Seasons coincidentally connected to Mandalay Bay.
Games here include slot machines, craps, poker, roulette wheels, and baccarat, to name a few. As one wanders around the edges of the casino, the property boasts hot spots such as Red Square, Rum Jungle, the famed Aureole, and the House of Blues, just to name a few. Red Square is a Moscow themed food and beverage establishment with a be-headed statue of Lenin. The restaurant has a mixed crowd of party-goers and diners. The party-goers stay at the bar that has a lining of ice running down the length of it. Drinks stay cool at this standing room only bar, but the dining is comfortable and cozy with plenty of big plates of comfort foods. The dining room is also much quieter than the bar area and offers a romantic atmosphere for those wanting some quieter times.
Rum Jungle is more of a night-club than a restaurant with its fire-wall and go-go dancers, but there is a restaurant within the night spot. This night spot destination is usually very crowded with a line that takes about 20 minutes to successfully maneuver. Rum Jungle offers plenty of singles, both men and women, great house music, and a stiff cover charge. The good thing is that hotel guests are afforded the luxury of VIP status with the showing of the room key.
While one is still partying, there are often music events at reasonable prices at the intimate House of Blues. This venue will contain a few thousand concert goers on any given night listening to the likes of Lenny Kravitz or even Etta James. However, one thing that Mandalay Bay has not figured out though with this venue is to successfully get concert-goers from an all ages show back through the casino and to their cars. Unless that infamous room key card is flashed to security, concert-goers will be forced to walk outside around the entire resort complex back into the parking entrance. This seems a bit inhospitable for a hospitality company. If one though can turn their cheek to this poor service in one area of the resort, as it seems Triple A did, you’ll also probably rate this resort overall with 4 diamonds.
4 diamonds is a great rating when it comes to hotels, but when it comes to dining, 24 is great on the Zagat rating for the famed Aureole. Mandalay Bay definitely succeeded in courting the NYC transplant to its property and Aureole is continually rated top for food, service and décor, and is rated even better for its wine selection. Some view it over-rated, as others find it just fabulous, and I found it marginal for the price. Chef Charlie Palmer will need to stay on his toes in this town, as the competition has heated-up and he’s got to be able to justify his high prices with more than flashy architecture.
Come to Las Vegas and enjoy the offerings of the Mandalay Bay.
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Room Reservations:
http://www.mandalaybay.com/home.jsp
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
