The Mirage Las Vegas has been working hard to improve the hotel. They've added a new dining option -- the Carnegie Deli -- which offers another casual dining option. Kokomo's is a great place to get steak or lobster. The California Pizza Kitchen is a great option for visitors on a budget. The flagship restaurant at Mirage Las Vegas is Renoir, which offers fine French cuisine.

The most impressive improvement is the new baccarat and high-stakes blackjack room. All we can say is, WOW! One of the big casino companies finally got something right! This is the most impressive place to play blackjack -- anywhere. When the Mirage decided to redesign their high-stakes blackjack and baccarat room, they apparently decided to raise the bar. No other room in Vegas (or anywhere else in the world but Monte Carlo) can hold a candle to this one. The room consists of eight blackjack tables with a bar and lounge. The ultra-hip New York style lounge reminds us more of the lounge at the Hudson Hotel in Manhattan than of a place to play blackjack. If you're going to Vegas to play blackjack, and you're willing to play a minimum of $100 per hand, this is your destination. During peak times, several of the tables are bumped up to $300 per hand minimum, but you can almost always find a $100 table. Half the tables are six-deck shoe games, and half are double-deck games dealt by hand.

Mirage also has one of the best pools in Las Vegas. It's not quite as fancy as Mandalay Bay's (which has a wave pool and lazy river) and doesn't have poolside blackjack tables like Wynn

Behind the pool is the dolphin habitat and Siegfried & Roy's secret garden. Both are worth more than the price of admission. If you like animals, make sure you get to Mirage to check these exhibits out.

The biggest weakness of the Mirage is the quality of the rooms. The suites are fabulous, but if you are staying in a regular hotel deluxe room, they could use a little work. I'm not sure why the Mirage Las Vegas hasn't spent the money to renovate all of its basic hotel rooms. The ones that have been renovated are nice. The others seem dingy, have low-grade hotel beds and bedding, and have tiny bathrooms. Of course, you probably aren't planning to spend much time in your room when you go to Las Vegas, so this is a problem that is easily overlooked.

Overall, the Mirage Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is a great option for your stay. The location is great, being near Bellagio, Caesar's, Harrah's, Venetian, Treasure Island, and Wynn Las Vegas. Our recommendation is that if you want a great room, stay at Wynn or Bellagio, but even if you do that, make sure to go to Mirage to play blackjack, because you won't find a better place to play!
About the Author

Tom Schmidt is a travel writer for SearchingCities.com. He has written articles about Las Vegas Restaurants and New York City Tours and Atlantic City Hotels.