Biloxi, Mississippi – Vegas of the South?

I was a little skeptical when a good friend of mine called and suggested we head down to Biloxi, Mississippi, for some gambling and the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Well, even though I was skeptical, I have never had a bad time in the “Big Easy,” and I had never been to Biloxi so, why not….? I packed my bags and headed out the door – short notice, but I am always ready to hit the road!

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

I was uncertain what shape the Gulf Coast would be in, as the last time I was in this part of the country I was on a Katrina clean-up volunteer trip and the gulf coast was still a mess. I was pleasantly surprised when arriving in Biloxi that the coast is coming back in a big way! The eight casino resorts are back in operation, and I was staying at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, which reopened its doors one year to the date of Katrina’s hitting the Mississippi coast. The hotel resembles the Bellagio in Vegas, which is my favorite place to stay when I am in Sin City, so I had high hopes for this hotel. Their website states “Your pleasure and comfort are our only priorities – experience the commitment for yourself.” And they did not disappoint – the service was fantastic from the Bell, Casino, Catering and Front Desk staff; the employees I came into contact with LOVE their jobs and the hotel’s commitment to them.

BR Prime and Jia

I had dinner in both of the resort’s fine dining restaurants – BR Prime and Jia. BR Prime has an old supper club, RAT PACK with a step-back-in-time feel, and is the sister restaurant to Prime in Vegas which is an all-time favorite of mine. But BR Prime is NO STEP-SISTER – the seafood and steak and service were to die for! Jia has a totally different feel; this Zen-inspired Pan-Asian restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere and a great sushi bar. I was able to introduce the bartender and my fellow travelers to the “Ginger Assassin” cocktail Rachel and I learned to make at the Wine Riot in Boston a few weeks ago – it was a huge hit. As much as I loved the vibe of the restaurants and their nightclub Coast – the rooms fell short on basic amenities for me.

For instance:

1. NO Wi-Fi in the hotel, which made it difficult for me to work at the pool
2. NO coffeemaker in the room, which made it difficult for me to work in the room without ordering room service
3. NO minibar in the room, so I HAD to order room service for either a cable, coffee or a Coke – bummer …

I did like the colors selected for the room since I was in it a lot, and they did have LCD televisions, panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows and a lighted closet with a full-length mirror, which was a plus.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

So after spending a day at the pool and a night at the tables and closing Coast, we got up and headed to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. I was really excited about going to the festival, and after I had done a little research and found out a few quick facts, I couldn’t wait to hang out and spend a day with thousands of other people who love music as much as I do.