Flamingo Las Vegas

Description:

• The Flamingo is the Strip's senior citizen, boasting a colorful history. It's changed a great deal since Bugsy Siegel opened his 105-room oasis "in the middle of nowhere" in 1946. It was so luxurious for its time that even the janitors wore tuxedos. (Hey, new Vegas? That's class.) Jimmy Durante was the opening headliner, and the wealthy and famous flocked to the tropical paradise of swaying palms, lagoons, and waterfalls. Renovations and expansions over the years aren't going to make Siegel's a "real class joint" cause you to forget about, say, the rooms at The Palazzo, but they have freshened the joint up -- including making it somewhat easier to reach the outside world, which in the past was often difficult. A recent addition is a branch of singer Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville nightclub, a theme locale that makes us wince when it's in, say, New Orleans, but this one, here in Vegas? Not bad!

  By Vegas standards, the old girl is Paleozoic, but not only is it hanging in there, some of the changes have made us reconsider it entirely. Gradually, all their dated rooms are getting upgraded. The first set off the conveyor belt are flatly terrific. Rushing headlong into the Dean Martin/Rat Pack retro vibe, they are kicky candy modern, with hot pink (the signature Flamingo color!) accent walls, hot pink lights in the bathroom where you can also find TV screens embedded in the mirror, candy-striped wallpaper, black-and-white photos of The Flamingo from its early days, squishy white beds with chocolate accents and vinyl padded headboards, huge flatscreens with HDTV, iPod docking stations, and more. Two-bedroom suites scream classic playboy bachelor pad. It's ring-a-ding fun and Dino would surely have approved, well worth the extra $50 currently charged for the upgraded rooms. It's uncertain whether further room renovations will follow this design, but thus far, the hotel has inspired confidence.

  The Flamingo Paradise Garden Buffet is a decent choice. There are also several bars, plus a huge casino and the improv production show The Second City. And the monorail has a stop out back.

  For those planning some leisure time outside the casino, The Flamingo's exceptional pool area, spa, and tennis courts are big draws. Five gorgeous swimming pools, two whirlpools, and water slides are located in a 15-acre Caribbean landscape amid lagoons, meandering streams, fountains, waterfalls, a rose garden, and islands of live flamingos. Ponds have ducks, swans, and koi, and a grove of 2,000 palms graces an expanse of lawn. Although the water can be a little chilly, kids should be able to spend hours in the pool area.

  A health club ($10 per day for machines only; $20 for spa and health club) offers a variety of weight machines, treadmills, stair machines, free weights, sauna, steam, a TV lounge, and hot and cold whirlpools. Spa services include massage, facials, salt glow, and body wraps.

  Facilities: 8 restaurants; casino; showrooms; wedding chapels; 5 outdoor pools; 3 night-lit tennis courts; health club; spa; small video-game arcade; car-rental desk; UPS store; shopping arcade; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; executive-level rooms

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2009
•  Recommended 2010