Treasure Island: The Pirates are on vacation AGAIN?!
Written: May 13 '01 (Updated Mar 07 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: nicely appointed rooms, good deals
Cons: smoke filled casino
The Bottom Line: If it wasn't for the amount of smoke in this hotel, I'd rate it much higher.
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| jdhauer's Full Review: Treasure Island At The Mirage |
Treasure Island is the sister resort casino to The Mirage on The Strip in Las Vegas. It's hard to miss with a gigantic skull and crossbones marquee out front which makes you think you're going to step right into Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean".
Treasure Island is quite convenient to other Strip attractions. It is connected by a free tram to The Mirage and is right cross the street from the Venetian.
Theming and Rooms
You'd think from the marquee that Treasure Island would be overdone inside with dark woods, chests of jewels and doubloons scattered about and skeletons wearing pirate hats and eye patches would be around every corner.
Instead, the exterior of the building is done in a pale tan/coral color and each guest room window is rimmed on the outside by white shutters.
The lobby is appointed with lots of marble and toned down gold accents.
Our room was very nice and had a light and airy feel to it. It was all in pale yellows, washed woods and orange-red flowers. We had a view of the Fashion Show Mall out of the windows which was fine with us.
Dining, Shopping and Other Amusements
Treasure Island is supposedly home to some pretty good dining choices. Unfortunately, the only ones I have tried are their buffet and the ice cream parlor. The buffet wasn't bad, especially considering the price (included with our room). It included just about every type of breakfast item that you would order off of a regular menu. We had no complaints about it or about the ice cream parlor.
You have plenty of choices of shops in which to spend your gambling winnings, assuming you have any. There is a separate shopping area with higher end items, a small store near the arcade, one near the tram station which sells Cirque du Soleil merchandise and a couple right off the casino itself. My recommendation for the most unique souvenir to purchase here is the glass skull mug. It's very heavy, made of glass and is in the shape of a skull. I brought one back for my brother and my sister in law immediately banished it from their house. He keeps it on his desk at work now. For some reason, almost all of the gifts I bring back for him end up at work.
If you have children, there is an amusement arcade featuring video and midway games. It's located near the rear of the resort.
The Casino
I'm not much of a gambler but according to my husband and his family, Treasure Island isn't a place you really want to gamble. The minimums are high at the table games and the slots are tight.
The one thing I noticed about the casino which has gotten worse each time I've visited has been the amount of smoke. During our first trip, you could smell smoke but it wasn't overpowering. There seemed to be decent ventilation (which could be improved) and some air fresheners being used. Since then, the ventilation has been either turned down or off since you can see clouds of smoke hovering in the air. There is no scent of freshener in the air.
If you have any type of lung problems, you do not want to stay in this resort because you must go through the casino to get to your room and the elevators are located all of the way at the back of the property. The Mirage next door has much better air circulation.
Mystere
If you're going to see only one show in Las Vegas, this is the one to see. Yes, it's expensive, running $84 a ticket. If you've seen a traveling Cirque du Soleil show, you'll be amazed at what they can do with a permanent theatre. If you haven't seen one of their shows before, you're in for something that is a real treat. Don't expect to see animals or traditional circus acts because that's not what Mystere is all about.
The only complaint I have with this show is my usual griping about Cirque du Soleil. I hate their clowns. I don't find them funny at all. I think they are annoying and they really set my skin crawling. Many people love the clowns. I'm not one of them and this has held through all three shows I've seen to date (Mystere, Dralion and Quidam).
However, the rest of the show is just amazing with contortionists, acrobats, high flying aerialists and even a giant snail. My favorite part of the show uses a series of trampolines. The show uses an original score that is just as mesmerizing as the visual treats you'll see.
Buccaneer Bay Pirate Battle
Out of four trips to Las Vegas, I've yet to see the pirate battle on Buccaneer Bay. Usually, the problem is poor timing on my part. My favorite time of year to visit Las Vegas is the week before Christmas. You can get incredible deals on room rates (such as the $49 a night we paid to stay here which included a breakfast buffet) and the casinos aren't very crowded. On top of that, the usual high minimums on the Strip are lowered. However, many of the popular shows are dark and some of the free attractions aren't operating. That includes the pirates. Treasure Island posts a sign out front which says that the pirates are out "buccaneering" so at least guests won't line up expecting to see pirates.
During my last trip, it was drizzling a little bit but not pouring rain and there weren't any high winds to speak of. Those pirates must take after the Wicked Witch of the West because they obviously melt when they get wet. No pirates in sight on that trip either. Supposedly, they stuck their noses out earlier in the day but I don't really believe that since it was my husband telling me that story and I know his track record concerning river otters. I'm starting to think that they (the Pirates) really don't exist. (The volcano next door at The Mirage wasn't working either but you could go see the cheesy Merlin dragon show at Excalibur.)
Recommended:
Yes
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jdhauer
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Location: Virginia
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