Las Vegas

The Tuscany Suites & Casino in Las Vegas

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



I recently discovered a diamond in the rough. The Tuscany Suites & Casino in Las Vegas is a relaxing place to hang your hat when visiting Sin City.

Located just off the strip, Tuscany has all the amenities of the larger resorts without the hustle and bustle. It’s a quiet retreat with the flavor of Las Vegas. Instead of being a huge high rise, this resort is a group of 15 smaller buildings grouped together with easy parking access. After you check in you don’t have to maneuver your way through a large casino to a slow elevator. The atmosphere here is low-key and stress free.

The rooms are enormous. The only choice you have is a single king size bed or two doubles. Whatever you select, there is still a decent size bathroom, kitchenette, and living space with a couch, desk, and chairs. With 650 square feet, these suites are a welcome change from the average hotel rooms. Plus they have a 2-bedroom suite if you need a second bedroom.

There are exercise rooms with weights and treadmills and The Spa offers a nice selection of massage options. And they won’t break the bank. Compared to other resorts, the fees for massages are much less, ranging from $60 for a 50 minute Swedish Massage to $180 for an 80 minute Couples Swedish Massage. These prices are definitely competitive.

There are several options for dining at the resort. Marilyn’s Café is open 24 hours. For a hotel coffee shop, this place has a wide variety of options from which to choose. Plus, there are daily specials and you can’t beat the all you can eat pancakes for $3.99! Pub 365 is the place to grab a small bite or burger. Their variety of craft beers and specialty beers makes this a destination for locals as well as guests. Caffe Bottega is where you can grab a fast cup of coffee or specialty drinks and some pastries and salads. And, fine dining is elevated in Tuscany Gardens, where I personally recommend the Eggplant Lasagna.

Nightly entertainment is offered in the Piazza Lounge. And, for a blast from the past, The Rat Pack is Back plays Monday through Saturday in the Copa Room. Frank, Sammy, and Dean have returned to Las Vegas – in spirit. These 2018 guys sound and move exactly like their 1962 counterparts. This is truly a show from the past.

If you simply must have your slot machines, the casino here is just the right size. It has enough games while not being overwhelming, as in many of the large hotels.

The 715 suites have undergone an extensive “refresh” “We are consistently looking for ways to reinvigorate the guest experience here at Tuscany Suites & Casino,” stated Brett Heers, the owner of the resort. “Over the last few years, we have completed major redevelopment projects to elevate our offerings into Las Vegas’ best.”

And speaking of Las Vegas’ best, the resort won several awards in 2017:

• Best Beer Selection – Gold for PUB 365 by readers in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s “2017 Best of Las Vegas”
• Best Coffee House – Gold for Caffé Bottega by readers in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s “2017 Best of Las Vegas”
• Best Piano Bar – Gold for Kenny Davidsen Celebrity Piano Bar at Piazza Lounge by readers in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s “2017 Best of Las Vegas”
• Best Coffee Shop & Diner – Silver for Marilyn’s Café by readers in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s “2017 Best of Las Vegas”
• Best Family-Friendly Hotel – Silver by readers in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s “2017 Best of Las Vegas”
• Best Place to Drink Daily – Literally for PUB 365 in Vegas Seven’s “Best of the City 2017”
• Award of Excellence in Wine Spectator’s “Restaurant Awards” in 2017
• Best Beer Selection for PUB 365 in Desert Companion/KNPR’s “2017 Best of the City”
• Certificate of Excellence for Tuscany Suites & Casino by TripAdvisor in 2017
• Certificate of Excellence for Tuscany Gardens by TripAdvisor in 2017

A lounge, spa, gift shop, restaurants, large rooms, pool, and plenty of areas to sit inside and outside, Tuscany is a little gem. And there is free Wi-Fi and free parking.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering travel and entertainment for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

‘The Rat Pack is Back’ and appearing in Las Vegas

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



In 1960 a group of friends got together in Las Vegas to make a little movie. The script for Ocean’s Eleven was brought to Frank Sinatra by his pal Peter Lawford who knew it was a good script and a way for all their friends to work together. Along with Sinatra and Lawford, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Joey Bishop (the 5 members of the group known as “The Rat Pack”), along with an impressive gathering of actors made an iconic film. But what happened when they were not shooting was what has become a Las Vegas legend. “The Summit” as it was referred to, happened at night. The cameras were shut off, the scripts put away, and the five rat pack members took to the stage for plenty of music and antics. Headlining the show were Sinatra, Martin, and Davis, the three singers of the group. And now they are back. Well, not exactly but as close to reality as can be. “The Rat Pack is Back” is a fun show playing at the Copa Room in the Tuscany Suites and Casino resort in Las Vegas, and is just as fun, or almost, as the original shows in 1960.

What guests get when they attend this show (Monday through Saturday nights) is a trip back to the 1960s. PC (Political Correctness) was not in our vocabulary and smoking and drinking were considered the “in” things.

This show features some of the great moments from the three entertainers reincarnated into 2018. The three singers taking the roles of Frank, Dean, and Sammy are all superb. Their mannerisms and vocal inflections are spot-on. It’s truly a blast from the past and audiences in this cozy theater get their money’s worth. The men interact with them and bring back the songs and indeed the atmosphere of the 1960s and definitely the personas of Dean, Sammy, and Frank.

Prior to the show a film is shown looking back in time, and just before the show begins the Sands hotel where the original shows took place but has been demolished, reemerges from the rubble, setting the scene for the singers to come out and take everyone on a trip back in time.

Songs like “Luck be a Lady,” “The Candy Man,” “Volare,” “That’s Amore,” and more combined with on-stage banter make this as close to reliving the original shows as possible.

These cool guys were fun individually, but when they got together, well, the entertainment went through the roof. And today’s audiences get to experience a bit of what it was like in what many people call “the good old days.” When in Las Vegas, definitely check out “The Rat Pack is Back.”

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering travel and entertainment for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Experience The High Roller in Las Vegas

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



In February 2014 The High Roller began taking guests 550 feet high giving them a remarkable view of Las Vegas from the sky. Compared to the famed London Eye, which tops out at 443 feet high, The High Roller is currently the tallest Observation Wheel in the world. It takes approximately 30 minutes to make the journey from the wheelhouse and is virtually motionless. If you get motion sickness, you most likely will not experience any adverse reaction to this ride. If, however, you are afraid of heights, you might want to skip this and wait for your family and friends on the ground.

The High Roller operates daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., so you get your choice of a daylight view of the strip and the city, or a nighttime view. Those who say Paris is “the city of lights” haven’t experienced The High Roller after dark. Las Vegas is lit up with all colors of lights. In every direction you see lights, lights, lights.

Inside each of the 28 cabins, music plays and an announcer informs the occupants of the progress. Plus, a monitor counts off the feet going up and coming down.

For a different experience, they have a “Happy Half Hour” with an open bar, a “Chocolate Tasting” ride with Ethel M Chocolates, “Yoga in the Sky” hour-long yoga class (2 rotations) with an instructor and up to six guests, and the cabins can also be reserved for special occasions like birthdays, parties, events, and even weddings. Each option is a different price so check with the website for days/hours/prices.

The High Roller is lit up at night with a light show that fits right into the city. From The LINQ Promenade, nightly at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30 the fountains, observation wheel, and surrounding buildings at the LINQ Promenade celebrate the city with syncopated lights/music for everyone on the ground. So, even if you don’t ride the wheel, you can still get in the spirit of this attraction.

Having never experienced an Observation Wheel before, I didn’t know quite what to expect. After all, I get queasy in regular Ferris Wheels. I had no problem with The High Roller. The speed, or lack thereof, is motionless. The only way I knew it was moving was the fact that we kept getting higher, slowly but surely. And oh, what a view!

I know if I ever get to London I will definitely want to go on the London Eye, and most likely the other great Observation Wheels around the world. After experiencing The High Roller, I know that the views from the top are outstanding. The 30 minutes went by too quickly.

The High Roller is definitely a unique experience in Las Vegas and one I highly recommend.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about travel, products, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

The Tuscany Gardens is the place to dine in Las Vegas

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



While many visitors to Sin City spend most of their time on the Strip, it’s worth venturing a block away to The Tuscany Suites and Casino where you’ll find one of the best restaurants in the city. The Tuscany Gardens is not only a beautiful setting for a nice dinner, but the food is delicious and the presentation is perfection.

Chef Jose has created some of the most mouth-watering selections for guests, and the sommelier pairs the perfect wine with every dish, or of course, you can select your own.

So, what should you order? Honestly, everything looked delicious so it was hard to select. Our party started with a Hearts of Palm Salad, which included avocado, sweet onions, Mozzarella, capers, and vinaigrette. This combination is amazing. We also tried the Caprese with tomato, Burrata cheese, and fresh basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Tasty is not a strong enough word for these. I could have made an entire meal out of this delicious antipasto and the salad.

With three of us, we decided to each try a different entree: Veal Piccata, Halibut, and Eggplant “Lasagna.” The Eggplant “Lasagna” does not include any noodles, hence the quote marks. This is a delicious dish with layers and layers of thinly sliced eggplant with ricotta, parmigiano, and mozzarella. It’s basically carb-friendly. I highly recommend this to vegetarians. I am definitely going to order this again when I get back to Las Vegas. The Veal and Halibut also received rave reviews by my tablemates. Each of them included broccolini as a side dish.

For dessert lovers, there is a nice selection to finish your meal. Unfortunately, with only three of us we couldn’t order them all. Darn it! We had spumoni, lemon sorbet, and the Torta Al Cioccolato, which is a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. How can you go wrong with any of these? Next time we’ll try the Nutella Cheesecake, the Tiramisu, the Crème Brulee, or the Cannoli. I’ll have to remember to leave room for dessert, but the eggplant was so wonderful I couldn’t stop eating it.

The staff is equal to the food. If you get a chance, request Hilda. She provides service and suggestions unequal to many others in the business. What a treat to enjoy a relaxing dinner undeterred by the haste of the goings-on on the strip.

The Tuscany has been named as a Top Dining Choice by “What’s On Magazine, won the Award of Excellence by “Wine Spectator,” and the #4 Most Romantic Restaurant in Las Vegas by “Open Table.”

Whether you want a romantic dinner or simply just good food in a relaxing environment, The Tuscany Gardens is one place I highly recommend. With Italian selections, fish, and meats, there’s something for everyone.
Note: Since this article was originally published, I went back to Las Vegas and while there I made a beeline to this restaurant. The eggplant lasagna was just as good as I remembered!

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter