Monday, January 20, 2020
7:05pm
The Paris Laurel (Diamond) Lounge had a different vibe to it than the other Vegas Laurel Lounges.
The decor is upper scale, and it being Paris, certainly had a French theme going on, complete with elegant vaulted ceilings and bottles of wine adorning the buffet display.
We arrived after the hot food was put away, but the cold dishes available from open to close included garden salad, rice pilaf, veggies, french onion dip, and fruit,
For dessert, there were mini M&M’s and a big bowl of popcorn, as well as brownies, cookies and other assorted desserts.
Upon entry, we encountered a minor service hiccup, and the only one among all our lounge visits. The host at the front check-in desk continued working away on the computer without acknowledging we were there for too long by my standards, and it felt awkward.
One of my biggest service “musts” is to always acknowledge the customer, even if you are busy. I don’t care if you need to finish what you’re doing – by all means do so in a reasonable amount of time. But at least let the customer know you see them. A simple “I’ll be right with you” goes a long way in setting expectations and is much more inviting than no communication whatsoever.
The entrance to the Paris Laurel Lounge is on a main walking path, unlike most of the other Laurel Lounges which can be tricky (fun) to find. You’ve probably walked past this one unknowingly if you’ve wandered around the Paris Casino.
I distinctly remember walking past these lounge doors on my previous Vegas trip and immediately knew I had to get inside of there. I wasn’t new to hotel lounges, but I was new to Vegas hotel lounges. So, as a lounge addict, I made it my immediate mission to get in here, and the rest of them.
I can’t remember our server’s name, but wow was she good. When she wasn’t serving guests, I observed her standing back and consistently scanning the room to anticipate everyone’s needs.
Everyone had their glasses refilled frequently, without wait. Plates were cleared and tables were wiped instantly, and she was engaging with all guests.
She encouraged us to elevate our lounge game and order the French Martini and Painkiller signature drinks instead of another beer “that we could get anywhere”.
She was right. They were delicious, and they fueled our walk later that evening to check out the Rio Laurel (Diamond) Lounge. I appreciated her enthusiasm for wanting us to get the full Paris Laurel Lounge experience.
The Paris Lounge also has barside seating, however we sat closer to the buffet. There was ample seating without it feeling crowded.
Surprisingly, the Paris Lounge is the only Laurel (Diamond) Lounge in Vegas that doesn’t have a washroom inside. You’ll have to exit the lounge and use the casino washroom which totally interrupts the lounge experience.
Conclusion
Despite not having a washroom in the lounge itself, it had a very nice atmosphere overall, is easy to get to, and had memorable service, with signature drinks. I’ve ranked Paris a respectable #3 out of 5 Vegas Laurel Lounges. I found it very similar to the Caesars and Planet Hollywood lounge experiences. Any of those 3 lounges could take the #1 spot on any given day.
