Vegas redux

On this last trip to Vegas, we decided to tack on a few days before and after the NAF Meeting as part of our 25th wedding anniversary celebration. I've always been fascinated with Las Vegas ever since my first visit there 34 years ago. Since then, I've been back many times, courtesy of my late father who was a gambling aficionado.

Armed with the wisdom and advice of Ricardo Rodriguez, a frequent visitor to Las Vegas who has first-hand knowledge of the ADA-compliant hotel rooms of the city, we split our visit at three different hotels, the Bellagio, Flamingo and Wynn. The result was somewhat of a revelation.

After flying into McCarran, we marvelled at the ease, accessibility and friendliness of the airport facilities and staff. It was a breeze to hail a cab to get to the Bellagio Hotel. I guess the fact that Richard could transfer easily from his wheelchair to the cab made a big difference.

We booked our room at the Bellagio through David Ourisman, a travel agent who is affiliated with Virtuoso, and received extra perks during our stay there. These included continental breakfast for two each morning and complimentary room upgrade when available. However, the nicest "freebie" was the $85 dining (lunch only) credit at Sensi, an Asian-fusion restaurant located inside the hotel. We had already planned on eating at this restaurant so this gift was more than welcomed.

Our room at the Bellagio was very spacious and elegantly appointed and had two Queen size beds. It was located in the new Spa Tower. The view (parking lot) was nothing to write home about but we were willing to settle for a no-view room on a low floor for immediate occupancy since we checked in early and Richard was tired and wanted to nap. The bathroom had a good layout and an enclosed roll-in shower with a fold-down bench. The water pressure from the hand-held shower was very good. The only complaint is that the glass door to the shower was very heavy and awkward to operate for someone in a wheelchair. Ricardo mentioned that Bellagio also has rooms with Hoyer lifts for folks who need them.

We moved across the strip to the Flamingo Hotel in time for the NAF meeting. We got a newly remodeled Austin Power-ish "GO" room with a platform King bed, roll-in shower and an unbelievable view of the famed Bellagio fountains. The room was smaller than our room at the Bellagio but the roll-in shower was the best designed ADA shower in a hotel that we've ever encountered. Instead of the usual heavy glass door, this one had a shower curtain that was effective enough to keep the floor in the rest of the bathroom dry. The digital TV embedded into the bathroom mirror was another nice touch.

After the NAF meeting wrapped up on Sunday, we spent one day and night at the Wynn hotel. The plushiest of the three hotels, it also had the prices to match. The palatial room had two Queen beds and an enormous bathroom that echoed with our footsteps. The bathroom had both a roll-in shower and a bathtub with jets. It also had two sinks and a mini TV built into the wall. Unlike the Bellagio, the Wynn loaned Richard a wheelchair without requiring a credit card imprint from us. We were also informed by Cyndi Segroves, one of the speakers at the NAF workshops, who stayed at the Wynn during the meeting that the Wynn also has rooms with Hoyer lifts.

Overall, we were very impressed with the three ADA rooms that we stayed at during the trip. Any one of the three would more than meet our needs. The bottom line is then a matter of cost. Here's the break down:

Bellagio: We paid $206 before taxes per night for 2 nights. This was the "Virtuoso" rate during that period. However, we received "bonuses" worth $141. ($28 credit per day for breakfast for 2 days and a $85 dining credit at Sensi) Subtracting this amount from the room rate, it came to around $136 per night, excluding taxes.

Flamingo: We originally reserved a standard room at the NAF group rate of $124 per night before taxes. However, we opted to upgrade to the "GO" rooms at the last minute when we were informed by the check-in clerk that some of the "GO" rooms were ADA compliant. We were previously told when we called up to reserve the room that none of the "GO" rooms were handicap accessible. The upgrade cost an extra $44 per night, making the grand total $168.

Wynn: I booked the room directly from the hotel at a special promotional rate of $199 per night before taxes. This included a $100 resort credit that is good for dining at the hotel's restaurants, shows or spa expenses. Since we only stayed one night and had already planned to dine at the hotel, our out-of-pocket for the room was $99.

The moral of the story is that 4 star properties are more affordable than you think. It really depends on what you are looking for or what services you value. And then, there are the intangibles. The Flamingo is young and boisterous with girls and boys with spiky blue hair that woke us up three in the morning with their drunk hollering and running up and down the hallway on our floor.

This post is by no means an endorsement for any of the three hotels mentioned. I am merely sharing our experiences and observations on this trip with you. If you should happen to use the above information as a reference, please beware, as Richard is fond of saying, "your mileage may vary".