Hotel In Las Vegas During CES?

I really hate, for my  blog first post about my amazing time at CES, to be negative. Sadly, I am still so disgusted, that I need to share my experience at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.

Here’s where NOT to stay, and why.

It Cost A LOT For So Little

I searched for the best deal, and most conveniently located hotel, that was still somewhat affordable in Las Vegas during CES.  Dan and I settled (and SETTLED we did), for the Flamingo Hotel.

Within walking distance of the Venetian, where we could easily catch a shuttle to the Convention Center, the Flamingo Hotel turned out to be the SECOND MOST DISGUSTING PLACE, in which we have ever stayed.

Rooms at this hovel (not a typo) range from 35 dollars in the low season, to 289 dollars during rip off season (they really take advantage during CES).

Weary And Hungry

After a LONG ASS day of flying, due to a snow storm, in our layover city, Chicago, all we wanted was a quick bite and a comfy bed, on which to rest our pretty heads. Sadly, the line to check in, had at least 20 people in front of us.

After we finally checked in, we walked through the smoke filled casino, to the FOOD COURT, to grab a bite to eat.

At Johnny Rocket’s, another line.  When I finally ordered my long awaited tuna salad, at 12:00 midnight and 3 seconds, the young man behind the counter said, “We don’t serve tuna, after midnight.”

Ok, no problem. I perused the menu, and ordered a turkey burger. “We don’t serve turkey burgers after midnight,” he said.

“Are you kidding me,” I asked. He wasn’t.

“We serve burgers or eggs.” GRRRRRRR.

I sauntered over, to the other seemingly healthy food option, a Chinese Chicken Salad from L.A. Salad and Wraps.

Suffice it to say, the CHICKEN that was on top of this lettuce, green onion, fried chinese noodle mix, was not EXACTLY chicken. It was other worldly. I think maybe, it was chicken roll.

We guzzled the food, and couldn’t wait to get upstairs, proving that when I’m hungry, I will eat anything.

Arriving on the 8th floor, it was clear that the place was a little well worn. The halls weren’t all that clean. I take that back. They were gross. There were rips in the carpet, along with gum smooshed into it.

The doors were all dirty too. I chalked it up to old age, and was a little forgiving, but still not happy.

The room came with a view (this was NOT it), and all the loud sounds that come with, an entire city block of construction. Right outside my window! The room, with its ancient furniture, wasn’t HORRIBLE.

The roach crawling on the wall, was.

The bathroom was replete with toothpaste. But, not toothpaste to brush my teeth with.

This toothpaste, was in the air conditioning grates….Perhaps the maid missed it…All five days, that we stayed there.

She also missed the q-tip that was stuck in between the missing tiles. Well, they weren’t missing, they were just behind the toilet. She did miss the giant hair, that was stuck to the ceiling also.

None of this was nearly as nauseating as the 2 inches of dust, that was living in the bathroom lighting fixtures. Let’s just say the place is a little run down. Understatement.

The toilet was also DISGUSTING. ALL FIVE DAYS.

After checking for bedbugs, assuming that this was a teeny oversight by the housekeeping staff, we had to go to sleep and were confident that it would be properly cleaned the next day. It was already after 1:30AM, and I was in no mindset, to call to bitch and moan. Did I just say that? We had to be up and out, by 8:00AM, and I needed some rest.

The next morning, I woke up with a stiff neck from using the AWFUL RUBBER pillows that ranged from 6-8 inches high. Right before we left in the morning, I called housekeeping to ask for one, only one, DECENT pillow, explaining that these were all too rubbery and hard, and I couldn’t afford to work CES with a neck ache. They said, “Sure thing. No problem.”

Later that night ( it was actually the next morning at around 1:30), we arrived back to the room after a LONG day of press events and parties, ready for sleep.

The beds had been made, the garbage disposed of, towels folded, and sink cleaned. The toothpaste, dust, broken tiles and q-tip, all remained untouched. Doesn’t the housekeeping staff get trained in CLEANING?

In addition, as far as I could tell, there was no pillow replacement. They all ranged from 6-8 inches high, and impossible for me to use. I slept without one.

The next morning, with another crick in my neck, I called to ask about the pillows. This time the answer was, “Those are the ONLY pillows that we have. They are all the same. The housekeeper brought you a new one”. I scratched my head.

In the hallway the next morning, we spied these two pillows on the floor….yes I said, “on the floor”, in front of another guest’s room. They were there when we returned later that night. Clearly I am not the only one, that doesn’t like sleeping on HARD RUBBER. But I digress.

I attempted to go the front desk to complain, but each time I went near it, there was a line at least 20 people long, and I didn’t have the time.

The only chance I had to wait on line, to discuss the “challenges”, was the hour before we were leaving Las Vegas. The woman at the front desk told me, that it was my fault for not complaining sooner about the noise, the dirt and the pillows. They would have moved us to another room, that didn’t have construction. “Why didn’t you just give us a room on the other side when we checked in?” And as far as the filth was concerned, apparently, some of the housekeeping staff on other floors, are doing a better job.

Since we paid in advance through a 3rd party (travelpony), there was nothing she could do, besides give us a voucher for 50 dollars, to use for food. I was hoping I could finally get my turkey burger, but we couldn’t use it at Johnny Rocket’s. Only the hotel’s restaurants. AND we were leaving in an hour.

The bright spot of the Flamingo experience was the woman at the counter at Club Cappuccino. Monica. A bright and happy faced woman, with a wonderful attitude and energy. She was clearly trained in how to do her job properly. Unlike the housekeeping staff.

200 dollars per night for this place was out of control. Would I recommend this place to anyone?

HA HA HA HA….please stop me.