Planet Hollywood Resort Review
A popular choice among the young; it used to be ‘the Aladdin’ and we loved it then (it was similar to Paris Vegas only with a desert-theme, very evocative, I would say; luckily you can see some of its former glory, in some public areas);
it boasted a mind-blowing spa, the best buffet in Vegas (even better than Bellagio at one time) and it was just fun to be in. The Planet Hollywood ‘revamp’ definitely improved the casino and modernized the shopping areas but, in our opinion, it was partly a step down, though it does appeal to young crowds and it is a great choice in some aspects (not all). You will love it if you like a modern-ish, spacious-feeling resort, a fun casino and the overall ‘Hollywood theme’, thought it’s not as strong as it could be. Of course, the location is good (mid-Strip, facing Cosmopolitan and Aria).
Rooms: the standard rooms are nice to look at with good, comfortable beds, a nice and large bathroom and a very useful coffee/tea maker (not easy to find in Vegas resorts); moreover, they boast ‘real movie memorabilia’ in each room, which can be interesting for many guests. However, these rooms are rather impractical in some aspects. For example, no storage space (no drawers, for example), air conditioning blowing directly on your bed, a strange constant draft coming into the room from the outside and, worse of all, a small window (we prefer huge windows to enjoy the ‘look’ and ‘feel’ of being in Vegas). The TV is of course flat screen (no high definition) but changing channels and volume was very slow. Every resort has suites and upgrades for all tastes and budgets, but here I’m talking about the standard rooms which most people on a ‘Vegas deal’ or a ‘comp’ offer will be assigned. Note on smoking. Although they have non-smoking areas clearly marked, there was smell of smoke along our non-smoking corridor and, because the doors were not properly sealed, this smoke entered our room as if there were nor door at all. This aspect, if you are a non-smoker, may be an irritant.
Moreover, the rooms can be adjoining (but not all) which opens up the problem of noise and, unfortunately, they are not soundproofed (a problem with many Vegas resorts unless they are at the top end of the price range).
However, as mentioned, the bathroom in a standard room at Planet Hollywood is larger than many other Vegas resorts’ in the same price range; we particularly like the fact that it has a separate toilet, a separate shower and a separate bath tub (though the bath tub is basic, with no shower handle to rinse oneself after bathing, so you have to move to the shower cubicle to rinse off… Very strange). To summarize, all in all, considering the location, it’s a good choice for young crowds and for those seeking a ‘good enough’ Vegas mid-Strip resort. You can also view our videos of PH room and P.H. Room Update, as well as our video of the overall P.H. resort. Let’s now consider other aspects of this hotel:
Internet: excellent speed (wired) and good wireless speed; the downside is that it’s only offered for one device (as included in your resort fee); if you have 2 devices and they both need to be connected, you will have to pay extra. This is standard with every Caesars Entertainment resorts that we’ve visited.
Casino: probably the best among the Caesar’s Entertainment group Vegas casinos. Mid-strip, I like this one and the Aria’s casino of course (the Aria’s is a fantastic casino, mostly because it’s huge and you’ll find a machine to love and play without excessive line-ups): both ideal for penny-slot players. If you are into Vegas casinos, we have written a page on the best Vegas casinos.
Food: when it was ‘the Aladdin’, their buffet was the best in Vegas. Now it has somewhat decreased in quality and even variety, although it’s still regarded highly enough by a good number of people. It has gone through so many ‘revamps’ that I think it’s forgotten the main component of any buffet: the actual quality of the food! Of course, it’s still a must-go if you have time and can sample a large variety of Vegas buffets. But if it’s your only buffet visit, you may wish to opt (in the same area) for Aria, Bellagio or, if you don’t mind the huge price, the huge Bacchanal instead; this because the last few times we sampled Planet Hollywood’s buffet we were disappointed in terms of quality and even flavor. Nice and varied ideas, but none prepared to good standards, in my opinion. A huge shame; I hope they find their way back to the great buffet they used to offer.
We found that, since the introduction of their 24-hour buffet pass, the Caesars’ Entertainment buffets have cut down on quality to a certain extent (except of course for the super expensive Bacchanal buffet at Caesars Palace ); it is a shame actually, because the Paris and Planet Hollywood buffets were always a must-stop for us every time we went to Vegas. More on this Vegas buffet on the page Planet Hollywood buffet.
Gym/Spa: average, relatively small and outdated. Moreover, it closes ridiculously early (as with every Caesars Entertainment resort in Vegas): 7pm. That’s far too early. The Spa used to be outstanding (in the ‘good old days’ when this resort was ‘the Aladdin’) but now – though still keeping the feel of the old Aladdin spa – it’s clear it has not been remodeled for a long time. It looks to me as if the gym and the spa are not considered important by Caesars Entertainment.
Planet Hollywood is the only Vegas resort with a Sushi buffet (located at the end of their Mile Shop walk, near the side entrance); if you like Sushi, this is a definitely must-go Vegas buffet. Great taste, good variety, good quality; not the largest buffet in Las Vegas but really enjoyable if you like this cuisine.