Val Penny's Hotel and Restaurant Reviews The Traveller's Guide to Hotels and Restaurants around the World

On a recent visit to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, my husband and I had a chance to visit the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino. This hotel is housed in its own tower. Predictably, Rio is a busy Brazilian themed casino resort offering opulent all-suite accommodation a block from the Strip. It is a lively hotel and a party atmosphere reverberates through the vibrant red, purple and blue neon towers of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, where large suites, ample entertainment and popular dining combine for the ultimate off-Strip experience.

We ere really taken by the meals at the Rio. The Carnival World Buffet certainly delivers on its name and offers the delicious fare of just about everywhere. Another must-try eateries in the Rio is Martorano’s. Our meal there was delicious. Alternatively, you might want to try Hash House A Go Go. It has a home-style atmosphere and serves breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner items in enormous portions. You could also stop for a burger at the BK Whopper Bar or the All-American Bar & Grille. There are plenty of choices.

No Vegas vacation would be complete without a show, so we planned to take in the grand illusions of magical duo Penn & Teller, but due to a mix up we missed the show and lost our opportunity to see them. We also did not get our money refunded by the hotel, although they re-sold our tickets to someone else. That left a sour taste in my mouth and there was no way my husband wanted to see the male dancers of Chippendales nor did I want to see the beautiful ladies in the topless revue X Rocks! However, both men and women will delight in amazing views of Las Vegas from the VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub, located on the 51st story of the resort’s Masquerade Tower.

This resort exudes high energy fun and watching the tricks and antics of the bartenders is amazing. The vibrant 100,000-square-foot casino floor features more than 1,200 slots, all the favorite table games, poker room, race and sports book and keno lounge. The resort also plays host to the main event of the World Series of Poker each year. The staff here takes customer service very seriously, and the service is courteous, friendly and prompt but not intrusive. The suite-sized rooms are also among the largest in town, with amenities ranging from a refrigerator to an in-room safe.

The Rio’s pool area, which includes a sandy beach, looks and feels like a tropical paradise. We were very impressed. The Rio also offers fabulous shopping in Masquerade Village and throughout the property as well. We decided against shaming ourselves and avoided trying the VooDoo Zip Line. It is an 800-foot zip ride, it may add excitement at the resort, but we felt it was more excitement than we were looking for. It takes off from the VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub, located atop the hotel’s 50-story Masquerade Tower, guests can cascade toward the Ipanema Tower, reaching speeds up to 33 miles per hour passing the beautiful views of the Las Vegas Strip.

If you are looking for a Carnaval spirit, head to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Like its namesake in South America, this is a marvelous resort in the middle of the desert. I highly recommend it.

Valerie Penny