This Grand Casino Mille Lacs is located right across the highway from Mille Lacs - Minnesota's second-largest in-state lake. So, you get a chance to stay at a casino - plus get a flavor of Minnesota's "Up North" country.

Grand Casino Mille Lacs is the sister casino of Grand Casino ,Hinckley, MN. I stayed at both casinos and found Hinckley to be better. For pretty much the same price, Hinckley is more upscale, has better restaurants, has liquor in the casino and restaurants, and has live entertainment in the bar. However, I did have an enjoyable visit at Mille Lacs.

You have to know that Grand Casino Mille Lacs is a dry casino. There is absolutely no liquor anywhere in the building (except what you bring into your hotel room), including the casino floor AND the restaurants.

They really do need to advertise this more. For, I got the fun/play package for $99, which gives you $50 in food. I had a similar package in Hinckley and had a wonderful meal in the steakhouse - complete with a flight of wine. However, how do you spend $50 in 24 hrs when there is no wine with the meals, and the most upscale restaurant they have is a casual restaurant?

But, being able to meander over to the shores of Mille Lacs is enjoyable, and the casino/hotel is a good size - not too big and not too small.

Plus - as a traveling nomad, you just have to like the fact that you can take a quick break and try your hand at a bit of luck, visit the restaurants (which had great food at reasonable prices), go to the on-site coffee shop and visit the gift shops.

Overall

Pros:

• Good sized rooms.
• Good beds w/plenty of pillows.
• Good sized table.
• Mille Lacs is a short walk away - and many rooms have a view of Mille Lacs or the pond behind the casino.
• Free WiF with a good speed. However, you need to re-login every hour or so, which gets frustrating - especially if you are trying to have an on-line conference call or are in the middle of some complex task.
• If you watch their specials, you can get great deals.
• There are microwaves/fridges in the rooms.
• The price and quality of the food eliminated the need to buy/fix food in the room to save money.
• The front desk will go out of their way to ensure you have the lowest hotel price possible.
• Food and fun - right downstairs!

Cons:

• Smoke in the casino. There is a non-smoking section, but it is very hard to get to without going through the smoke. Plus, you must go through the smoke to get to the restaurants. So - if smoke affects you, stay away.
• For working nomads: although there are some good public places to work, there are very few places with plugs without a blaring TV. They have a Starbucks-type of coffee shop with plenty of tables nearby to sit at away from the TV - but NONE of the tables are near outlets. The one table that was near an outlet when I checked in was moved away from the one outlet by the next day.
• TV:  although the TV has plenty of stations, the TV is bolted to the wall, so there is only one position in the room where you can watch without an angle - and that position is NOT the table - nor even the second bed.

Bottom line - you will have fun at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs. And - if you watch the promotions and prices - that fun will be reasonable. And - just maybe, you will win a bit!