Two Way Hard Three | Las Vegas Casino & Design Blog

Mike, thanks for your report. I'm glad you mentioned Tableau. Has Wynn dropped its plans fo change it? I'm sure Mark LoRusso is happy with his move to Botero.

Detoit, from what I can tell, there is fortunately no evidence of a change coming to Tableau.

I understand what you mean about the Foundation Room but it's original purpose was as a high end amenity for high rollers and club members. It may survive on those grounds.

Wow! The Wynn/Encore complex totaly blows Venetian , Palazzo, and the MGM signature out of the water!! It especially terminates the Bellagio in every single possible way! Wow I never thought i'd say it but, theres nothing about the Bellagio that compares to Wynn/Encore!

Do you know how many of these Duplex Apartments are in Encore? They're very impressive!

I'll echo Hunter's remark about the Foundation Room. Considering that it's a member only lounge/restaurant in multiple cities allows someone to entertain their guests at any of them.

And the cocktail service at the tables was fast when I was there on a Friday night play pai gow tiles which is the first pit outside the high limit room at Encore. I think I could have had 6 drinks an hour if I wanted. Most places where I park to play pai gow (tiles or poker), I'd feel lucky to get 3 drinks an hour.

Arthur, there are 16 "Duplex Apartments" and one "Penthouse Apartment" which is actually identical to the other Duplexes in floor plan and furnishing but, as its name would imply, on the top floor. The Sky Casino is literally outside that room's door.

This question is to anyone who may or may not know not just Mike E...what is Wynn/Encore's thinking with the whole cluster fuck of a check in process...I know a "rat maze" isn't pleasing to the eye but at least there is order...you don't need lil signs like they have at Venetian but anyone who has stand on the resort sides of these places get the same experience everytime...a big cluster of miserable people delaying your enjoyment of a wonderful place.

Wynn must really be desperate because i just got an email offer from them for wynn/encore resort room at $129. And I only go to vegas once every five years or so and don't gamble much at all. I was surprised to see this one in my email inbox.

Posted by mike_ch

This is one of those statements that puts people out of work by design so I feel bad about saying it, but...

Resort check-in seems like one of these things that can eventually be done by self-service kiosks. Maybe even a really fancy place could also put it on your mobile phone, so that you take care of checking in that way, know everything you need to by the time you're done using your phone, and simply give the kiosk your credit card and it spits out your room key.

I recently checked into a Wynn Resort room, and there was sort of a check-in "maitre'd" who was shepherding the process. He stuck me in a line that turned out to not move at all, but then came over and indicated the three or four clerks to the left and said "then next one that is open here is for you".

Checkin is an unnecessary cluster everywhere - considering you've already given your information, I fail to understand what all the freakin typing is for - but I thought this was handled as well as I could ask for.

I did a self-service check-in at the SF Hilton and it worked well (and online an early check-in was promised if I used the self-service). However, no way to do the Vegas $20 trick.

I think a kiosk is definitely preferable to a long line. But all things being equal, interaction with a human is preferable to interaction with a machine. For one thing, you can't ask the kiosk if they've got your specially requested, non-allergic pillow or whatever, but more generally, it's just a higher standard of hospitality when you get a hello and a smile. I don't see Wynn installing kiosks.

I think the long term solution to this problem is a) the spacing out of arrivals and departures, and b) cutting some of the fat from the check-in procedure.

If someone started using a lint remover on me, I would smack them.

Kenny: Dude, how could you say that! The Bellagio has a lot of thingsb that could compare to Wynn. In fact, they are almost equal. The Wynn I have to admit though has better rooms but, the Bellagio in most peoples opinion has better restaurants, architecture, and obviously entertainment. Oh and a better location. Don't get me wrong Kenny, Wynn/Encore are 2 great resorts its just that, its not 100 times better than the B and thats most prabably true that its not. Hey in my opinion, I like the Bellagio better (too many reasons to list why) and to me, the Wynn just has great rooms, pretty good dining, and better shopping- other than that, I don't really find the action at Wynn/Encore. I find it somewhat boring...

I've always had quick check-ins at the Wynn, and I haven't been to Encore yet. But I have been stuck in check-in purgatory (long lines or come-back-when-our computers-are-back-up) at other casinos. Avoiding Friday and Sunday check-ins may help a bit. But ultimately I think it comes down to how well-staffed the front desk is and how affective the hotel is at cleaning rooms quickly in the critical time after check-out and how effective they are at keeping the computers running.

In the check in process, there are always some "exceptions" that the front desk needs to handle that are much more time consuming -- families with special needs, lost reservations, expected comps/rates, etc. Those are to be expected. When the inventory fo clean rooms approaches "zero" or the computers go down, then all the customers become "exceptions" and the process gets very ugly very fast. The key for the casino is to avoid creating "exceptions". I don't think the human touch (giving directions, making conversation) is what slows things down.

Finally, I agree that a bit of a wait is not enough to compromise my Vegas buzz. The buzz kill comes from others that cannot wait calmly and pleasantly.

Posted by mike_ch

PeterF: "However, no way to do the Vegas $20 trick."

Fine by me. That thing needs to die anyway, as far as I'm concerned. They can put upgrades and their prices and such in the system and remove the mystery.

Posted by mike_ch

Wynn, Encore, and Bellagio get a lot of people's emotions running. Any time we've talked about the future of Bellagio in particular it gets people defencive, especially if it involves it being a second banana to Aria, Encore, whatever.

I spent a few hours just people watching and looking around the Bellagio this week, and a lot of time I'll admit I was thinking how it would look under Wynn. Even mulling over whether you could somehow squeeze a Tower Suites operation into the Spa Tower (conclusion: It's possible, but it will be as unsecluded as Encore's without the proximity to the casino.)

I still think it would make a good sister act to WLV. Steve may cringe at some of his floorplan errors like making elevators so far from the spa, but it's still popular and should be marketed as an alternative experience, maybe the inverse experience, to Wynn. After all, not all of the luxury market is into seclusion and privacy and exclusivity. Bellagio is about being seen (and, with the number of lookie-loos from other hotels you can't help but be seen.)

That said, it isn't Wynn's, who owns it in 18 months is a big question mark but if it isn't MGM or Wynn then my eyebrows will be raised.

Well said, mike_ch. Bellagio is indeed the place to be seen. In my opinion, it also has better pools than Wynn/Encore. Wynn/Encore also doesn't have a sophisticated bar like the Petrossian (really nice place for an afternoon tee) and
a bar that feature live entertainment like Fontana Bar. I always have fun when I go to these two bars.

Great report Mike, have to agree with the other thoughts, since Foundation Room is only open to the public (unless that's changed) on Monday nights, I can't see it as too negative an experience. It's a country club mentality, pay your membership and get access in any city, except for the one night a week opening.

I completely agree with your thoughts on tips being more appreciated, while it wasn't absolute on my last trip, many, many of the staff I tipped were very thankful for the tip. In my opininon my March trip to Vegas made me reevaluate whether it could be a service town. I've actually always felt that service in Vegas anywhere was a bit overrated compared to what I would get on a cruise ship, from a personal waiter, cabin steward, etc. But that's just my opinion. Thanks for putting the report up.

Thanks all for the comments.

TC, I believe the reason most resorts don't do a single file line is because putting up railing or velvet ropes disqualifies them from Mobil or AAA status (can't remember which).

I could definitely see Wynn's characteristics in the Bellagio but it seemed that MGM's effect on it made it feel like an inferior casino/hotel. Service was nowhere nearly as good and there were many more tourists there than Wynn. It might sound like an oxymoron but I prefer a place in Vegas that doesn't feel like a zoo.

Wait what?! That doesn't make sense...some sort of line or "rat maze" system would just make it easier on the resort to give better service. I'm not saying 24/7 it needs to be up but anyone who has experience the wynn check in area knows that during busy times...it's a zoo..i guess its one of those things they need to sacrifice to get the ratings they want...but i imagine they piss off a lot of people in that lil disaster...which could potentially hurt ratings more....very intriguing indeed Mr. E

Great report. Sky Casino looks luxurious, but it sort of reminds me of a concierage lounge at the Four Season or Ritz-Carlton with gaming tables. I would agree with Hunter that even if I could qualify to play there (and they had a craps table), I still would prefer the atmosphere in the main casino. However, if you are a Chinese government official wagering purloined tax money, I'm sure that level of privacy is greatly appreciated.

Check-in process at all major Strip resorts seems needlessly long, IMO. In my experience, the Venetian actually does the best job at this: they queue you up in a single rat maze, put an attendant at the head of the line to keep things moving, and usually have enough clerks on duty to keep the process flowing. The worst experience I ever had was a Sunday afternoon at Bellagio, but that was due to a computer failure, so I'll cut them some slack.

At least offering the option of a kiosk, like Hyatt or Hilton, would be nice for those of us who just want to check-in to the room we reserved, and don't need any special handling. I travel for a living (150k miles per year, minimum), and generally do not have to face a line anywhere (hotels, airports, rental car counters) except Las Vegas, which is irritating.

All right! Who copied who; Palazzo or Bellagio:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31341268@N06/3393382407/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36191947@N03/3343144860/sizes/o/

I'd say they both copied WLV's Parasol Down.

Joe, I saw that at Palazzo this week, but never made it to Bellagio. I just figured that was Palazzo's answer to Wynn's Parasol's. :)

I hear what you guys are saying about check-in being a cluster, but many times when I walked by checkin at Encore this week, there were just a couple of people in line. One Saturday at lunch time, was it what I would call crowded.

Mike - Are you saying the tables in the pool area are open at night for XS?
I agree that Tableau is as good as it gets for breakfast, though I'm sad to say, I didn't hit it on this trip.

On the Bellagio/Wynn argument there is no clear answer. I think Wynn/Encore is my choice for dining, and I like his pool better, as I find it more interesting. Sure the fountains are a better feature, no question, and the location of Bellagio is much better.

One big thing I did notice was how much better the elevators are at Encore than Wynn. I've always said Wynn was short on elevators, the wait is usually long, and they are always very full. This is something that cannot be corrected now. Encore has one more elevator per bank vs Encore, and has 700 fewer rooms. Encore remides me of Mirage, where you never have to wait more than a few seconds for a elevator, and usually once you do get in one, you find it empty. I guess all my letters and email to Steve bitching about the lack of elevators at Wynn has paid off.

I also received no turn down service during my entire stay at Encore this week, has that been also cut on the resort side?

I agree with others, Botero is fantastic, probably my favorite place to eat in the whole complex, but its a hard choice. On a side note, I hit Stratta, and it was excellent, they have obviously changed much more than just their name, the new chef has all new meals, and its fantastic.

Thanks for your POV. We just returned last night from a 3 night stay at Encore. I visit the strip about 5X's a year. Have to say - I had a BLAST so did my 21 year old - but my 72 year old mom and 45+ sister were all freaked out bc they could hear XS in their mattress blaring like a low rider under our room. Apparantly none of the staff would admit this is a big complaint. But it's obvious when the front desk has a stash of ear plugs they will bring up 'right away'. Kinda a bad deal if they are trying to cater to our baby boomer bucks that we are ready to donate to the tables and spend on the nice digs. Still have to say out of the dozen or so strip 'tels - this is still on my fav list. Love the blog.

When Hunter reported on the Encore back of the house workshop he attended, didn't he say Encore used special sound-conditioning glass on the wall facing the pools and XS?
I recall one time I was on a high floor at Wynn, in the Tower Suites, when there was a private evening poolside party with live music,. It was distracting, but the party ended early. It's a different story at all night clubs.

Wynn has stated a number of times about this special glass, and while it might be improved, its far from silent. I heard the club easily last week, and I was on 34th floor. I can imagine its worse on a lower floor. It was not horrible by any means, but I could clearly hear the nightclub.

Figured this would be a good place to share what I just did with Encore.

In mid April i will be traveling to Vegas stay at Encore...long story short my original reservation was for roughly 400 a night, tower suites side for 5 days. I was paroozing all the various cheap travel sites that us weirdos frequent, and I found a travelzoo promo code that cut that number pretty much in half. Now I'm stay the whole time for around 200 a night (give or take a few dollars here or there) pretty impressed with myself and the fact that I got my previous rate changed...on top of that they threw in a fifty dollar resort credit.....just had to share with people who would get the amount of excitement I am feeling right now

Brian, yes, the tables are open at night at XS, even the rattan loungers literally inside the pool. You can take any seat you wish except maybe the cabanas. I predict it'll be a long, long time before they start putting "Reserved" signs on anything remotely comfortable and even then only during the summer months.

Hey, Brian and Lisa -- thanks for confirming my suspicions about Encore and XS. And thanks especially to Brian for your candor.

We actually considered Encore for an all week meeting my wife had there last week, but the room rates we were quoted for suites were ridiculous. Even the "special" group rate of $300/night for the meeting was ridiculous. The only time I regretted staying at Bellagio was when the alarm went off every morning at 5AM. But the extra exercise we got hoofing it up and down the strip several times a day made it worthwhile.

I figured I would ask here to see if anyone knows - but I just booked a 6 night stay in an Encore Resort Suite (I think thats what it was called) for a total of $821 - it was 109/nt for weekdays and 149/nt for the 2 weekend nights.

Is that any good? I've never stayed at Wynn/Encore before, last trip we stayed Venetian and Bellagio, so I wanted to try and get in the Encore to see how they compare.

Tim - Yes that is an excellent rate for Encore. And short of the economy falling off a cliff, once things rebound later in the year, I'd guess we'll look back, and say that rate was a once in a decade deal. A few years ago, you'd never see that rate at a 2nd tier casino on the Strip, let alone a 5 star resort like Wynn.

Thanks Brian, thats what I figured - just wanted to see if anyone else had heard of these deals.

I got it in a redcard email, the funny thing is the only playing I did there was last year. I opened up my redcard account and did the roullette trick to get the # of points needed for 2 free buffet passes and thats it. I think they may be getting pretty desperate to fill the rooms if I got a deal like this.

Whats the roulette trick?

TC- When you sign up for the Redcard at Wynn|Encore you are given a free spin on a digital roulette wheel where you can win Buffet passes, free slot play, etc.

Tim, I too am not a very big gambler, but I keep getting these offers from Wynn|Encore as well.

I'll be staying at Encore again this July for $99 a night. Not as a good as the three comped nights in January, but I'm not complaining.