Little did you know that when you bought that $10 hamburger at The Hard Rock Cafe that someday it would lead to this. That's right folks, the first ever hotel/casino with a rock & roll theme. You get to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

The good news is that The Hard Rock is a lot of fun. Concealed in a relatively nondescript package (well, okay if you forget about the huge neon guitar out front) are some one-of-a-kind touches. First there are bits and pieces of rock music memorabilia encased and showcased throughout the property. Some of it is kind of fun - you just can't beat some good Elvis knick-knacks but do they really need to waste valuable floor space to house a dress once worn by Courtney Love?

By the way, if you're asking "Who is Courtney Love" you may want to think about staying someplace else. The Hard Rock caters mostly to a younger crowd and while the older set is not unwelcome, the place may be a bit too hectic and loud for some.

Peace and quiet has never been the Hard Rock's forte and never has that been more true than now as the property undergoes a massive $750 million expansion that will add more rooms, more restaurants, more casino space, and just plain old more. Two new hotel towers will be added including a 15-story, 550-room standard room tower and a 400-all-suite VIP tower. The bulk of this portion of the construction will happen behind the hotel along Harmon Avenue, replacing an apartment complex that used to sit there.

But the Paradise Road frontage will change dramatically as well. What is currently a parking lot will become 60,000-square feet of meeting and convention space along with a brand new “Joint.” That’s the name of their concert venue that has drawn a litany of big name rockers over the years. The new one will accommodate more than 2,000 people.

The old Joint will be removed and the casino will be expanded adding a much-needed 35,000-square feet of space. It's all supposed to be done by late 2009 but until then you can expect some construction inconvenience.

The casino certainly is one of the noisiest with blaring rock music on top of the normal bells, whistles, and jangling of the slots. If you can take it however, be sure to check out the slot machines with guitar-handles instead of regular arms; the craps tables shaped like grand pianos; and the gaming chips with pictures of famous rockers on them. Dealers and croupiers report that people are actually keeping the chips as souvenirs instead of gambling with them.

The rooms are special also. First they are larger than the normal Vegas hotel and they have French doors that open inward providing a balcony effect - very rare in this city. They are cool, hip, and funky without trying too hard to be any of those things - definitely not your father's Vegas hotel room.

The pool area, always a big draw for this hotel, is one of the nicest in town. There are two sandy-bottomed pools separated by a pool bar with swim-up black jack tables. Surrounding the entire area are luxurious cabanas with misters, televisions, phones, and all sorts of other toys necessary for a comfortable day by the pool (insert your own sarcasm). Be forewarned that the pool area seems to always be populated by the young and fit set - it's not that older out-of-shape people aren't welcome it just seems that they probably are more comfortable elsewhere. A small stage will allow for various bands to do concerts during the summer.

Speaking of bands, The Hard Rock had one of the few concert venues in Vegas that cater to rock acts. The Joint, as it is called, had a 1,400-person capacity and has hosted everyone from Marilyn Manson to Hootie & The Blowfish. Note the past tense in all of that - The Joint is currently undergoing some changes as part of the expansion mentioned above.

And of course one of the hottest hotels would have one of the hottest nightclubs in Body English. Check the related reviews for more information on that and other things to do at the Hard Rock.

There are a few restaurants besides the Hard Rock Cafe. There's a health spa and salon, which is on the smallish side but still offers a wide variety of services.

The location leaves a bit to be desired - it is off 'The Strip' by about a mile, which doesn't sound like a lot unless you are planning to walk that distance in 110 degree heat. There isn't too much in the way of fun stuff to do nearby either unless you want to go across the street to the dry cleaners and watch them press shirts.

Prices, in my opinion, have always seemed too high for what they offer. Published rates indicate prices starting around $75 but i usually find prices above the $150 mark during the week and well over $200 on the weekend. That's a lot of money to pay unless Elvis himself is going to greet you at the door. However, with prices going up all over town I'm not as outraged by the cost as I used to be.

My opinion of The Hard Rock Hotel has improved dramatically from when it first opened. Although it still has some drawbacks (cost, location, competition) I do feel that if you're looking for something young, fun, hip, and happening you're going to have a hard time beating The Hard Rock.

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