We recently stayed for 3 nights. We booked the North Tower as we were aware that the South Tower contained rooms that had not been renovated. The rooms were great. They were large and clean. The beds were not horrible but the pilllows left me with a stiff neck every day.
Beware!!! If you use the safe, they charge you $3.00 a day...can you imagine that...not even in Italy, where they try to charge you for the air you breathe, do they charge for using the safe. You would think that they would want your belongings safe in the room.
The Indigo lounge, one of our favorite late night spots has a new band...way too loud and no longer to our liking...we loved the great group that used to perform regularly and miss them. We also miss the Ballys breakfast buffet that enabled you to have choices but not overwhelmingly huge.
We had reservations for the "Sterling Brunch" at Ballys and although a bit pricey at $75. a person, it was elegant and the food was delicious. The Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego boasts the best brunch in California and it could learn a lot from this amazing brunch at Ballys. You will not be disappointed...even the unlimited champaigne is wonderful.
I have read numerous comments about the casino and the smoke issue. Compared to other casinos, the smoke seems much worse at Ballys...maybe the air is not filtered as well...but our eyes did seem to burn whenever we stayed for a while in the casino, a problem that did not happen anywhere else.
The pool area is about as blah as one could imagine. The music is loud, the drinks expensive and yes, it is true that there are always enough chairs, I think because there is nothing to keep you by the pool. It is hot, no misters or shade...and it is simply a concete yard with an inground pool...nothing special in any way.
Also, while gambling, the drink girls are few and far between...if you order a drink, chances are, you will have lost all your money before they return with your drink...a little annoying.
All in all Ballys is OK...but nothing more. I usually stay at Paris but they did not allow for Saturday check in and 2 people in our group were joining us on Saturday morning...so we opted to stay where we all could be together...
I would not stay at Ballys again...maybe if they brought back the old lounge group, opened their breakfast buffet, stopped charging to use the safe and filtered their air...not to mention that a little atmosphere at the pool would be greatly appreciated...
I think Ballys needs to upgrade itself...come into the modern era. Renovate the South Tower, clean up the casino air, put good louge music back, and make the hotel a place you want to stay, spend and enjoy yourself in.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
probably not
I recommend this hotel for:
Older travelers
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Other