I recently spent a week in Las Vegas (again!), and this time decided to stay off of the Strip and out of the classic Downtown area. I stayed the entire week at Palace Station. I hate to say it, but what a mistake that was.  
 
Don't get me wrong. Palace Station is a great place...if you're a local and like to gamble. You see, all of the promotions (money and prize giveaways) are geared towards the locals. They give prizes away, but while I was visiting, they were only giving them away weekly. So, if, like me, you arrive on a Saturday, and are leaving on Thursday, you miss the Friday drawings! Yikes! While playing there, I earned a bunch of free tickets to use to enter the drawings, but I had to be PRESENT TO WIN. What a letdown.  
 
With that said, the dealers are overall a pretty friendly lot. It appears they see a lot of regulars, so they welcome a fresh face now and then and ask genuine questions about you.  
 
I wouldn't recommend the food. The Mexican grill was bad - the food was stale. The diner's service was s l o w. Did I say slow? I meant non-existent.  
 
I tried the pool a few days as the temperatures were in the high 90's. Get out early as by noon it is taken over by children. However, it was a nice way to wake up and start the day - nothing quite like a dip in the pool at 8am when it's already 88 degrees.  
 
Take note that if you don't rent a car, it will cost you between $11-13 each way to get to the Downtown casinos. That's right, they don't offer a shuttle service to the Downtown area. Also, the shuttles that run to and from the Strip stop at midnight. What Vegas visitor wants to leave the Strip at midnight? That's when the action picks up.  
 
I won't be staying at Palace Station again. I'll get back to everyone when I get back from my next trip. In the meantime, have fun, win big, and win often!  
