I was a big fan of the old HRH. It had plenty of valuable music-related artifacts to go along with great vp machines in the HL area and at their small HL table games bar, their rooms were more than halfway decent, I've been to many concerts at The Joint, and the old Mortoni's was the first place I'd go to eat.
Now however, Brit Branson has not only destroyed the memories, he's turned the place into something only a California flake liberal could like.
We spent a night there last week on a weekday. The room nearly made me puke. 100% modernistic and all-white. Yuk! There's some kind of odd and uncomfortable built-in cheap sofas behind and around the king bed. And of course the toilet was lowered for Chinese people which made for my knees to nearly go in front of my face when I sat down.
We ate a horrible meal at Casa Calaverde. I told the manager that the guacamole was the worst I've ever had because there was way too much lime in it and nothing else could be tasted. And when you order $19 for three tacos with nothing on the side you expect three tacos. Instead and in accordance with the stupidity that permeates California, we got three tiny street tacos that wouldn't have filled a little boy. When I mentioned that they delivered a zero balance bill, and I never even argued for anything.
Which brings me to the opposite end of the spectrum. The next night (Thurs.) we stayed at Circa, in a 51st floor corner suite with multiple spectacular views of the city. Three 55" and 65" TV's. A view down at the large screen at the pool. Etc.
But we were there during the Minn/Pitts game so the place was loud and crowded. So we went up to the Legacy Club for a few hours of relaxation. I recommend this place to a tightly wound character like kew. They play great-sounding '20's lively bee-bop like you got from the Jim Carrey flick Mask. But bring your bankroll. Drinks are expensive.
The only other place that quieter than the casino and the bad pop music they blast throughout the casino, is inside the HL slots area.
Oh, and we ate at Barry's again. That's quiet too.
Good chance and place to calm your nerves kew.
Back to Virgin again:
Inside the casino is hideous. It's an "eclectic" design, which goes hand-in-hand with Branson's flawed belief that ALL Americans want everything to be California-like. And no more great R&R Hall of Fame music plays over the loudspeaker system. Instead, the morons in charge play goofy Indie crap that just about everyone frowned upon. If there weren't some Cowboys in for the rodeo then the place would've been even more dead than it was.
When I got back they sent an email asking me to describe our experience. After blasting the shit out of the place a manager called and apologized. He focused on the casino and restaurant, and admitted if he were visiting LV he'd never come to Virgin for anything.