So, let me talk a bit about the accomodations in Las Vegas. For people unfamiliar, the APA (American Poolplayers Association) has hundreds of regional leagues. At the end of each sesaon the top team(s) qualify to go to Las Vegas for the National copmetion. The APA pays for the airfare and lodging.
I won't speak about the airfare (other than the fact that my team will spend 17 hours to get home, while another Endicott team will be home in about half that time). The hotel used by the APA is Circus Circus. Every team I am aware of in the competition gets to stay at the Manor group of rooms. Players can upgrade to other rooms at their own cost.
All of my team except myself stayed in the Manor, buildings A & C, and our sister team from Endicott was in building E. The rooms are large compared to most hotels. I would say they are about the size of 2 single rooms. This is likely due to the fact that Circus Circus has roughly 40% more families with young children than any other hotel in Vegas.
Though the rooms are larger, that does not mean better. The look of the rooms is slightly better than say a Motel 6. The carpets look faded and worn, as do the walls. The beds are ok, but you just get a sense of things being drab here. Plus several people I met here found the rooms at the Manor to have a slight odor. It won't kill you, but it's not the top end of Vegas. Then again the prices of these rooms are hardly over the top. Great for a family on a budget.
The rooms in the Skyview Tower are far better. Still spacious, though not as much as the Manor rooms. The carpets, bedding, and decor look far newer and less worn. The bathrooms are larger and look much cleaner.
Either rooms will easily fit 4 adults.
Throughout the Circus Circus hotel there is decorations that are circus themed. Some of the paintings are nice, but most are very post-modern or abstract. I personally did not like them, especially in the buffett area. But I imagine they are very kid friendly and thus families would enjoy them.
In fact, compared to the Riviera, Luxor, or Mandalay Bay Circus Circus is the best option to a family with young (under 18) kids. For more adult experiences, and less interaction with children other Casino/Resorts are the choice.
The gaming area is relatively smaller, with lower ceilings than found in newer Casinos. It also has a far smaller gaming area. So if you enjoy table games you may prefer to play at a differnt Casino. They do have a huge slots area. But the table games tend to have lower minimum bets, even over the weekend, than in other Casinos.
Also, directly in front of Circus Circus is Slots O' Fun. This is a very small selection of mostly slot machines. Again this focuses on the lower priced games. It also has $3 minimum Blackjack tables and a $3 minimum Craps table.
I would not recommend the Craps table at Slots O' Fun as it is always very crowed, filled with people unfamiliar with the game and thus plays slow, and has inexperienced or comparatively poor dealers. If you do play the Craps table, it helps if you know the bets and the payouts, as occasional mistakes do happen, especially as the crowd gets less experienced.
In front of Slots O' Fun is an automated ticket booth and a stop for the city bus. This will allow you to buy a 24-hour ticket to take you along the main strip and most every major casino. The tickets cost $7 for 24-hours and $3 one way. I recommend the $7 ticket, but beware. The bus often is crowded in any direction and you may have to wait for more than one bus to come by to get on, so plan for the time. Plus traffic can make a trip take longer than you would expect. But it is worth it, especially in a week like this one past where the temperature topped 105 every day.
Circus Circus also has a pool area, like most casino/resorts. There are 2 pools and 2 hot tub areas. They all are of decent size. The pool goes from 3" to 6" gradually, with 2 lifeguards available at all times it is open (9 - 8). The hot tub is about 3 1/2" with a shelf seat. As with the rest of the hotel at Circus circus, expect lots of children running around.
Overall I found the stay at Circus Circus to be decent. It's accomodations are fair compared to it's price. If you can afford the Tower rooms I advise them. If you can deal with lots of kids around, or if you have kids, this is one of the better places to take them.
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