Some R&R. Rio and Resorts (world) June 2024

I had just way too much to post on this last trip. We just got back Wednesday. I dont want to spoil anything, but here you go.

2 nights at Rio. $1,000 in free play and $200 dining credit. We stayed in the Ipanema tower, in a newly remodeled suite. This was on a match offer, thanks to @Rio_ChiefGamingOfficer

If anyone is considering Rio, they make offer matching super easy. Here is the link.
https://www.riolasvegas.com/rio-rewards/offer-match-rules

Rio was fun! For a blue collar guy like me, who either travels with his rowdy siblings or even rowdier kids. It makes for a good choice. No frills laid back fun. Still some growing pains, as they get everything fixed up post takeover. So maybe hold off for a few more months. But we jumped right in and have no regrets about it.

https://sites.google.com/site/lvgrid/journal-blog/some-rr-rio-and-resorts-world-june-2024

Part II, was 2 nights at Resorts World. Exact same offer (since it was a match) and a completely different Vegas experience, as you very well might imagine.

https://sites.google.com/site/lvgrid/journal-blog/rio-and-resorts-world-june-2024-part-ii

Pictures in both blogs should work just fine for the next day or so. I am posting these here first, before I make my rounds. And since I don't do any advertising or spending on the site. My bandwith can get bogged down a little if too many people view them at once. So please excuse my cheapness!

If anyone has any questions on any of this. I am pretty well versed in both properties and players clubs by now. Let em rip!

 

Thank you! I am a weirdo like that. I can remember most everything that happens to me. I'm great on trivial night! It also helps that I post em, shortly after I get back. If not for the photos, I couldnt do the same play by play.

Almost too fast Elf! But that is life. We had fun at Rio. There is something to be said about a low key resort like that. Some places can feel a bit pretentious. At least to me any way. Rio is far from a dive grind joint, like a Jerry's Nugget. But certainly not a Bellagio either. Right now, I'd put them along side a Flamingo. And Vegas needs places like that as well.

I was bummed, seeing all kinds of slots I wanted to play. Being unhooked and tucked into corners. I assume to make room for the carpet.

And ditto RW, slowly but surly they are getting their shit together there!

 

I will add, that within 5 days of my stay. Rio actually formulated an offer, to get me to come back. That is warp speed when it comes to casinos! It took like 2 months for Resorts World to catch up

2 night trip, just over $20K of coin in = $475 in Frioplay, 4 nights comped in the new tower and $200 in dining credit. That seems fair.

Remodeled rooms are $55 a night on their website, which is a great deal. Well, when you don't add resort fees which cost as much as the room. So, value of the room in my offer, if I stayed all 4 nights. Would be about $220. $85 a night, if you use the rack rate. So, $340.

$20K coin in at 90% return (easy math) = $2K of expected losses. If they return a third of that, as comps. $660 Less -$475 (free Play) - $200 (dining credit) = a push. Plus the value of the rooms. So a generous offer IMO. And better than most.

 

They should have their shit together by then. I'll be back to the Rio for sure. I'm just going to let them cook a bit more, and see what the finished product looks like.

Thanks Nick! To be honest, we didn't even know what Celiac was until my daughter was diagnosed. And even then, it took some trial and error by her docs until they figured it out. Much like your wife, 1 in 125 Americans have it. And those are just the ones that know they do. Should be closer to 1% of the population. That's about 3.5MIL people affected. Crazy, that some wait staff doesn't understand this. Many act like its the first time anyone has spoke the word gluten to them.

And for sure, with GF being a diet fad now. We make sure to say celiac disease. And lay things out for them. Some places haven't gotten the memo, as they list gluten free when they should say gluten friendly. gluten friendly means no wheat ingredients, but possible cross contamination. My kid is half Irish, and has learned to live off potatoes! Those are typically safe, unless fries in a shared fryer. Or apparently not the ones from Juniors, that come out of a bag.

Also, GF Oreos are good! Make sure your wife knows. You cant tell the difference!

Love it! And thanks for saying so! I try to fill in the blog with local casino trips. But nothing beats a Vegas vacation!

 

I always try to stay on point when doing a review. And I wish I had nothing but sparkling things to say about Rio. They do seem like they are trying. And they do have the right game plan, IMO. I didn't want to roast them, after they hooked me up. But i also cant play shill for a resort either, as that would be off brand for me.

I hope you do well on your stay there. The place is fun! Not everything needs to be fancy marble and cost billions of dollars to be fun.

As for FB from CC, it is about a minute! They have a cross walk right next to the giant clown, that goes directly to the FB entrance with the car in the dirt. The only hold up would be waiting for the crosswalk sign to turn green. But as for walking, you get to the clown from the casino in 30 seconds flat. And its less than a minute to cross the street into FB!

LOL. People tell me I kinda sound and talk like Negan from the Walking Dead. So if you know who that is, feel free to read my reports in that voice! And thank you for the sentiment on the little one. She is truly the best of us, and did so much for her mother as she went through her cancer treatments. She is who I aspire to be one day!

For sure the Strip slots have gone to shit! CET still has some hidden gems. Most all of the older MGM slots have been retired. Rio has a good mix of more modern games. But outside of some generic mechainical slots in the HL room, no older ones if thats your thing. Have fun, and report back on your thoughts!

Thank you!

 

Another Rio Rewards update, for those of you that are thinking about trying them out. It looks like Rio has brought over some old Cosmo thinking, which is no surprise since they have some former key Cosmo people on staff now...

You can use both the dining credits and free play that comes with your offers, without booking a room. I am unsure how the dining credits work, without a room number to bill to. Maybe the players desk just loads that onto your card, like the monthly dining credits/daily free drinks that come with higher card levels.

Outside of Cosmo, the only Strip casino I know that did something like this. Was Treasure Island with their No Stay Free Play. But that would be a fraction of a booked stay offer. IE, stay 2 nights get $250 in free play. Or, drop in for $40 of free play. Not that Rio is a Strip property. But still close enough, for many of us to drop in and use a decent free play offer without committing to a stay.

 

Just to recap, since there seems to be a bunch of interest with Rio Rewards. I know @Rio_ChiefGamingOfficer is an active member here. And at one time was asking us lowly gamblers what we wanted to see in a club. Within reason that is. I am just going to list some tangible values here. Things like free access to their pool, or discounts in the gift shop aside...

$1.25 coin in on any slot (no matter the hold) gets 1 point. Video Poker is $10 coin for 1 point. Which seems steep to me, but I guess Rio does have some solid VP.

It only takes 10,000 points ($12,500) to move up to Azul Level. Assuming 10% hold on slots, your theoretical loss of $1,250 will immediately get you...

Those 10,000 points = $100 in either free play or resort credit. +$100
Tier Celebration Anywhere Points = $50.00 Now +$150
$15 dollar drink credit, every single day while you are Azule (My wife used it n Starbucks for a super fancy drink each day) = $15 x 365? But immediately +$165
$15 dining credit each month = $15 x 12. But immediately +$180 total
2 complimentary show tickets that comes with Azul. But they are also running a promo where you get 2 more for free when you hit 2,000 points for the first time. That is 4 tickets you can use immediately. Worth up to $320 (depends on show and seats given). +$500

Its a good deal, for so little coin in. Throwing away all the free rooms, resort fees you wont have to pay and dining/free play that you will earn on a future trip with that play. It is still nearly 50% of expected losses back, right away, on your slot play.

 

Just something else I wanted to toss out there. Right after my stay, about a half dozen hosts were let go from Rio. I assume they hired too many, for where they are with all the renovations. Like my report alluded to, right now Rio is not ready for Prime Time. Only one tower renovated. Only a small section of carpet down (but they laid down more since my trip). They still need Lapa to open, and a bunch of other coming soon things.

You'd think they would have all that in place, and THEN do match offers and hunt players. I digress.

It looks like Rio only has a handful of hosts now. And all of them woman, which might be a Vegas first!

https://www.riolasvegas.com/casino-hosts