EXCALIBUR HOTEL & CASINO

 

The Excalibur is a huge castle connected via walkway to New York New York and the Luxor. The immense structure is bigger than Camelot, and can be just as magical if you're in the mood. A huge hit with families and those who wish to be King Arthur or Queen Guenevere for a day, the Excalibur really tries to transport you to medieval times ( if medieval times had slot machines) . There are battlements, towers and even a fire breathing dragon that rises out of the moat several times a night.  Although it's not as exciting as Treasure Island,  the show held outside the castle is worth seeing.

One of the main drawbacks of the Excalibur besides a restaurant named Lance-a-Lotta Pasta, is the sheer size. Since the Excalibur is one of the largest resort hotels in the world, it can be a bit confusing trying to find your way around. Once you get there, the rooms are large and the Excalibur has some of the biggest bathrooms in Vegas. (insert your own "sitting on the throne" joke here) The castle motif is continued in the rooms as the wallpaper looks like interior of a castle, and the pictures depict jousting knights or something along those lines.  The Excalibur is currently renovating many of it's rooms, but you can be sure that the remodeling will not conflict with the theme. The hotel might be too historically accurate because the hallways are often dimly lit and a bit musty.

The main casino floor is large but otherwise it's looks like the average casino. Occasionally there is a procession of musicians and jesters that wind through the gaming tables. All the performers are costumed in medieval clothing and  provide a pleasant and thankfully short distraction from gambling. (If you get married in the Excalibur's wedding chapel, you can opt to get dressed in medieval garb, and have your own procession through the casino.) The sports book is a good place to check up on your bets. Except on Sundays during football season, it's not too crowded. There is a snack bar located next to the windows that has great hot dogs. There's also a bar within staggering distance.   

Above the main casino floor is an area that looks like a medieval village. Most of the Excalibur's restaurants and stores are located on this level. It can be fun place to linger because there are jugglers, magicians and other performers that conduct short free shows on the Village Jester's Stage throughout the day.  The automated walkway to the Luxor is located on this level.

If you should unfortunately be dubbed Sir Loose-a-lot,  one can take a break in the Fantasy Faire located on the lower level. It  has state of the art video games and simulator rides including Merlin's Magic Motion Theatre. One can also see Tournament of Kings, a "Medieval Times" dinner show like the one seen in the movie " The Cable Guy" . It's a show involving horses jousting and pyrotechnics (it is Las Vegas). HAH-HAH!!