When Caesars Palace opened in 1966 it was THE place to see and be seen. Its audacious Roman Empire theme was great silly fun - the ultimate in tacky Las Vegas glamour.

These days the kitschy glitz has been replaced with a more upscale luxury but there are still plenty of ornate columns, colonnades, statuary, paintings, and toga-clad models walking around to give you some great photo opportunities. It really is one of the most visually stimulating hotels in town.

If you're driving in, you'll have plenty of time to admire the Caesars scenery as you hike from the parking garage to the registration desk. The fact that they don't have sherpas standing by to help you make the ridiculously long trek through the casino laden down with luggage seems like a missed opportunity.

Rooms come in a variety of towers, each with its own personality and price point.

The most affordable of the bunch are the rooms in the Forum Tower. It's one of the oldest parts of the hotel but the rooms have gotten modern makeovers that, while simple, keep them competitive with other upscale hotels in town. Furnishings and fixtures are sleek and contemporary and the amenities list is long including a flat screen television, cordless phones, a mini bar, motorized drapes, a safe, iron and board, and more. The bedrooms and bathrooms aren't huge but they are perfectly fine for the average Vegas visitor.

The next step up is the Palace Tower, where you can get rooms in either the Deluxe or Premium formats. Both are bigger than the Forum Tower accommodations, with enough room for a small sitting area with a couch and chair plus very large, marble-lined bathrooms that include over-sized spa tubs. Premium rooms have even more floor space plus two bathrooms that are connected by a dual shower stall.

The newer Augustus Tower is a bit higher on the Caesars food chain. These giant 600 square-feet digs feature plush couches, a table and chairs, a writing desk, a sleek dark wood wall unit with a mini-bar, a flat panel television, and a bathroom big enough for the Gods complete with a whirlpool tub, separate shower, and plenty of marble. The beds are silly comfortable and the entire room gives you a feeling that you are staying someplace special.

One request you might want to ask for as you are checking in: try to get a room on the south side of the Augustus Tower so you can have an unparalleled view of the Fountains at Bellagio.

The top of the pecking order is the Octavius Tower, added in 2012. The rooms themselves are very similar to those in the Augustus Tower - large, elegantly appointed, and comfortably modern - but with a bit more of an intimate feeling due to the darker color schemes and warmer lighting.

Both the Augustus and Octavius Towers have their own private entrance (off of Flamingo Road) and check-in and are serviced by a unique online application that allows you to do everything from order room service to get your car pulled up at the valet via computer, smart phone, or mobile device.

There is one more tower but it is undergoing some changes. The 1970-era Centurion Tower is in the midst of a remodeling that, when complete, will turn it into a boutique hotel within the hotel. It will be branded Nobu, after the popular Asian fusion restaurant of the same name that will open at the base of the tower. The 180 rooms will get a Japanese makeover and it will all be run independently of the main hotel with its own check-in and staff. It should be up and running by late 2012.

The casino and the rest of the public areas encompass what seems like more square-footage than it actually does. The years of adding on to the property have made this one of the most rambling, most confusing gaming areas in town - I can't tell you how many times I was sure I was heading for the room only to find myself going in the complete opposite direction. Watch the signs is all I'm saying.

The good news about that rambling layout is that there are lots of options for gaming spaces. The main table area is under a dome that dates back to the very early days of the hotel. Adjacent on both sides are some slots and video poker. Next is the big sports book and then more casino with more table games and slots and video poker. You want choices, you got choices.

Of course, I'd be remiss in not mentioning the Colosseum - a 4,000-seat showroom currently featuring headlining stints from Celine Dion, Elton John, Rod Stewart, and, coming in late 2012, Shania Twain. It's a nice room but not quite like being in Rome.

There are nightclubs, the adjacent Roman Themed "shopping experience" The Forum Shops, and about a bazillion restaurants. Check the related reviews section of this page for more things to see, do, and eat here.

The pool area is among the most beautiful in town. Expanded in 2010, the Garden of the Gods features eight pools, each with their own style and attitude. One is just for VIPs and overlook all the others, another gets a lot of sun, a third doesn't get much, one features swim-up blackjack, and one has a covered colonnade in the center for cooling off. It's good to have options. Adjacent to this is a spa, which among the usual suspects like massages and workout equipment, has a full-service salon, Zen meditation garden, and a rock-climbing wall.

It's worth noting that Caesars is one of the only hotels on The Strip that allows pets. For an extra $20-25 per night, guests can bring up to two dogs, each weighing up to 50 pounds. Once in the room, Fido or Fluffy will be greeted with water and food bowls, a special doggie mat, treats, and even a special room service menu. In addition, you will receive packets that direct you to special dog walking areas and the disposable waste bags to take care of their business afterward. They even have a doggie concierge of sorts that can give you information about local pet services including grooming, walking, and vet care.

Caesars Palace of yore and of recent is truly a glorious place but what price glory? A lot. I suppose the planets may align themselves in such a way that you might be able to swing a room here for around $100 a night on a very slow weekday but only if they are truly desperate for boarders. Normally you'll be forking over at least $150 a night on weekdays and a minimum of $200 on the weekends and sometimes well over $300. The good news is that this is one of the Caesars Entertainment properties that makes a big deal about not charging a resort fee, so figure you are saving yourself $20 a night by staying here and maybe that will make you feel better about the room rates.

Caesars has created a blueprint for how you can keep an older hotel not just alive, but thriving. Long live the empire!

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