Ravella at Lake Las Vegas

At my sister's suggestion, I booked a Gilt Groupe deal at the Ravella at Lake Las Vegas for the weekend.

At first glance the resort looks a little silly/ostentatious (faux Italian villa), but in comparison to the accommodations on the strip - it's understated.

There were a few really great things about the resort: the friendly/efficient staff (e.g. my sister needed a spoon for my nephew's baby food, and it was delivered to our door in less than 5 minutes), the pool, and the fact we didn't have to deal with drunken yahoos and cigarette smoke.  There is an ample amount of dining options in the village, and tons of activities - including fishing, canoeing, concerts on the lawn, and movies at the pool.

The not so great: general maintenance of the grounds and rooms (e.g. peeling paint, a big stain on the carpet, weeds in the sand traps on the golf course) and maid service (a little slow).

However, it's hard to complain when the room was only $70/night.

My husband and nephew enjoying the pool

You can see more photos here.