The Tuscany Suites on Flamingo Road made me change my mind about that. Not completely, but enough to make it worth noting.

This 700-room hotel is located about a mile east of Bally's and Bellagio, within walking distance of places like Terrible's and Lawry's Prime Rib if that means anything to you. And although they don't have a roller coaster, they do have a casino - almost 60,000 square-feet of the latest coinless slots, table games, a bar, a 24-hour cafe, and a lounge. That alone sets this hotel apart from all of the other suite properties in the neighborhood, most of which don't have any casino at all.

The casino itself is separated from the rest of the property by an enclosed walkway so if you are averse to being around slot machines why are you coming to Vegas? Whatever. I suppose it's a good option for families so you can keep the kidlets away from the evils of gambling.

The hotel rooms themselves are in 15 separate three-story buildings with lovely landscaped grounds and walkways between them. Each room comes with either two queens or one king, a sitting area with a sofa (convertible on request), a working desk, a dining area with full-size table, and a kitchenette with a sink, coffee maker, and mini-fridge. Some even have small stove tops.

There are also large televisions with in-room movies and Nintendo style games, high-speed Internet, safes, and irons and boards.

The bathrooms are large with separate tubs and showers, hair dryers, and plenty of vanity space to spread out your hair care products.

I still whine about one large room being referred to as a suite but I supposed that's just being picky. They are big enough to qualify for suite status if all you care about is floor space but it is important to note that there isn't a separate bedroom to lock yourself in while the kids are playing Road Rage 3 on the Nintendo.

And they are quite nice, with very well-tended furnishings, carpet, draperies, and the like. That seems to apply to the entire property, which struck me as being very spiffy everywhere I looked.

For those interested in soaking up some sun, there is a large pool with a separate Jacuzzi and shallow kiddie pool. That last amenity is worth noting if you're one of the types who prefers not to stay in a place that caters to families with children.

The service was exception throughout, from my guide to the casino personnel and even the security guard offered to go flag someone down for me on the other side of the casino.

Price is also a very strong plus at Tuscany. Their standard rates for all of the above start at around $69 and up weekdays and $89 and up on weekends. I did a quick cost comparison for a couple of random dates and found it even lower at $59 for a Tuesday and Wednesday and not bad at $109 for a Friday and Saturday. Those are terrific rates for any Vegas hotel but especially one with this much to offer.

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