I know what you're thinking. You've been hearing the stories for years about impending changes at The Tropicana. I've written dozens of them it seems. Every time a new owner comes on board (and there have been plenty over the last decade or so) they have promised big changes; everything from a major remodel to tearing the joint down and starting over.

But this time it has really happened and the Tropicana you remember is a distant, dusty, dingy memory. Seriously, if you haven't been there in a couple of years you won't recognize the place - it is a night and day difference.

The new look is tropical South Beach, all white marble and bright orange, yellow, and red floral patterns. The casino, once a depressing '70s era den of smoky boredom is now light and bright everywhere you look, from the floors to the ceiling and the gaming tables in between. The machines have been upgraded, the table games have been replaced, there's a new high-limit lounge, and much more and it all feels modern, comfortable, and fun.

The rooms got the full extreme makeover as well, turning the worn traditional look into a beachside bungalow affair. Bamboo and rattan furnishings, sandy toned carpeting and wall coverings, giant white framed flat-panel televisions, all new bathrooms, premium bedding, and gorgeous plantation shutters on the windows are just the start of things. Add in wireless Internet, laptop sized safes, iron and boards, robes, iPod docking stations, and plenty of other amenities are making these accommodations competitive with some of the newer, more expensive hotels on The Strip.

Okay, so that's the casino and the rooms, but they can't really mean "everything" can they? Oh yes. The convention center was remodeled and they added the Mob Experience interactive attraction. All of the restaurants got redone and/or replaced including the addition of the fantastic Café Nikki. Ditto the bars and lounges. One of the last remaining traditional showrooms in Vegas (with the round booths and skinny tables) will get completely remodeled into an 1,100 seat, state-of-the-art theater, although for now it remains in its classic layout.

The famous pool area got all new landscaping to give it more of a South Beach theme and has been rebranded with a South Beach company's moniker as Nikki Beach. They even tore down and entire wing of motel style rooms to provide easier access to the beach area and a new entrance to the hotel along Tropicana Avenue. The exterior of the property, once a faded Caribbean bore, has been upgraded into a white and gold edifice complete with waterfalls and plenty of lush foliage.

The goal of the Tropicana's new look is to move it up a notch or three on the hierarchical ladder of Vegas hotels, which means that prices are a bit higher than they used to be but you can still get some amazing deals here. And compared to the hotels in the neighborhood, staying here is a bargain.

To say the new Tropicana is an improvement on the old is the understatement of the century and does a disservice to the undertaking. What has come out of this is a hotel worth being proud of and one you should absolutely consider for your next trip to Vegas.

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