January 28, 2018
On this fine morning, I wake up at 8:00 at the Fremont Hotel in Downtown Las Vegas. Binions is outside my window, Dunkin Donuts is right below me. I hit a quarter Royal Flush yesterday. I still have my winnings. This is going to be a fantastic day.
I am dressed and out the door at 8:50. I stop for an iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts, and then go visit MY Video Poker / Cleopatra Keno combo machine. Wow, holy crap, I lost $100 before even eating breakfast. That’s not how this is supposed to go. Maybe those dirty socks were lucky? Please don’t let them be lucky. God help me if I start carrying around dirty socks for good luck in Las Vegas.
Breakfast is the Paradise Buffet at Fremont, to use my dining credit that came with my offer. This is the worst part about staying at Fremont. My offers come with dining credit but I do not like the dining options here. Okay that is the second worst thing about staying here. The worst is actually their air conditioning in the rooms. It barely works and I hate it so much.
[Side note, in the 75 years before taking this trip and finally posting about it, I discovered you can charge meals from California and Main Street Station to your room at Fremont.]
But back to the buffet. It is not very good, but it is free. I am always in and our really quick because I am here to gamble, not to take my time sampling shitty food.
After eating, I head over to Binions. I lose $100 here too. What the fuck. I have enough points for two swipes in the Motherlode promotion. I get $10 dining credit and $10 in non-negotiable chips. I put both of those in my wallet. Time to take a nap.
I am back out at 3:30. I am taking the bus to Longhorn. I love Longhorn. I can sit and play four card Cleopatra Keno forever. Which is exactly what I did. I used a coupon in the American Casino Guide that gives you $10 slot play for $5. That is exactly how it goes. You give a $5 bill at the cashier cage, and they give you a $10 TITO.
I played here for a few hours. This is so much fun. It only ended after I lost $105. That was not so much fun. Not even a little bit.
I got back on the bus and took it to Boulder Station. I figured I would play a bit here and maybe win a million dollars. Nope, I lost $140. How the hell did that happen!? DIRTY SOCKS DAMN YOU.
I went back out to catch the bus back to Downtown. The last time I took this bus, it went behind El Cortez and stopped there. This time it did not. I am not sure if the route has forever changed, or if it was just a detour because of a sick accident at the corner of Fremont and Las Vegas Strip. Everything was blocked off. There was half a motorcycle in the street and tons of broken bits of plastic. Someone clearly lost their life here.
I walked over to El Cortez to check in. I am booked here for two nights, but only staying for one. That one will be tomorrow. Why am I booked for two nights when I am not staying two nights? Simple. It was comped, and I get dining credit. Enough to eat for more than one night. I would actually love to stay here more often, but the entire hotel is non smoking. I am a smoker, I am a total Vegas smoker. I do not like not being able to smoke in my room, no matter how gross you might think that is.
I went to check in and some dickbag totally cut me on the line. Which was kind of cool because I was helped by another woman. It went like this:
Me: Hi, I am checking in (hands her my ID and credit card)
Her: You are here for two nights?
Me: Yes.
Her: I am going to upgrade you to a Jacuzzi suite.
Me: Jacuzzi? SWEET.
I was on the fifth floor of the regular tower. I would not use the Jacuzzi here, but the room was really nice. The best part was opening the door and feeling how cold the air conditioning is in here. After stifling in my Fremont room, this felt wonderful.
Behold, the double doors:
And the Jacuzzi:
And the room view:
The El Cortez still gives you a pad and pencil, which is a rarity these days. You also get some mints.
I layed down for a few minutes to bask in the cold glory that was my beautiful Jacuzzi suite at the El Cortez. Ahhhhhhh.
Despite having booked this an extra night so I could take full advantage of the dining credit, I skipped dining here. Why? Who knows. i am asking myself the very same question.
I walked back to Binions and put a $100 bill into Buffalo. I was saved from having to punch myself in the face for being so stupid when I hit an $83 bonus on my last hand.
Dinner was at Binions using yesterday’s Motherlode promotion for free dining credit. I had a mushroom swiss burger and it was fantastic.
I lost $80 at Fremont. Then another $100 at Fremont. Then off to bed I went.
Questions or comments? Please leave them below.
If you want to go to the next page, click here.
If you want to go back one day, click here.
If you want to go back to the very beginning of this report, click here.
When we went in December 2017 we loved the Aria buffet. Sucks that you didn’t.
Glad you’re back posting!
I was just thinking the other day… geez, whatever happened to Jennifer and her blog?? Imagine my surprise when I got an email notification! 🙂 I’m glad you are back as your posts always make me laugh, thanks!
BTW, I’m sure any Nevada store would have cheaper cigs than New York, right?!
Hi Steph! I bought full priced cigarettes in NY recently and they were $14. My corner bodega charges me $11. So absolutely yes, they are cheaper anywhere in Nevada.
I love your trip reports Jennifer and this one did not disappoint. I would have carried those socks in my pocket for the rest of the trip, I have no shame. The escalator story was great but sorry you missed your bus. You did have a lot of nice hits and congratulations on all of them. I’m going to AC for two nights at the end of April, I may have to try the dirty sock method. LOL.
Take care, Jim
Hi Jim! I hope you have a fantastic time in Atlantic City and don’t have to carry dirty socks around.
oh wow – another great read from Jen…. loved it…. some good hits, good pics, comps you still have = means go back and use them… you make a LV trip sound so much fun and I always feel like I am there with you!
Thanks Nancy!!
Thanks for posting. I’ve missed your trip reports
Thanks Dee Dee!
What a pleasant surprise to see you’re back! I love your style of writing, and you seem to write what I’m thinking. Can’t wait for more!
Thanks Jan!
Nice to have you back. Great Report
Thank you!
Avoid the Steak at all costs at the Fremont buffet, but their Spare Ribs and Chinese dishes are okay. Also, their rolls make a good late night snack. Their crap game is the best in Vegas, but their B.J. games are unplayable
Fremont only offers 2x odds on craps and their blackjack is double deck. Where is your information coming from?
Thanks to RF I have come across your blog, which I’m really enjoying working my way through.
Your sense of humour really appeals to this English gent and I like how you write. However, I feel that I am missing photos on your posts that you refer to, unless that is part your style?
Hi Ade!
I typically do post the photos I am referencing although to get this report out, I did a last minute rush job and it is possible I missed a couple. I do have about 27 photos leftover where I have absolutely no idea where they belonged. Welcome to my mystery novel blog.
Thank you for having me Jennifer!
Your blog was fun and you certainly managed to get around Vegas a lot in order to lose your money. I’m looking forward to the next mystery novel 🙂
Thanks Ade!
Welcome Back!!! Such a fan…excited to have 2 more to look forward to. Now that my Mom’s gone I only do solo trips and always feel like you’re reading my mind.
Aw, I am sorry about your mom! I used to bring my mother on trips to Vegas and so many things remind me of her there.
I wasn’t Impressed with the Aria buffet either. The Bacchanal is so much better on so many levels.
I still haven’t tried Bacchanal. I get so lost every time I go inside Caesars so I just stopped going there.
Love you and your reports…glad you’re catching up.
Aw, thanks so much Lorraine!