Since I never really reviewed the Encore Hotel here, I’m posting what I wrote on Yelp and that’ll be the end of my Vegas posts. Tomorrow it’s on to my Fall clothing and foodie finds!
Just returned from a fantastic 4-day, 3-night stay in Encore’s King Suites. My bf and I checked in at 4pm on Labor Day without a wait or a hitch, though they did try to upsell a suite on a higher floor for an additional $20/day. We passed and were not disappointed with our room on the 16th floor in the slightest. For photos of our suite visit my blog athttp://thebestofmindy….
I have a 5 am internal alarm clock and slept til 2 pm each day no problem thanks to the black out curtains and QUIET. I heard a door slam maybe twice and the faint sound of a hairdryer in another room once but that was it. The room was a bit warm when we first arrived but quickly cooled when we adjusted the room’s temperature. Everything is electronically controlled from the privacy feature to the curtains covering the floor to ceiling windows. The amenities in the room are great! Loved their shampoo/conditioner/shower gel set which lasted the two of us our entire stay.
Since our $20/day resort fee covered wireless internet and access to the fitness center I worked out once and was impressed with the number and variety of cardio and weight machines. They provide water and towels, too. Out of the two pools we frolicked in, I liked the European pool best just because of the crowd and the fact that there was a poolside bar. (The other pool has a cocktail server.)
We had originally planned on seeing O at the Bellagio but it was sold out all three nights we were there (note: book your tickets ahead of time!) so we ended up seeing Le Reve at the Wynn Theater…. IT WAS PHENOMENAL! We sat in the 2nd row where tickets were only $99 compared to the rest of the seats. We were so close we could reach out and touch the performers if we wanted. Didn’t have a problem seeing a thing. The show was the highlight of our trip and worth every penny. By the way, the Encore concierge was a huge help! They booked our dinners and shows and checked us in for our flights as well as printed out our boarding passes.
My only complaint? Room service stinks food-wise. Dropped $80 for a salad, fries, and two entrees. Service was quick, the food was nicely presented and hot upon arrival, but the texture and taste was really disappointing. Well, except for the fries but it’s hard to screw those up. The Caesar salad had WAY too much dressing on it and the pasta was mushy (overcooked) and bland. Spaghettios would’ve been a better fix than what they served me! I added the meatballs for $6. They gave me three which were large but tasted horrible and were thus inedible. The Wynn Buffet was just okay, too. We went for dinner on a weeknight and it was like $75 for the two of us. The lamb, mashed potatoes, and desserts were my favorite there.My bf of course liked the prime rib and alaskan crab legs.
My dining recommendations? If you can, grab a drink at Parasol Down in the Wynn and get the White Sangria. They were pricey at $13 per glass, but SO GOOD and gave me a decent buzz. Botero Steakhouse is beautiful. We had after-dinner drinks and dessert here one night. The chef’s ice cream selection was AMAZING but the chocolate souffle was a flop. I LOVE chocolate souffle’s and didn’t care for this one at all. There was no chocolatey lava center….. Finally, take advantage of your location to the Fashion Mall. They have TONS of less expensive food options for breakfast and lunch. We ate at CPK for lunch one day and stocked up on Ketel One and cranberry juice at the ABC Store to drink in our room and fill up our flasks. We splurged on our dinners and my absolute favorite was Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak in the MGM Grand. It was a $20 cab ride each way but it was SO WORTH IT. Encore, you were lovely to stay at but please work on your in-room dining!
