Remember back in the day when Las Vegas was a great value? You could have a great time at a nice hotel, gamble a bit, eat fantastic food and it did not cost you an arm and a leg? Well I pretty much thought those days were gone, I mean last time I went to Vegas I had to pay $18 bucks for a drink at the Flamingo pool!…Needless to say, I looked for a new place to stay on my latest trip to Sin City. I don’t ask for much, a clean decent room, good food quality and a fair price. I just finished a 2 week road trip with the family and wanted to spend a few days in Vegas hanging out at a nice pool. I ended up getting a great deal on a really nice suite at the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino for $130 a night. A bonus was that the pool cabana’s were only $50 and to put that in perspective, the cabana’s at the Excalibur for the same dates were $250 each (no way I was doing that). So to make a long story short and cut to the “good stuff”, we got a room for 3 nights and never left the hotel (except for 1 dinner at Hubert Keller’s “Fleur” more on that later).

So here is my down and dirty review and recommendations at the Stratosphere! Top of the World Restaurant: The view can not be matched and the food was outstanding. The Pork Belly appetizer (the top photo) with chimichurri, crispy garlic and spicy sauce is to die for! A multitude of flavors ending with a nice spicy-porky finish, if you like pork belly, this dish is a must! The Wagyu carpaccio appetizer is served with truffle oil is a beef lovers dish to say the least. best pool cleaner without booster pumpTop quality marbled beef, with just a hint of delicious truffle oil and Parmesan make for a great starter if you are a beef lover.steam carpet cleaners bristol The scallops and shrimp with cous cous and chive oil was spectaular to say the least, Claude, the executive chef mixes influences from his travels around the world into a dish that is a combination of spicy and savory and just down right delicious! carpet cleaning services pune

(If you eat here, ask him to make it for you, tell him I sent you!). The filet mignon was fork tender and served with a classic demi glace, outstanding in every way. If you like sea bass, the crispy skin sea bass with citrus was delicious as well and a  good choice for those who are not into beef. I also spied a mean looking lobster but didn’t eat it, I would though based on the looks of the dishes I saw being served to other guests. carpet cleaning methods explainedLevel 107 Lounge (happy hour)carpet cleaning solutions diy The happy hour at the Level 107 Lounge is perhaps one of the best in Vegas, with 2 for 1 Martini’s and half price appetizers. phoenix hotel pool slideThe martini menu is extensive and the drinks well crafted, the appetizer menu includes that tasty pork belly as well as some serious chicken wings.

I would suggest having a few drinks and ordering several appetizers off the menu in place of a full dinner. The view can’t be beat, there is live music and a very classy vibe, seriously, if there is one happy hour to check out in Vegas, it’s the Level 107 at the Stratosphere. Level 8 Pool (cabana’s, food and drinks) The pool at the Stratosphere is as under rated as it gets in Vegas. It seams that nobody really know about it. Well I am gonna change that cause its a great pool and a really great overall value. You really get your bang for the buck at the Level 8 pool. Let me start off with the cabana’s, which at most hotels start at $150 to $250 a day…seriously, they are more than most rooms! Well the prices for the cabana’s start at $50…yes $50! When you rent a cabana, it comes with a fruit plate, water, sun screen and a couple of rafts. Plus you get the whole “cabana” with the lounges, TV etc. The service was outstanding, with our servers checking in with us every few mins.

The food, how do I describe it…..outstanding! I mean its “pool food” but not!. The citrus chicken wings were to die for! I ended up tracking down the chef Carlos Vargas (one of the guys on the giant billboards around town) and he told me that they had been working very hard on coming up with an entire menu of flavorful and high quality food for the pool. The food has a bit of a “Mexican” vibe to it with stuff like bacon wrapped hot dogs on all beef wieners. The taco’s and nacho were made with actual steak and ancho chili rubbed chicken. The portions were huge (as you can see in the photo) and perfect for sharing. Everything is served in cool little “boxes” so there are no messy plastic plates. I have to say a quick word about the nachos…they are some of the best I have eaten…get them, end of story! Want something “lighter” and less “nacho-y” try the ahi poke or shrimp ceviche! The drinks were tasty, reasonably priced (not $18 bucks like Flamingo) and strong!

There are several varieties of sorbet that is handmade by a local sorbet maker everyday. The sorbet is served with fresh fruit and a cool little sugar “chip”. You can even eat one while playing blackjack at the outdoor tables. I will admit that I was not really into going to see some guy I had never heard of play songs I have never heard before, but boy am I glad I did! Frankie Moreno (and the whole band) are amazing! I was blown away by the talent this kid has! The band (made up of his brother’s, a great horn section and 3 smoking hot violin/cello players) simply rocked the house. The band rocked out a few Sinatra tunes as well as original songs. Frankie would tell the stories of how he and his brother would travel the world to find inspiration for songs. They made “home movies” along the way and the movies would play along while the band played the songs. I though that Jerry Lee Lewis dude could rock a piano…well let me say now, that Frankie Moreno can rock a piano!

Front, back and side to side, Frankie tickled the ivories like no one I had seen before …he was simply amazing! I think that at $19.99 for hotel guests, Frankie Moreno is another “must do” on your Vegas itinerary. I enjoyed my 3 days at the Stratosphere Hotel Casino more than any stay in Vegas that I can remember. I felt I got a great “value” for the money we spent. I was pleasantly surprised at the high quality of the food and drinks as well as the outstanding service at the pool, level 107 and the top of the world restaurant. My stay at the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino reminded my of why I like coming to Vegas, it’s a feeling that I had not had in my last few trips to Sin City. I am a regular guy, with a regular guy family budget. I left the Stratosphere feeling happy that I had a great time (even though I lost a few bucks) and isn’t that what Las Vegas is supposed to be for? I am putting the Stratosphere on my “short list” of hotels and casinos in Las Vegas from now on…