The original idea was pretty cool: build a 30-story black pyramid in the middle of the desert and put in hotel rooms and a casino with an Egyptian theme. Cool. Unfortunately the execution wasn't as good as the idea and it came off looking like a tacky theme park, complete with a narrated "Nile" boat ride around the perimeter of the casino. Ummm, yeah.

Apparently a lot of people agreed with me and so Mandalay Resorts (the former owners of the property) threw a few bucks at the place (around 300 million of them) and remodeled from top to bottom. Guess what? It was worth it because The Luxor became one of the most interesting, fun, and appealing hotels in town with the Egypt theme still kitschy but in an amusing "only in Vegas" kind of way.

Then, in 2008, the hotel underwent yet another change when they scrubbed the bulk of the Egypt theme away. Gone are the wacky hieroglpyhics, the talking camels, the King Tut exhibit, and pretty much everything else that made this hotel unique. Yes, the pyramid itself is still there, as is The Sphinx guarding the valet parking and a few other Walk Like an Egyptian details, but for the most part Cairo is gone and bland luxury has replaced it.

Gone too is the attractions level that used to have an IMAX and a bunch of other family friendly attractions. It now has a couple of new restaurants plus exhibit space for Bodies and Titanic.

The new casino is nice but undistinguishable and the new direction has brought in a totally different crowd - a younger, rowdier, party set drawn to the new nightclubs and restaurants. This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you are younger, rowdier, and a partier, but for those of us who are not, some of the allure is gone from wanting to spend time in the casino here.

They do still have tons of gambling options, from slots of all denominations to table games of every stripe plus a sports book and more.

Rooms in the aforementioned pyramid have sloping glass walls that make them a bit bigger, and more interesting, than your standard Vegas box. Decor only has vague hints of the Egyptian mostly in art deco style touches, which could also be New York in the 1920's. Regardless, the furnishings are okay but absolutely nothing that you might want to take a picture of so you can make the neighbors back home jealous over your swank digs. Important note: most pyramid rooms only have shower stalls, no baths. Upper level "Jacuzzi Rooms" throw in a whirlpool tub under the sloped glass giving you a romantic, bathing-under-the-stars effect.

Rooms in the newer boxy towers to the north of the pyramid don't have the sloped ceilings but have slightly nicer furnishings and amenities.

Of course there are several restaurants, nightclubs and bars, attractions and games, shopping, and entertainment. See the related reviews below.

There are a total of five pools out back so you have a lot of choices but shade is at a premium. A luxurious spa offers all the niceties including massages, facials, sauna, steam, workout facilities, and more.

Prices remain relatively low - you can sometimes get in the place for as little as $45 during the week and $100 on really slow weekends, but as with all Vegas hotels those prices are volatile and I've also seen them three times those rates. If you can get a room toward the lower end of that price range, it's a good deal.

I am disappointed in the changes at Luxor, but remain mostly bullish on it as a decent, relatively affordable hotel in Las Vegas.

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