Happy New Year everybody!! Today I was out doing errands and I saw a sight that gave me a short vacation flashback. I saw a jet over Bellingham Bay headed of to Sin City for what I am sure was a respectable and quiet weekend (yeah right). You see folks I was married in Vegas and I have some great memories there. Before you say it, NO it wasn't one of those "Vegas Weddings" (not that there is anything wrong with them. My wife had the big white dress, I had the suit and we wed in the Paris Hotel and Casino. I really have to say those folks know what they are doing at the Chapel du Paris, as we have referred to them. All we had to do was pick the package, the flowers, and whether we wanted photos or videos or both. Alas this is not my wedding blog it is travel so on to the nuts and bolts. The Paris Hotel has very nice accessible rooms we stayed in a moderate priced one so we didn't have any view. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was maneuverable and we were not to near the elevator to be hearing foot traffic all night. The chapels are all accessible for those of you wondering, as well as being very pretty.
We hit the buffet at the Bellagio, Paris, and the Aladdin and even though I am kind of a foodie both the Bellagio and Paris had great food (pricey but great) and the Aladdin was pretty good also. Here is something to note if you are in a wheelchair going to the buffet. It is helpful to have someone with you to negotiate these places as they are very large and really full of people.
We went to Circe du Solie (sp??) where we had some of the best seating in the house, right in the middle and away from the creepy clowns (clowns freak me out). AWESOME SHOW!! a must see if you can swing it. We also saw the fountain show a couple of times at the Bellagio. Just a tip get there and find a place early. It is not like the ending of Ocean's 11 where they are virtually alone. Loads of people were there to see the water fly. There are some wheelchair areas but people park strollers there and there are no people enforcing wheelchair seating.
Making your way up and down the strip is not as easy as you might think. Look at a map and you think I can walk/roll it is all straight lines. Lies!! These casinos are giant and there is NO SUCH THING as a direct walkway. They go in and out of Casinos and attractions, and over catwalks or through tunnels. My wife and I walked from Mandalay Bay to the Paris and it took about an hour. Plus my wife who is very fair complected got burned. There are cabs that are wheelchair accessible that can get you from one place to another and are not terribly expensive all things considered.
I must give props to the guys at the Art of Shaving where I went to get a straight razor shave before my wedding. These guys didn't even blink when I needed a hand into the barber chair. Also the folks at the Spa in the Paris were great helping my wife get her sunburn to go away the day before we got married. (sure it cost us but she really looks great in our wedding pictures).
The bad side. I had some awful customer service by a Limo service on the way home. The driver was a very high maintenance lady who kept snapping her fingers at the wedding party when she was suppose to be putting the bags in the trunk. She also dropped my chair in traffic at the airport. Mandelay bay also needs to get a brush up in the customer service area. I asked for help at their help desk in getting a cab and they looked at me like I was a Martian.
On the whole though I would recommend this city as very accessible and a ton of fun. Worth a visit. Until next time!!!!!
We hit the buffet at the Bellagio, Paris, and the Aladdin and even though I am kind of a foodie both the Bellagio and Paris had great food (pricey but great) and the Aladdin was pretty good also. Here is something to note if you are in a wheelchair going to the buffet. It is helpful to have someone with you to negotiate these places as they are very large and really full of people.
We went to Circe du Solie (sp??) where we had some of the best seating in the house, right in the middle and away from the creepy clowns (clowns freak me out). AWESOME SHOW!! a must see if you can swing it. We also saw the fountain show a couple of times at the Bellagio. Just a tip get there and find a place early. It is not like the ending of Ocean's 11 where they are virtually alone. Loads of people were there to see the water fly. There are some wheelchair areas but people park strollers there and there are no people enforcing wheelchair seating.
Making your way up and down the strip is not as easy as you might think. Look at a map and you think I can walk/roll it is all straight lines. Lies!! These casinos are giant and there is NO SUCH THING as a direct walkway. They go in and out of Casinos and attractions, and over catwalks or through tunnels. My wife and I walked from Mandalay Bay to the Paris and it took about an hour. Plus my wife who is very fair complected got burned. There are cabs that are wheelchair accessible that can get you from one place to another and are not terribly expensive all things considered.
I must give props to the guys at the Art of Shaving where I went to get a straight razor shave before my wedding. These guys didn't even blink when I needed a hand into the barber chair. Also the folks at the Spa in the Paris were great helping my wife get her sunburn to go away the day before we got married. (sure it cost us but she really looks great in our wedding pictures).
The bad side. I had some awful customer service by a Limo service on the way home. The driver was a very high maintenance lady who kept snapping her fingers at the wedding party when she was suppose to be putting the bags in the trunk. She also dropped my chair in traffic at the airport. Mandelay bay also needs to get a brush up in the customer service area. I asked for help at their help desk in getting a cab and they looked at me like I was a Martian.
On the whole though I would recommend this city as very accessible and a ton of fun. Worth a visit. Until next time!!!!!
