For nearly 20 years I've been going to the Las Vegas clubs – usually 3-4 times per year when I'm there for business or just taking some time off. I recall the days when Crazy Horse and Olympic Garden were the hot spots. Then came Spearmint Rhino and now all the high glitz clubs like Sapphire, Treasures, Hustler and others. For me, the heyday of the Olympic Garden was the best Vegas has ever offered. But something is different with the Vegas clubs in recent years. They are not as naturally fun and loose as they once were and I've come away from my recent visits exhausted (and not in a good way). And here is the heart of problem – Vegas has become all about the upsell. It now costs $30 to get into some of these clubs. I know you can to get picked up but I've never really planned that far in advance. I like the old days when you could just show up in a taxi and not get robbed coming in the door. Then once you're in the drinks are $12 for a gin and tonic. Take a girl to a 3/1 dance room or the half hour VIP and you're hit up for anywhere from $30 - $150 in mandatory drinks. Then the dancers want tips plus tips for the bouncer/attendant. And then of course there are the girls – coming in from all points across the U.S. In Vegas they know they'll never see any of these guys again so their only incentive is to get as much money from each guy they encounter as possible. So they upsell – they overpromise on a 3/1 or a VIP and consistently under deliver. It doesn't matter – they'll never see you again. That is what is different from the hometown clubs. This has always been a hazard with Vegas clubs but in recent years this has become the norm. And I get exhausted trying to weed through the genuine versus the flake and it feels too much like a continuous battle. And so after my latest visits this last week to the Spearmint and Treasures (I'm not even going to bother with reviews), I'm ending this long term relationship with Vegas stripclubs. I'll be back to Houston and Detroit and I'll try to find some new favorite cities as well. But I'm quitting Las Vegas.
I've felt for a long time that Vegas' image as Sin City exceeds the reality by a significant degree. Your story, and the reviews I see coming out of those clubs, only confirm my opinion. Prostitution and gambling are legal. Big deal. Gambling, were I inclined to waste my money that way, is legal within driving distance here, too, and while not legal, prostitution is readily available and *considerably* less expensive than flying and all the other costs associated with Vegas.
You will get much better value at Houston Area clubs. Those Vegas clubs sound like a ripoff. If near Hobby Airport I recommend Ritz, Heartbreakers. If near IAH I recommend St James, Ricks Cabaret. Westchase area: Centerfolds, Treasures, and Penthouse Club
Vegas out priced it's self for me many years ago. I can remember when Western Air lines ran 18 flights a day from LAX to LAS. The Mafia was running things and were skimming off the top of the gambling money. They literally gave the rest of it to you for free. Or nominal charge. Food, lodging and shows. Now every part of the hotel business must turn a profit. There are now places to gamble all over the country. Not fancy but with reasonable prices. If strip clubs is your bag there are better clubs elsewhere. With better prices and mileage.
I see the same thing happening in New Orleans, minus the taxi payoff. The French Quarter strip clubs are geared towards taking as much money from tourists they'll never see again. Upsell is high, value is extremely low. Drinks $10-12, even a soda is $7. They'll even charge an outrageous cover to go into a club with only 3 or 4 subpar girls working. I've found the best value can be found in Rust-Belt-esque types of towns.
With Detroit, if you cross the tunnel to windsor escorts are legal and prices range from $160-260/hour. There are also casinos. As for Vegas, I guess the only great thing about it is the 24/7 strip club concept. Where else can you get a LD at 8AM in the morning to satisfy that morning wood!
First of all, thanks for the Topic I just came from Vegas Two week's ago and you hit the nail on the head what a rip off I live in Miami Where the club Tootsies claims to out Vegas, Vegas and man do they ever check it out if you get the chance. I was also in Reno that is just as bad as Vegas. I would think with the economy the way it is that Reno would seize the opportunity to steal the Vegas thunder but nope all about robbing a tourist and making sure they never come back.anyway's Y'All come on down to So. Florida we'll treat you rite with full nude,full friction,full bar,full Kitchen,smoking and Ball's to the wall fun and all for half the price of Vegas & Reno oh yeah plenty of Gambling too
I've heard others complain how vegas has gone for fun and funky to corporate.
Vegas has always been about glitz, but what it has now become about is conspicuous consumption. That is the spending of money simply to show off the fact that you have money to burn. That applies equally to the bigger-bigger-bigger attitude of the casinos themselves but also the behavior of the visitors. And cash spent showing off at the strip clubs can be more easily hidden upon return as having 'lost it at the tables'.
I remember the original Crazy Horse on Paradise Road. It was a place that maybe could have had a dozen dancers working at once, nice and personal. Couldn't survive. Do you honestly think that your favorite hometown club would last a year transplanted to Industrial Road?
All that high end marble and chrome and glitz costs money. Square footage costs money. Paying off cab drivers costs money. It all has to be made up at the door or by charging the dancers more for use of the private rooms.
I absolutely agree. I used to live here and because of regular visits got to know some dancers. Other than visiting the dancers I like, going to the strip clubs in Vegas is not my thing anymore. Although as a visitor the convenience of taking a cab and drinking and not worrying about driving was a huge plus the way things have changed it is not the same anymore. Hopefully the clubs offering the pickup services alleviate the payoff problems a little bit but does not seem to lower the prices one bit. Other than visiting Cheetahs in the afternoon and OG because of the dancer I know, I don't feel like a strip club visit while in Vegas anymore.
Prostitution is not legal in Vegas. You have to leave city limits and travel out to county lines to find "legal prostitution" at those ranches where your are looking at anywhere from a $500-$1500 tab.
I have to agree, Vegas is a huge waste. If I was looking for action, Florida or Texas would be my destination of choice.
Last time in Vegas I did an 8-hour stint at the main stage of The Rhino, passing out the $1s. Cost me $200 and while I saw tons of eye candy, I don't think I ever saw the same gal twice. That seems to me to be the best value of Las Vegas strip clubs. Otherwise, yes, the girls and the clubs try and try and try to milk you for every dollar they can. [Add Toronto to your Detroit trip (they're only 5 hrs. apart by car.)]
Interesting side story: during that 8-hr Rhino stint, a dancer baby crawled across the stage after locking on me and said "I know you, from Cheetah's in San Diego." True. I had bought two VIPs there from her, both at 8 songs for $100 when the going rate was 5 for $100. I think she remembered that too because at the Rhino she offered to do the 3 for $100 deal at 5 songs for $100. Problem is, thanks to TUSCL, I knew the mileage I received at Cheetah's was likely better than what I would get at The Rhino. So I bought one $20 couch lapper from her for old time's sake. So yes, I did see a Vegas dancer again -- well, actually she remembered me! (Course she wanted my money...)
Just came back from Vegas. Our visit included two strip club visits: 1) daytime to OG, and 2) nighttime to Rick's. I anguished over the choices, because of the generally poor value for money at Vegas clubs. We lucked out at Rick's. We got in for free and enjoyed $20 lap dances at our seats. But over half the girls were up-selling for VIP, and one girl said flat out she only does VIP. She is living off young, drunk guys who expect to blow $500 in a club and get little in return...certainly no extras. As others have suggested, there are many other places to go to get strip club value. Road trip!
shadowcat: you're right but like a lot of things, Vegas has grown past what it originally was. Laughlin has taken over a lot of that business, with the casinos subsidizing everything else, so you can still stay and eat cheap. I don't know of any SCs around Laughlin, but the river party crowd gets really wild there - all kinds of naked rompery going on!
If I were looking for serious pay to play action I would probably head to Canada. Hot escorts are everywhere, and legal. I've been hit up so many times in bars and nightclubs in Vancouver and Victoria, plus there are ads everywhere. A friend of mine does a lot of websites for escorts there. The SCs in BC do suck though.
You are right about Vegas however you should not be done. Club fees have gone up and the heyday of Crazy Horse 2 and OG are gone. Now all OG pushes is the private booohts with a liquor chrage of $600 with out the dancer. The dancers are also very upset with this. Yes they are pushing VIP because it is the only way they can make money but most of the time it is a ripoff. Also I do agree in the past you can hang out with a bad night at the tables and not hastled to go to VIP with all the pushing, and have a good time. Last I have noticed some of the regular dancers has dropped off .Most are new and pushing pushing and it is not fun luike it was. Myt advise is do what you want .If you want a dance on the floor fine. Don't go to Sprearment Rhino as I think thatplace is a complete ripoff. Sooon things have to change however Las vegas has changed in the same way with low hotel rates and food when the Mob owned it but they still might own them too.
Mileage is not good in Vegas clubs - but the women are hot!! Last time I was in Rhino in Vegas was about a year ago - it was still $200 for the
1/2 hour room - I think that was the best value in the place. Best area for privacy (semi-privacy actually). I was in good with the bouncer and he gave me more like 45 mins - it was pretty funny. I guess it pays to know the bouncers! Anwyay, my friend left a couple years ago now - but I still think the super-hot dancers are worth the $200 for the 1/2 hour room. The $400 hour room is not nearly as good as it's wide open and offers absolutely no privacy. Remember there is a recession in Vegas, too. The girls come from all over and it costs $$ for airfare and hotels - so they need to make it up on the customers.
The clubs raised the entry fee to $50 for a while - now it's back down to $30 - not all that bad if you're only there once or twice per year. If I want a Bj I'll get an escort - they are a way better value! But for super-hot babes - I still like the Rhino - although perhaps it's changed in the year I've visited.
SC's are just another sideline in Vegas. They always have been. For 60 years its been a gamblers town, anything else was just something to get you out there so you could gamble. The SC's have a lot going for them, but its certainly not a town to hit up specifically for the SC's.
Vegas clubs are tourists traps. Florida clubs have always been better and although the women are lower level in looks Providence clubs offer more for 1/10 of the money.
Vegas always has a peculiar situation. To begin with it is a destination where you are expected to, well, expect to lose your money all along. So the bang-for-your buck ratio can seem to be relatively low.
These days it is NOT a deal to haul yourself all the way to LV just for the "Sin". LV is now primarily a place to go to enjoy big-name Shows and Celebrity restaurateurs AND once you cover that, feel less guilty about including poker and naked girls during lulls in the trip.
18 comments
Vegas has always been about glitz, but what it has now become about is conspicuous consumption. That is the spending of money simply to show off the fact that you have money to burn. That applies equally to the bigger-bigger-bigger attitude of the casinos themselves but also the behavior of the visitors. And cash spent showing off at the strip clubs can be more easily hidden upon return as having 'lost it at the tables'.
I remember the original Crazy Horse on Paradise Road. It was a place that maybe could have had a dozen dancers working at once, nice and personal. Couldn't survive. Do you honestly think that your favorite hometown club would last a year transplanted to Industrial Road?
All that high end marble and chrome and glitz costs money. Square footage costs money. Paying off cab drivers costs money. It all has to be made up at the door or by charging the dancers more for use of the private rooms.
I have to agree, Vegas is a huge waste. If I was looking for action, Florida or Texas would be my destination of choice.
Interesting side story: during that 8-hr Rhino stint, a dancer baby crawled across the stage after locking on me and said "I know you, from Cheetah's in San Diego." True. I had bought two VIPs there from her, both at 8 songs for $100 when the going rate was 5 for $100. I think she remembered that too because at the Rhino she offered to do the 3 for $100 deal at 5 songs for $100. Problem is, thanks to TUSCL, I knew the mileage I received at Cheetah's was likely better than what I would get at The Rhino. So I bought one $20 couch lapper from her for old time's sake. So yes, I did see a Vegas dancer again -- well, actually she remembered me! (Course she wanted my money...)
If I were looking for serious pay to play action I would probably head to Canada. Hot escorts are everywhere, and legal. I've been hit up so many times in bars and nightclubs in Vancouver and Victoria, plus there are ads everywhere. A friend of mine does a lot of websites for escorts there. The SCs in BC do suck though.
1/2 hour room - I think that was the best value in the place. Best area for privacy (semi-privacy actually). I was in good with the bouncer and he gave me more like 45 mins - it was pretty funny. I guess it pays to know the bouncers! Anwyay, my friend left a couple years ago now - but I still think the super-hot dancers are worth the $200 for the 1/2 hour room. The $400 hour room is not nearly as good as it's wide open and offers absolutely no privacy. Remember there is a recession in Vegas, too. The girls come from all over and it costs $$ for airfare and hotels - so they need to make it up on the customers.
The clubs raised the entry fee to $50 for a while - now it's back down to $30 - not all that bad if you're only there once or twice per year. If I want a Bj I'll get an escort - they are a way better value! But for super-hot babes - I still like the Rhino - although perhaps it's changed in the year I've visited.
These days it is NOT a deal to haul yourself all the way to LV just for the "Sin". LV is now primarily a place to go to enjoy big-name Shows and Celebrity restaurateurs AND once you cover that, feel less guilty about including poker and naked girls during lulls in the trip.