Stardust vs. Riviera: an objective analysis

[rebecca]

First, the carpets.

Stardust:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1411/stardusteb3.jpg

Riviera:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4571/riveriaqk4.jpg

Okay, so clearly the Stardust wins this one hands down. It was brighter, more fun, and stars are way cooler than sissy flowers.

Um, other analyses will need to wait until I actually get there. I just stumbled across this web site of Las Vegas casino carpets (http://www.dieiscast.com/gallerycarpet1.html) and wanted to post it somewhere.

[tkingdoll]

You are a fine, fine woman.

*makes innuendo about rugs and shag pile*

[rebecca]

You are a fine, fine woman.

*makes innuendo about rugs and shag pile*

The carpets match the drapes.

Just sayin'.

[Cleon]

(insert joke about hardwood floors here.)

(insert guffaw that sounds like a hiccupping donkey here.)

[Phil]

(Shirk responsibility for having an actual sense of humor by inserting tired place holder device championed by hacks the world over here.)

[JLam]

(Smack Phil in the head with a frying pan...just because.)

[Phil]

(Lie on the floor in a pool of my own blood, twitching.)

[Chaos]

(Cause skepchick stampede by holding up some bars of chocolate)

(Jump behind something *very* solid to avoid being trampled to death by skepchick stampede)

[Boo]

(trample Phil's body that Chaos is hiding behind to avoid stampedeing skepchicks and snatch chocolate from his hands)



Boo

[ravdin]

For the hopelessly geeky: the Riviera has Internet access at $10/day. I think it's still a better deal than the Stardust had (especially if it works), but I'll probably leave my laptop at home.

[SherlockJr]

(Cause skepchick stampede by holding up some bars of chocolate)

(Jump behind something *very* solid to avoid being trampled to death by skepchick stampede)

(Throw self in path of onrushing skepchicks to absorb full impact.)

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Fashion honcho checking in: I agree with Rebecca.

~~ Paul

[ottle]

For the hopelessly geeky: the Riviera has Internet access at $10/day. I think it's still a better deal than the Stardust had (especially if it works), but I'll probably leave my laptop at home.

It works. I can't connect to my work VPN though. But that's probably for the best.

[Zygar]

First, the carpets.

Stardust:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1411/stardusteb3.jpg

Riviera:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4571/riveriaqk4.jpg

Okay, so clearly the Stardust wins this one hands down. It was brighter, more fun, and stars are way cooler than sissy flowers.

Um, other analyses will need to wait until I actually get there. I just stumbled across this web site of Las Vegas casino carpets (http://www.dieiscast.com/gallerycarpet1.html) and wanted to post it somewhere.

Why did you have a picture of the Stardust's carpet?

[Zep]

She intends to wake up on it every morning face down. So she wants to make sure she can tell she is in the correct hotel.

[Rasmus]

She intends to wake up on it every morning face down. So she wants to make sure she can tell she is in the correct hotel.

Ah, planning for a boring vacation, I see....

(and yes, I am still envious ...)

[phyz]

I can't connect to my work VPN though. But that's probably for the best.
I think some services make you pay extra for "plausible unconnectability."

Having arrived at The Riv, I can say this ol' place should be very frightened when it watches the Stardust come tumbing down. No snickering, Riviera. Take notes; your time will come. Soon.

But TAM isn't about the rooms...

[fuelair]

(trample Phil's body that Chaos is hiding behind to avoid stampedeing skepchicks and snatch chocolate from his hands)



Boo
And to think all this was started by comparing two carpets - and they can't even fly!!:D

[Frogberto]

Dear Rebecca:

I also agree with you. Oh, and will you please marry me? I hear you're collecting marriage proposals.

Froggy

[Antiquehunter]

Stardust vs Riviera:

Well, at the Stardust, Rip Taylor used the urinal next to me, and didn't obey the 'stare straight ahead' rule.

I haven't had a similar experience at the Riv.

Yet.

-AH.

[ohp]

Riviera: Rooms are comfortable, Iron and board available in room, good net access.

Stardust: Some rooms appear to be open to the elements. Difficult to gain access to the site.

Sorry, wasn't there last year. :)

[SkeptiKilt]

Ottle, there were some instructions at the login on how to get onto a VPN. Check with the biz center tomorrow. Or not . . .

[ottle]

Ottle, there were some instructions at the login on how to get onto a VPN. Check with the biz center tomorrow. Or not . . .

Yeah, I noticed them this morning when I was trying to buy another 24 hours. I decided I don't care all that much though :) I have a blackberry which is enough of a tether to work...

[RecoveringYuppy]

FWIW If important next year, the VPN connection option worked for me.

[saganite]

My room smelled vaguely of asses. Luckily, I spent almost no time in it.

[Geek Goddess]

(wonders what happened to all the remaining chocolate after Security threw us out of the room


Stardust vs Riviera:

Well, at the Stardust, Rip Taylor used the urinal next to me, and didn't obey the 'stare straight ahead' rule.

I haven't had a similar experience at the Riv.

Yet.

-AH.

Were you looking specifically for B-list celebrities, or would anyone do? ;)

[SkeptiKilt]

Were you looking specifically for B-list celebrities, or would anyone do? ;)

When did RT move up to the B-list?

[Geek Goddess]

When did RT move up to the B-list?

I was be overly kind due to lack of sleep and post-TAM euphoria. It's not that I was volunteering or anything...

[Wowbagger]

I thought the Riv was better in almost all respects. Well, except the fact that it was bigger, so it took longer to get anywhere.

Although, since I spent very little time looking at the carpets, I guess I can't comment on that important aspect.

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

AV crew: redundant cables.

~~ Paul

[LostAngeles]

Well, the Riviera had WHORES in the casino, watery martinis, surly yelling waitresses on their cell in the bar and generally poor service.

But the room was ok.

[RecoveringYuppy]

Slightly off topic as I'm complaining about almost every casino I walked in to: What do you have to do to find a good beer in Vegas? Didn't find one bar at the Riv that had a drinkable beer. New York, New York had a bar with a couple of good beers but most every place I went in to you were lucky if you could find anything as good as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

[JLam]

Slightly off topic as I'm complaining about almost every casino I walked in to: What do you have to do to find a good beer in Vegas?Offer to give a hand job to a brewer.

[mumchup]

The Peppermill had a good belgian style ale from CA called Fat Tire. I know that's not a bar but I ate there twice. At least there was good beer at the forum party.

[SkeptiKilt]

Are you saying that's good or bad, Paul?

[SkepticScott]

Re: the carpets

I was walking to the Royale Pavillion with Jerry Andrus and his friend John when Jerry suddenly stopped and said "I've got the carpet here" as he waved his hand at about chest level. Jerry liked the carpet.

[exarch]

I thought the Riv was better in almost all respects. Well, except the fact that it was bigger, so it took longer to get anywhere.

And yet surprisingly, te actual casino area was not as big as that of the Stardust, and it didn't have any good meeting areas.

As for the rooms, having stayed in the fancy rooms in the Monte Carlo tower, and then spending the last night in the Monaco tower, I have to say that the details are really what make the MC-rooms fancier. Apart from being larger, they also had real glass glasses instead of plastic cups, the bathroom was tiled instead of having a pre-moulded fiberglass shower module and it had a heat lamp in the ceiling. Even the hallways were nicer, and the elevators.

Compared to the Stardust? Well, it wasn't as good for hanging out as the Stardust was, and there, security never kicked us out either.

[Jon the Geek]

The last panel of this comic accurately describes my reaction to the Riv carpet: http://xkcd.com/c207.html

Other than that, it was neither the best nor the worst hotel I've ever stayed in, which means, meh, good enough. I didn't go for the hotel.

[exarch]

The last panel of this comic accurately describes my reaction to the Riv carpet: http://xkcd.com/c207.html

At least I'm not the only one who does that :D

[The Central Scrutinizer]

The Peppermill had a good belgian style ale from CA called Fat Tire. I know that's not a bar but I ate there twice. At least there was good beer at the forum party.

/Nitpick

Fat Tire is brewed in CO, not CA

/

[exarch]

And what does "Belgian style" mean? I feel I should know this, but I haven't got a clue what it means ...

[RecoveringYuppy]

Belgian is supposed to mean one or more of the following: Natural yeast ("lambic"), use of wheat rather than barley, secondary fermentation in the bottle, orange and coriander are typically flavorings. Some include added sugar, which is why I don't tend to like them, too sweet.

[exarch]

Orange?!
So clearly, Belgian style actually has nothing at all to do with Belgian beer. That's good to know.

[RecoveringYuppy]

Could be. Also, I'm not too sure how faithful Fat Tire is to any particular style.

So you've had some native Belgian beer? Where exactly is Belgia anyway?

[LostAngeles]

Could be. Also, I'm not too sure how faithful Fat Tire is to any particular style.

So you've had some native Belgian beer? Where exactly is Belgia anyway?

...

It's BELGIUM. And I believe it's on the northeast border of France, but I may be confusing it with Luxembourg.

[RecoveringYuppy]

I was joking about Belgia, of course. And you may be confusing Belgium with Luxmbourgh but they are both on the NE border of France.

[exarch]

Actually, Belgium is an entirely fictional region that occasionaly pops up in Tolkien novels and conversations about paperclips.

There was plenty of Belgian beer at the forum party though. And everyone seemed to like them very much.

[LostAngeles]

I was joking about Belgia, of course. And you may be confusing Belgium with Luxmbourgh but they are both on the NE border of France.

Oh phew. Forgive my assumption. I attend university...

I thought they might both be up there, but I couldn't quite remember.

[RecoveringYuppy]

I was drinking good beer elsewhere during the forum party. But I'm regretting missing the forum party.

[NoZed Avenger]

Well, the Riviera had WHORES in the casino . . . .

So a net plus on that one.

[Kil]

I dunno... I liked the shorter walks at the Stardust. Half the time I was there I was lost in the Riviera. I had to follow the middle part of the carpet to find my way around.

I think the next TAM should go back to the Stardust...

[SkeptiKilt]

Whores in the casino are pretty standard for Vegas.

Let me rephrase that. Whores are standard for casinos.

[Antiquehunter]

Overall, the Riv was fine. TAM is about the meeting and the people. Lets look at the reality of the situation:

1) We've discussed ad nauseum the pros/cons of moving TAM from Vegas. Looks like we're sticking with Vegas.
2) Given the size of our meeting, we're a bit bigger than what many hotels can handle, but not big enough to justify some of the whopping properties.
3) Keeping the price point down for a lot of participants is VERY important. While there are some of us who whould gladly fork over a couple of hundred extra bucks to attend to get a better property, that move would leave a significant number of folks unable to attend.

So - all things considered, we're going to be stuck with a low-mid quality aging mid-size vegas resort - a dying breed in themselves. So, I can't get too picky on anything we experienced at the Riviera. Its all about expectations. Next time I do suggest if we're going to pack close to 200 people in a room for a party, we should probably damn the bridges and hire a meeting space, because if I was staying on that floor I probably would've called security to deal with our party as well...

-AH.
(Sobered up and back in Vancouver.)

[rebecca]

Next time I do suggest if we're going to pack close to 200 people in a room for a party, we should probably damn the bridges and hire a meeting space, because if I was staying on that floor I probably would've called security to deal with our party as well...


Firstly, for anyone missing it, this thread is sort of a joke and not an attempt to convince JREF to move the event. I happen to like second-rate hotel casinos and the reduced prices they charge.

Secondly, I don't blame security (or the people who called them) for breaking up the party, nor have I seen anyone else (seriously). However, I'll admit I'm not that sorry about disturbing the peace for the following reasons: 1.) it's Vegas; 2.) it's a second rate hotel casino; 3.) no one got hurt; 4.) everyone at the party remained polite and complied immediately with security's request; 5.) I attempted to keep the noise down and ensured the loudest group was in the middle room; and 5.) that party is now legendary.

Thirdly, I wanted to rent an event room but the cost was astronomical and we would not have been allowed to bring our own food or drink, putting an end to the chocolate, beer, whiskey, vodka, wine, and other challenges. Perhaps next year will be different, but I have to work with what I've got.

[SkeptiKilt]

I have to work with what I've got.


Ummm . . . yeah. :eye-poppi

[Wowbagger]

Thirdly, I wanted to rent an event room but the cost was astronomical and we would not have been allowed to bring our own food or drink, putting an end to the chocolate, beer, whiskey, vodka, wine, and other challenges. Perhaps next year will be different, but I have to work with what I've got. What if we were a chocolate maker's or beer connoisseur's convention? Would we be forced to only eat the hotel's chocolate or drink the hotel's beer, then?! I am sure this rule could be negotiated some how.

[CFLarsen]

/Nitpick

Fat Tire is brewed in CO, not CA

/

Apart from one letter, is there a difference?

[Geek Goddess]

Apart from one letter, is there a difference?

Elevation

Firstly, for anyone missing it, this thread is sort of a joke and not an attempt to convince JREF to move the event. I happen to like second-rate hotel casinos and the reduced prices they charge....Thirdly, I wanted to rent an event room but the cost was astronomical and we would not have been allowed to bring our own food or drink, putting an end to the chocolate, beer, whiskey, vodka, wine, and other challenges. Perhaps next year will be different, but I have to work with what I've got.

Rebecca, I think you did a wonderful job.

My only regret is that I've led such a sheltered life I didn't recognize whores in the casino. I know what whores look like on Bourbon Street (or used to, pre-Katrina). I apparently don't know the difference between whores at the Riviera and badly-dressed-no-taste floozies at the Riviera.

[saganite]

Edited because I forgot what the heck thread I was posting in.

[CFLarsen]

Elevation

You lost me there.

[xenxabar]

Slightly off topic as I'm complaining about almost every casino I walked in to: What do you have to do to find a good beer in Vegas? Didn't find one bar at the Riv that had a drinkable beer. New York, New York had a bar with a couple of good beers but most every place I went in to you were lucky if you could find anything as good as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.Did you try the local brew, Sin City Ale? It's okay (better than Miller and Bud). At least Strip Liquor was nearby and had a decent selection of scotch.

[Geek Goddess]

You lost me there.

I was answering this (http://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=2283288&postcount=57)

[CFLarsen]

I was answering this (http://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=2283288&postcount=57)

I know. You still lost me.

[RecoveringYuppy]

Didn't come across Sin City Ale.

Ironically, I posted a link to some local bars that were alleged to have good beer right before TAM. Guess you've got to go out of your way for real beer in Vegas. I'll look harder next time.

[xenxabar]

Didn't come across Sin City Ale.

Ironically, I posted a link to some local bars that were alleged to have good beer right before TAM. Guess you've got to go out of your way for real beer in Vegas. I'll look harder next time.Actually it was on tap at Le Bistro. For $2.75 for a large collins glass (less than a pint :( ), it wasn't too bad.

[exarch]

My only regret is that I've led such a sheltered life I didn't recognize whores in the casino. I know what whores look like on Bourbon Street (or used to, pre-Katrina). I apparently don't know the difference between whores at the Riviera and badly-dressed-no-taste floozies at the Riviera.

Well, I didn't notice them either. Maybe because I wasn't really looking anyway.
Or maybe because I must not be their target audience, since I don't have a lot of money to spend.

[Geek Goddess]

I know. You still lost me.

Colorado has a higher elevation than California. That's the difference, besides a letter. Colorado has many 14,000+ foot peaks. And so on.



It was very subtle. Apparently too.

[exarch]

It was very subtle. Apparently too.

And yet, I got the joke ...

[Geek Goddess]

And yet, I got the joke ...

Not too for you.

[exarch]

Not too for you.

Just too for Claus.

[SkeptiKilt]

California has thirteen 14,000-foot peaks, all of which I climbed in about three years. Colorado has 54 of 'em. </mountain trivia>

[BayAreaGuy]

For the hopelessly geeky: the Riviera has Internet access at $10/day. I think it's still a better deal than the Stardust had (especially if it works), but I'll probably leave my laptop at home.


If it was $10 per day, I wonder how that dude ran up $300 in Internet bills at the convention? (toward which I gladly contributed.)

P.S. Hi all! I'm Sheldon! First post in here.

[CFLarsen]

Colorado has a higher elevation than California. That's the difference, besides a letter. Colorado has many 14,000+ foot peaks. And so on.

But California has people so high that it equalizes Colorado.

[Geek Goddess]

But California has people so high that it equalizes Colorado.

I take this as evidence you didn't spend time in Colorado. "Rocky Mountain High" indeed.

[SkeptiKilt]

Telluride -- where old hippies go to die.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Apart from one letter, is there a difference?

Yes. Several hundred miles.

[Geek Goddess]

Telluride -- where old hippies go to die.

My ex ran a largish project in Victor CO a few years back. He decided that the reason that all the citizens looked vaguely alike was 'a lot of incest in the mine.' Also, they all look alike in Leadville, as well. I guess when those mountain passes freeze over in the winter...

[Mattfn]

While I agree with Rebecca that the Stardust carpet in this example is much brighter & cheerier, there is no photo of the prevailing swirling paisleys carpet that kept misleading me, caused me to nearly walk into many folks, and generally tried to make me ill last year even when I wasn't drinking. All together, I appreciate the Riviera's carpets better for being more.....straightforward, if you will.

I'll also add that the carpets at the Stardust are currently not as cheery and likely extremely dusty. And that the Riviera is a much better deal all around these days, what with the food/drink, staff, furniture and the four complete walls per room the Stardust is now lacking.*

*This post has been made in the spirit in which this thread was intended, for the enjoyment of all.

Mattfn :moose:

[exarch]

If it was $10 per day, I wonder how that dude ran up $300 in Internet bills at the convention? (toward which I gladly contributed.)

Because of the $0.75/minute you had to pay at the internet corner if you didn't have your own computer or wireless to access the $10/day network.