I have concluded that I must find some appreciation for going to Las Vegas. As you know from previous posts, I won’t go here unless I have to, and for the past few years, it’s been for an annual travel advisor training and a stop on the way to Los Angeles when NLS went to college.

I will find the positive rather than rail against my annual trips and complain about how I wouldn’t say I like gambling or overpriced entertainment and dining. So, that’s what I tried to do with this visit, where I stayed at Paris Las Vegas.  

This is my fourth trip to do this workshop with Cruise Planners. We’ve stayed at Caesar’s Palace, Planet Hollywood Resort, and Resorts World, and while each of them has been different, I’ve only truly enjoyed the last place. It had an amazing view of the north Strip from my room, solid food options and a relatively quiet location. Now, with Paris, we’ve returned to the heart of the Strip, and I’ll say that even with the Eiffel Tower replica and chateau-like exterior, it’s like all other neighboring resorts.

Here are the things I liked and didn’t like about Paris Las Vegas. I didn’t review the casino or entertainment, as I didn’t participate either.

The good: 

Restaurants and eateries

Like many high-end properties on the Strip, Paris has many great places to eat. However, most are not wallet-friendly. My friends and I went to Mon Ami Gabi, the indoor/outdoor bistro passersby see from the Strip. It was a fine choice, but my dinner of jalapeno corn chowder, salmon salad, and one glass of pinot gris was about $80 (tip included). This is typical of Strip dining and worthy of a splurge meal.

There are several places to dine here without going into massive debt. These include Bobby’s Burgers, from celebrity chef Bobby Flay; Café Belle Madeleine, 33 Boulangerie; La Creperie; Brioche by Guy Savoy; and Café Americano. These are quick-serve eateries and are good if you’re pressed for time.

My room

If I am not with my family, I like being alone in a hotel room.  I often find the rooms on the Vegas Strip are more than enough in space, and Paris’ room didn’t disappoint. The interior showcased some French flourishes, making it distinctive from rooms elsewhere. It was also quiet, something that’s increasingly hard to come by in any hotel, not just those here.

One not-so-awesome trend in Vegas hotels is sporadic housekeeping, which could result from insufficient employees.  Over three nights, my room was only cleaned once. Maybe this will improve in time, but I know some people can find this annoying.

The bad:

The resort layout

Like Caesar’s, Paris suffers from excess. The facilities are extensive and vast, and moving from one point to another is hard. Having the flashing lights and ringing sounds of the casino doesn’t help.  But it’s also confusing, as the hotel's two towers are in two separate resorts – Bordeaux, which is closest to the main entry and casino, and Versailles, which is in the adjacent Horseshoe Resort. Plus, the signage isn’t that clear. I didn’t even know the two were separate.

Related to this issue are the fitness center (which I always value) and the pool. Both are on floors above the ground and not easy to find. Here are the details about each, plus a few other things the resorts need to improve.

Amenities

Maybe because the resorts want their visitors to spend money in the casino and entertainment, they don’t want them going to the pool and gym. I do not understand why Paris and other Caesars properties open at 7 AM and close at 5 PM. I haven’t seen how this is beneficial when your schedule doesn’t fit with these hours. Naturally, I didn’t get to use either facility.

Another problem with Caesars Resorts is the long check-in lines. You can bypass this by checking in with a kiosk. But be sure to use the same payment form—I learned that the hard way — because if you don’t, the kiosk process won’t work. 

One last thing. Everyone acknowledges Vegas prices are inflated. If you are within walking distance from CVS or Walgreens, do your necessities shopping there. Don’t buy anything from the resort convenience stores. No one enjoys paying $8 for a small Chex Mix bag.