The Bellagio always buzzes but is clearly too crowded in the afternoon, and it is only January! Felt factory-like this trip. I asked for a comp after two 14 hour sessions and got $15 in a very mechanical way. Made me want to give it back.
I was playing up in limits, so it was tough for me this trip, but good fun factors and the players made up for the mechanical dealing, with the usual exceptions. There is *always* a great dealer and guess what, she gets tipped more.
I could not believe the higher than normal percentage of scowling dealers. Card technique is good, no question, with few card flip-ups.
The cocktail waitresses are hard at work and this was the norm in past years, but this time more smiles and when they are busy they give water and scoot off to finish giving their drinks. Some are *gasp* actually timing who they give cocktails to based on if they are in a hand or not. Smart training. I saw this over and over: five drinks coming to my table, and the waitress serves first the people NOT in the hand. Kudos for the trainer and leader of the team.
I am a lower limit player, rarely playing over $10/$20 LH, and I play long sessions because I like it. The general management (list, table fills, lockup requests) are excellent. Some of the room managers seemed like they had a bad day.
I asked for and got a $15 comp, ok, but it was like pulling teeth getting information. I asked twice for clear guidlines for 'how the comps worked' and got the runaround both times. In the past I have never asked for a comp, and only on the advice of a player at my table, was convinced to ask for one. I took that $15 and decided to use it for my meal at Michael Mina (great upscale restaurant in the Bellagio) but discovered that it does not work there, not that $15 would even dent the tip I put on the $250 tab (I took the tasting menu + the premium wine pairings). I laughed and said that I guess they don't think that poker players eat well. I used the comp at the Cafe Bellagio the next day no problem to defray an egg white omlette with asperigus (that was geat BTW!).
