[color:blue] Hotels </font color=blue><br><br><br>Staying at Terrible's Hotel and Casino was exactly as i thought it would be. I had visited Terrible's on two occaisons on a previous trip and had done quite a lot research.<br><br>I had originally booked the Orleans for the entire week this trip, but changed plans and booked Terrible's for the first four nights, Wednesday through Sunday, when i got an e-mail offer from leisuretimeworldwide.com. The offer was for three nights, which included the weekend dates, for $99. The extra fourth night was $59. <br><br>In retrospect, i think i would have kept the week at the Orleans, but having a good idea what Terrible's would be like, i coudn't pass up the price of the offer. After i booked Terrible's, i booked Mandalay Bay for the remaining three nights and kept the Orleans reservation with the intent of cancelling the Orleans at a later date, before leaving for the trip. The next day i came to my senses. Mandalay Bay had a promo rate of $89 a night, but the Orleans had a promo rate of $39 a night. I cancelled Mandalay Bay, kept the Orleans and saved the money. <br><br>The good points and bad points of Terrible's:<br>Easy check-in and parking, only three floors and from my second story room, it was a short walk down one flight of stairs to the casino. <br><br>The cage deposit box was free and no deposit (over the phone they told me it was a $45 deposit) Refrigrators are $20 for the duration of the stay (not $20 a day). The rooms are big with a sitting area in front of the windows that slide open and have screens. Clock/radio, good maid service and response when calling the front desk from the room. My room faced the courtyard pool area. <br><br>The sports book bar with VP (Video Poker) extends across the sports book and screens and is a good place to watch a game, if you can get a seat. The 24hr McDonald's comes in handy for coffee and 2 for .99 apple pies.<br><br>There's a door on the room of the toilet and shower?/tub combo but the sink and bathroom counter is open to the room through a half wall. The tv is huge but not that great of a picture. Yes! there's a coffee maker in the room, but i never used it, McDonald's was easy enough. The room was big, but had a motel room look about it.<br><br>The shower is one speed and the shower head is one of the chin level jobs (anyone ever ask the reason for that?)<br><br>The casino was crowded day and night. I couldn't get a seat at the sports book bar watching my winning bet on the Bills/Miami game. I made the bet at the Bellagio sports book. There were a lot of people standing watching the games Sunday. An Odd thing is, i made a Colts straight up bet at Terrible's for the Monday Night Football game and watched that diaster at the Bellagio sports bar.<br><br>No more Pai Gow at Terrible's.<br><br>The Orleans, what can i say about the Orleans except the more i stay there and the more i learn about Vegas, the more i'm convinced that it's the only place to stay in Vegas, for me anyway. The Orleans is "discovered" more and more. They've just built another 600 room tower and this hotel is one of the most respected hotels among long time Vegas travelers, and for good reason. The Orleans pool is bigger and nicer than it looks in pictures. On the other hand, Terrible's pool area is smaller and not as nice as it looks in pictures. However, Terrible's pool is a pleasant enough place, provided it isn't too crowded. <br><br>I had the T-Bone $8.99 special at the Orleans coffee shop. If i had this at a moderately priced restaurant for $20 i'd think it was good, for $8.99, it's great. Terrible's coffee shop is also very good. I had breakfast at Terrible's buffet but didn't eat at the Orleans buffet, which is one of the best in Vegas.<br><br>Sunday check-in at the Orleans went well. Pulled up and parked in the line of cars for guests checking in. You could leave your keys in the car and take your luggage in to the front desk and check in, or have the bell service take your stuff. I had the bell service take my stuff because i wasn't going up to the room right away. There were two people in front of me at the check-in counter. <br><br>I got everything i requested for room location. High floor, strip view, close to the elevators.<br>The room was on the 17th floor. There's the elevators, a maids/utility room and then the room i had. Noise was not a problem and can't beat that set back view of the strip. The Orleans is about a mile or so west of the strip, on west Tropicana Ave. The strip hotels are huge and from this unobstructed vantage point, a mile looks much closer, with a sweeping view from Mandalay Bay to The Stratosphere. The Orleans rooms are BIG, 450 s.f. They're nice rooms, big screen t.v. with in room check-out and the usual PPV movies and cable, writing desk, clock/radio, sitting area, real showers, big dresser, refrigerators are $10 a day, cage deposit box is free with a $50 deposit. <br><br><br>