We aren t gamblers or people that prefer resorts, ...

We aren t gamblers or people that prefer resorts, and sprang here on a whim at the last minute. It has the features one wants from a quality hotel: nice amenities in the room, a solid fitness center, a luscious pool, a satisfying bar or two. It also has many resort features: gift shops, a bakery, many upper tier restaurants, a sort of fast casual-ish section of dining options a cut above a mall food court. The mall vibe is strong, but the nature of the casino gives it a strong 1970s vibe - the carpeting, the crowd, and the games seem to double down on a nostalgia for big muscle cars, indoor smoking, and a kind of pre-luxury Vegas.

We made the mistake of booking a room not understanding that the kid s arcade isn t well equipped for families (very small number of choices) or that the amazing pool was 21+ during winter months (why all day!?), and that the kids pool was totally closed. Then a pool rep sent us to Caesar s to swim there, but when we got there they wouldn t let us in without booking a room. Lesson: read the fine print. Harrah s isn t a great place to do non-gambling things for families during the winter. Pretty obvious I m sure to all but us.

Having said that, we had an incredible dinner at Veracruz, and we were so glad they were open Sunday for the Xmas holiday week. Probably the best other memorable part of the trip were the employees: everyone was super friendly and that level of service and smile was greatly appreciated. The ability to order movies in the room also turned out to be valuable.

My suggestion for the resort is to follow the Vegas turn from the 90s: go beyond gambling and pitch policies and amenities to some families looking to escape the city during the cold months.