The Trop is getting a facelift. The rooms are nice now and represent a value. The pool is partially restored to its former glory. The restaurants are still lagging, there are still very rundown chunks of the joint, but at least they no longer have all those hucksters selling timeshares and tchotchkes in the halls.
Room Quality: The Trop is shaking off its disco and shag fog. The Paradise Tower is the first to be updated, still with a tropical theme. They are a good size, have large, nice flat-screen TVs with HD programming, nice light colors, iPod docks. The carpets are tan and burnt orange, and the bedding is white and fluffy. The bathrooms are pretty standard, though. They go for a premium fee over the Island Tower and the "garden" rooms. The Island Tower is older and much more worn and dated than the Paradise Tower -- it looks like the 1979 interpretation of tropical. They have tubs big enough for two people, mirrors and bamboo. The garden rooms are in motel structures around the pool, and boy are they looking beat down with torn carpet and lots of nicks and scratches. They have balconies, which is a nice touch if they didn't overlook parking lots. They are the oldest rooms and are close enough to the ground that you hear a lot of cars and buses.
Service Quality: Fair. The hotel shows its age, and so do some of its employees. The incessant bombardment of people trying to sell you timeshares or magnets or cell phone accessories is tiring and unpleasant.
What You Get Bottles of in the Bathroom: You get plain shampoo, conditioner, bath gel and lotion, regardless of what part of the hotel you're staying in. So, nobody will be able to sniff you and tell if you are low-rolling or living it up.
Clientele: Not as popular with the jet set as it once was, it mostly draws an older clientele these days. Or families with kids looking for a tropical pool on a budget.
How's the Pool? Mostly open but still not complete. It's not the nicest, but for the price it's a good value. There is a long meandering tropical lagoon pool with a small waterfall. There is swim-up blackjack There are many chaises and a few upscale bungalows near the pool.
Table Games: Blackjack, craps, roulette, Let It Ride, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker. The games are pretty good for this area. The casino is sort of small compared to its neighbors, and it can get cramped.
Bet Minimums: $10 at blackjack and craps and some of the oddball card games. The single-deck pays 6:5, so skip it at all bet levels. There are 3x4x5x odds at craps, which is standard. Roulette has $1 chips and a $5 minimum.
Machines: Slots from a nickel on up to $10 in the high-roller area. There is a good selection of video poker, with full-pay in most denominations. You have to seek them out, though, because they have lots of poor-paying machines, too. The Trop has lots of the new video reel games, but if those confuse you like they do us, you'll also find plenty of traditional reel slots to play.
Cocktails? Fair. As we have found in our arduous research, it is a chore to get drunk while playing slots or tables at the Tropicana.
Who Gets Comps? They are pretty good for the neighborhood. If you play $20 and up for a few hours at the tables be sure to ask to be rated beforehand. Of course, you better be nice and make sure the pit boss sees you playing. Rooms can be had for a few hours of $100 a hand play.
Bacio Pasta & Vino: A standard Italian eatery, this place serves up dinner only for a reasonable price.
Legends Steak and Seafood: If you're in the mood for a fair steak, here's the place. Service is not up to the standard of a gourmet room, but nothing at the Tropicana is.
There is the South Beach Cafe and Deli just off the casino floor for a pastrami sandwich or a salad, Havana Go Go for coffee, drinks and sandwiches, and a Havana Go Go Too, in case the other one is too far a walk. By the way, Havana Go Go isn't all that Cuban.
Brad Garrett's Comedy Club: Garrett had a run of success on "Everybody Loves Raymond" and a good career doing stand up. Don't expect to see him in the club named after him, though. He has promised to make appearances, sometimes performing, sometimes just greeting. Mostly, though, this is a typical club with an opener, middler and headliner doing their bits for about 90 minutes total.
Hypnosis Unleashed: The small "cellar" club hosts this raunchy hypnotism show. It seems all hypnotist shows now are geared to be risque and have audience members do embarrassing and naughty things. This one is no different, except that it actually stars two hypnotists instead of one.
Number of TVs: Seven, no big screens.
Number of Seats: Just about 25. They aren't reserved, and are as comfortable as the average sports book chair.
How Many Betting Windows? Four, with hand-written boards.
Free Drinks? No.
Snack Bar? No, but there is a little convenience store and deli within a minute's walk.
Minimum Wager: $5
Other Notes: This is a rinky dink Leroy-operated sports-only book in a little room tucked away next to a staircase near the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. It's pretty hidden and pretty quiet since few people seem able to find it. Once we visited, somebody had left a big wet spot on one of the seats, which creeped us out plenty but obviously didn't move the janitorial folks.
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