Q: We stayed at Monte Carlo in mid August for their great pricing and convenient location. Having stayed at many Las Vegas hotels I would say I would stay here again if I needed to be budget conscious, however, not if I was looking for amenities and service. We arrived at the hotel a little after 1 in the afternoon and waited in a small line, with no organization what so ever. We had two rooms and asked if they could be next to each other. She was able to place us across the hall from each other. Perfect! The first room was done and she was charging the second room when my credit card wouldn't process. This didn't make any sense because there was a thousand dollars available and they were only charging $150 for the remaining balance. I proceeded to give her two other cards which she could not process either (which by the way were able to be used every where else for the remainder of the weekend) and finally just had to give her cash to get things over with. When I got back home after that weekend it turned out she had charged me $800 for the first room. One room had a view of the pool and the other room of the parking lot. I choose the one with the pool of course! They have a dj during the day so you can hear music playing but not too loud in the room that you can't sleep in or take a nap. Decent sized room and a typical bathroom. Clean and very acceptable, especially for the price. Luckily, they had a ihome system because we had forgotten speakers for our ipod. Pretty satisfied for $250 for two nights but then I went to wash my hands and the sink is leaking all over. I immediately called maintenance and they said they would send someone right up. We needed ice for our drinks so we went to the ice machine and it was broken so we had to go to the next floor. This ended up being a hassle later in the night when 2 of the other floors ended up being out of ice and we had to visit 4 floors before finally getting some. No big deal though these things happen. After going out for the night and when we got back to the hotel room the key wasn't working. Which also happened two other times for both rooms... not sure why, it wasn't next to cellphones or credit cards. In fact, one had only been sitting on the dresser and still ended up not working. Not being able to get into your room when all you want to do is sleep is sure to get you grumpy. We get back to the room and find out that the sink still hadn't been fixed and when I turned on the shower the shower head was pointed out and sprayed all over the floor. Simple things to keep guest happy that can be changed. We went down to the pool and it's a pretty nice atmosphere. The lazy river is all we wanted to do and it's $10 to rent an inner tube or $10 to buy a small or $15 to buy a large. I just bought one incase we were going to come back later. Although, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it now... There was lots of families and older couples, not really the place you're going to meet a sexy guy or chick. Overall it was nice and relaxing. We didn't gamble at all, though the casino wasn't very happening. The food court is quick and there is a good variety. The promoters were pushing the lounge, open bar for ladies, we weren't interested though. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't impressed.

A: negative

Q: I'll give a carryout spot 1 star for doing at least these two things: 1. Being located directly on my current route 2. Serving edible food This place passed those simple requirements and then blew my socks off, so they get the other four stars too. Chow Main was great and not too greasy or heavy. Pho soup was exactly what I expected and the fried green beans were a nice finishing touch. I'm looking forward to working my way through the rest of the menu, from what I've read you can't go wrong.

A: positive

Q: I like it here. The design is great and they're very into creating an "experience." $35 for a wash, dry, style and mimosa seems like a good deal to me! I sometimes think the hairstyle book they give you (to select a look) is a problem because it hampers creativity. Walking around the Kierland shops, you can certainly tell who has been to Drybar! Because there are so many stylists, it is a bit hit or miss... but I've never been UNHAPPY, just had some styles hold longer than others.

A: positive

Q: I came here with my mom for a quick lunch after we visited the Mint Museum in Uptown Charlotte and boy was it a nice surprise! Most the ingredients they use are local and are made on the premises. Their home made butter was amazing, especially the one infused with sweet potato! As far as the entrees, the portions definitely won't overwhelm you. Their lunch menu was one of the most creative ones I had ever seen! Salad with bacon, mustard caviar, with a side of blue cheese ice cream? Crepes stuffed with mushroom and goat cheese? Super inventive and delicious, and I wish I could have tried each entree. It simply was not an option to leave without getting dessert, so we decided on the "coffee and doughnuts" which were tiny beignets in raspberry sauce with a side of a thick, dense custard creme with espresso, orange, and chocolate flavors. I liked the creme more than I did the tiny beignets, although I wish they would have put more than 3 of those little doughnuts, as the portions are definitely discouraged sharing (Get Yo Own Beignets!) To top off the elegant fare, the lunch prices are reasonable for what you get (about $11 on average per entree) and the service was great. Our waitress did not hesitate to make recommendations and ask us for feedback since they are still a new restaurant. The decor on the inside paired excellently with their earthy theme as well, and the view from the patio had a nice view of Uptown Charlotte. If you are going to the mint or are looking for a dining experience I would definitely recommend a visit to Halcyon!

A:
positive