WinPoker iPhone App

I was practicing video poker while watching TV and realized that I haven't done a blog about the WinPoker iPhone app.  This is the only app that I've purchased on…

Seven Stars Insider – Sept Edition

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Harrah’s players.  Head over to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  There is lots of information in this edition, so read on for all the goods.

NOTE: While this newsletter was originally designed exclusively for Seven Stars members, there is useful information for anyone who has a Total Rewards® player’s card and/or plays/stays at a Harrah’s property.  Please feel free to pass this on to your friends.  Back issues of the Seven Stars Insider newsletter are available online at http://sites.google.com/site/sevenstarsinsider.

Rio For Sale – Maybe

It’s been in the news for months, but several media reports – chiefly Bloomberg News, whose story August 20 was then picked up the following week by the Las Vegas Review-Journal – claim the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is for sale.  Harrah’s continues to deny it.  I know it’s popular with a lot of Seven Stars players who read this, but I like to be a little closer to the “action” on The Strip.  Plus, it’s just a little too noisy for me with all those “flair bartenders” and “bevertainers” (most of whom should stick to delivering beverages and stay away from microphones).  I guess I’m just getting too old!

Question Of The Month
I have a companion card and tried to go with a friend to the special Seven Stars weekly Sunday brunch at Showboat in Atlantic City.  I was told that the primary cardholder had to be present, and he/she could invite only one guest.  I thought I had all the privileges of the primary cardholder.  Well, yes, sort of.  Think of it in terms of other offers your husband gets, e.g., three complimentary nights at Paris.  Only he could claim it – you could accompany him, of course.  Same with a free coffeepot or blender.  The offer is for the cardholder, not the companion.  In terms of the brunch, do I think it’s fair?  Once again, Harrah’s is being short-sighted and causing unnecessary irritation for its best players (and their companions).  As long as the brunch is limited to two people per card, what difference does it make if you and a friend take advantage of the brunch, or you and your husband attend?  In the overall scheme of things, this is a very low-cost benefit that Harrah’s [Showboat] is offering.  What they might be gaining in loyalty and customer satisfaction for some, they are losing as much – or more – by alienating others.

Planet Hollywood Page Added To Seven Stars Insider Site
Thanks to a Planet Hollywood “veteran” who has stayed there on a number of occasions, there is now a page on the site with details about this latest addition to Harrah’s Total Rewards casinos in Las Vegas.  Some of the more interesting “highlights” are a rumored Seven Stars Club that may open there, and the fact that the staff hasn’t really grasped the Total Rewards concept, and isn’t sure what to do when they see a Seven Stars or even a Diamond card.  Check it out by clicking here.

Neon Trees Owe Vegas Something

I just learned that Neon Trees now have the #1 song in the country, with "Animal."  I guess that Camp Vegas commercial is having an effect somewhere. Neon Trees -…

Thoughts On The Venetian

This was my first time staying at the Venetian and I still like it as a casino, but probably not as a place I'd like to stay. The vibe in…

Camp Vegas

I'm sure this "Camp Vegas" commercial has been running all summer, but I've only really noticed it for the past few weeks and a lot since I returned from Las…

Grazie Upgrade, Upgrade!

I was chatting with some locals at the Diamond Lounge at Rio after I got knocked out of the poker tournament on my last trip to Las Vegas and they…

Why I Play Video Poker

Two years ago I realized that a friend of mine was getting better comps than I was by playing video poker in Atlantic City.  I was appalled by this.  I…

Venetian Suite Review – Meh

I’ve stayed at the Palazzo for my past two trips to Las Vegas and enjoyed the suites both times I stayed.  This time I figured I’d stay with (Enrico) Palazzo’s sister (whoa) the Venetian.  Poor girl’s insides haven’t aged very well.

The Palazzo is still relatively new, so I was expecting a little wear and tear on the Venetian suite, but there was a little more than I expected.  Fortunately, the bathroom was still in excellent shape.  The shower and tube were spotless and cleaned daily.

The vanities both had marble tops and gold fixtures.

Unlike the Bally’s room I had in Atlantic City there was nothing gaudy about anything in the bathroom.

Unlike the Palazzo suites, the door to the water closet does not shut automatically.  That’s a good thing.