POKER ROOM REVIEW…PLANET HOLLYWOOD

When you enter Planet Hollywood the eye is drawn to the spots of vibrant colors seeming to stand alone in the muted light of the casino. Extensive use of artsy neon reminds guests they are in neon nirvana Las Vegas. The Planet Hollywood hotel offers more than 2,500 guest rooms and varying degrees of luxury suites. All accommodations come with a long list of amenities designed to provide convenience and comfort for all guests. Marble bathrooms, separate soaking tubs, two separate phone lines, hi-speed Internet, two swimming pools located high above the strip on the sixth floor and much more. Click to Planet Hollyywood’s website reservation center for the best room rates or call 1.877.333.9474 for assistance from a reservations specialist.

At the top of every Vegas visitor’s list is food and food is what made the Planet Hollywood brand so popular. Spend an evening being pampered in one of the best steakhouses in America, Chef John Schenk’s Strip House. Satisfy your cravings for exotic entrées of the east at Koi, where Japanese cuisine meets California influence.

Diners seeking great food in a casual setting will enjoy Yolos’ menu of specialty tequilas or P.F. Chang’s China Bistro world famous Chinese selections. Upscale Las Vegas coffee shop fare is available 24/7 at Planet Dailies where you’ll find more than 200 menu items. The Spice Market Buffet was voted the best buffet in Vegas for 2007. Foods from around the world will tempt the never ending appetites. A really great sandwich starts with the fresh-baked breads found at the Earl of Sandwich. My favorite quick pit stop is the famous Pink’s Hot Dog’s, the same that have been enjoyed in LA by Hollywood celebrities for years. If you need a quick designer coffee and pastry then stop by the 24/7 Starbucks.

Nightlife is celebrated at Planet Hollywood at the Extra Lounge where you can rub shoulders with correspondents from TV’s “Extra.” Take in an evening of people watching while sipping your favorite cocktail at Heart Bar or sample the extensive list of beers offered on tap at The Playing Field Lounge. Looking for “A-list” beautiful people then look no further than the Privé, the club where Hollywood’s best known VIP’s gather. Show goers can take in “Stomp Out Loud,” the critically acclaimed dance and drum extravaganza at The Showroom.

Planet Hollywood’s casino is 100,000 square feet, that’s almost two and a half acres of space, filled with a complete selection of everyone’s favorite table games and thousands of modern slot machines. Every slot machine is equipped with Ticket-in Ticket-out technology that eliminates coins, dirty hands and waiting for jackpot payoffs. A separate Mezzanine Casino caters to the higher limit players while the High Rollers have their own special gaming place.

Poker peaks our interest and is cause for the adrenalin to flow so it’s off to the Planet Hollywood’s new 14 table Poker Room. A spacious smoke-free room located in the main casino and managed by Director of Poker Operations, Brad Bryant, a veteran of many years in the Vegas gaming industry.

A variety of cash games are spread including $2-$4, $4-18 and $10-$20 Limit Hold’em. Omaha comes in $3-$6, $5-10 and $10-$20 structured limits. No-Limit Hold’em offerings are $1-$2 with a $50-$200 buy-in, $2-$5 with a $100-$500 buy-in. Seven Card Stud with structured $2-$5 limits and a half dollar ante plays daily. Free poker lessons are available everyday at 9 AM. The poker room will spread most games and conditions with sufficient interest.

Planet Hollywood’s poker room is the Vegas home of well-known Poker Pro Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30 PM join Mizrachi for a Q & A session followed by a 7 PM $60 buy-in bounty tournament. The player eliminating the Grinder picks up $300. Daily poker tournaments are offered at 10 AM, 2 PM and 2 AM; all events have a $50 buy-in and one optional $10 add-on. A Lady Only NLHE event with a $35 entry and an optional $5 add-on is scheduled every Tuesday at 9 PM.

Players earn comps at the rate of $1 / hour with no daily limit. Call the poker room for complete details at 1.702.785.9150. You must have a player’s Club card to receive credit so sign up for your free card before you play. High Hand jackpots earn cash awards of $50-$599 around the clock. When you’re in Las Vegas make time to play poker at the all new Planet Hollywood.