When you call the main N.O. number ask who your host is - they probably
already have one assigned to you. Since you are 7* ask if host can book you in a
suite. They are not huge, but better than the regular rooms. Mary White,
K.C. Cox, are nice, and actually all the hosts are nice there.
Best food we've eaten was Restaurant August (Chef Besh)- a short walk from
Harrahs hotel. French cooking and delicious. If you have a coupon from
Harrahs such as $100 or $150 or whatever, you can use it there. They really are
good. We've also eaten at famed Commander's Palace (a taxi ride or trolley
car ride away) and it was excellent. They have a nice sat. or sun. jazz lunch
(not as much music as I expected though - wandering musicians). We also
liked G.W. Fins (seafood) on several occasions, but not so much the last time -
try the lobster ravioli - exquisite. Cafe Adelaide is in Loew's hotel next
door to Harrah's hotel. Very good and same owner as Commander's Palace. Ruth
Chris steakhouse in the Harrah's hotel also good. Gordon Biersch next door
is good for drinks or lunch, hamburger stuff. There are numerous fine
restaurants all around town.
VIP services can provide a lot of help. Ask for a list of "partner"
restaurants - the full list has a description of restaurants and phone numbers
(reservations sometimes necessary, like at Restaurant August). You can use any of
those coupons you get in advance at the partner restaurants. You can also
use comps at them, but need to pick up a comp ticket at VIP before you go.
ViP also can arrange for you to use comps for some sightseeing. 7* members
get a free sightseeing each trip, such as riverboat cruise or carriage ride.
The carriage rides were great! They pick up from hotel and go to French
Quarter or Garden District with lots of information on the city.
VIP also can provide free tickets for Imax, zoo, or aquarium (at least they
did the last time I asked). VIP can also call to book restaurant
reservations, however last time we were there they did a sloppy job of calling and I
found it better to phone myself (I got the reservation they said was "booked
up").
If you don't have airfare reimbursement you can use reward credits to
reimburse your airfare - $1 for $1. Or if you have say $400 in airfare
reimbursement, but trip for 2 of you cost $600, you can use reward credits to reimburse
the extra $200. Again VIP does this.
Hosts can also help with all of this stuff, assuming you can find your host.
Depending on the host and play level, they may be willing to issue you a
comp for the buffet without using your comp points. Doesn't hurt to ask.
In casino the buffet is pretty good. Watch out for strange hours for
breakfast - such as on Sunday I think where cheap breakfast only goes til like 9pm,
then there is a break, and brunch starts for a lot more $. There is a "food
court" with Starbucks and several other eateries - you can swipe for comps.
You can also swipe at the gift shop.
Chef Besh has Besh Steakhouse in the casino, but to us it is not anywhere
nearly as good as Restaurant August. In fact, probably not as good as Ruth
Chris's Steakhouse. Bambu in casino has chinese and sushi, but is very casual
and we didn't find it very good on our one try (maybe it is better but we
didn't go again when there is so much other good food).
Ruth Chris's only has continental breakfast, so try eating at buffet or Cafe
Adeleide (or maybe Gordon Biersch??). Room service is very expensive, but
prompt if you order the night before.
Rooms in Harrah's hotel are new but old-fashioned decor. Flat screen tv, no
jacuzzi, fairly small by standards such as Augustus Tower at Caesar's
Palace. Even the suites we've seen are just not that nice. There is a "suite
floor" with supposedly better suites, but so far we have never gotten them.
Limited amount of suites (and rooms), so on a busy weekend all the 7* people take
up the suites. Hotel personnel are friendly to the point of obsequious.
Conceigere there can be helpful in booking tours. Beds are big and comfortable
though. Host may or may not arrange a "amenity" - probably candy for you.
They've cut back on this.
Diamond lounge is small and old and often very crowded with locals on
weekends watching football (loudly). There is a bar with good drinks. Check on
the hours, not sure what they are. Food not always there. Sometimes there is
just cheese and crackers. Evenings you might find some hot dishes, such as
very very tasty catfish. A couple times we have gone and a waitress will come
around and hand out small plates of shrimp or other stuff to you if you want
it (I don't know when this occurs). Word is they will remodel this soon.
It is called the "Palm" room and is behind the high roller BJ/baccraet area.
Only FP VP we found last time was NSU and 9/6 JB on 3/5 and 10-play VP just
outside the high roller room. I've had great luck on the 10play one day only
to lose it all back the next day - very volitile. There are a number of VP
machines in a VP area, including spin poker, nickels, $l, multigames, etc.,
near the poker area. No FP though last time I was there.
New Orleans folks are extremely friendly and nice. Things to do: take a
tour of the city, visit the French Quarter and just wander around, wander
around on Bourbon street at night, go to Preservation Hall for jazz, go to any of
the many jazz venues/bars, EAT. Riverboat trips on the Mississippi are
available, but we were surprised at the lack of any real scenery - so if you go,
maybe go when there is a lunch/dinner with music to make trip more
interesting. We went on a number of tours including the Swamp tour, tour of a stately
plantation (The Oaks I think), city tour, etc. They were all interesting and
didn't overlap. The Aquarium is nice and has Imax next door. If you get free
tickets -- all the better! You can walk to French Quarter from Harrahs or
take a trolley there (from in front of the Hilton - not far walk).
At French Quarter definitely see Jackson Square, eat a snack at Cafe du
Monde, go to the flea market. The prices at the flea market (I'm forgetting what
they call it - farmers market - something - it is very close to Cafe
duMonde) are very good - and be sure to haggle! Could be this is the cheapest
place to buy souvenirs. Last time there I bought nice sunglasses for $4 - I saw
them for sale at everything from $4 to $10 from the various vendors. I kept
haggling with each one to get the type I liked for $4 and eventually found
one who would sell it to me for that price. Lots of jewelry, t-shirts, etc. -
and they definitely will lower the price if you haggle! (Here's how to
haggle...."how much" "$20" "how about $10" "okay, $18" "no, too much, how
about $14." "No, $17." Start to walk away.... "Okay, how about $15" "okay,
it's a deal" -- with whatever variations, such as "how much for 2 of
them....")
We also went across the river (free ferry I think) to "Carnival World" where
they keep the Mardi Grais floats for a tour. Interesting.
Beware of pickpockets when wandering through crowded Bourbon Street, etc. -
and drunks, etc. Careful crossing streets with odd light patterns too near
the hotel. In other words, use common sense precautions as you would
anywhere!
Note: 7* members get free in-room movies at Harrah's properties, also free
internet. Make sure you are not charged. Call hotel front desk each day for
the free internet password.
I believe there is a pool at hotel. There is a spa at a nearby hotel - ask
about that - I think maybe you get in free. Gym at harrah's hotel is small
but there. You can take an elevator down and walk to casino underground -
useful if it is wet, cold, warm.
Extra tip - they keep the casino and many restaurants extremely cold with
air conditioning, even in winter, because of high humidity. Take a sweater
with you if you don't like cold! (I freeze on every trip!) Also there is a lot
of rain, so take umbrella with you for trip. Air can be very muggy;
depending on time of year it can also be hot.
You can walk to stores nearby to buy sodas, etc. Suites have fridges.
There is a small mall also nearby and the main drag of stores is walking distance.
**************Nothing says I love you like flowers! Find a florist near you
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