We decided to try our old haunt, the Flamingo, after switching over to MGM Resorts for the last 4 years, thinking it couldnt be THAT bad.  Wrong. \n\nWe got comped 3 nights and low rates fri/sat (MGM wasnt so accomodating, the reason for the switch)\n\nSo FIRST update is there is the new annoying resort fee, despite their advertising rhetoric the last several years about 'no resort fee'.  Its $23/day (incl tax).  Supposed to cover internet - BUT ONLY ONE DEVICE PER ROOM.  (@!%#@!!) Really?  You're supposed to be hip yet dont realize that 2 people are gonna have at least 3 devices?\n\nAfter waiting in line to check in for 45 minutes at 11pm on a Weds night, we're informed we couldve gone to the secret unmarked line since we were casino guests.  Pardon me, no sign, say what?  The front desk person was polite, quick professional, but we got stuck in the veritable dungeon - room 5106, which faces a stucco facade with service ladders, piping, and loads of flotsam/trash for our viewing pleasure. It was FABULOUS.  It was so dark we had to turn on the lights in the middle of the day.  \"well I guess this is how they treat casino guests, they really arent interested in real gamblers anymore\" was my thought.\n\nNow we have been coming to the Flamingo since it was a Hilton back in the 90's.  We always liked the new pool (yes, I remember the old rectangular pool); Flamingo has made the big pool an adults only pool now (YAY), but they have crowded out a great deal of space for highprice cabanas, day beds and rental lounge chairs.  Leaving far too few chairs where the saving of chairs is an art form, with whole slews of them appearing occupied having been 'saved' by someone draping pool towels over them.  I LIKE the music and live DJ, but cmon, lets send someone around to pick up the trash, the pool was a disaster of empty buckets, beer cans and plastic cups near the end of the day.\n\nFood - well theres a food court, quite overpriced, so I skipped it.  We learned a long time ago to avoid the Paradise buffet - it continues to set new lows for scary food.  We actually have enjoyed the coffee shop over the years - used to be called Lindys and now the Tropical Breeze, they have decent breakfasts and lunches (watch out for the overpriced drinks tho, just drink water).  I miss the old Flamingo Room!\n\nNow lets talk about gaming.  Craps, theres little they can jigger with here - 3x4x5x odds, and a fun side bet called the fire bet.  Well dealt, but I got my butt handed to me this trip.\nBlackjack - theres not much here.  A few tables, but most were the 6/5 21 (an abomination of 3/2 blackjack).  It was hard to spot where at the table this is announced, sometimes on the felt, sometimes on a cardboard tent, etc.  \nThe blackjack game I did find was out of 8deck shoe, had surrender (yay), DOA, DAS.  Not bad, once I found it.\nVideo Poker - Jacks or better sank to new lows - the entire property was 7/5.  Now for the uninitated, thats the payoff on Fullhouse/Flush hands.  The nice thing about video poker is that regulations state that machines mimicking a card game must be truly random 52 card deck.  They wont risk their license rigging this.  So the only thing they can jigger is the paytable.  9/6 JoB is close to an even money game, and is much sought after.  Gradually, casinos have rigged these to 8/6, then 8/5 (which I consider to be my very bottom) and now must Harrahs properties are 7/5 (Caesars, Linq, Harrahs, Flamingo, Cromwells, etc).  If the are stooping this low on machines where they have to honestly announce the payout, just imagine how bad the 'unannounced' slot machines are.\nLike many strip casinos, roulette is the hideous Americaon 'double 0' wheel, with terrible house advantage, unlike the european wheel with a single 0 and 'en prison'.\n\nSo we get a '1 star' on the casino rating;  I wont be back here to play.\n\nAnd another HUGE irritating change - PARKING.  OMG.  Flamingo has now dedicated almost half of its garage to valet parking.  ANOTHER third is now reserved for the Hilton Grand Vacations next door, which I assume must've lost its garage to make room for the new LINQ breezeway and the High Roller.  So now you're pretty much relegated to parking in the back lot - and this is a VERY long walk, it makes the walk from the MGM garage to that hotel seem short in comparison.\n\nI will be delighted to see the Flamingo come back to its former glory - until i see the reviews perk up and the negative twitters fall, we wont be back.