A new swept into The Fitz a few years ago and brought with him some sweeping changes aimed at making the hotel more like the premiere Downtown resort Golden Nugget and less like the aging neighbors it is usually compared to. Renovations to the public areas and the rooms were a huge improvement over the slightly musty Holiday Inn look and feel that the place had for years.

Mostly gone is the “Luck O’ The Irish” theme that was a hallmark of the resort in the past. Unfortunately this includes Mr. O’Lucky, the giant leprechaun that once graced the front of the building. In addition to being a Fremont Street fixture, you don’t get to see giant leprechauns every day so I'm a bit sad that he’s gone but I don’t miss the overwhelming “kiss the blarney stone” stuff inside at all.

In its place is the kind of light and bright color schemes that most of the Strip hotels have embraced for years but haven’t really made it to the dark and smoky environs of Downtown yet. New carpeting, gaming tables, and chairs throughout the casino give it a modern look but the low ceilings and relatively cramped aisles and walkways (also typical of Downtown) still lend to a slightly claustrophobic feeling for me. Having said that it’s definitely now one of the best environments in the area in which to lose your money.

Sprinkled throughout the first level are a variety of bars and quick eateries including their very own McDonald’s if you’re desperate for a taste of home. There’s also a small stage and postage stamp of a dance floor for the nightly lounge-style entertainment. It’s location, seemingly tacked as an afterthought into the middle of the casino, seems a bit odd to us but as with most Vegas lounges it will depend on who is entertaining there as to whether this will be a pleasant diversion or annoyance when you’re trying to concentrate on getting that royal flush at the nearby video poker machines.

The second level has more gaming action, a keno lounge, and a new showroom. The latter features four shows (comedy, impersonators, etc.) throughout the afternoon and evening that are free of charge with a one-drink minimum.

This is where you’ll also find their 24-hour coffee-shop style restaurant, a buffet, and the upscale Limerick’s steakhouse.

A large lounge adjacent to a bar features a bunch of tables and chairs, and doors to the big balcony where you can get a bird’s eye view of the Fremont Street Experience light and sound show. This is where you'll find additional entertainment on some nights.

Back downstairs they added a pool, a rarity in Downtown. It’s small and only has a low retaining wall separating it from the streets and driveway but beggars can’t be choosers in this category so take what you can get and be happy about it. Seriously though – with towel service, showers, and a whirlpool spa it looked especially inviting on the hot day I was visiting so I think the car noise nearby can probably be overlooked.

The room towers were also overhauled and there really is no comparison to the old look and feel. The halls are fresh, bright, clean, and lovingly decorated with a creamy foliage scheme that somehow makes them look wider and taller than they used to be. Gone are the dark greens and browns and (thank goodness) four-leaf-clover room number markers.

The 643 rooms also got the spruce-up and the end result, while nothing to write home about, is clean, comfortable, and more than good enough to go to sleep in.

Standard rooms come with one king or two double beds – note that’s doubles, not queens, so if you’re sharing a bed with someone we hope you know them well. All have irons and boards, safes, dataports on the phones, hair dryers, coffee service, televisions with cable and pay per view movies, and more.

Suites have a wet bar, fridge, dining room set, living rooms with 21” TVs, convertible sofas, shoeshine, and all of the other amenities listed in the basic rooms.

Service in most of the Downtown hotels is usually much friendlier than you’ll find at the professional but sometimes brusque resorts on The Strip and Fitzgerald’s is no exception to the rule. Lots of smiles and pleasant greetings followed me around the place, making it feel homey in a way.

Prices are an obvious benefit here. You can get midweek rooms for as low as $35 (although around $50 is more common) and weekends usually go for $10 or $20 more per night. I can’t promise but I think the only time you’ll ever see rates over $100 here is during major holidays and even then they’re going to be substantially cheaper than most other places in town.

I am excited about the positive changes at Fitzgerald’s and believe that they have already moved it into the top tier of Downtown hotels. But I still miss Mr. O’Lucky.

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