Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas. Rated ★☆☆☆☆
The room was fine. Beds were very comfortable. House of Blues was fine for dinner. The shows (Santana and Michael Jackson) looked like they might have been okay if we had booked in advance. The price was bait and switch. $80 for a “suite” plus $40 “extra guest” (two of us and child?) fees plus resort fees plus parking plus who the hell knows what else. I hate being soaked for more money at every turn. Why one star? This place is advertised as kid friendly but the main level still stinks of cigarettes so badly our clothes reek after walking through twice. Just prohibit smoking. Or give them a smoking area on the roof or in a sub basement somewhere they can inhale their own stench so my kid and I don’t have to. Plus, the main attraction — the beach and pools — were closed for the season, but with no notice posted to explain that. One small pool was open — too cold, even on a warm day. There are lots of choices in Vegas, and most of them offer the same lousy experience in a pretty package. Maybe next time we can stay in St George instead.