Flamingo Hilton

The Flamingo Hotel & Casino is the first hotel
to have been built here in Vegas, by celebrity
gangster, Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegal'. With over
3,500 rooms, it's the fourth largest hotel in the
world. It flourished as one of the top hotels in
Vegas until the 1980's when the Hilton
Corporation took it over. We came here
hoping to appreciate some old Vegas glamor
as much as their tropical pool which was an
essential amenity during our stay in the month
of July. With the hotel's extensive renovations
we expected more. Our first room #6001, was
a mini-suite which hadn't been remodeled yet.
It was unacceptable with horrible pink walls,
orange headboard and stained furniture and
carpeting, and we insisted on moving. The
newly remodeled mini-suite #17001 was much
nicer and the same price at $190 per night on
weekends. The casino was uneventful, but
offered everything a gambler needed. The
"Club Card" wasn't worth the trouble, we
received back $40 for 10 hours of table play at
an average of $31 a hand, we played much
longer than that. The restaurants weren't
necessarily alluring leaving us to go to other
casino's for dinner. Ventuno's offered some
tasty fare with freshly made pastas, pizzas
and pastries. Listed below are their
restaurants:

Ventuno's Restaurant, Cafe & Bar

Hamada of Japan

Pink Ginger

Conrad's Steakhouse

Lindy's Coffee Shop

Beach Club

Paradise Garden Buffet

Bugsy's Deli

The pool was awesome here, with several
pools, small waterslides and a waterfall. The
smell from the Beach Club went perfectly with
BBQ's cooking to order burgers, hot dogs,
shrimp, ribs and bacon wrapped chicken
breasts. Unfortunately it was so overcrowded,
we were told by security, that you have to get
there at 7:30 a.m. to reserve a chair,
otherwise good luck! It was like this every day
of the week. The "Flamingo and Penguin
Exhibit" needs to go, you have to pass the
stench every time you go to the pool. I could
understand keeping the flamingo's, but clean it
up! Worst of all, here, was the service. We
were told by a bell hop that they've really cut
back on their staff, leaving guests to wait
sometimes 2-hours to check in and 45 minutes
for bell service to arrive, it's ridiculous! From
the talk of cabbies and other guests this place
is going downhill fast!

Located on the corners of Las Vegas Blvd and
Flamingo Road.

Website:
www.parkplace.com/flamingo/lasvegas