Foxwoods Resort and Casino
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FOXWOODS RESORT & CASINO / 350 TROLLEY LINE BLVD, MASHANTUCKET, CT 06338 / 1-800-369-9663
Foxwoods Resort & Casino, owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, is one of the many reasons I love being a New Englander!
I am fortunate enough to live 45 minutes away from the premier hotel, gaming, shopping & entertainment destination in the Northeast.
Oh, and it just happens to be the LARGEST casino in North America.
Foxwoods has six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to express, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, nightclubs and amazing shopping with the Tangier Outlets located onsite.
Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Foxwoods to review the resort’s Grand Pequot Tower Hotel and Red Lantern Asian Restaurant & Lounge.
It had been awhile since my last visit to Foxwoods so I was very excited for this weekend getaway!
No matter how many times I make the approach toward Foxwoods, I am taken by the view. The resort rises seemingly out of nowhere and is truly a sight, especially illuminated at night.
From the moment you pull up and valet your car (which is free), Foxwoods proceeds to make your stay at convenient as possible.
That is the overall impression I kept referring to during my stay — convenience.
Foxwoods has everything you could possibly need in a getaway, and then some! 😉
Entering through the Grand Pequot Tower entrance, I proceeded to the hotel front desk.
After a smooth check-in process I proceeded to the newly renovated, deluxe room on the 19th floor.
I LOVE new (or newly renovated) hotels. They have that “new” smell and crisp feel to them (please tell me I am not the only one who likes that “new smell” ?? lol)
The color scheme of blues, grays, and white is extremely attractive and soothing.
How often can you say you actually LIKE the carpeting in a hotel? Am I right?
I was instantly impressed with the sleek, contemporary room.
Soft lighting, comfortable bed, attractive color scheme, flat screen TV, great views and, my personal favorite feature, a swanky bathroom!
Foxwoods has done a fantastic job with Grand Pequot’s renovation.
Later that evening I had dinner reservations at Red Lantern Asian Restaurant & Lounge.
The beauty of Red Lantern hits you the second you walk through the door.
This is one stylish, energized restaurant with a hedonism vibe.
Red Lantern is owned by Big Night Entertainment Group (responsible for numerous award-winning properties including, SHRINE, High Rollers and The Scorpion Bar at Foxwoods, as well as The Estate, Empire and Red Lantern in Boston.)
Red Lantern is unlike anything Foxwoods has seen before. With a capacity for 225 people, Red Lantern is modeled after sister property in Boston, and features a redesigned open kitchen, full sushi counter, and lounge area.
Designed by the award-winning Peter Niemitz, the space features 66 hanging lanterns and an entrance marked by oversized, red ceremonial doors, leather wraparound couch, high-back red club chairs, black tufted club chairs, and acupuncture lamp statues throughout.
I was instantly greeted by Red Lantern’s super friendly manager, Tyler Bernadyn, who took great care of me that evening.
If you are a follower of this blog, you know I am a details fanatic, so I was in complete awe over the decor of this stunning restaurant.
One of the best features, besides the soft lighting the lanterns provided was the pulsating, hi-energy music.
I personally love dining in a restaurant that feels like a nightclub.
It just feels —- sexy.
Now let’s talk about the food, shall we?
Oh.
My.
God.
The.
Food.
HANDS DOWN, the BEST Asian food I’ve had.
There is fresh and then there is Red Lantern fresh.
There is delicious and then there is Red Lantern delicious.
The flavors seemed so intricate, yet everything was so light.
My guest and I ordered the Fresh Lo Mein with chicken (wok cooked, oyster sauce, with choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or vegetable), Chicken Fried Rice (rice is cooked to order in a wok with egg, scallion, sesame oil, bean sprouts, soy sauce and mixed vegetables) and Tik Tok Chicken (water chestnut floured golden chicken, sweet & spicy flavors & jasmine rice).
Honestly, there is nothing I can write that would explain the pure deliciousness of it all.
I can, however, tell you that I give it a 10 out of 10.
Also, servings are what I would consider (being the Italian I am) “family style”.
I feel comfortable saying 3-4 people could easily share the dishes we ordered.
We each ate a good serving and had plenty left over for lunch the next day and some left over even AFTER that!
Prices are VERY reasonable for the quality and quantity of food you receive.
On top of all that, the drinks, according to my dinner guest, are pretty spectacular as well.
She thoroughly enjoyed her Mai Tai specialty cocktail (made with Bacardi Oakheart, Orgreat, lime, pineapple and Bacardi Select).
Red Lantern is known for its sushi and although neither of us are sushi eaters, I can say with complete confidence that Red Lantern’s sushi must kick some serious ***!
After dinner, we poked around and found ourselves in Shrine (which is connected to Red Lantern and also owned by Big Night Entertainment Group).
This beautiful, cutting-edge, nightlife destination features a 21,000 square foot nightclub & lounge.
The space is enhanced with an Asian flair and state of the art electronics such as the 18 Panel 4mm Nationstar LED Video Wall & Funktion One Sound System.
For 4 years running, Shrine Nightclub has ranked in the top 100 nightclubs in THE WORLD, placing 35th among the most elite clubs in Vegas, NYC, LA & Miami.
Shrine delivers New England’s most sought after DJ’s & Celebrity hosts as well as the most exclusive VIP service.
GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT FOXOODS RESORT & CASINO:
- Foxwoods is the world’s largest casino in the world!
- Foxwoods boasts over 6,000 slot machines and game tables.
- Foxwoods is home to some of the best hotels in Connecticut including The Grand Pequot Tower, The Villas at Foxwoods, Fox Tower, Two Trees Inn and Great Cedar.
- There are over 30 eateries at Foxwoods. For a complete listing (including Red Lantern, David Burke Prime, Hard Rock Cafe, Junior’s, Caputo Trattoria, Guy Fieri’s Kitchen & Bar, California Pizza Kitchen, etc.,) click – Foxwoods Resort & Casino Dining.
- Foxwoods has amazing nightlife! Whether you want to dance the night away, meet that someone special or just relax and unwind, Foxwoods has nightlife to fit every mood. For more information click – Foxwoods Resort & Casino Nightlife.
- Foxwoods draws the A-list of the entertainment world to our incomparable venues. See musicians, comedians and top-ranked athletes in the Fox and Grand Theaters. Or catch the hottest DJs in one of our top-rated nightclubs. Foxwoods Entertainment.
- If you take your shopping seriously, Foxwoods has created a mecca that even the most-discerning aficionado will love. Browse through our boutiques where you’ll find top brands like Bvlgari, Chopard, Pandora, Michael Simon, Jared Lang and Hugo Boss. If you live to hunt for that perfect outfit, accessory or piece of jewelry, there’s no better place to be than Foxwoods. For more information click – Foxwoods Resort & Casino Shopping.
- After all that gaming, dining, nightlife and shopping you are going to want to visit one of Foxwood’s spas including the G Spa & Salon at MGM or Norwich Spa at Foxwoods.
- Foxwoods offers two championship golf courses designed by Rees Jones and surrounded by stunning vistas. For more information click – Foxwoods Resort & Casino Golf.
- Foxwoods LOVES groups and is the perfect destination to host your next meeting, conference or trade show. For more information click – Foxwoods Resort & Casino Groups.
- A wedding at Foxwoods would be GRAND! Foxwoods will provide the perfect backdrop for one of the most memorable days of your life. The resort has a professional team of event planners, renowned chefs, and hospitality staff to oversee each details. For more information visit – Foxwoods Resort & Casino Weddings.
GAY & LESBIAN FACTOR: Foxwoods has an “out”, lesbian hotel manager whose goal is to make everyone feel special. I also heard the Boston’s Big Night Entertainment Group (owner’s of Shrine and Scorpion Bar) are in talks to launch recurring gay events, something that is needed at Foxwoods for sure. Foxwoods Resort & Casino was very eager to welcome Gay Travel Information and took great care hosting me during the weekend. New England, as a whole, is known to be very LGBT friendly and Foxwoods should be on your “must” list when visiting the area. I would dedicate at least TWO nights to experience all the resort has to offer.
Foxwoods Resort & Casino is like its own little (err, big) city!
You will find everything you need for an exciting getaway.
Top notch accommodations, a full range of dining options, exceptional nightlife, shopping, spas and, of course, gaming.
Foxwoods is the ever changing, crown jewel of the Northeast and a destination I look forward to spotlighting on Gay Travel Information for years to come!
Desiree Sousa
Owner / Editor in Chief
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