the newest partner hotel at the horseshoe is the hilton garden inn. it's connected to the casino, but managed independently. while most 7* choose this property if wanting to be close to horseshoe, be aware that you won't get free movies, since you're not staying at a caesars entertainment property.
i prefer to stay at harrah's because of the free movie benefit and the suites. all the rooms - including the suites - were renovated last year, with flat screen TVs and new carpeting and furnishings. the suites include whirlpool tubs.
and even though the horseshoe is land-based and larger and more vegas-y than harrah's, i like harrah's better. it's a small riverboat, but the people are extraordinarily friendly... more so than at the shoe. that's been my experience.
and harrah's has 10/6 DDB at 25 cents, 50 cents and $1, with the SF shorted to 200 coins.
both buffets are good, but here again, i prefer harrah's... smaller and more manageable. the horseshoe has a whole section of mexican food that harrah's lacks, though, so if that's appealing, you'll want to go to the shoe. the people at the diamond lounge desk at each location can usually give you a comp for the buffet... just ask. (they may look at your account first and if you haven't played yet that day, they may question you, but they'll still give you the comp.)
as noted, the new DL at harrah's takes up the entire third floor of the boat and also features river views. the shoe has a good DL, too, but also has a "GM club," available to sevens and diamonds with a tier score of 30K and above. it features plush seating and a nightly mini buffet.
free drinks at the DLs and the GM club, although there is a charge on the casino floor. diamonds and sevens can get free drinks in the casino, though, by showing their cards. (essentially what happens is the house buys you your drink to comply with state regs and you sign a receipt.) the council bluffs properties feature the "total touch" electronic drink ordering system, by the way. you will activate a gaming day at each casino you visit, although senior management insists that visiting the lounges does NOT do so. (i'm not so sure about this.)
ace's diner at harrah's is a 24 hour eatery serving good solid affordable comfort food.
harrah's and the horseshoe are both accessible by highway (I-29), no need to use city streets, although you can indeed travel from one to the other without getting on the highway. in either case, you're only a few minutes away from I-80 and omaha.
if you do wind up playing and you establish yourself with decent ADT, you will likely receive slot tourney invitations (top prize either 50K or 100K) several times a year, often with air fare reimbursement. also, you'll generate a quarterly mailer, which would come in handy, if you ever intend to return. and with even a modest amount of play, you should have no problem getting a discretionary comp for most restaurants... talk to whoever is most readily available... a host, a floor host, a pit boss (even if playing VP) or the folks at the diamond lounge desk.
there is also a third casino in town, an ameristar. it's a much larger riverboat and the chief attraction there is a multi-game $1 progressive that often goes positive and a $1 9/6 DDB progressive that sometimes goes positive. the hotel has a swimming pool, which harrah's does not. you won't find this in any printed literature, but if you talk to a host, they will match status with your seven stars card.
--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "shloemoejs99" <shloemoejs99@...> wrote:
>
> If you stay at Horseshoe, you can choose on of their four partner hotels, since they don't have a hotel. These include, I think, Country Inn and Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, and a few others. These are nice hotels, with pools free internet, and next to the casino.
>
> The Diamond Club at Horseshoe is nice but the food wasn't great the one time I was there. The Diamond Club at Harrah's takes up the whole third floor of the boat and is very spacious. Food is the same at both properties.
>
> Harrah's is on a boat; Horseshoe is land based. Horseshoe is very easy to get to off I-80; Harrah's is about 1 mile further on city roads.
>
> The 'Shoe is better in almost every respect, and is right next to the greyhound track. I would recommend it.
>
> --- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jean Scott" <queenofcomps@> wrote:
> >
> > We are taking a road trip to IN and PA, leaving next week, and thought we would use free 7* rooms on a one or two night stop-over rest in Council Bluffs. I didn't realize that there were two casinos there - Harrah's CB and Horseshoe CB. Since we have never been there, I would appreciate any input as to which one we should choose.
