Room Quality: By far the best of the bunch of the Tahoe casino resorts. All the rooms are over 500 square feet with 2 bathrooms, each of which has a telephone and a television. Why you would need two bathrooms, let alone two bathrooms with TVs in them, is so far beyond our comprehension that we won't even speculate. Just suffice it to say these are some swankalicious rooms that really don't cost much more than those at the other resorts.

	Check prices for this property with Expedia and HotelDiscount.com. Weekday $120-$160 Discount Weekday $80-$130 Weekend $170-$200 Discount Weekend $130-$170 What does discount mean?

Service Quality: Harrah's doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to service, and this property is no exception. Despite the phones in the can, they're not looking to waste a lot of money on you, so don't expect to be coddled too much. On the other hand, they do offer a shuttle bus to ski resorts, which is pretty handy if you're hitting the slopes.

What You Get Bottles of in the Bathroom: Shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Nothing special here.

Clientele: A little bit older than the average Tahoe crowd, but you'll still see some goateed snowboarders mixed in there for good measure.

How's the Pool? They've got a big ol' indoor pool under a glass dome, which is open year-round, and an outdoor pool for those warm summer months. There's lots of room for swimming at this joint.

Table Games: They've got it all in this giant casino - Blackjack (either from a shoe, or single deck with that horrible 6:5 payout on blackjack that's becoming increasingly popular these days... at least among people who have no idea how bad it is), craps, roulette, Pai Gow, Let it Ride, Mini- and regular Baccarat. More ways to lose money than at a pickpockets convention.

Bet Minimums: Five bucks and up at this upscale resort. Roulette has $1 chips. Machines go as low as pennies.

Machines: Tahoe is slowly catching up to the digital slot craze, but there's still a good mix of the old reel-type machines in here. You won't find full pay video poker for less than a buck, and even then it's tough to spot. Look closely at the pay tables for the multi-game machines, because even on the same machine, some of the VP might be full-pay and the rest really lousy.

Cocktails? Oh, they'll happily make you drunk and goofy while you're playing. Just don't forget to tip the cocktail waitress or else you'll be ignored. And you'll go to hell when you die -- those ladies work hard for their money!

Who Gets Comps? They are pretty tight with the comps. Expect to spend many hours playing $25/hand or lots of coin-in slots before they even give you a free meal.

American River Cafe: This coffee shop is actually underground, in the space between Harvey's and Harrah's. It's a basic coffee shop, open 24 hours a day, with slightly higher than average prices.

Forest Buffet: The best part of this buffet is the view. It's way the heck up on the 18th floor, and overlooks the lake. How's the food? you ask. Who cares? Look at that lake!

Friday's Station: Don't worry, this steak and seafood restaurant has nothing to do with the Friday's chain. Like the buffet, it's up on the 18th floor, with spectacular views. They grill everything up for you on a hardwood barbecue, but it costs a pretty penny. Actually, lunch is reasonable for the good food, but plain old breakfasts for well over ten bucks seems silly. The wine list is pretty good, too, if youcan tell the difference between a 95 Pomerol and a ripple.

Gi Fu Loh: This fancy Chinese place on the second floor has a fantastic fixed price meal and some other good dishes. The menu is limited, but just go with the fixed and you'll be more than happy. Dinner only.

The Summit: It's on the 16th floor, which means it's actually two floors down from the buffet, but this gourmet American restaurant is probably a better choice as a location for proposing to your girlfriend, unless you both think hiding a ring for her to discover in a mound of corned beef hash is hilarious. The views are spectacular, and the food is reported to be top-shelf. This joint wins all kinds of awards from fancy publications like Wine Spectator. Just bring plenty of money, and wear something nice for a change, okay?

Arcade: The basement houses a huge arcade, with loads of those games where kids can win tickets and redeem them for junky toys. It's a great way to introduce your kids to the reality that gambling almost always is a disappointment.

Casino Center Stage: If we wanted to be precise, we'd have to tell you that this lounge is actually off to one side of the casino, but if we said that we'd seem nerdier than we already do. So instead we'll just tell you that you can find slightly better than average lounge acts here every night, and a big screen TV during the day.

South Shore Room: Top-draw headliners like Don Rickles and Penn and Teller. Headliner shows will run you about $40-$50. When nobody's booked, the room serves as a nightclub called "Altitude," where 30 and 40-year olds move to the smooth music and sip overpriced cocktails.

Vex: The club is called Vex, but they make the V look like an "S". Get it? How very naughty. The nightclub is a large space, and so long as it's not being rented out for a dentist's convention door prize raffle, they have a club in here on weekend nights with overpriced drinks, loud house music and scantily clad waitresses.

Number of TVs: None, but there are a few at the bar next door.

Number of Seats: None. It's not really a sportsbook, just a desk where you can make some wagers.

How Many Betting Windows? Just two, with electronic signboards.

Snack Bar? Nope.

Minimum Wager: $5 for sports, $2 for races.

Other Notes: Since Harrah's bought Harvey's across the street, they figured they could save a little space by combining the sports books into one room. So if you want to watch any games, you have to head through the tunnel under Highway 50 (or just cross the street) to do it. You can book bets here if that's all you need.