So what exactly is “turndown service”? I mean, I know what it is. Sort of. At some point, after they’ve made up your hotel room, someone comes back in the late afternoon to pull down the comforter and fold over your bed sheet. Because….? Is it an excuse to come in and check up on you to make sure you’re okay? Some sort of reminder (“Don’t forget to sleep tonight!”). It seems purposeless to me, but what do I know. Maybe I’m missing something painfully obvious. And I’m sure I can count on one of you to enlighten me.
Well, the plan today was to head down to the enormous sports book at Caesar’s Palace, put down on a couple of games, and spend the afternoon watching hockey/basketball. Rob and I got there early and placed our bets. Rob put some money down on the L.A. Kings and, since he seemed to know what we was doing (in retrospect, he did not), I followed suit. And lost. I was torn when it came to the basketball game. On the one hand, I thought the Miami Heat would win. On the other hand, I couldn’t, in good conscience, root for the Miami Heat – even with money riding on them. And so, I went against my gut instinct and took the Indiana Pacers. Who ended up winning.
Unfortunately, because the games started at around noon, me and the gang were having brunch at the Mesa Grill while all the action was taking place. I’ve never been a big fan of brunch which has always struck me as a half-ass cross between breakfast and lunch. It’s like you’re embarrassed to be serving breakfast but not fully committed to lunch so you offer a maudlin medley of both. Alex and Thobias seemed to enjoy their southwestern corn things, but I found my pork tenderloin sandwich merely meh.
From there, Akemi and I headed over to The Cosmpolitan for a couples massage. I have very sensitive muscles (to compliment my very sensitive personality) and requested the light touch (which, for some reason, invariably disappoints the masseuse). Akemi claimed it was the best massage she’d ever had. As for me…another meh. It was fine. Although I might have to downgrade that raring because, four hours later, my back started to ache. Is that SUPPOSED to happen after a message? Is it the “toxins” being released?
After some post-massage downtime, we said goodbye to Ivon, Alex, and Thobias who were flying out tonight, then headed over to Jaleo for dinner with Rob and Hillary. It’s one of our favorite restaurants in Vegas and it didn’t disappoint. Some of the highlights included:
I swung by the sports book to place a wager on some Superbowl contenders only to find it closed. CLOSED! We cut through the casino on the way back to our room with the intention of playing a little roulette – but the tables were packed, while a half dozen sat empty and unmanned. Weird. If Vegas is looking for ways to improve its gambling numbers, I’ve got a couple of suggestions.
And so, instead of playing roulette – or putting some money down on football – I headed back to my room to pack because…
We fly back home tomorrow.
But before I go, if I have time, I may swing by that sports book – provided it’s open at 10 a.m. – and put down on a couple of superbowl contenders. I’ve narrowed my choices down to:
The Carolina Panthers at 50-1 (Kathode, you present a good argument. Less so for those Detroit Lions).
The Chicago Bears at 20-1
The Green Bay Packers at 12-1
The Indianapolis Colts at 25-1
The New Orleans Saints at 22-1
I’m thinking of going with three. But which three?
i don’t know for sure about what turn down service is about, but i would imagine there are a few reasons
1. some people really can’t stand an unmade bed, but they are not at home so they don’t want to have to do it
2. depending on if you are checking out that day, the hotel doesn’t want to be in a rush to get things done, so they clean the room, so when you do check out there is less to do and they can get someone else checked asap
3. the hotel wants to remind you that they are there to be of service, it is a door-opener to say “hey, do you need anything else, food, alcohol, anything that i can get for you……see, i am being helpful…….tip please, i need a tip.”
the food looked good
as for massages, there are two types of people
1. those who get very tense, get a massage, and can then remain relaxed for a while
2. those who get very tense, get a massage, and very quickly get tense again
the second type of people are people who are very high strung…..i fit that category…….i took up meditation, and, though it does nothing for my muscles, it does alot for my piece of mind….mentally, i can get relaxed, and forget about my muscles
We’re due for a Vegas trip, but Vancouver first! What’s going on up there besides Cirque de Soleil’s TATTOO?
We’ve had a rather mild May so far in South Texas, so this isn’t an “escape the heat” trip. But we have other reasons to visit now, so off we go!
Speaking of tattoos, who saw Mike Dopud in the Syfy (USA) “Continuum” episode? Kudos to the makeup designer for the unique tattoo, which enhanced the character’s “otherness”.
When I was living in Tasmania we’d regularly stay at the Cradle Mountain Lodge. After dinner at their excellent restaurant we’d arrive back at our luxury cabin to find the bed turned down, the lights dimmed, the essential oil burner lit, soothing music playing from the CD player, a bottle of port and selection of petit fours on a tray and the fire burning. THAT is a turn down service!
I don’t mind brunch as long as there’s enough food. I’m not going to skip breakfast and lunch unless I can eat two meal’s worth of food! 🙂
What’s the deal with sliders? I don’t understand the point of these little burgers. Just give me a single big burger and be done with it!
I don’t gamble but if I did I’d put money on the Chicago team. I don’t know why but I always go for the Chicago team.
Turn Down Services are awesome…well the ones at the Pan Pacific, Pacific Rim & other Fairmont hotels are in my experience…some others are not quite so stellar but with those two hotel chains we get extra water, slippers, clean bath towels & toiletries replaced, weather info (Pan P), chocolates and “light music” on the radio or tv…I rather like that ambience when I come in from an evening meal or outing…
I have been to Vegas 3 times….I find Vegas is the sort of place you need a “rest” from…I haven’t been for nearly 3 years….which is “rest” enough for me…I feel a desire to go back and have fun again…I don’t gamble, I shop, eat and, surprise surprise, have massages & beauty treatments…
For the best “treatment” for aches and pains I still find you can’t beat the North Shore Shiatsu practice over at Lonsdale Quay, N Van….I seriously would fly over to Vancouver from the UK for just for one of those…not exactly the most private of places for it, but Shiatsu does at least require you to be fully clothed!! 😛
Dah Bears!
Only because I’m from Chicago. But as a Bears and Cubs fan I must say you should never bet on them… to win anyway.
Turndown service is weird to me too. But one place I went to left little Godiva Chocolates on my pillow. That was ok by me! 🙂 Someone told me some hotels like to do it to make sure you’re happy with you’re room and don’t need anything else like more towels. Eh.. I always feel like they’re being nosy.
Why does asking for a light touch disappoint the masseuse? I remember saying that’s what I wanted and she said “You’re sure you don’t want a deep massage? ” Uh yeah. Very sure. That’s why I checked the box for light touch. :eyeroll:
I hope you have a safe flight back. Sorry Vegas has had so many “meh” moments. That’s no fun.
I’m at Disney World and the weather has been unbelievably great! I need to go get ready for a trek through Africa! Yay! 😀
~~Trish
Don’t bet against the Blackhawks this year, Joe. Just sayin’.
Vegas. YThat makes me thing of Godzilla. You’ll get the connection once you see it. I just saw the new Godzilla! It was pretty darn good. But you need to know that it is equal parts disaster movie and Godzilla movie. My son thought there needed to be more Godzilla and less disaster, but I thought they held the balance well.
Turndown service. Not sure how or why it started but they do a few useful things. They usually take the duvet off the bed in addition to turning back the corner of the sheet. And they close those big bulky light-blocking drapes so you don’t have to mess with them. Thy bring fresh towels if you’ve already used the ones in your room (you probably have to request this if you are staying in a “green” hotel, if such a thing exists in Vegas). That’s all I’ve got.
Hope you have (had/are having) a great flight home, Joe & Akemi! I hope you’re not on an AC Rouge flight, and if you are I’m sure it will make great blogging material.
Well, considering the amount of time it would take to notify the police, have the coroner show up and haul you away, bring in a new mattress, potentially de-scent the room, I say turndown service is a hotel’s way of making sure your untimely death doesn’t interfere with the check-in time of the next day’s guest…
Safe travels Joe and Akemi!
Your football picks look good enough. I don’t know who you should vote for, I just who you should NOT vote for. The Cowboys. I don’t care what Robert C. Cooper says, Romo has a bad back now, so they aren’t going to do anything.
“Check up on you” can be a positive thing. There are people who either don’t know what they can ask for or are too passive to ask. An excuse for interaction can help assess that without the people who know their way around hotel services feeling the info on basic amenities is condescending.
I don’t let masseuse’s touch me. And I don’t mean I’m a reiki client either. Some know what they’re doing, but I’m not putting my joints on the line to find out.
I have a model in my head as to why someone would get sore after a massage, but it’s complicated. It has to do with joints all seating themselves to operate despite your stiffness, but then when someone loosens 90% of them, the last 10% are just as stiff but dealing with more deflection from those loose neighbors. There might be a way to find a masseuse good enough to distribute the looseness evenly, but I’m not experimenting to find out.
I’m making do with fat free yogurt as I covet those sliders and that french toast.
@Iberico pork sliders
The presentation on these is fantastic, the sign of a good chef there. Wouldn’t expect any less from Vegas.
The French toast looks good. Forget turndown service. I put a do-not-disturb sign on my door and leave it on my door until I check out. I don’t want people in my room. Usually I’m staying 1-2 nights tops and I’m usually alone so the towels are fine. And I usually shower before bed so I don’t need to worry about clean sheets really.