The Bellagio is one of my favorite hotels in Las Vegas. If you follow the Dine Drink Vegas podcast or YouTube channel, you know how much I love the Bellagio. Unfortunately, I can’t always get to Vegas. However, I share something with millions of Americans. It is only a short drive to Biloxi, Mississippi, and the Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino is built to look exactly like the Bellagio.
Let’s start with some basic details. Biloxi is about six hours via car from Houston, Atlanta, or Memphis. That makes it an easy drive for millions of Americans. The Gulfport airport (GPT) is 23 minutes away in light traffic. Many MGM Rewards players from Las Vegas receive discount mailers to go to the Beau Rivage at huge discounts. It is located next to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (video link), and it is near the Golden Nugget, Harrah’s, and a number of other properties. Is it Las Vegas? No. Is it a reasonable facsimile which is often cheaper and easier to get to? Very much yes.
Beau Rivage Review– What is the property like?
If you want to see what the property is like, we have three videos up on Dine Drink Vegas. You can see a 24 hour review of the property, a review of the gorgeous corner king room, or a tour of the buffet. I recognize, however, that you probably clicked on this link because you wanted to read about it. Cool. I can help with that.
I will split this section into two parts– the property and the service. The property is absolutely beautiful. The spa is lovely (although stay tuned when I talk about service), the casino is pleasant, and the restaurants are really good. I kinda wanna rent a pool cabana to spend a day. You can earn and redeem MGM Rewards points. That makes this an even more viable Vegas alternative. The buffet is a little small, but that seems like a super specific criticism. The location on the beach and next to the Hard Rock is perfect. The property is as good as it might be.
Customer service at the Beau Rivage
Unfortunately, the service at the Beau Rivage is not as good as the property itself. It is almost as if they are relying on great facilities and think they don’t have to do anything with them. For example, I left something in my car and had to return to the valet. I stood where they told me and nothing happened. Somebody then came over and mumbled under his breath that he heard the conversation that I had with the valet and I was in the wrong place. When I checked in early, my room wasn’t ready. That’s fine, because I was early. What was weird was that they couldn’t text me and tell me when it was ready. I had to simply stand in line a second time and hope.
There was a coffee service in the room, but no mugs or cups for the coffee. I checked in on Monday, and room service was outside my room. It was still there Tuesday. Signs had wrong hours. The service just wasn’t good. Perhaps the biggest problem came in the spa, where four customers had out cameras in the changing area. When I complained to the two staff members, they had to get off their phones. I complained to the manager, filled out a form, and it still took two days for anyone to call me. The hotel is great. The service was not.
What is there to do in Biloxi?
No Beau Rivage review can be complete without talking about Biloxi. I love Las Vegas. I truly do. However, sometimes I am just seeking a different ambiance. Biloxi will quite frequently scratch that itch.
Let’s start by talking about what Biloxi is no good for. If you want a loud party scene, please go to Las Vegas. They know how to help you. Biloxi does not. If you want to drink and gamble with your friends, however, Biloxi is perfect. You can also hang out on the beach or rent a charter boat. There are several steakhouses, seafood restaurants, and bars within an easy walk. There is a minor league baseball stadium across the street.
Mississippi also allows sports betting. Biloxi is a perfect place to gather with a group of guys to go fishing, make a few bets in the sports book, and watch whatever game is on. You might also have a perfectly lovely spa weekend. There is an Air Force base on the island, and that results in some fun bars. Protip: Don’t try to keep up with fighter pilots while drinking. I enjoyed several local restaurants, most of all Mary Mahoney’s. Biloxi is great. You just have to remember that Gulf Coast Vegas and the real Las Vegas share a lot of similarities, but they offer a very different energy.
Final Beau Rivage Review
I won’t lie. It helps that I won about $1000 at this property. The blackjack rules aren’t super player-friendly, but it worked for me. I had a great time, and I will absolutely be back. The problem is that the beautiful facilities in a lovely town do not match the rather less helpful hotel staff. If you want an alternative, you might check out our review of the Hard Rock Hotel next door. For my money, I intend to go back to Beau Rivage and give it one more shot. I am going to assume they just had a bad service day, and the facilities and location make it worth a second chance.
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