How did it strike you on arrival?
The best thing about arriving at the Augustus and Octavius tower rooms is that they have their own entrance, on Flamingo, far away from the crowds of the Strip. You can valet there and go right to registration, as opposed to the Forum and Julius towers (and even the hotel-within-hotel that is Nobu), where you have to come into the chaotic main entrance. It's all light colors and modern lines in Augustus (no centurions taking selfies with margarita swilling tourists here!), and you won't even be close to a casino floor, so it feels very calm.
What’s the crowd like?
The travelers who are Augustus regulars know exactly what they want from the 4,000-room Roman extravaganza that is Caesars. Each tower is different, and Augustus is one of the newest constructions (and recently renovated). The rooms are spacious, and though the newer Octavius tower is considered to be an upgrade, it actually takes longer to walk to Octavius from the main entrance and the casino. Those who bypass Octavius for Augustus know this. They're generally well-informed frequent visitors to Vegas who either do business here or gamble here frequently. Where it can take a lot of time in other parts of the resort just to locate coffee, there's a Starbucks just off the lobby here and it all feels much better planned.
The good stuff: Tell us about your room.
Caesars is constantly renovating, and its largest tower—the Palace Tower (with 1,181 rooms) got a $100 million reno just a few years back. Those looking for a splurgy trip should go straight for the 29th-floor villa suites, which, like the grand villas in the Octavius and Augustus towers, are massive and full of great (and OTT) design details. The centrally located Palace Tower is an easy walk to the Appian Way shops and the Garden of the Gods Pool. Because Vegas is all about donning your new identity for a while, you can pick from villas with completely different aesthetics, from Ancient Greece to a formal northern European villa furnished in Biedermeier furniture, to neoclassical French Empire and English Regency, all with features like 24K gold-plated fixtures and hand-painted murals, private elevator entry, limo transport, and VIP check-in.
We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?
The beds are great. High and super soft.
How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?
A 2016 upgrade didn't change the rooms all that much, but did add some nice tech touches like lamps that have electrical outlets and USB ports in their bases, so you don't have to look far to plug in your phone.
Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.
I love the bathrooms in Caesars, which go heavy on the marble and feel really luxurious. Caesars seems to understand that it's important to be able to watch TV at all times, so there are flat panel screens that you can see from your jetted tub. Toiletries are branded with the spa (Qua) name, but aren't so remarkable that you'd care to hoard them.
Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?
The Wi-Fi was super fast and included in the price of the resort fee (which is pretty high, at $45 per night). The catch: I could only connect two devices. So if you're using the Wi-Fi for laptop and phone, your traveling companion will have to pay extra.
Food and drink Caesars’ restaurants, too, are updating. I love the fact that not everything is pricey here. You can walk to the Forum Shops and get to some good mainstream eats, as well as get very good food at the Forum Food Hall (DiFara Pizza, Bobby’s Burgers). Then splurge at Nobu, Mr. Chow, or Restaurant Guy Savoy.
Room service: Worth it?
Room service is all the standard items—big breakfasts, appetizers, salads, and all the expected entrees (salmon, chicken, a grilled NY strip). But Caesars has done something smart and let guests order from its Chinese restaurant Beijing Noodle No. 9 as well as pizzas from Di Fara. So you feel like you're getting takeout delivered right to your door. (Except that with the $10 delivery fee and the 18 percent included tip and taxes, this may be the highest charge attached to any in room dining in Vegas.) Except for the pizza (which is great) and the Chinese food (which is standard but a great idea), I'd consider skipping in-room dining and heading downstairs. Bacchanal Buffet is a short distance from Augustus Tower.
Staff: If you could award one a trophy, who gets it, and why?
I wouldn't necessarily award anything to the staff, but I would award something to the employees of the extremely busy Starbucks in the lobby!
Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.
The pool complexes (multiple, vast) are beautiful and some are family-friendly. Bacchanal Buffet continues to be one of the most mind-blowing buffets in the world (it never ends and serves about 500 dishes at any one time). If you're going to go to the spa, stay in Augustus Tower, which is the closest to Qua Baths & Spa. The additional benefit here is that you won't have to wander through a casino with wet hair and no makeup after you've been relaxing there. Caesars has more restaurants than you can shake a stick at, and if you feel like walking to the other end of the massive complex, you'll get to the Forum Shops, where the retail offerings are vast and there are even more places to dine. It's truly a self-contained city.
Accessibility Massive Caesars does accessibility right with ramps adjoining its various levels, accessible guest rooms with lots of space for power wheelchairs, and moveable chairs at slots machines and table games.
What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?
Caesars is one of the best places to go in Las Vegas if you've seen Vegas a million times and just want to settle in and relax somewhere. If you want all the things close to you that you need (food, retail, gaming, coffee, a pool and a spa) there are few better places to hole up than here.
Bottom line: worth it, and why?
The rooms at Caesars are big, but you might find yourself walking long distances to get to the places you need to go. Depending on the events that are in town, room rates fluctuate in Las Vegas, but these rooms can be comparably priced to Wynn. However, they lack the bells and whistles of Wynn rooms. This is really where you want to check in if you like the idea of checking in to a resort that you don't have to leave.
3570 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
United States
https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace
(866) 227-5938