The Rio is a nice casino
that attracts a younger clientele. Not as GenerationX as the Hard Rock Cafe the Rio
caters to the 20s-40s crowd. A number of factors contribute to this fact. First of
all, guests are discouraged from bringing their children to the hotel and casino. The Rio
actively pursues a Mardi Gras / Carnival feel, and they feel children might hamper this
mood. Another contributing factor is that on the 41st floor of the newly constructed
tower, the Rio has opened the Voodoo Cafe, the hippest joint in town. ( see attractions)
The Voodoo Cafe offers live jazz, dancing, a fantastic view and some of the hottest people
in Vegas. The nightclub in the casino, Club Rio also packs in the pretty people in a
video/techno, New York style dance club. If you're still not sure, the cocktail waitresses
outfits will convince you that the casino is intended for adults only.
The Rio also features
"The Masquerade Show in the Sky", three different shows that all have
scantily clad performers lip sync a variety of songs. Floats suspended from the ceiling in
conjunction with dancers on the stage below evoke a party atmosphere, and is more fun than
we make it sound. It's worth seeing if you're at the casino, but doesn't deserve a special
trip. Shows are conducted from noon to 10 pm, Sunday through Tuesday and from 1 pm to 11pm
Thursday through Saturday. (Dark Wednesdays). Try to catch the show from the balcony on
the second level.
The casino itself is
designed like the French Quarter on an acid trip. There is plenty of neon and swirling
colors. The "Masquerade Village" is open and airy, especially compared to the
rest of the casino which tends to be a bit dark and confined. However, the Masquerade show
is performed here, so it can get noisy and crowded during showtimes.
The rooms in the Rio are
purportedly the biggest in Vegas. Each room is considered a suite complete with couch,
coffee table, refrigerator, coffee makers and other amenities. The windows in the
rooms extend from the floor to the ceiling and have a nice view. All this sounds nice, but
overall the rooms are nothing to write home about.
