Casino Road Trip - Mohegan Sun Pennsylvania
First impressions: To be honest, there isn’t much that is notable as one approaches the Keystone State’s oldest legal gaming hall (it opened in a temporary structure in 2006). There are no skyscraping glass hotel towers or dramatic panoramas (although the surrounding ridges of the Pocono Mountains form a nice visual backdrop), as the 400-acre property on the outskirts of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. is in a relatively nondescript and sparsely populated area. And the small, low-key reception/check-in area is similarly devoid of the eye-catching decorations and accoutrements favored by many casino hotels. But these humble openers belie the many pleasures within the complex.
Accommodations: The seven-story hotel features 218 rooms and 20 suites. The standard lodgings are about average size (those with two queen-size beds are a little larger than those with a king), and boast such creature comforts as a stone bathroom (with a nice-sized shower); smart TV (offering dozens of channels); mini-fridge; safe and lounge chair.
Let’s eat: You certainly can’t go hungry at Mohegan Pa. The dining options start at the very top with a Ruth’s Chris Steak House. With all due respect to the Morton’s Fleming’s and Del Frisco’s of the world, there is simply nothing like a Ruth’s Chris steak. My 16-ounce ribeye was the very definition of carnivorian perfection: Superbly cooked (medium rare) and exploding with the flavor of its seasonings. The design is 21st-century steak house (modern and upscale without being fussy or ostentatious) and, as befits a top-flight operation, the service was impeccable.
For a more reasonably priced, but similarly upscale meal, there’s the homey Rustic Kitchen Bistro & Bar, an Italian-leaning dining room where I enjoyed a fabulous, generously portioned (and perfectly spicy) shrimp fra diavlo.
And speaking of reasonable prices, the tiny Pearl Sushi Bar, provides fresh sushi and sashimi at a surprisingly low cost.
Other outlets include Molly O’Shea’s Irish pub; The Hive Taphouse (serving traditional bar food); Johnny Rocket’s hamburger palace and, if you’re feeling homesick, an outpost of Tony Luke’s cheesesteakery.
Courting Lady Luck: The low-ceilinged casino, which comes across visually as a junior version of the gambling spaces at the property’s much-bigger brother in Uncasville, Ct., covers some 82,000 square feet, but feels more intimate thanks to its circular layout (virtually all of the other public spaces like bars and restaurants sit on the casino’s circumference). There are 1,600 slot and electronic games, and some five dozen table games, as well as a separate nine-table poker room and a compact sports book. The complex also includes harness racing at Pocono Downs race track, which operates March through November.
Say spaaaaaaaah: The property’s Spa Sapphire may not be the largest or most-opulent casino relaxation-and-rejuvenation operation, but its services are vast and varied enough to recommend it as reason enough to visit Mohegan Sun Pa.
Located on the hotel’s main level, Spa Sapphire offers numerous ways to pamper guests. The first of my two treatments was a stress-busting Swedish massage (one of 20 different such offerings) by a “service provider” (as they’re designated) named Livia. Her expert ministrations—and attention to my requests--offered a wonderful mini-escape, and was alone worth the trip. But it was the “Syn-nake Venom” facial that was a truly amazing experience. Service provider Renee applied a dizzying array of lotions, potions, peels and scrubs—including the aforementioned “syn-nake venom,” which is, per Renee, an artificial form of snake venom (drawn, I guess, from artificial snakes!) billed as “Botox in a bottle.” Renee also gave a detailed explanation of each application, and added feet and neck/shoulder massages while the various concoctions were setting.
In all, these were two marvelous experiences.
That’s entertainment: There are four year-round venues: The Hive and the Breakers nightclub offer a regular schedule of live bands, while Wise Crackers Comedy Club operates every Friday and Saturday night with an ever-changing roster of funny folks. There are also occasional headliners in the Keystone Grand Ballroom. And on Thursdays during the summer, the Party On the Patio offers al fresco musical performances.
Off-campus: The Pocono Mountains region comprises one of the best recreational areas in the northeastern U.S., which means hiking, swimming, sailing and skiing opportunities abound.
