Day 9 - The Bellagio

[AndyJ]

The Bellagio

The Bellagio, at £140 for the night, was the most expensive and most anticipated hotel of our trip. We had booked a Lake View Deluxe room, so we could gaze over the fountains, to the Paris and the Eifal tower behind them.

We arrived, got straight to the check-in desk, and were told we had a great Lake View room on the 18th floor. Great! We were then sent off “past the restaurants to the guest elevators.”

We wondered through the gardens, towards some restaurants, past the pool, and figured we were heading in the wrong direction as we could see the hotel looming behind us through some glass ceilings.

Back we went, past the nice restaurants with the nice man playing some nice music on the nice piano, nicely.

We arrived at the lifts, got up to the 18th floor and studied the directions to the various rooms. Our room, 18-604, was not an obvious choice. In fact, it was at least 400 higher than any other room number on that floor.

Mel had the bright idea of trying room 18-064, in case we had a dyslexic check-in clerk. No beans. I grabbed the house phone.

“So, I’m lost on the north wing, looking for room 18-604. Any idea’s please?”
“Oh, sir that’s in the Spa Tower.”
“Ah.”
“Back through the gardens past the pool and you will find your lift there. Have a nice day.”

Which is where we turned round earlier. Cribbers.

So back we went, through the gardens, past the pool, up the lifts at the end of a long corridor and into the room. Finally.

So here is the view from the window of a “Deluxe Lake View Room.”



Which is fine until I zoom out.



Which is pretty far from fine. I get on the phone.

“I haven’t got the room or view I paid for or expected. I have a parking garage and a building site, with a glimmer of lake in the distance.”
“You paid for a partial lake view, sir.”
“No I didn’t, and my eMail confirmation backs me up on that.”
“Well, we don’t have any rooms at the moment.”

*Andy thinks for a moment*

“I’m a member of the press.”
“Well, we do have a room on the 25th floor for you.”
"Is it in the main tower, with a clear complete view of the lake?"
"Yes sir."
“I’ll take it. Thanks.”

Now luckily on our way back to the main tower (through the garden, past the pool... yadda yadda) we decided to check that the keys had been transferred. They hadn’t.

Expectation Management is the phrase often used by Disney Imagineers when describing service. It’s the principal that if you tell someone a table with be 20 minutes, when you know it will be 10, they will be very happy indeed.

So the Bellagio made good in the end. Just a shame I had to lie to get them to do so.

Well, almost.

In order to get this on line, I had to first purchase a network cable for $11.99, and then the Internet Access itself for $11.99 - oh - and I had to crawl under the desk to investigate the faulty wiring in the surge protector.

But but but. Let’s not spoil things further.

Let's start again in Part 2, shall we?

[Guest]

What a fuss to start with, hope it comes good, cant wait to see some pictures of my favourite hotel. Absolutely love the fountains and the shops are great, bought my first GUCCI bag at Bellagio.
Look forward to the rest Andy.

[jolloyd81]

Oh what a shame your first dealings with Bellagio werent exactly spot on, but hope you enjoy the rest of your stay. I stayed there last October and had great service, but I did do the $20 trick at check in which got me a great lake view room in the main building.

[Guest]

Ohhhh not the best of starts Andy... lol @ you telling them you're a member of the press... good thinking...

[Hal]

Originally Posted by AndyJ

*Andy thinks for a moment*

“I’m a member of the press.”

See more...

ROFLMAO Sheer class - I'll have to remember that one.

Really enjoying your real-time trippy.

[disney owl]

Hope the rest of your stay goes OK

[Guest]

I loved your view - until you zoomed out! Smart thinking saying you are a member of the press!

[Guest]

Cant wait to see your new room!

[Alyson]

A member of the press! I like it, hope she doesn't ask to see your credentials

[ambersmom]

Fantastic, thats what you call thinking on your feet, well done