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FRIENDLINESS RATING: B
Believe it or not, employees at the Bellagio were fairly cordial. One dealer even smiled at us! Wow! This is amazing when compared to some of the other Mirage properties. GAMBLING RATING: B Pretty good selection of slots and table games. The Bellagio's poker room is large and inviting. Most of the table games, as you'd expect, have very high minimum bids ($100 and higher). During the weekday, however, we found two $5.00 minimum, three $10.00 minimum, and a handful of $25 minimum blackjack tables. Not bad for your average gambler. Contrary to the urban legend, the Bellagio does have a small selection of nickel slot machines. ATMOSPHERE: A- The Bellagio is a simple yet elegantly understated property. The casino is quiet, neat and clean. The indoor conservatory, with its high glass ceiling and live plant garden, will blow you away. Make sure you take the time to look down at the floor. I stared at the intricate marble and mosaic patterns for about 30 minutes. The craftsmanship that went into constructing the little details of the Bellagio are fascinating. After you look down, look up. The Italian etched glass that adorns the open ceilings is absolutely breathtaking. FOOD: A+ The Bellagio's buffet is absolutely incredible! This is, by far, my vote for the best buffet in Las Vegas. The Bellagio Buffet features gourmet items with a predominately seafood focus. Go at lunch, when the price is a bargain at $12.50. (Dinner is about $20 per person, but the buffet features these amazingly huge Alaskan king crab legs). The lunch buffet features freshly-prepared gourmet wood fired pizza (shrimp pizza, feta cheese pizza, etc.), already peeled giant fresh shrimp, delicious homemade pasta dishes (featuring tomato and spinach pastas and more), several varieties of fresh salmon and tuna, and a giant antipasto bar, Chinese bar (with such delicacies as miso soup), and other food. The dessert bar is lacking in choices, but they have creamy self-serve ice cream and sorbet. Make sure you check out the dessert counter display--one of the Bellagio's chef's made the entire undersea diorama out of edible chocolate! Amazing! This is not a buffet for picky eaters or for those who do not enjoy shrimp or seafood. For a delicious crowd-pleasing buffet, try Texas Station. For a delicious gourmet buffet experience, try the Bellagio Buffet. YUM! OTHER: The Bellagio has a beautiful fountain show that takes place in the front marina. It sounds dumb, but it's really pretty. High-powered fountains shoot in time to classical music selections (which change with each performance). This show is free and is worth a look. Avoid the ridiculous shopping arcade--high priced crap that only rich people could afford. They are a joke--we saw nobody shopping at all. The art gallery is $10 per person and the lines are long. Get there early to try to snag a spot. The Bellagio has a strict rule and does not allow anyone under the age of 18 to enter their property (unless they are a hotel guest, attending a show, or dining in a restaurant). They are serious about this rule. We saw many families who "just wanted to look" being turned away at the door. They also will not allow strollers, though we saw several red-coated security guards obviously turn the other way when they caught a glimpse of a stroller. So, people were getting away with bringing strollers on the property. I'm not staying that you should try it, but the Bellagio is pretty lax with this particular rule. WEB SITE: www.bellagiolasvegas.com
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