Simple and Efficient: A Review of The Mirage Hotel (Las Vegas)

After a disappointing stay at The Bellagio, I was looking forward to a new experience. I was not enthusiastic about my upcoming stay at The Mirage, however, The Mirage was selected as the “family hotel” for our family reunion and it qualified for the Amex credit.

BACKGROUND

I stayed at The Mirage in the mid-90’s with my parents during a family vacation, but have vague memories of that experience. One reason I was not eager about this stay was because…well, I stayed at the hotel 20+ years ago. I want to stay somewhere that I’ve never stayed before…somewhere shiny and new! (All that glitters isn’t gold!)

Arrival

The South Pacific themed Mirage has 3000+ rooms and can be easily identified by an artificial volcano (along the Las Vegas Strip) that “erupts” nightly every hour between 8:00-10:00 PM.

A large number of palm trees, water features, and other rainforest flora greet you in the atrium of the hotel entrance reinforcing the Polynesian theme.

One interesting characteristic that I remember from my 90’s trip was a giant fish tank that encompassed the ENTIRE lobby. As an avid diver who enjoys anything water-related, I was looking forward to seeing this tank again.

The good news is that the tank, home to nearly 1000 specimens, was still present. However, the 53-foot-long (16 m), 8-foot-tall (2.4 m) aquarium behind the registration desk wasn’t as large as I remember. I think everything is “giant” when you are a kid, yeah?

As you can see, a check-in / check-out queue had already formed by 1pm. Fortunately, it only took 40 minutes to check-in and receive my room key, drastically shorter than my experience at the Bellagio.

HOTEL ROOM

I had reserved two rooms under my name, one for my family (myself, wife and daughter) and another for my mother and grandmother. During check-in, I made a request for two rooms on the same floor and close to the elevator. I assumed this would be a simple request because most don’t request to be near the elevator, it was well past the 11am check-out time, and ealier than the “normal” 3pm check-in time so many of the rooms should have been available.

Those requests were met with:
1) my room, literally, being three doors from the end of the hallway and;
2) an elderly grandmother situated half way down the hall from the elevator.

This photo provides no justice for how long this hallway actually is but I appreciate the shutter doors as it continues to support the Polynesian theme.

When I entered my Resort King room, I was comforted that there were no washcloths on the desk or peanuts on the floor there was a dedicated work desk with comfortable chairs. Attempting to blog from a bed is a blog that will never be completed.

The view from my third floor window was less than desireable, but who comes to Las Vegas to sit in their room and look out the window!?

Additionally, the two rooms were located on the same floor and I appreciate that.

The room was simply decorated with floral accent pillows and art. The bed had individual, overhead lighting, plush down pillows and was extremely comfortable. Another impressive aspect about the room was the amount of cabinets / storage space. Although, I always pack everything in a carry-on regardless to the length of my trip, this is a feature I would appreciate if I had more of an extended stay in Las Vegas.

Below the television, there were a variety of snacks.

CAUTION: The snack items are on a scale. If they are removed from the scale for more than 10 seconds, your room will be charged for the individual item. Similar to most things in Las Vegas, the snacks will NOT be an inexpensive purchase.

Below the snacks, there was a minibar. It was filled with a substantial amount of drinks and snacks for guests to purchase. Honestly, I can’t think of another hotel stay that had so many options.

Returning to the entryway of the room, there was a closet that included your standard iron, ironing board, and deposit box.

The bathroom was quaint, however, it was clean and perfect for the all the reasons that I need a bathroom.

The bathroom was stocked with Kuer products – a line by MGM resorts. I find it amazing that the “Sea Splash” skincare products did, in fact, smell like the sea. It smelled good but I’m not sure if I, personally, would enjoy smelling like the sea.

I requested a refrigerator and a few minutes later it was delivered to my room. The fridge was approximately 7 inches tall and 10 inches wide. It was not, exactly, what I was expecting but it did the job.

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After unpacking, I decided to go exploring. I returned to the ground level where I found a plethora of restaurants. If you are a “foodie,” Las Vegas is one city where you can eat to your heart’s desire.

FOOD OPTIONS

In total, The Mirage has 16 different dining options which range from frozen yogurt stands to highly-regarded steak houses run by celebrity chefs.

For example, The Pantry serves an assortment of sweet and savory favorites…

Looking for some Italian? Visit Costa..

Looking for a restaurant dedicated to craft beer and snacks? Check out The Still…

Cravings Buffet is a hidden gem and offers one of the best (and cheapest) buffet experiences on the Las Vegas Strip.

Craving Sushi? Otoro has it…

Just having a late night craving for pizza? California Pizza Kitchen has you covered…

Had a long night and just need a pick-me-up? Yup, they have it.

Caution: A tall Vanilla Latte (which is the smallest) is $6.75. If you need your coffee, arrive early. The line quickly snakes around the corner during breakfast time. This photo was taken at 5:30am (on the second day of my stay) and has approximately 15 people in line.

GAMBLING FLOOR

As you walk around the ground level, you will find many gambling tables (e.g. Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, etc.) as one can expect in Las Vegas.

If you’re not interested in sitting at a “traditional” gambling table, you will also find they have installed gambling machines at the bar so you are able to have a drink and still gamble.

The Mirage also has a diverse collection of shops that sell jewelry, gifts, bathing suits, souvenirs, and almost anything else you can think of.

Interested in getting a tattoo from a world-famous tattoo artist? Look no further than the lobby of The Mirage.

Entertainment

If you’re a sports enthusiast, you may find this next area of the casino to be your element. Found near the California Pizza Kitchen is a nook that has hundreds of comfortable leather chairs and various large screen TV’s where you can simultaneously watch (and bet on) golf, basketball, football, cricket, judo, and any other sport. It’s a sight to see!

Additionally, The Mirage is home to Love, a Cirque Du Soleil theatrical production involving remixes of “The Beatles.”

Fun Fact: The Love theater was also featured in 2009, during The Amazing Race; Season 15 (which happens to be my favorite show in the world) where one team member had to bungee the other to grab a bouquet of flowers.

Unfortunately, I did not have time to attend this performance. However, I have attended most of the Cirque productions in Las Vegas and I trust this production is just as amazing as the others.

Continuing the list of entertainment options, you will also find:

• Terry Fator, the ventriloquist that won America’s Got Talent in 2007
• Boyz II Men
• Shin Lim, a master magician and winner of America’s Got Talent: The Champions and;
• Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat

THE CLUB

If you came to Las Vegas with the intention to party the night away, The Mirage is also home to “1OAK,” a 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m²) nightclub with a New York theme. One night during our stay, Tyga was the featured guest. My wife and I put on our finest club clothes, dropped off our daughter with grandma and made our way to the club at 10pm. However, at the club door, we were informed that they do not open their doors until 11pm. At that point, we recognized (in between our yawns) that we were no longer “cool” and couldn’t hang like we used to and retreated to our room. Oh well. I trust Tyga was great!

FINAL STAMP

As I mentioned above, I was not excited about this hotel. However, after my experience, I recognized the best part of this stay was it’s simplicity. No it didn’t have the “latest, shiniest, and best” but it accomplished everything I need from a hotel stay.

• Location Score – 8 – The Mirage is close to many other hotels (e.g. Caesars, Venetian, The Link Promenade, etc)
• Check-In Score – 7 – Check-in took less than an hour. This is a long time. Did the Bellagio set the bar?
• Service Score – 7 – Nothing to write home about but adequate.
• Vibe Score – 8 – Although, it was “sold out,” the hotel was comfortable and quiet.
• Restaurant / Food Score – 7 – The Mirage has a variety of food options. Unfortuantely, I was not able to experience most of them because meals had been prepared for our family reunion. However, the food that I did have was tasty.
• Amenities Score – 7 – The Mirage has the same amenities that every other hotel has and a cheaper ($37) daily “resort fee.”
• Check-Out Score – 9 – Checkout was simple and efficient.

Overall, I would give The Mirage a 7.6 and definitely recommend it!

Have you ever stayed at The Mirage? If so, what was your experience?