Mlife.

Where my head is at with Mlife/MGM right NAH.

In order of "perceived poshness", where I will or won't stay in the MGM pantheon. All (except Signature) currently offering me 2-4 nights/$50 RC/$50 FP.

-Bellagio: I just...eh. I really don't like this place. I used to really hate it. My stance has changed a bit after the last 2 trips during which I spent quite a bit of time there, mostly because it is next to where I was staying and it was open. I had decent gambling luck there in June, August not so much but on a smaller scale. It's just so stuffy. I don't like the clientele, it's usually packed, poorly laid out and seems to just be resting on laurels earned in the 90's. I can get two nights comped though so we're going to give it a whirl for 3 nights over Xmas. See if my mind changes.

-Aria: Not really my cup of java either. It's beautiful and has one of the best restaurant lineups on the strip, but the place is a "vibe dead zone". There's just zero excitement or fun going on seemingly. Maybe I'm not old enough to dig that kind of environment. The standard rooms are meh at best, and they have no views, and the suites are outrageously priced. Same comp package as Bellagio, a couple dollars cheaper but again aside from the location it doesn't turn my crank.

-Vdara: Stayed once, also not my jam. Rooms in desperate need of renovation, and half the "suite" space is taken up by the kitchen which I will never use. More of an executive long stay kind of place. Can get 2 nights and a base suite there for $35/night but just no desire. Also, the one and only time I stayed there the soap in the shower damn near blinded me. Still not over it.

-NoMad: The "boutique" hotel atop Park MGM. Standard rooms are tiny, but it does look kind of old-school, posh and homey. We shall see what we can see in November. 3/50/50. EDIT: I stayed, I meh'ed.

-Delano: Haven't technically stayed here, I stayed in the building back when it was known as TheHotel. It was nice enough, standard suite decent sized but a little small feeling due to the half bath that comes with every suite and takes up square footage. I like the resort, like a couple bars there, but not much to it, really. You have to go to Mandalay to get any real amenities. 4 nights avail now but it's SO damn far from the action on the strip. The cab rides needed to get to/from override the value you get booking there. Probably will stay again but not this time.

-Mandalay Bay: Love this place. Great relaxed vibe, tons of space to move around, some decent bars and just a very smooth and groovy feel. Some great resto options, where they are open. Very nice rooms, probably the best standard room in the Mlife portfolio, and dead cheap due to the location, as long as no conventions are going on. I do OK on gambling here historically too. This would be my Xmas jam if not for...the location. 4 nights avail but not this time, but definitely again in the future.

-Signature: another "suite with a kitchen" exec stay place. Never stayed, no desire to. Looks like it caters to 75 year-olds judging by the decor. No comps ever available. None needed.

-MGM Grand: Have stayed a couple times. Another resort in need of a room remodel. Both rooms I stayed in were dark, old and basic. Until they renovate (or spring me a Skyloft) it ain't happening again. Resort itself is also meh. Now during COVID almost nothing is open for amenities. Kind of a big nothingburger right now. 4 nights but nah.

-Park MGM: Have stayed here a couple times as well. The casino rebrand from Monte Carlo is growing on me, everything is olive green or taupe, and not very exciting, but it has a relaxing kind of vibe to it, and feels kinda boutique-y. Rooms are still tiny however, still have paper thin walls and are dull to the point of depressing. No color, no style, aside from improved bathrooms. Bavatte's is whatever. Eataly is whatever. Juniper is OK but never seems to be popping. I also get butt-raped on slots whenever I play here. I may be staying on the top floors when I'm there in December but I doubt I'll spend much time on the casino floor. 4 nights avail, no thanks.

-Mirage: The old lady of the MGM world. I still like the place. A few good bars to hang in, Beatles LOVE is there (at least it may still be?) which I LOVE, and it has a pleasant enough vibe to it. I've done pretty well there gambling, including my biggest ever hand pay. Rooms are utilitarian at best. Old, small and basic, much like the Grand. It has a good location relative to Venetian/Palazzo which is nice, have stayed there a couple times for a night tacked on to a trip but can't see staying there for a stretch. I usually stop in to hang once or twice a trip but beyond that no need. 4 nights avail.

-NYNY: Oh Nueva York, how I love thee. Tied for best casino vibe in Vegas IMO, always great energy and atmosphere. This is a strange word coming out of my head but it's just...charming. I do pretty well here on slots/VP too. A bit slim on food/bev but I have still spent a lot of time in what is available. Sadly, the rooms just won't cut it for a me stay anymore. They are dead cheap and I get 4 nights comped, but they are tiny and ancient and just not up to my middle, middle class standards anymore. I've stayed here more than anywhere else in Vegas but that was in the early years when I was just trying to book the cheapest decent room I could get. If they do a reno I could see myself staying here again, but for now I've just grown out of the rooms. I will always try to hit the resort every stay, though.

-Luxor: Think it's time for this place to go. It's been rumored to be getting demolished and rebuilt, and I'm frankly all for it. Even the renovated pyramid rooms are drab and basic, and the tower rooms, while a step up and super cheap, still aren't up to the level of getting me to sign on to 4 comped nights. I've had some good times here over the years but it's probably best to start over on this site. The novelty has long since worn off.

-Excalibur: LOL no. I'd rather spend the 4 comped nights in hell. Outside of Dick's Last Resort there is nothing to recommend this place. OK the tram to MB starts here, but that's it.

So it dawns on me that in my old, scruffy age I can't be arsed to stay in more than a couple of the resorts that I'm trying so hard to get status for. Maybe Bellagio will blow me away in December and we'll start a long, happy man-resort affair, we'll see. But if not I realize now I may need to be throwing even more coin at Cosmo.