Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet Las Vegas Encounter

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lonely Planet's new series of Encounter guides allow the read to "discover twice the city in half the time." I've always celebrated Lonely Planet guides for their compact size and sturdy construction, and the Encounter guides are even smaller, with glossy and thin (but durable) pages. The information is focused and direct. Currency, tipping, and basic services are listed on the inside cover and in a closing chapter, instead of at the front of the book. The guide gets rights down to business in the opening pages with outlines of top agendas in Vegas--cruising the Strip, buffet dining, getting married, gambling, visiting vintage Vegas or cheap Vegas (which is getting harder these days), and so forth. The outlines have parenthetical page number references to the gaming, dining, and amusements entries that make up the majority of the guide.

The book reviews 14 Strip casinos and one in the downtown area (Binion's, which is now owned by a Strip franchise) and a plethora of museums, unique shops, and dining options. The guide has brief entries on all the hot night clubs and shows as well as a short chapter on excursions into the surrounding area. The author elects to focus more on a subjective assessment of the vibe of various attractions and let the reader do their own Internet research on room prices and other rapidly-changing details.

The small format book has a large pull-out map as well as several pages of localized maps. The monorail map is the essential Strip guide, with excellent 3-D representations of all the Strip casinos, color-coded by closest rail stop.

I really was expecting so much more from this book. I visit Vegas several times a year and there isn't a book that can keep up with new openings and closings, different bands, clubs, and stores. The maps and hotel names were out of date when I received this book. This just isn't a location you can read about unless you are checking current events on the web.

Did not like this guide very much. I wanted something more detailed, but I guess, this was not the right book for me.

Great book for a quick visit to Vegas especially if you have not been there before.