I just returned from my 2007 Vegas Vacation. 4 nights at The Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas, compliments of my cousin and the folks at Goldman-Sachs, and 3 nights at the former Aladdin, now Planet Hollywood. I stayed at the Aladdin during the convention last year, while the renovations were in progress.

I booked a package at the lowest rate I could find after a bit of internet shopping, $79 per night Wed/Thur/Fri evenings. With the package, I got 2/1 coupons for the spa, and the Spice Market Buffet. I also got $10 in free slot pay.

I tried the $20 trick (slip a $20 between my cc and drivers license). The clerk, a young lady, picked up my $20, laid it flat out on the counter and announced "Are you looking for a upgrade"? DUH! No.......I always hide a $20 there honey, lol. Last year, the clerk slickly palmed the $20 and gave me a great suite. After all that production, I wasn't sure what I was going to get, but she came thru with the same kind of suite I got last year....large room with 2 queen beds, seperate large sitting area, large bathroom with two seperate sink/vanities, glass shower and seperate jacuzzi tub. Very nice, and with a perfect view of the Bellagio fountains. My only complaint......the carpeting was brand new last year, and had a years' worth of wear now. Other than that, the room was very clean, well serviced and quite comfortable.

The casino looks great. Alot of neon and rock and roll. I also thought the layouts on the craps and blackjack tables were slick-looking. The poker room looks bigger. They were still running the same $50+$10 add-on tourney 4 times a day. The 2 AM tourney had about 35 entrants the night I checked. They also had 1-2 tables of $1-$2 NL Hold Em going, and that was about it.

As far as the food goes, I ate at the Spice Market Buffet, same as it ever was. There is a "trendy" diner shop open 24 hours in the casino.....average at best. No real high-end restaurants in the casino itself. A quick aside.....there is a cheeseburger joint, "Cheeseburgers of Vegas" which is a part of the Maui "Cheeseburgers in Paradise" chain, located in the Desert Passage shops aside the casino. The Blue Cheese Burger is outstanding, and worth a detour from anywhere on the strip if you are Jonesing for a goooooood burger.

The club in the center of the casino had moderate crowds of 30-40 somethings, and dancers in stillettos on platforms at opposite ends on the club. A definite improvement from last year, but I spent the night before partying with my cousin's finance buddies at Pure in Ceasars (I woke up in the clothes I went out in, lol), and there is NO comparison there.

The pool scene is unchanged. Two nice sized pools, not overly crowded, a tame and fairly relaxing scene. Spa is totally unchanged, and still bears the Aladdin signage.

Overall, I would say this is the perfect hotel for the person who wants to be in the center of the strip, wants and expects good value for the buck, but does not require the best of everything and the price tag that comes with it.