L’Auberge Casino and Resort is an Alternative to Las Vegas
By Amsal Madhani
Located along the shores of Lake Charles, Louisiana, L’Auberge Casino and Resort emerges as a captivating alternative to the bustling casino strips of Las Vegas. This Southern venue, blending the allure of gaming with the beauty of Louisiana’s landscape, offers a unique experience that distinguishes it from its Nevada counterparts. In this exploration, we delve into the many reasons why L’Auberge stands out as a premier destination for those seeking the thrill of the casino in an environment that also offers tranquility, hospitality, and a distinct cultural flair.
L’Auberge Casino and Resort won’t dazzle you with a modern look and packed casino rooms. Unlike the vast, often impersonal casinos of Las Vegas, L’Auberge contains a warm, inviting atmosphere that reflects the renowned Southern hospitality. You might ask, what is Southern Hospitality?
From the moment guests arrive, they are greeted with a sense of belonging and comfort that sets the tone for their entire stay. As you walk past the expensive cars sitting right in front of the entrance, under the cabin-like pavilion, your head immediately turns to the live music being played by local performers. You will also notice guests dancing to the often soulful country music being played while enjoying a beverage at the bar next to the concert set-up. When you look around the building, you get a cabin-like feel with its wood interior and many fireplaces lit up which add to the warm, Southern feel.
After taking in the warmth of L’Auberge, your eyes shift to the bright lights and the video game music from the casino. Featuring a wide array of games, from classic slot machines to high-stakes black jack tables, L’Auberge caters to gamblers of all levels and interests. What sets it apart, however, is not just the variety of gaming options but the ambiance in which these games are housed.
The casino’s design incorporates elements of Louisiana’s rich cultural heritage, with décor that pays homage to the region’s history and natural beauty. The game room isn’t your typical noisy casino you find at Las Vegas, rather it’s a calmer, more elegant room filled with a woody interior and old-school carpet design that you would typically find in an old, not so packed hotel. This creates an engaging, aesthetically pleasing environment that enhances the gaming experience.
“It literally felt like I was gambling at home,” Sani Dhuka, a Houstonian who made the two-hour trip down to L’Auberge said. “There’s no casinos in Texas, but if there was one, I would imagine it would be more like this. I don’t know how to describe it, but it felt like what I would imagine more of Louisiana is like.”
After a long night of gambling, hopefully successful, you’d likely want to simply relax in bed, enjoy a comfortable room, and prepare for the next day. Luckily, one of the most overlooked features of L’Auberge is their hotel rooms. Much like the ground floor entrance and the casino, the room contains warm colors like red and brown on the carpet and many wood features. Depending on your room accommodations and spending, you can see the large body of water that is Lake Charles, which, at the right time, accompanied by a sunset can make your room glow with natural lighting.
Aman Momin, a Houston resident who has returned to L’Auberge multiple times, consistently finds reasons to revisit this resort.
“I’ve been to Las Vegas and don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing. But sometimes you want a change in the atmosphere while still being able to gamble and that’s what L’Auberge is to me. It’s not some high-end place. It’s like a calm, cabin in the woods type feel that I like.”
Beyond the walls of the resort, the region surrounding Lake Charles has more of the natural coastal attraction that Las Vegas can’t offer, from the verdant wetlands of the Creole Nature Trail to the sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico. If you’re an outdoorsman, you can enjoy a variety of activities, including fishing, hiking, and bird watching. Not to mention, you’re not dealing with the 100 degree heat from Las Vegas, rather a humid 80 to 85 degrees in Louisiana. Furthermore, the cultural scene in Lake Charles, with its festivals, museums, and galleries, provides a glimpse into the local culture that enhances any visit.
However, having visited both Las Vegas casinos and L’Auberge, I noticed some aspects of Vegas I missed while in Louisiana. There’s not a long strip where there are many casinos lined up that you could walk into and get a new ambiance and feel like there is in Las Vegas. L’Auberge is also much more plain than the casinos in Las Vegas, which is not always a bad thing if you’re looking for a peaceful place to gamble, but if you like the noise and the hectic feeling, Las Vegas is where you would probably need to be.
You still get hundreds of loud slot machines, a few tables with black jack and baccarat, and waiters and waitresses walking around with complimentary drinks at L’Auberge, but Las Vegas also has all of that but in larger quantities. The access to different casinos, all with new ambiances and only a few minutes away from each other is something you can only find in Las Vegas. Along with the hundreds of models and cosplay characters walking the strip, Las Vegas just has some things that can’t be replicated.
This sentiment was also felt with some gamblers who were at L’Auberge.
“If I’m able to go to Las Vegas, I will go. For sure. Everytime. But if I want to gamble and I can’t make it to Vegas, L’Auberge is always the first thought that comes to my head,” Bari Qazi, a Houstonian who’s been to L’Auberge and Las Vegas multiple times said. “Yeah there’s a lot more outdoor things I can do here, but there’s nothing like Vegas. This is a good second option though.”
Although it’s not your typical, hectic Las Vegas strip casino, L’Auberge is still able to somewhat give you that real, bright lights gaming room feel while adding in a bit of that Louisiana flavor with its warm interior and calm ambiance. There are definitely some things that only Las Vegas can give you, but L’Auberge is a great alternative if you’re looking for a nice place to gamble while also being able to explore the humid coastal environment that Louisiana has to offer. If you’re into the Southern lifestyle feel of live country music, warm color interiors, and vibrant coastal sunsets, L’Auberge Casino and Resort is a destination you should definitely visit.
