Our recent stay at the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas was intended to be a restful respite in a desert oasis but we ended up getting badly burned here.

Booking the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas

We had a need to be in Las Vegas over an extended weekend during the summer. We debated a few different hotels, but ultimately settled on the Mandalay Bay. The average nightly rate for our stay was $109 for three nights starting on a Friday. That rate doesn’t include taxes or the massive resort fee. But I did book directly with MGM while logged into my MGM Rewards account.

Alternatively, you could also book via Marriott. However, cash rates tend to be higher on Marriott’s website. Sometimes you can find cheap rates with Marriott points, which would be great if you can find it. But remember that you’ll still be on the hook for those resort fees on points rates.

Also, you should note that the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas is the southern-most hotel on The Strip, or at least the part of The Strip that people think of. (I’m not talking about South Point or the M.) If you want to walk from the Mandalay Bay to the middle of the Strip, expect it to take a good 45 minutes. You might not think it should take that long, but navigating casinos and the streets is unnecessarily complex. They want you to get lost inside them so you’ll spend money, and thus make it complicated to get through. All this to say the Mandalay Bay is not in a good location.

Resort fee

The Mandalay Bay Las Vegas has a $50+tax daily resort fee. What does it officially include?

• In-room wireless internet access
• Unlimited local, domestic long distance and toll-free calls
• Access to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME On Demand via in-room TV
• Airline boarding pass printing
• Digital newspaper and magazine access
• Fitness center access for guests 18 and up, subject to availability and guest demand

In other words, a whole lot of nothing. I’m not sure why the fitness center access is subject to “guest demand”? Does that mean they don’t give you access unless you specifically ask (re: demand) it? Las Vegas is the originator of the dreaded resort fee, and no city makes it more obvious it’s a waste of money than Las Vegas does. What happens in Las Vegas spreads to other cities like the plague.

Earning Marriott points

If you’re looking to earn Marriott points quickly, you could look into picking up a Marriott credit card. Both Chase and American Express offer Marriott credit cards.

Full disclosure: in this section are refer-a-friend links where I may earn some points for referring. There is no requirement to use the below referral links to apply but note your offer may differ when going directly to the card issuer.

Chase offers the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card that gives a sign up bonus of three 50k free night certificates for spending $3,000 in the first three months for a $95 annual fee.

Or you can turn your eyes to American Express:

• The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (not an affiliate link) offers 85,000 Marriott points for $5,000 spend in the first six months for a $250 annual fee.
• The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (not an affiliate link) offers 100,000 Marriott points for $6,000 spend in the first six months. It also comes with instant Platinum status but with a higher annual fee ($650).

Since Amex credit cards are generally one-in-a-lifetime, it might be worth waiting for a better deal to come by.

First impressions of the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas

We left Southern California early in the morning as I used to do when I was little. Road trips are always nicer when you’re not stuck in traffic. That’s the main thing to watch out for when going to Las Vegas on a Friday. That gave us plenty of time to wander around Las Vegas before it was time to check in.

When we arrived at the Mandalay Bay, we saw a huge sea of people in line to check in. And the worst part was that it didn’t look like it was moving. Back when Hyatt partnered with MGM, I had Gold status with MGM that would normally allow us to skip the line. Sadly, that’s not the case with Marriott; you won’t get MGM status via a match of your Marriott status.

I went over to the first mobile check-in screen I encountered to find… an error screen. Thankfully, shortly after multiple errors, I received an email welcoming me to the hotel. Sometimes app technology is good to bypass a long line like this one.

What I needed to do was head over to that line and then around the corner is a small cluster of these mobile check-in machines that can print out a physical keycard for you. Live and learn.

Lastly, I do need to point out that the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas at least had an employee handing out some water and snacks (otter pops) to those in line. It’s a nice gesture if nothing else.

Priority check in

If you have the correct status with MGM or Marriott, you can bypass the regular check-in line:

• Gold, Platinum, NOIR, MVP, and MGM Rewards Mastercard holders
• Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite Marriott members (if booking via Marriott)

Sadly, while I have Titanium Elite status with Marriott, I didn’t book via Marriott. I believe that means I wouldn’t be able to use the priority check-in services.

The entrance is just off to the side. As you can tell, there are no lines here.

Once inside, in addition to virtually no wait to check in, there is also some water and snacks. There is no free alcohol here–that’s saved for the higher roller elite check in area across the way for those with even higher status.

The room

Want to know the problem of doing mobile check-in? We ended up on the third floor in Room 3-209. I suppose that’s the downside of not talking to an agent who might help you get a better room on a higher floor. We wouldn’t be surprised if the hotel places those using mobile check-in into the worst rooms on the property because it’s hard to complain to a phone app.

Bedroom

Just look at that room. I know it wasn’t last remodeled in the 70s, but the look of it reminds me a lot of the wood paneling that existed back in that era. There’s something about this color pattern that just feels rather earthy. The beds are fine and thankfully they give plenty of pillows.

Across from the beds is the TV, desk, and dresser. The desk is at least operable with optical mice. And there’s more of that natural wood look.

I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a hotel TV with all sorts of connections like RCA.

Right next to the TV is the snack sensor. I know this is a common thing specifically in Las Vegas, but I hate it. When I was a kid, I remember accidentally touching these trays but then putting the snacks back right away and not getting charged. That’s not the case now. If you touch it–even just a nudge–you will pay for it. Alex accidentally moved the M&Ms and we were charged an absurd $16. I might have been able to call to try and have it waived, but the sign does say if you touch it, you will pay. I wasn’t in the mood to argue with the front desk.

If that’s not enough for you, the mini-fridge below has plenty more traps to avoid.

There are a couple of pink chairs in the corner of the room.

A couple of closets bordered the entrance to the bathroom. Char wanted to show off one of the closets.

The view from the room was… nonexistent. It’s the third floor, what do you expect? There’s absolutely nothing you can see here other than the roof of the casino floor that hasn’t been cleaned in decades.

Bathroom

Let’s start with the good. The mirror is large and there are a couple of sinks, which makes it helpful if multiple people need to wash hands at the same time.

The bathroom has both a tub and a shower. Here’s the bathtub, but do you notice the problem? There’s no soap! Not sure why that’s the case but it’s a major oversight.

The shower is not good at all. Unfortunately, the water temperature is wildly inconsistent while in use. It will move from scalding hot to ice cold quickly and frequently as you shower. Quick showers are a must.

Toiletries are by MGM Resorts because why not? It’s not good, but you might be tempted to run between the tub and the mounted toiletries in the shower to get your soap. Despite the tub not having its own soap, at least the water doesn’t change rapidly once poured into the tub.

A discount to Michael Jackson One?

There is a door tag in the room that offers a discount to Michael Jackson One, a running show at the Mandalay Bay. Here they’re advertising a 20% discount off ticket prices.

Head to that website and you’ll find the 20% discount is actually “up to 20%”, with a starting price of $69 and a discounted price of $65.70. That’s only a 4.8% discount. Wow, really breaking the bank to give that discount.

As if to rub salt in the wounds of their guests wanting a good deal, just going to the website without any discount showed the same $69 tickets being sold for $62.05. That’s a 10% discount–better than the “up to 20%” deal but still not meeting the 15% discount the site is claiming. Sigh, Vegas, sometimes you frustrate me.

The pools at Mandalay Bay Beach

What’s the one thing at the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas resort that everyone comes here for? The Mandalay Bay Beach area with all the pools. Just show your room key to get in. On top of Mandalay Bay guests, access is also available to guests of the Four Seasons and the W.

When we were here over the summer, the Mandalay Bay Beach was open from 8AM to 7PM. They did do a bag check when entering, but it was solely to search for glass bottles. They didn’t seem to care if you bring your own food or drinks.

There’s a lazy river that is very crowded with currents so quick that it cannot be described as “lazy”. I had to wait until the area was closing before taking a picture. There are $25 floaties you can buy but come at the end of the day and you’ll find plenty others have left behind.

Next to the lazy river is a wave pool. But this has to be the worst wave pool we’ve been to. You’d get one wave to come out, followed by minutes of silence before another single wave came out. It’s hard to say this one is a “wave pool” with a straight face.

And then there is a regular pool. Once again, this is crowded until the shade falls over the pool–and then it becomes cold incredibly quickly. I don’t think the pools are heated at all, relying solely on the heat from the sun.

One very disappointing thing about the pool area is the complete lack of shade anywhere. If you want shade, you’re going to have to pay $450+ for a cabana. Being out here in the dead heat of the Las Vegas sun in the summer is exhausting. You might think you want to stay out here all day, but the crowding and the lack of shade just make this a drag.

Breakfast at Citizens

One morning of our stay, we wanted to keep things simple and just dine at the Mandalay Bay. We wandered over to Citizens to try it out. There is both a to-go section and a full-service restaurant, and the kids wanted to dine there.

There are all sorts of memorabilia on the wall to create a nice ambiance.

The menu is pretty simple, with a menu reminiscent of a standard diner.

But did you catch the ultra fine print at the bottom of the menu? “To help defray the rising costs of the restaurant industry, a 5% surcharge will be added to your check. If you would like this surcharge removed, please let us know. Thank you for supporting a healthier and happier restaurant staff.” Disingenuous pricing like this completely erodes trust. Just change the menu price to reflect what you want to charge. Don’t try to sneak in an extra fee that just adds to your bottom line.

We ordered the ultimate breakfast ($22), which was heavy. Just like you might expect at a typical diner, there are more carbs than anything else on the plate. It’s fine but feels hard to justify spending $22 on two eggs with sides.

We also ordered a bacon omelet ($19). Still, plenty of potatoes that came with the dish. They covered the omelet in globs of cheese, but this one was at least more satisfying that the ultimate breakfast.

The last item we ordered was the breakfast burrito ($20). We found the burrito way too heavy on the diet and could only eat half. I’d say stick to the omelet.

Hotel attractions

If you want to go visit an aquarium, you could go check out the Shark Reef Aquarium. We didn’t view it on this most recent trip, but we did do it in the past when we held MGM Platinum status. (MGM Platinum members can get free tickets to this aquarium.)

It’s a very simple aquarium that leads you in a single path around the exhibit. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the money they’re charging for it. You’re better off going on a short drive to the Silverton where there is a free aquarium with mermaids.

The other thing you might want to consider is Swingers, a mini-golf experience that allows kids before 5PM daily. We didn’t get a chance to try this but perhaps a future visit to Las Vegas.

Service is non-existent at the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas

I don’t want to fully rehash what we’ve already expressed frustration on, but to summarize:

• Someone entered our room without our consent.
• Whoever did this also did it to other rooms on our floor.
• The Mandalay Bay initially denied this, but later admitted it’s possible and promised to follow up with us.
• Rather than following up with us, the hotel made zero attempt to contact us.

Could this have been a wellness check to make sure we weren’t setting up a sniper rifle? Possible, since we did mobile check-in (does that increase the risk of this happening?) rather than talking to the front desk. However, did you see the view we had from the room? There’s no clear view to hit someone.

Recommendation: A strong “no”

I’ve stayed at the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas many times in the past. However, it has been a few years since I last had a chance to stay here. Sadly, there’s really nothing left that holds up well to scrutiny:

• Outdated rooms
• A shower that oscillates between scalding hot and ice cold
• Pools that don’t work, are overcrowded, and have no shade
• A lack of taking security concerns seriously

In terms of the overall package, this has to be our worst hotel experience vs. expectations in years. The Mandalay Bay can take the $16 charge for the M&M’s we moved and didn’t take. We absolutely will not be back–ever.

Suggested reading:

• Destination Spotlight: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Low Las Vegas Crowds: Is It As Empty As They Say?
• Quick Hit: Overriding The Hotel Thermostat In Your Room