Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

MID-STRIP 97
Having said all that, note that The Palms has perhaps some of the most comfortable
beds in Vegas, thanks to fluffy pillows and duvets that make one reluctant
to rise, plus big TVs and huge bathrooms. The main pool is oddly cheap
looking—it’s really a posing spot rather than a splash, while a second pool has a
bar and mermaids swimming in the water at night. Also on the property is Alizé
(p. 135), in competition for the title Best Restaurant in Town (and owner of the
title Most Gorgeous and Romantic Restaurant), a cheap and hearty buffet
(p. 170), movies theaters, a McDonald’s, and other reliable cheap chain eateries.
4321 W. Flamingo Rd. (at I-15), Las Vegas, NV 89103. & 866/942-7777 or 702/942-7777. Fax 702/942-6859.
www.palms.com. 400 units. Sun–Thurs $79 and up double, Fri–Sat $119 and up double. Extra person $12, no
discount for children.AE, DC, DISC, MC,V. Free self- and valet parking. Amenities: Casino; nightclub/showroom;
8 restaurants; outdoor pool; health club and spa; Jacuzzi; sauna; concierge; business center; 24-hr. room service;
in-room massage; laundry service; dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms; executive-level rooms. In room: A/C, TV
w/pay movies, dataport, high-speed Internet access (for a fee), coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron and board, safe.
Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Rio pushes itself as a “carnival” atmosphere
hotel, which in this case means hectic, crowded, and noisy, and the recent edict
requiring the already Most Scantily Clad Waitresses in town to burst into song and
dance in between delivering beers. The newer section, the Masquerade Village, is
actually pretty pleasant, with a very high ceiling, but the older section’s low ceilings
only seem to accentuate how crowded the area is in both the number of people
and the amount of stuff (slot machines, gaming tables, and so on). All this
party atmosphere, by the way, is strictly for adults; the hotel actively discourages
guests from bringing children.
The rooms are touted because of their size. Every one is a “suite,” which does
not mean two separate rooms, but rather one large room with a sectional, corner
sofa, and coffee table at one end. The dressing areas are certainly larger than
average and feature a number of extra amenities, such as refrigerators (unusual
for a Vegas hotel room) and small snacks. Windows, running the whole length
of the room, are floor to ceiling, with a pretty impressive view of The Strip,
Vegas, or the mountains (depending on which way you’re facing). The furniture
doesn’t feel like hotel-room standard, but otherwise the decor is fairly bland.
Rosemary’s at the Rio, a new version of one of our favorite restaurants in
town, Fiore, and the hotel’s first-rate buffet are described in chapter 6. You
might consider checking out the Wine Cellar Tasting Room, which bills itself
as “the world’s largest and most extensive collection of fine wines” and hyperbole
aside, it’s certainly impressive and a must-do for any wine aficionado.
Penn & Teller, the smartest show in town, is reviewed in chapter 10, as are the
Voodoo Lounge, Bikinis, and Club Rio. The missable Scintas also do a regular
act while we adore the unpredictable antics produced by the improv dinner show
Tony & Tina’s Wedding. The casino, alas, is dark and claustrophobic. In case
you missed the party/carnival theme, there is a rather bizarre live-action show
called The Masquerade Show in the Sky. It is presented Thursday through
Tuesday at 3:30, 4:30, 5:30, 7, 8, 9, and 10pm. Sets modeled after Mardi Gras
floats (sort of) move on grids set in the ceiling, filled with costumed performers
who lip-sync to music designed to rev up the crowd but not continue the theme
(swing selections, for example). These floats are best viewed from the second floor
of the village. Down below, dancers do their thing on a stage, while even stranger
costumes (ostriches, dragons, and so on) prance next to them. Guests can also
don costumes and ride a float, but you have to pay for the privilege.
Out back is a pool with a sandy beach, and two new pools in imaginative fish
and shell shapes that seem inviting until you get up close and see how small they