Tahoe labor day weekend trip report: A sequential royal saves trip

Now that our kids are off to college, my wife and I went to Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. We drove from Silicon Valley, California on Saturday in Labor Day weekend, early morning and arrived around 1:00 PM. Not much traffic on a Saturday morning. At checkin we were given a very nice suite but on a low floor due to the holiday crowd. I was fine with that, but while I was told the “room was clean” it needed to be “inspected since I was Seven Stars” before I was given the keys. It seemed odd, but I was happy to have the bell man take our bags after we got a room confirmation receipt to allow us to charge our lunch at the American Café.

After lunch I talked to the Concierge and was told that the Seven Stars complimentary gondola/ski passes were not available until ski season starts in November. I do not ski much anymore and wanted to use the gondola pass for sightseeing. But since Harrah’s had “returned” all the unused passes for the year, I was out of luck. The concierge suggested I ask my host if she could do anything. I then called my host but no dice. In fact she spent most of our conversation telling me that it was too windy for an enjoyable sightsee trip on the gondola in her opinion. That was not particularly helpful to me but if there was no passes, I certainly was not going to pay for it.

The room was ready after lunch and we were on the 3rd floor – with a wonderful view of the air conditioner on the roof. But my wife and I were pleased to have any suite on that holiday weekend as we overheard other patrons at the diamond check-in failing to get a suite. The suite and the whole floor, seemed to be newly refurbished. I liked the clean smell of the new carpets and the furnishings were a nice upgrade from the previous rustic look. Here is a photo of the room. Also I liked the fact that the two side tables on each side of the bed had multiple plugs for USB and electrical sockets. These plugs are located on the black rectangle on the white cabinet base in the photo below. It is nice to recharge my iphone next to the bed. I found two robes hanging in the closet and am not sure whether they were part of the Seven Stars treatment or are just standard. Continued. . . .

We then hit the video poker machines at the Highlander Bar near the buffet on the 18th floor of Harrah’s. The view was nice but the machine results were not. After getting seriously drubbed at the $5 level, my wife went off the play her slots and I went off to play the 3:2 single deck BJ at the connected Harveys.

The BJ game had a $25 minimum which was fine but don’t be fooled by the nearby $25 game paying only 6:5! I made a few hundred bucks then migrated to the craps table. When I was at the craps table at Harvey’s there were three good rollers in a row to my left and I while I never hit more than 3 firebet numbers, I did make a profit of $625 (which my wife later confiscated). I wish I had pressed my bets harder, but I was still a bit snakebit from the video poker punishment.

I was on the Diamond Aspirations 1 on this trip so I had an extra $100 folio to be used for food and drink. That evening we had dinner at Friday’s Station on the 18th floor of Harrah’s. The entries were good (not special), but I thought the dessert called “The Tahoe” was really impressive. It is like a baked Alaska but the meringue was toasted to look like a pine cone. I really liked it. Here is a photo of that dessert.

That evening, my wife and I watched the Tarzan movie in our room. Seven Stars have one complimentary movie per day. It was a bit confusing for us as the movie kept having flash backs and was hard to follow. But since we were tired after the drive, we crashed after the movie.

We got up around seven the next morning, and grabbed scones and coffee at Starbucks then walked over to Lakeside Beach. This is a private beach a little less than half a mile from Harvey’s. You have to pay $5 per person to enter (cash and no payment through casino comps). It was easy access to the water but too chilly for a dip. It was a nice walk and I enjoyed the walking through the trees. I would recommend it if is warm in Tahoe.

We then finished the Tarzan movie, and some lunch at Cabo Wapo (or some such Mexicanish restaurant name) in Harvey’s. It was OK but not great. We then hit the tables and slot machines. I treaded water but my wife took a nosedive in the slot machines. When then both went for massages at the Harrah’s Spa. My wife loves massages, and I have come to like them – if they are comped. It was a nice break from the action.

Then it was time for dinner at the Sage Room at Harvey’s. I had some really good lobster tail. As always, the service was outstanding including tableside dressing of the baked potatoes.



We had tickets to the rooftop party and fireworks viewing that evening but we have never been impressed by the buffet type food there so opted for a nice dinner. Here is some food at the Sage Room.

After dinner we watched the fire works. BTW, the rooftop viewing came with a “gift” a Brookstone faux fur blanket. I was underwhelmed by the gift.

After dinner, we hit the video poker machines again and kept at a steady losing pace. By way of example, here is a four to a royal five-play draw on a $1 denomination, followed by the result. Since I had a 5-47 chance to fill the royal, I figured, I had a good chance to catch the missing card. Unfortunately, I was teased by the black queen (wrong suit).



Eventually, I called it a night while my wife kept at it. Let me give you some background. The last – and only – time my wife made a Royal flush was 15 years ago. You heard that right, a decade and a half of a Royal drought. Mind you, I play more VP than she does, but she still has played substantial VP during that time. The time she hit a Royal she held a single Queen of hearts, and the rest filled in. She was playing a $2 game and thought she broke the machine when it flashed “Call Attendant.” She made the mistake back then of taking cash and then pumping much of those winnings back in the machines.

Fast forward. While I snoozed last week, she drew a four to a Royal at a $2 machine in Harvey’s. She had been teased so many times over these 15 years, she did not think much of the draw. Then the Queen popped in. And it was sequential (although there was no enhanced jackpot for that).

My wife asked for a check to make sure she could not stuff it back in the machines. Rob Singer would approve. Here is an image of the check below. Modified to exclude some personal details.



The result was that we flipped a losing trip into a winning trip. We drove back early the next morning prior to the traffic building up and happily headed home.


Regards, FAB

Fantastic report and fantastic to see a sequential royal. At Red Rock that would have been worth $140,000 @ $2.

FAB,

Great report as always.

A few comments:

1) Your suite looked very similar (maybe identical) to the one I got in July. I think I got the 8th floor. Not much of a view either (I think slightly better than yours), but I was thrilled to have a suite, since we had 4 people to stuff into the room. Oddly, they were refusing me the suite the entire way, but I got it anyway. I called about a week before, they said I couldn't have it. I called a few days before, they said I couldn't have it. I called the day of, they said I couldn't have it. I called on the way into Tahoe (about 2 hours away), they said I couldn't have it. Then I got there, asked one more time (to a front desk employee at the regular check-in), she asked a supervisor, and I got it. Weird. I did find that table in the living room to be a pain in the ass, because it was heavy and cumbersome to move if you want to open the couch bed.

2) I also was annoyed about the lack of gondola passes for the summer. My only choice was the Tahoe Star cruise, but that became impossible for me because of having kids with me. All passengers have to be 21 and over. Did you consider doing the Tahoe Star, since it was just you and your wife? Anyway, since I couldn't do it, and since they weren't giving gondola passes until the winter, I didn't get to utilize that Seven Stars benefit.

3) I also dined at the Sage Room. It was pretty good. Not special, but fairly good. It had better prices than Friday Station, so I went to Sage.

4) Congrats to your wife on her Royal. Like her, I also had a long drought, and then I hit 6 of them on the trip when you met me. Oddly, I've never hit one before or since that trip.

Congrats to your wife for saving the day by hitting that royal. I don't know what's better, hitting big when you start a trip and being able to coast or digging out of a hole by hitting big at the end. Either one is a nice surprise and doesn't happen often enough. We go to Tahoe quite often and have never tried to get gondola passes except during ski season. I was under the impression you could only get them during ski season. We are going the middle of next month and since the Tahoe Star will be done for the year I am going to at least ask if we can get gondola passes.

As far as the steak house goes I think we like 19th Kitchen on top of Harvey's the best. Sounds like you had a fun trip.

Hi Dan:

You did the right thing in pushing for the suite. You never know when things will open up, particularly if a guest "no shows."

I had used gondola passes during the summer before so I was disappointed. I think that next time I visit, I will ask for a ski pass if available (depending on expiration date) and just hold onto it for the summer. I have a hunch that once it is issued, it will just percolate in Heavenly resort's computers until scanned when I enter the gondolas.

I was not interested in Tahoe Star cruises since I had already taken a bunch of them with my wife. I usually save those cruises for when we have guests who have not already had the yacht event.

Are you saying that the only times you ever had a Royal Flush (six of them!) was when I was around? I therefore consider myself your official lucky charm!

Regards,

FAB

The amenities/welcome basket I received at Tahoe went down substantially. Last year, I received a bottle of wine, a box of brie cheese, quality crackers, snacks, and water. See below.

However, this year I only got a "Seven Stars" sliding box with nuts, chocolate almonds, chocolate covered blueberries and two bottles of water (I already drank one). Lame. I'm not sure if I was downgraded because of my action or because of another example of cost cutting. Compare for yourself.

I got that same "sliding" box you did.

Must be budget cuts.

I doubt it was because of your action. When they hastily upgraded me to a suite, all they knew was that I was a Seven Stars, and a host did not get involved. It was done at the hotel side.

On a side note, I am surprised the Tahoe Star is 21+. It would sell better if open to families with kids. They could simply use a hand stamp or wristband system for the alcohol.

I get the "sliding box" at Caesars and have for about the last year or so. I haven't had a tray of chocolate covered strawberries or bowls of fruit or anything like that in several years. I think it is strictly budget cutting.

Caesars stopped giving out those "chocolate coins" about a year ago too.

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Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson

I get the "sliding box" at Caesars and have for about the last year or so. I haven't had a tray of chocolate covered strawberries or bowls of fruit or anything like that in several years. I think it is strictly budget cutting.

Caesars stopped giving out those "chocolate coins" about a year ago too.

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Wait, you get a Seven Stars gift at Caesars?

I never get anything when I stay there.

Or did you mean Harrah's Tahoe?

Never been to Tahoe. Only Caesars.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson

I get the "sliding box" at Caesars and have for about the last year or so. I haven't had a tray of chocolate covered strawberries or bowls of fruit or anything like that in several years. I think it is strictly budget cutting.

Caesars stopped giving out those "chocolate coins" about a year ago too.

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I really miss those chocolate coins. They were a signature for Ceasars. My kids loved them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FABismonte

I really miss those chocolate coins. They were a signature for Ceasars. My kids loved them.

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To add insult to injury....

for the 50th Gala Weekend the "gift" that you received at check-in at the Diamond/7Stars lounge was a bag with five of the gold chocolate coins. I said to the check-in clerk, "I remember not too long ago when these were left by your bed every night but now they are considered a special gift item? How sad."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

On a side note, I am surprised the Tahoe Star is 21+. It would sell better if open to families with kids. They could simply use a hand stamp or wristband system for the alcohol.

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If I'm on a gambling trip, last thing I want is kids around, or worse teens. That might be the real reason for +21. I love kids but there are times when I don't want other people's kids around.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FABismonte

The amenities/welcome basket I received at Tahoe went down substantially. Last year, I received a bottle of wine, a box of brie cheese, quality crackers, snacks, and water. See below.

However, this year I only got a "Seven Stars" sliding box with nuts, chocolate almonds, chocolate covered blueberries and two bottles of water (I already drank one). Lame. I'm not sure if I was downgraded because of my action or because of another example of cost cutting. Compare for yourself.

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That's a nicer sliding box than Caesars in LV. I don't have pictures but mine usually include small unlabeled bags of things like gummy bears, basic mixed nuts, and trail mix, plus stuff like granola bars and crackers. The last one I got had one full box layer taken up by a small bag of potato chips. Nothing nice like the one you're showing.

I have never once received a Seven Stars gift at Caesars or any other Vegas property.

Laughlin, yes. Tahoe, yes. Cherokee North Carolina, yes. Rincon, yes.

Never Vegas.

Is the welcome gift at Caesars LV something all Seven Stars are supposed to get? It kinda pisses me off that I'm not getting it, even if it sucks.

Dan I don't want you to feel bad so I will tell you I don't always get the "sliding box" with the goodies valued at about $3.