nan in PA
10-13-2005, 07:11 AM
Can't believe my trip is over already!
Our flight (America West from Philadelphia to Las Vegas) was 45 minutes late arriving in Vegas due to the baggage belt being broke and they had to put the luggage on the plane by hand. After that, we were moved to tenth in line to take off. We were so ready to get to Vegas.
Finally landed in Vegas at 11:15am on Thursday, September 29th. Our limo driver (Chris) from Presidential Limo was waiting for us at Baggage Claim. Got the luggage and off into the limo we went. Chris stopped at the store for us to get a couple of cases of water and beer before taking us to our hotel (Golden Nugget). There were six of us in the limo and we consumed the bottle of champagne that was part of the limo package. The ladies each received a rose upon exiting. Excellent limo service!
This was our first time staying downtown (last year we stayed at the Aladdin and the year before we stayed at the Flamingo). We love Freemont Street so we decided to give the Golden Nugget a try. Our rooms were in the South Tower. Note: If anyone is planning on staying at this hotel, request North Tower as it is a very LONG walk to get to the South Tower. We weren't impressed with the Golden Nugget. The room stunk and we had the Maid Service come up and spray the vents. It smelled like sewer gas. We kept our window open the rest of the trip. Later in the afternoon, friends from California arrived and we went out and partied on Freemont Street. There was a great 70's band playing and we enjoyed the night with dancing in the street and drinking some football beers. Ended the evening by eating a late night breakfast at Carson Street Cafe in the hotel. Very good food.
Friday, September 30th - This is the day that hubby and I will renew our wedding vows to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Started out the morning by taking a cab over to Ellis Island to have breakfast. Very good breakfast there! Hubby loves their corned beef hash. After breakfast we all took cabs over to Harrah's to check out Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar". Bought some tee-shirts and shot glasses. The restaurant wasn't opened yet as it was still early in the morning. Went back to the Golden Nugget and did a little video poker - nobody won anything. Went up to our rooms in the afternoon to get ready for the wedding. Room Service delivered a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries to us from some friends back home here in Pennsylvania. We decided to keep the champagne till after the wedding ceremony. Limo from Viva Las Vegas Weddings picked us up at 4:30pm to take us to the wedding chapel. Our wedding was at 5pm and "Elvis" performed the ceremony. It was broadcast live on the internet which was great for our family and friends back home to watch. It is also archived on the internet for the next three months. If anyone is thinking of getting married out in Vegas or renewing their vows, this is the place to go. Viva Las Vegas Weddings was very professional and we couldn't have asked for more. When the wedding was over, the limo took us back to the Golden Nugget. We all went up to our room and toasted with champagne then went down to the bar at the Golden Nugget and did some celebrating there. Once the band started out on Freemont Street, we proceeded out there and danced the night away in our wedding attire. We all had a blast and got quite buzzed. The light show was excellent and they have added quite a few new ones since last year.
Saturday we were all feeling a little groggy. Went over to the Stratosphere and did some shopping in their Mall. Great place to shop and the prices are excellent. Everyone decided to get a massage at the Mall from those machines that you lie down in and the water goes up and down your body but you don't get wet. Well, everyone but me......I got claustrophobic after three minutes so hubby took the seven minutes that were left on it. Went back to the Nugget and did some more video poker at the bar. Nobdody wond anything. The guys decided to bet on the Penn State game, they bet that Penn State would NOT win. Hubby didn't get in on the bet as he told them they were making a mistake. Hubby was right, Penn State won. Later that night we took some cabs up to the new Strip. Had prime rib dinner at the Barbary Coast. We eat at this restaurant every year when we go out. Service is excellent, and so is the prime rib. We went up in the Eiffel Tower around 7:30pm and it was breathtaking to see everythingl lit up at night. We stayed up there for about a half hour and even got to watch the fountain show from up there. I took some awesome pictures! After Paris, went over to N.Y.N.Y. and went into ESPN Zone and had a couple of drinks.
Sunday, October 2nd.....Today is the Eagle's vs Kansas City game. We all dressed up in our Eagles attire and went down to Golden Nugget's bar to watch the game. They were having problems getting that station on so the Maintenance man took us over to Zak's and we had the whole bar to ourselves to watch the game! What luxury and great service from the waitress. The game wasn't looking too good in the first half with the Eagles losing but they came back on the second half and we won. Time to celebrate! Went out to Freemont Street and there was a guy singing on stage that looked just like Tom Jones. I was so convinced that it was him that hubby ran back to the hotel room to get my camera. By the time he got back with it, I found out that it wasn't Tom Jones but my friend and I still enjoyed his show! After that, one of the other couples that was with us wanted to check out "Hogs and Heifer's" Bar across the street from Lady Luck Casino. Very fun place with the barmaids singing on bull horns and encouraging the women to get up on the bar and dance. Yes, we did!
Went back to Freemont Street and watched the guy spray painting pictures. We have always been amazed with the paintings that this guy does. This is the year that we finally purchased two paintings from him!
With it being our last night, hubby and I finally decided to do some gambling at Binion's. He went to the blackjack tables and I went over to the Video Poker machines. Hubby didn't do too well on blackjack and met me over at the bar. I had put $20 in the machine and was playing on it for well over two hours. I asked the bartender for some coffee as by this time, I was getting very tired. Finally ended the video poker and went over to roulette. Friends wanted me to play $5 on #18 on my first play and they gave me $5 for #25 on my second play. Wouldn't you know that the first play came up #25???? Needless to say, didn't win anything.
Monday, October 3rd......last day in Vegas and we are all extremely tired! Walked around Freemont Street and friends did some last minute slot play in Fitzgerald's. They won $35.
Our limo driver from Presidential picked us up at the Golden Nugget to take us back to the Airport. There was another bottle of champagne in the limo but none of us wanted anything to drink by then. All we needed was SLEEP!
We decided that we won't stay at the Golden Nugget again. Room was stinky, lighting was poor, long walk to the South Tower, and the room safe never worked. Had to use the Hotel safe as the room safe kept on getting error codes even after maintenance came up twice to fix it.
Hope that my trip report wasn't too long. Don't know when the next trip will be but as usual, can't wait to go back out there again!
Nancy
Our flight (America West from Philadelphia to Las Vegas) was 45 minutes late arriving in Vegas due to the baggage belt being broke and they had to put the luggage on the plane by hand. After that, we were moved to tenth in line to take off. We were so ready to get to Vegas.
Finally landed in Vegas at 11:15am on Thursday, September 29th. Our limo driver (Chris) from Presidential Limo was waiting for us at Baggage Claim. Got the luggage and off into the limo we went. Chris stopped at the store for us to get a couple of cases of water and beer before taking us to our hotel (Golden Nugget). There were six of us in the limo and we consumed the bottle of champagne that was part of the limo package. The ladies each received a rose upon exiting. Excellent limo service!
This was our first time staying downtown (last year we stayed at the Aladdin and the year before we stayed at the Flamingo). We love Freemont Street so we decided to give the Golden Nugget a try. Our rooms were in the South Tower. Note: If anyone is planning on staying at this hotel, request North Tower as it is a very LONG walk to get to the South Tower. We weren't impressed with the Golden Nugget. The room stunk and we had the Maid Service come up and spray the vents. It smelled like sewer gas. We kept our window open the rest of the trip. Later in the afternoon, friends from California arrived and we went out and partied on Freemont Street. There was a great 70's band playing and we enjoyed the night with dancing in the street and drinking some football beers. Ended the evening by eating a late night breakfast at Carson Street Cafe in the hotel. Very good food.
Friday, September 30th - This is the day that hubby and I will renew our wedding vows to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Started out the morning by taking a cab over to Ellis Island to have breakfast. Very good breakfast there! Hubby loves their corned beef hash. After breakfast we all took cabs over to Harrah's to check out Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar". Bought some tee-shirts and shot glasses. The restaurant wasn't opened yet as it was still early in the morning. Went back to the Golden Nugget and did a little video poker - nobody won anything. Went up to our rooms in the afternoon to get ready for the wedding. Room Service delivered a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries to us from some friends back home here in Pennsylvania. We decided to keep the champagne till after the wedding ceremony. Limo from Viva Las Vegas Weddings picked us up at 4:30pm to take us to the wedding chapel. Our wedding was at 5pm and "Elvis" performed the ceremony. It was broadcast live on the internet which was great for our family and friends back home to watch. It is also archived on the internet for the next three months. If anyone is thinking of getting married out in Vegas or renewing their vows, this is the place to go. Viva Las Vegas Weddings was very professional and we couldn't have asked for more. When the wedding was over, the limo took us back to the Golden Nugget. We all went up to our room and toasted with champagne then went down to the bar at the Golden Nugget and did some celebrating there. Once the band started out on Freemont Street, we proceeded out there and danced the night away in our wedding attire. We all had a blast and got quite buzzed. The light show was excellent and they have added quite a few new ones since last year.
Saturday we were all feeling a little groggy. Went over to the Stratosphere and did some shopping in their Mall. Great place to shop and the prices are excellent. Everyone decided to get a massage at the Mall from those machines that you lie down in and the water goes up and down your body but you don't get wet. Well, everyone but me......I got claustrophobic after three minutes so hubby took the seven minutes that were left on it. Went back to the Nugget and did some more video poker at the bar. Nobdody wond anything. The guys decided to bet on the Penn State game, they bet that Penn State would NOT win. Hubby didn't get in on the bet as he told them they were making a mistake. Hubby was right, Penn State won. Later that night we took some cabs up to the new Strip. Had prime rib dinner at the Barbary Coast. We eat at this restaurant every year when we go out. Service is excellent, and so is the prime rib. We went up in the Eiffel Tower around 7:30pm and it was breathtaking to see everythingl lit up at night. We stayed up there for about a half hour and even got to watch the fountain show from up there. I took some awesome pictures! After Paris, went over to N.Y.N.Y. and went into ESPN Zone and had a couple of drinks.
Sunday, October 2nd.....Today is the Eagle's vs Kansas City game. We all dressed up in our Eagles attire and went down to Golden Nugget's bar to watch the game. They were having problems getting that station on so the Maintenance man took us over to Zak's and we had the whole bar to ourselves to watch the game! What luxury and great service from the waitress. The game wasn't looking too good in the first half with the Eagles losing but they came back on the second half and we won. Time to celebrate! Went out to Freemont Street and there was a guy singing on stage that looked just like Tom Jones. I was so convinced that it was him that hubby ran back to the hotel room to get my camera. By the time he got back with it, I found out that it wasn't Tom Jones but my friend and I still enjoyed his show! After that, one of the other couples that was with us wanted to check out "Hogs and Heifer's" Bar across the street from Lady Luck Casino. Very fun place with the barmaids singing on bull horns and encouraging the women to get up on the bar and dance. Yes, we did!
Went back to Freemont Street and watched the guy spray painting pictures. We have always been amazed with the paintings that this guy does. This is the year that we finally purchased two paintings from him!
With it being our last night, hubby and I finally decided to do some gambling at Binion's. He went to the blackjack tables and I went over to the Video Poker machines. Hubby didn't do too well on blackjack and met me over at the bar. I had put $20 in the machine and was playing on it for well over two hours. I asked the bartender for some coffee as by this time, I was getting very tired. Finally ended the video poker and went over to roulette. Friends wanted me to play $5 on #18 on my first play and they gave me $5 for #25 on my second play. Wouldn't you know that the first play came up #25???? Needless to say, didn't win anything.
Monday, October 3rd......last day in Vegas and we are all extremely tired! Walked around Freemont Street and friends did some last minute slot play in Fitzgerald's. They won $35.
Our limo driver from Presidential picked us up at the Golden Nugget to take us back to the Airport. There was another bottle of champagne in the limo but none of us wanted anything to drink by then. All we needed was SLEEP!
We decided that we won't stay at the Golden Nugget again. Room was stinky, lighting was poor, long walk to the South Tower, and the room safe never worked. Had to use the Hotel safe as the room safe kept on getting error codes even after maintenance came up twice to fix it.
Hope that my trip report wasn't too long. Don't know when the next trip will be but as usual, can't wait to go back out there again!
Nancy