Las Vegas Hotels

Rio bills itself as a "carnival" atmosphere hotel, which in this case means hectic, crowded, and noisy, and an edict requiring the Most Scantily Clad Waitresses in Town to burst into song and dance in between delivering beers. The newer section, the Masquerade Village, is actually pretty pleasant, with a very high ceiling, but the older section's low ceilings only seem to accentuate how crowded the area is in both the number of people and the amount of stuff (slot machines, gaming tables, and so on). All this party atmosphere, by the way, is strictly for adults; the hotel actively discourages guests from bringing children.

The hotel touts its room size. Every one is a "suite," which does not mean two separate rooms, but rather one large room with a sectional, corner sofa, and coffee table at one end. The dressing areas are certainly larger than average and feature a number of extra amenities, such as fridges (unusual for a Vegas hotel room) and small snacks. Windows, running the whole length of the room, are floor to ceiling, with a pretty impressive view of the Strip, Vegas, or the mountains (depending on which way you're facing). The furniture doesn't feel like hotel-room standard, but otherwise the decor is fairly bland.

You might consider checking out the Wine Cellar Tasting Room, which bills itself as "the world's largest and most extensive collection of fine wines," and hyperbole aside, it's certainly impressive and a must-do for any wine aficionado.

The casino, alas, is dark and claustrophobic. In case you missed the party/carnival theme, there is a rather bizarre live-action show called The Masquerade Show in the Sky. It is presented daily at 3, 4, 5, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30pm. Sets modeled after Mardi Gras floats (sort of) move on grids set in the ceiling, filled with costumed performers who lip-sync to music that's designed to rev up the crowd but that doesn't continue the theme (swing selections, for example). These floats are best viewed from the second floor of the village. Down below, dancers do their thing on a stage, while even stranger costumes (ostriches, dragons, and so on) prance next to them. Guests can also don costumes and ride a float, but you have to pay for the privilege.

Out back is a pool with a sandy beach, and two newer pools in imaginative fish and shell shapes that seem inviting until you get up close and see how small they are. It could be especially disappointing after you have braved the long, cluttered walk (particularly from the newer tower rooms) to get there. Three whirlpool spas nestle amid rocks and foliage, there are two sand-volleyball courts, and blue-and-white-striped cabanas (equipped with rafts and misting coolers) can be rented for $100 and up per day. The 18-hole championship Rio Secco golf course, located on the south side of town (transportation included), was designed by Rees Jones.

Facilities: Casino; showrooms; 12 restaurants plus additional fast-food outlets; 4 outdoor pools; golf course; health club & spa; concierge; car-rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; salon; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage; laundry service; dry cleaning; executive-level rooms.

- Frommer's