 Gambling on Love |
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Falling in love is always risky. And getting married, well, that's reserved for the biggest gamblers of all. If you're planning a vacation or a honeymoon for the two of you -- or even figuring out how to roll an affordable wedding and honeymoon into one, staying at a casino hotel may be your best bet. Here's why:
AFFORDABLE ROOMS
You won't find newer, nicer rooms for the money any place else.
Rates are suppressed so guests have the convenience of playing
in the casino till the wee hours and sleeping over. But you don't
have to; you can simply take advantage of a great room without
dropping so much as a quarter in a slot machine. Tip: While high
rollers get preference over honeymooners at these properties,
it never hurts to let the front-desk clerk know you've just married.
If there's space, you stand a good chance of getting an upgrade.
(Photo:
Atlantic City's Tropicana Casino & Resort.)
24-HOUR
ROOM SERVICE
Couples need privacy. After a wedding, you may not feel like leaving
your room and seeing another person aside from your spouse for
a while. But you will have to eat. Great casino-hotels offer 24-hour
room service. So you can order breakfast at midnight, chocolate
cake for lunch, champagne and a platter of shrimp at your whim.
Definitely beats getting dressed and going out, when you're just
not in the mood.
TOP
ENTERTAINMENT
Sooner or later, just about every superstar performer makes his
or her way to a casino town to perform. On a recent visit to Atlantic
City's Tropicana, we noticed that Bob Dylan would be playing soon.
In Las Vegas the days of the Rat Pack are over...but they've been
surpassed by mind-boggling extravaganzas such as "O"
at Bellagio. If you can't afford a big-ticket show, free ones
-- like the Dancing Waters at Bellagio -- are sights to behold.
GREAT FOOD
Big-name chefs have realized that opening a casino-town outpost
gives travelers from all over the world a chance to sample their
cuisine. In Las Vegas you can savor everything from Emeril Lagasse's
spicy Cajun fare to Wolfgang Puck's smoked salmon pizza to Charlie
Palmer's sophisticated tasting menu, complete with complementary
wines in an architecturally splendid room. Not every night, though...unless
you hit a jackpot. The rest of the time, choose from a dizzying
variety of dishes at casino-hotel buffet restaurants.
NO
SCREAMING KIDS
Maybe some screaming Grandmas, when they hit it big. But if your
idea of a romantic getaway involves adults-only pleasures, you'll
be happy in a casino-hotel environment. While hotels welcome guests
of all ages, casinos exclude those under 18 from entering.
WORLD-CLASS
SHOPPING
Casino-hotels are smart: They know their guests -- especially
the winners -- have money jingling in their pockets. So most have
opened shopping areas close by the casino. My favorite is at Bellagio,
in Las Vegas. Its lobby and conservatory shops include outposts
of Armani, Judith Leiber, and the most fabulous jewelry store
in town.
PLACES
TO EXPLORE
Whether you're considering a visit to the warm Caribbean or frosty
Canada, there's generally plenty to do and see in the areas surrounding
a casino hotel if you get out and explore. To give you an idea
of what activities await those who travel to popular gaming destinations:
| Atlantic City | Tastings at local wineries |
| Las Vegas | Hoover Dam, trips to the Grand Canyon |
| Caribbean | Beaches, watersports, cruising, shopping |
| Monte Carlo | Tour the Royal Palace |
| Nice, Cannes | Sunbathe on the French Riviera |
| Montreal | Explore Vieux Montreal |
| Niagara Falls | See Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake |
So if you want a relatively inexpensive vacation, consider a casino-hotel anywhere in the world. You'll luck out.
