With newer, more opulent hotels like the Bellagio, Paris
and the Aladdin taking up residence, Bally's has practically
had to scream for attention. As such, designers have
made a number of improvements that should please locals
and tourists alike.
The outside of the hotel has been bathed in traditional
Vegas neon and decorated in what could be best described
as "nouveaux Jetsons" -- the entryway has
been redesigned to include columns that change colors
and a 200-foot, moving sidewalk that leads from the
Strip to the casino. There's also a new monorail system
that links Bally's to the MGM Grand, making it easy
to go from one casino to another.
Inside, it's clear why the hotel calls itself "a
city within a city." The 67,000-square-foot casino
is vibrant, bustling and has everything a serious gamer
would desire. There are more than 1,500 electronic slot
and video poker machines, and table games include baccarat,
blackjack, poker, roulette and more. There's also a
race and sports book that features comfortable furniture
and a large array of wide-screen televisions. The hotel
has over 3,000 rooms (including 256 suites) located
in two 26-story towers. The affordable rooms (which
have been remodeled to feature marble-topped tables,
armoires and bright, overstuffed furniture) are some
of the biggest in town: standard guest rooms are extremely
large at 450 square feet and offer views overlooking
the Strip or surrounding mountains. The suites range
from 900 to 2,600 square feet and feature panoramic
views of the city.
Amenities are in abundance. The hotel features the 40-store
Bally's Avenue Shoppes (which range from upscale to
low-end); separate health spas for men and women, a
beautifully landscaped Olympic-sized pool, championship
tennis courts and the exclusive 22nd Club. Three showrooms
showcase a wide array of entertainment from top-name
performers to Donn Arden's lavish cabaret show, 'Jubilee,'
one of the few remaining topless revues in town. The
hotel also features a variety of restaurants and bars,
including the Sidewalk Cafe, Bally's Steakhouse and
Chang's, which offers very good quality high-end Chinese
food.
Although it contains none of the opulence seen at the
Bellagio or Paris, Bally's continues to evolve, which
means the competition at Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo
Road should remain stiff for a long time to come.
You just never know who might drop in. In the 1991 romantic
comedy 'Honeymoon in Vegas,' Bally's was reintroduced
to the world as ''the place where all those flying Elvises
landed in that Nicolas Cage movie.'' Actually, they
call themselves ''Flying Elvi'' and they're a genuine
professional parachuting troupe -- based in Las Vegas,
of course.
Home to the fabulous showgirl extravaganza Jubilee!,
Bally's has a prime location (mid-Strip), gourmet restaurants,
a spa, luxury rooms and access to the MGM Grand/Bally's
monorail. Best known as the hotel/casino that received
an entire platoon of "Flying Elvises" in the
1991 Nicolas Cage film "Honeymoon In Vegas,"
Bally's Las Vegas is a spacious, classy wonder. From
the colorful and striking plaza -- a unique entryway
lit by neon columns, accented by cascading fountains
-- to the center of the vibrant, bustling casino floor,
it's quite a spectacle.
Amenities are plentiful. Three showrooms host a wide
scope of entertainment -- from headliners to the lavish
cabaret show Jubilee! A premium concierge service caters
to the whims of special guests. A modern gymnasium and
spa offers everything from weights to a full sauna.
