Technically
they call themselves The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. I wonder
why that never caught on because everybody  calls
it 'The Rio'. Official titles usually don't catch on but 'The Rio' has
definitely earned a reputation in Las Vegas.
There are a lot of reason why the Rio is distinctive and worth
checking out. As a former 'buffet gourmet', I still consider the
"Carnival World Buffet" to be not only the best buffet court
you will ever see, but better by far. We don't usually recommend
restaurants but this is an experience. They do Asian to Mexican
cuisine very well and in a personalized setting that resembles each
specific type of restaurant. You can order Chinese and they will make
it for you right there, fresh. Italian food, go over to the section
and they will do the same.
The setting is great and done with the Vegas finesse which is standard
at best places. The buildup, or what anywhere else would be called a
wait in line, is great also. The volume of people which this place
handles is amazing. The line was about 6 to 8 people wide and it
wrapped around the casino for some distance. The atmosphere is like
standing in line at a movie on a Friday or Saturday night, every
night. There is anticipation and people look forward to the
experience.
There
is a lot going on at the Rio all the time during the evening hours.
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Starting at 3pm and continuing until 9:30pm, 'The Masquerade Show In
The Sky' is a free performance which takes place throughout the
Masquerade Village part of the casino. This is a 2-story part of the
casino where shops and food places line the upper deck.
One of the hottest places to go in Vegas is the VooDoo Lounge. They
open at 5 and live music starts at 9 on week days 10 on the weekend.
The view from the deck is amazing. We will try to get photos from
there soon.
The Rio also has a notable pool area. Some of the villa like suites
can be seen in this area along with a lot of people braving the
hazards of solar radiation.
Photo-wise the Rio is one of those places that shoots best in the day
time. Night shots are problematic because the lights are scant and do
not show how good this hotel really looks. |
 The
first photo was taken on October 11, 2000 and this is where I first
encountered the problematic nature of shooting night scenes with a
digital camera. The problem at that time was that digital cameras
really did not have any sophisticated controls necessary to do a
complicated night shot. Another problem is that some places simply
don't look their best in photos at night. The Luxor is perhaps the
best example of that but the Rio is a close second.
The design of the Rio is very distinct and depends on the deep blue
and red colored windows contrasting with the blue of the sky or reds
of a sunset. This cannot be pulled off at night.
The Brazillian theme lends itself well to all aspects of the resort
but some of the architecture looks good in its setting and might be
appropriate in any number of themes.
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