Hotel
Luxor
Hotel
Luxor is situated at the Southern end of the 'strip' - near
Mandalay Bay Hotel and MGM. The hotel is shaped like a Pyramid
and is based on an ancient Egyptian theme. (Most hotels
in Vegas have a theme.) It is a fun hotel to look at - both
inside and out.
The
Hotel is an impressive black pyramid building - with a large
'sphinx' situated outside one of the entrances. There is
a large light from the top of the Pyramid which can be seen
from space. Rooms are accessed by an 'inclinator' which
follows the incline of the pyramid - weird experience as
your body moves with the incline. There are however, rooms
on the ground floor which can be reached without using the
inclinator and very suitable for those who do no not like
heights.
Hotel
Luxor is visually stunning but unfortunately there are many,
many negative features about this hotel.
Wedding
at the Little Chapel of the Flowers - Las Vegas - recommended web
site
NAVIGATION
AND SIGNAGE
The
aim of all gaming hotels in Vegas is to keep you in the
Casino - gambling your money. Therefore the 'Casino' area
of a gaming hotel is the main central area with millions
of slot machines and various areas catering for all types
of gambling. The noise is overwhelming.
The
signage in Hotel Luxor is poor. In any large Vegas gaming
hotel, you are reliant on the hanging ceiling signage
to navigate your way around. You can't see beyond or round
the gaming machines.
One
American told us he'd been coming to Hotel Luxor for ten
years and still could not navigate his way around the
hotel.
POOL
& OUTSIDE AREAS - HOTEL LUXOR
Quite
extensive - but absolutely NO SHADE. Temperatures
are usually in the 100s. Shade is essential after a while
- so you are obliged to leave the pool and get back to
gambling or spending money in the shops/restaurants and
atractions - which is, of course, what they want. We've
already said it's impossible to spend any periods of time
in your room - noisy and gloomy.
The
only way to get shade is to to hire a Cabana - very expensive.
SPA
- HOTEL LUXOR
Tried
to book treatments from the UK before leaving - were passed
from one person to another before being advised we were
better off going to the Spa at Mandalay Bay - partner
hotel.
RESTAURANTS
- HOTEL LUXOR
The
Nile Delhi was dreadful. This restaurant was usually
empty and we know why - awful food - awful ambience.
Pyramid
Cafe -
slow service, cold food. Overpriced.
Pharoahs
Feast Buffet. Excellent variety of food. Cheap and
you can eat as much as you want. Drinks service is made
by a waiter/waitress which was quick and good. Small smoking
area which was usually full.
Most
hotels have buffets and most are kept disarmingly cold
- to prevent you from lingering too long - the demand
for buffets and the queues are usually very long. However,
the temperature in the buffet in Hotel Luxor was not too
cold - the queue was never very long either.
The
best buffets are at Aladdin Hotel (had to queue 1hour
30minutes) for this on a Saturday night.
We
were told the best buffet was supposed to be the Seafood
buffet at the Rio Hotel. However, it was very expensive
and not very good. Also very cold temperature and horrible
old wooden tables that were filthy.
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Hotel Luxor
CHECKING
IN
The
'registration' area is huge - but when we checked in only
a few of the desks were manned - so we had to wait around
45 minutes (after a 10 hour flight). Receptionist was pleasant
but gave only the basic information and presented us with
a 'map' to negotiate the hotel - which has 4,407 rooms on
30 floors in 3 buildings with 44 lifts.
Our
luggage had to be left with the coach driver and we were
advised the luggage would be placed in each of our rooms.
Four
hours later - still no luggage and everyone was desperate
to shower and change clothes. Two telephone calls had to
be made to get luggage delivered to some rooms. An excuse
was made that so many people had changed rooms on arrival
that this delayed luggage delivery - although we were informed,
at check in, we could NOT change rooms until our luggage
had been delivered.
ROOMS
Every one of the 18 rooms our party occupied were noisy,
gloomy, very dark and miserable. The aim of the hotel is
to keep you OUT of your room and into the Casino, restaurants,
bars, shops and attractions - spending money. There are
no fridges, no mini bar and no tea making facilities in
any room.
The
air conditioning is very, very noisy. The air conditioning
is essential as Las Vegas is very hot. Drinking water is
very necessary. This has to be bought from the 24 hour shop
at around $2.00 a bottle. There is also an ice machine on
every floor.
All
rooms have showers, unless a bath is requested. Clean towels
and clean bed linen daily, is good. You
can rent Internet connection via the TV and box office films.
Room
service is very, very slow - but the food is quite good
- room service trolleys are often left 24 hours outside
your room - uncollected.Laundry
service is VERY slow.
HOTEL
SERVICES Very
very poor.
We
tried to book rooms for other members of our party who
were arriving on different days (we were in Las Vegas
for a wedding). We were passed from one person to another
and then advised we could not book a room until the day
the guest was arriving. We tried to book a room - at registration
- the day the guest was arriving. We were then told, we
could only book by telephone.
We
booked one room by telephone and then tried to book another
by telephone - to be told we had to book at registration. DREADFUL ADMINISTRATION AND SERVICE.
We also wanted to leave messages for various people. Some
reception staff refused to accept messages. Some agreed
to take messages. However, none of the messages got through.
We
had booked a room for another of our guests and tried
to leave a Tom Jones ticket for one of our party - who
was checking in the same night of the concert. The receptionist
refused to take the ticket or leave a message for the
individual and when the person tried to check in - the
receptionist has actually CANCELLED the room - although
credit card payment had been made.
No
safety deposit boxes in rooms but available for free at
the main desk.
Initially
we considered having the wedding at the Chapel in Hotel
Luxor - however, trying to get any sense or help from
emails and telephone calls to the Hotel from the UK, months
before the August 2004 visit, was impossible.
BARS
- NILE BAR AND SPORTS BAR
Very
dark and gloomy. Bars only have seats at the bar and gambling
machines are in the bar top. The aim is to get you gambling
again. Impossible to have a conversation with anyone unless
they are sat next to you. The noise of the slot machines is
overwhelming.
Drinks
are very weak and expensive. All spirits come from a 'pipe'
and are very weak. You can request spirits from a bottle -
charge is another $2.50 or $3.00
CHECK
OUT AND LEFT LUGGAGE - HOTEL LUXOR
One of
the party was presented with a bill for $500 for telephone
calls made from your room - a charge is made every
time you pick up the phone. Actual connection to the UK was
only made three times. On request the bill was reduced by
around $200.
Incidentally
although we had arranged with our mobile telephone provider
(Orange) to have overseas service - unless you then arrange
service with the American provider (which can be any of about
10) YOU CAN NOT MAKE CALLS.
Check
out is by 11.30am - so it is usually imperative to leave your
luggage for a while before you leave for the airport. You
can leave your luggage with some very grumpy men with steel
luggage trolleys. Unless you tip - you wait a very long time
to get your luggage back - when you want to leave. (Horrible
experience)
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