All That Glitters Is NOT The Golden Nugget In Las Vegas

Let’s set the record straight. Peepaw and I are NOT gamblers. (I spent a grand total of five bucks during our Vegas stay…and I came away with $7.03 so I am a WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!) The only reason we ended up in Las Vegas for three nights of our trip was to SAVE some cash…not to spend it! You see, the Golden Nugget and our flight from Denver were bundled into a very inexpensive travel package Peepaw found on one of the travel sites he likes to use. 

But all that glitters was NOT gold on this leg of our trip.

After checking in for our evening flight in Denver we had plenty of time for dinner, and I’m happy to note the food choices in modern airports have improved over the years. In fact my Caesar Salad was delicious.

The sunset that unfolded over the mountains was beautiful.

Our flight to Las Vegas was uneventful, but an eleven-thirty late night arrival was exhausting…and our night turned out to be far from over when we landed.

MEEMAW’S TIP #1 Do NOT Buy Shuttle Vouchers

Peepaw had prepaid for shuttle transfer vouchers to take us from the airport to our hotel downtown, but when we presented the vouchers at the shuttle departure stand we were told we still had to go to the airport voucher window to stand in line to have them validated. So our pre-purchase of those vouchers did nothing to speed up our transfer to the hotel. (Remember…we only had carry on bags so we were out of the airport very quickly…only to stand in lines outside!)

Even though the shuttle company says they only stop at three hotels per trip, I think our bus stopped at seven or eight other hotels before we were finally dropped off downtown at the Golden Nugget. (It was about 1:30 a.m. by that time…and it was still about 100 degrees outside!!!!)

MEEMAW’S TIP #2 Use Uber or Lyft for Vegas Transportation

We used those services during the rest of our stay in Vegas, and the drivers were all wonderful. And since there is no additional charge for the second person those services are also much cheaper than a taxi. Just be sure to find out where Uber and Lyft Pick Up spots are located, and do not contact the company for pick up until you are standing in exactly that spot so your phone GPS can pinpoint your location. And if your phone rings shortly after you request a driver be sure to answer it!  If you have Caller ID don’t be surprised if the call appears to originate in Nebraska or Montana or Florida. (It’s Lyft’s way of protecting the driver from using their personal phone number.)

The only good thing about arriving at the hotel in the middle of the night was that there was no line at the hotel desk. We headed to our room in Carson Tower, and our Vegas “fun” continued. There was only ONE bank of elevators for that entire tower…and our room was as far from those elevators as it could be. It was more than a block away! It was a totally exhausting night that didn’t end until well after 2 a.m. 

The next morning we took stock of our accommodations and we realized there was no refrigerator in the room. So Peepaw headed down to the desk to discuss the extremely poor location and the lack of the amenities we had enjoyed the only other time we stayed at the Golden Nugget.

MEEMAW’S TIP #3 Find out the room location and amenities BEFORE you head to your room.

When he returned from the front desk Peepaw announced, “Pack up! We’re moving!” (So sorry I had already unrolled all of my clothes and arranged them in the dresser drawers.) UGH!

So once again we repacked and schlepped our bags back down to the lobby and we headed over to Rush Tower.

Peepaw admitted he had just paid an additional fee to upgrade to the newer tower, but he did negotiate a “free” refrigerator to be added to that room. 

Our second hotel room was spacious and beautiful….and that huge refrigerator on a cart seemed out of place. But we were glad to have it.

The bathroom was also spacious and well appointed.

I was surprised at the lack of electrical outlets in the room. We had to search for open plugs to charge our cell phones and computer.

If you haven’t been to Las Vegas be prepared to be “nickled and dimed to death” as my parents used to say. You’ll be paying for hotel parking, and a $35 PER NIGHT Resort Fee. Vegas hotels claim it is a mandatory fee, but I have done some research since we got home and I wish I had disputed the charge before we left, especially since we didn’t use ANY of the amenities like the pools, business center. fitness center, etc. (We only used the WiFi.)

Our second room looked down onto the covered and air conditioned Fremont Street. (That silver “tube” is actually a dome over the entire street!)

The covered street is filled with casinos, shops and bars, and since daytime temps can reach nearly 120 degrees it’s a joy to explore in air conditioned comfort. I only wish smoking were banned in Las Vegas. (I think gambling and smoking must go hand in hand for many folks.)

Be sure to look above your head and watch for the tourists who pay to zip line from one end of the street to the other!

Unfortunately there are NO places to simply sit and “people-watch” unless you are gambling or drinking! Vegas wants folks to be spending money everywhere you go.

I will admit to finding a way to “beat the system” one day. We bought some beers at a convenience store near our hotel, and I put several of them in a canvas bag. (We stored the rest in our refrigerator in our hotel room.) Then I bought one beer at the outdoor bar at the Golden Nugget where I could sit and relax. The beers purchased in the hotel bar are served in a plastic cup.

I sat there for hours…just people watching. And when my cup was empty I simply bent down and refilled it from my “stash” in my bag. (Yes…I admit my sin.) I’m glad I didn’t end up in the Vegas slammer for my law breaking ways…but let’s just say I think Vegas has bigger crimes to watch for than a little old beer drinking law breaking Meemaw!

MEEMAWS TIP #4 There is VERY LITTLE cheap food in Vegas anymore!

Stay tuned…and I’ll share details later about the one great brunch deal we found. And if you do stay in downtown Las Vegas, be sure to take advantage of the two hour long WEEKDAYS-ONLY Happy Hour at The Chart House located in the Golden Nugget! (I would walk a mile for the Kim Chee Calamari at The Chart House!) More details about that later too.

Yes, The Golden Nugget is a good location in downtown Las Vegas. But be aware that your inexpensive room may turn out to cost more than you bargained for. And that’s even before you head to the slot machines!