Las Vegas Hotels
 

This weekend was Delta Sigma Phi's Regional Leadership Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This weekend I cruised the strip and went into the following hotels:

New York, New York
Excalibur
Mandalay Bay
Luxor
MGM Grand
Venetian
Bellagio
Tropicana
Circus Circus
Paris, Las Vegas

The Venetian is easily my new favorite hotel. If you've ever been there, you know what I mean. My other favorite is New York. New York.

So, I was wondering, what are your favorite Vegas Hotels?

In no particular order:

Bellagio
Caesars
The Mirage (penthouse suite is amazing)
New York, New York

I only made it to those four. Didn't have enough time to wander around.

My favorite hotels:
1. Venetian (I loved that my "standard" room was a suite. I also love their coffee shop: the menu is exactly like the Cheesecake Factory and the "V" bar)
2. Paris (standard rooms, but the best bathrooms of any standard room on the Strip. Also, I gotta love the pastry shop and their coffe shop (real sirlon hand ground burgers)
3. Bellagio (I wasn't impressed with their standard rooms, but OMG their keyed floor suites are amazing. And the Sunday brunch: to die for. I also bought a Tiffany necklace there)

Other hotels I appreciate (I've stayed in them)
-New York, New York
-MGM Grand
-Treasure Island
-Monte Carlo (the poor man's Venetian)
-Las Vegas Hilton (okay, can we say "Star Trek Experience")

Hotels I've stayed in but didn't like
-Excalibur (not even an iron and board in the room)
-Ballys (best thing is that it's in the middle of the Strip)

And finally, where I'd LIKE to stay:
-Bellagio suites (only visited and got dressed there for a wedding)
-Mandalay Bay
-Caesars (if the rebuild is finished)

For the record, I did go to that hotel where Real World was taped and we tried to get into RAIN: okay, like a two hour wait and $20 dollars to boot. We did see the wrestler formerly known as China, and the casino did have $1.00 chip roulette at night (amazing), but it's off the Strip so we had to take a cab and I lost my $200 camera (with the only photos from my friend's baby shower I hosted still in the camera), so I have bad memories of the joint.

I've never been out of the airport. :(

I have only staied at The Rio but oh boy was it fun! It's off the strip so there isn't so much random traffic down on the casino floor bc anyone who is there wants to be there as opposed to the hotels on the strip. The free daily show is fun and I just LOVE eating at one of the restaurants there...The VooDoo...yippies! All the rooms there are suites and our room had a fabulous couch...I could have slept there if I wasn't taken to bed every night! The window in the shower was fun to look out of and watch TV in the morning.

Others I really liked when I visited were
MGM Grand (very family oriented I was told)
NY NY (tho a little too much noise for me)
Bellagio

Shopping at Caesar's and Aladdin was real fun. I had my first cheesecake factory experience at Cesar's and it was FABULOUS!!

I stayed at the Paris in 2001 for a week- VERY VERY NICE!!! I also liked the Venetian, however it was not complete. New York New York was neat, but my friend stayed there and the rooms are terrible. I loved the pyramid one and the MGM they were awesome. Over all I liked MGM and Paris best. I can't even remember all of them that we saw now. Treasure Island is trashy!

I'm going to Vegas for Christmas this year, so this feedback is VERY valuable!! :D I want to stay in either Bellagio or Paris, and right now, Paris is in the lead rate wise and review wise. But I looooooooooove a good Sunday brunch. Guess we'll have to walk across the street! LOL

I loved the Luxor....VERY unique! I also like that the Venetian's rooms are all suites. I cannot wait to go back!!!

Having been a former resident of Las Vegas, and also having my younger brother living and working there (he's dayshift 'boxman' (dice table supervisor) at the Palace Station hotel off the Strip) I tend to recommend accomodations off the Strip. They're usually less crowded, sometimes have lower table limits and are not overrun with tourists.

Rio - off the Strip but a very nice place.
The Palms - haven't been inside yet, but I'm told it's on par with or a little better than the Rio.
Gold Coast - mostly a locals joint.
Palace Station - caters mostly to locals, but gets a lot of traffic from interstate travel.
The Orleans - New Orleans-themed locals joint.

Way off the beaten path:

Texas Station - About as faux-Texan as Las Vegas can present, caters to locals
Fiesta - Another locals joint, Mexican themed.
Santa Fe Station - last major casino on US 95 before heading to the desert and the Nevada Test Site. Caters to locals, but also has a nice ice skating rink.
Sundance - Way out in the western foothills of Summerlin, caters to more upscale locals.
Sunset Station - caters to the local yuppies living in Green Valley.
Boulder Station - eastside locals joint.

BTW, in case you're wondering, I make it a rule never to play table games where my brother's working. There's no rule against it but you have to be discreet. Keeps the game honest.

I heard the Rio has an awesome seafood buffet, but I've never been to the casino. The Palms was were I lost my camera :( and I think I've been to the Gold Coast (or was it the Barbary Coast off of Fremont Street?) I agree that when I gamble (which is rare) I tend to go to the smaller casinos off the Strip: odds seem to be better and the table requirements are more reasonable).

The Rio is awesome. My great uncle got us a really good deal there, and since all the rooms are suites, we were set up pretty well. The pool area is great, although last time I went I got really burnt and couldn't go out in the sun for a couple of days.

I've walked through many of the other hotels in the area at least once, and have to say that the Venetian and the Bellagio are the most impressive.

The Rio was the best I've stayed at though - as was said, it's off the strip, but the buffet, casino, and pool area are all awesome and well worth it.

Collin

We also stayed in Henderson, where the convention was actually at, wow, talk about Darwin's waiting pool. When I saw all the confederate flags on all the trucks and no one under 45 at our hotel (Railroad Pass) I knew something wasn't wasn't right.

BTW, passing through Jean Sabresprings and Prumpp, I wondered who would stay at those places when Las Vegas isn't but at the most 30 minutes away. The hotels looked nice, but I wondered who would rather go there.

both times i've been to vegas i stayed at the venetian and loved it..the rooms and the hotel itself are beautiful...the fact that all the rooms are all suites is a huge bonus..i'd love to stay at the hard rock the next time i go tho because its my favorite place to gamble :)

I LOVE Vegas!!! My girls and I try to go at least once a year. I've stayed at:

*Harrah's
*Aladdin
*Excalibur
*Tropicana

Out of all of those, Aladdin was the nicest. Plus, you have the Desert Passage Shops in the hotel. I heard they built two new clubs there too. We never really care about the room because the only time we spent in there was to get ready and to sleep. As long as the room wasn't decrepid or infested, it was fine with us!

If you want to get inexpensive drinks before you head out, I suggest going to either the 99 cent margarita bar at the Boardwalk (on the strip) or go to O'Shea's (I think) by Imperial Palace. Drinks in clubs can be as much as $12, so getting a little buzz cheap befpre you head out is well worth it!

Bellagio - for "O" and the fountains
Venetian - for the general setup
Rio - for the buffet
Mandalay Bay - for pools and the House of Blues

I would really like to see the new Aladdin, though.

Caesars for the shopping and the pool.

MGM for the guys and 54.

Bellagio for the fountains.

Oh I forgot, the buffet at the Aladdin is off tha hook

In order, I've stayed at:

Luxor - inside the pyramid you lose half your room due to the incline of the wall
Hilton Las Vegas - within walking distance of The Beach, was perfect for spring break
Sam's Town - off the strip, country themed, the room was free :D
Aladdin - flat screen computer in every room!
Caesars - nice hotel, great pool, but it's starting to show it's age in the rooms

I'm longing to stay at MGM, Paris, Mirage and Treasure Island. I belong to all the clubs and Treasure/Mirage and Paris have been sending me all kinds of deals. MGM sends me things letting know what shows are coming but never gives me a good rate on a room. :(

My goal is to stay at each of the "good" strip hotels once before going back to Luxor. It may be hard to do though cause I really like Luxor and Aladdin and want to go back to those soon. :)

I'm bumping this up b/c I need new feedback

I just booked a room at Bellagio for the end of August. Has anyone actually stayed there? Anyone here ever go to their spa?? What restaurants would you recommend (not necessarily JUST at Bellagio, though)...

THANKS!

I never have stayed at Bellagio, but I lived in Vegas for five years and have visited.

I can help with gourmet/blowout restaurants.

If you want to spend big bucks on a gourmet restaurant, I've got several suggestions. Prime Steakhouse and LeCirque, both at the Bellagio, are pricey as heck, but great food. I've eaten at both.

The best value, however, is Aureole at Mandalay Bay. For about $75, you get three courses of sublime food. Things such as lobster and foie gras carry surcharges.

Other goodies are Chinois and Spago at the Forum Shops, Lutece and Postrio at the Venetian.

So true! I didn't stay at Caesar's so I don't know about the pool but the shopping there was great. Yay for the Cheescake Factory too.

And the Fountains @ Bellagio...oh my goodness. I could stay all day and watch them. Call me a sap but the first night when I saw them I cried, it was a sweet song and I was sooo excited to be there. Possibly one of the most romantic spots in Vegas, night or day.

I know what you mean about crying over the fountains. I am so drippy that I do that every time!

I go to Vegas at least once a year. Almost always stay at the Luxor and I just love it. Stayed at Paris once when it was brand new. It is just beautiful - yes, their bathroom was the best.

Would like to stay at New York New York and at Bellagio - especially if I could get a room facing the fountains!!

Lizz (PNAM tinydancer)

I could ask for a room, airport view at Mandalay Bay or Luxor... usually cheaper -- never mind those non-descript 737s taking off and landing from that non-descript terminal going to some classified location that doesn't exist! ;) :) :D

I always think it is somewhat bizarre to look up and see the mountains - sometimes with snow still on them. They almost look as if they are painted there.

I keep thinking "This is the DESERT, for God's sake!!!"

Vegas is some fun!!

Lizz (PNAM tinydancer)

Theoretically in the wintertime (though no one's tried it that I know of :) )you could go snow skiing on Mount Charleston/Kyle Canyon in the morning (Mt. Charleston is nearly 12,000 feet high, the lodge is at about 8000 feet) and go for some waterskiing on Lake Mead in the afternoon!

On really clear days when the pollution haze is out of the valley, the visibility is pin-sharp -- anywhere from 75-100 miles. You can easily see Red Rock Canyon in the west like it was practically in the backyard (though it's about 15 miles west of town). You get a better view of Mount Charleston from the north side of town near Nellis AFB; most views closer to the Strip kind of hide the mountain except for its peak.

Great thread--I love talking about Vegas! I was there a few months ago (the weekend after the Super Bowl) and last July for a bachelor party. I'm probably going again in August. My favorite hotels are:

Hard Rock: stayed there last summer. Coolest atmosphere and music, and the pool is amazing.
MGM Grand: stayed there in February. HUGE hotel and casino, lots of tables, Studio 54, and we got comped for all our meals at the buffet. Good location too.
Mandalay Bay: gorgeous hotel, although the tables weren't too kind. They have Rumjungle, an great restaurant that converts into a great night club after 10:00.
Luxor: I think it's cool because of the pyramid and the Egyptian stuff. The Ra night club was pretty cool too.
Bellagio: we stopped there briefly in the middle of hopping down the Strip. It seemed pretty nice, although I didn't get to see too much of it. We missed the fountain show too--I'll have to catch that for sure next time.

Other ones I've visited but didn't really do it for me include Excalibur, New York New York, the Mirage, Sahara, and Imperial Palace. The ones I still need to check out are the Venetian, Rio, and the Palms.

Personal impressions of Las Vegas Strip casinos -- from a former Vegas resident still with ties to Sin City... :)

Mandalay Bay -- nice hotel, caters to the upscale Gen X/Gen Y crowd.

Luxor -- Not bad, kind of appeals to all.

Excalibur -- Appeals more to the family crowd.

Tropicana -- nice hotel

MGM Grand -- Big f*cking huge hotel and casino, easy to get lost in.

New York New York -- Appeals to the family crowd and the Noo Yawk natives who miss 'Da City Dat Doesn't Sleep'.

Monte Carlo -- Upscale crowd, tries to pretend it's like almost going to the real thing in Monaco, except this one doesn't require tuxes/evening wear or passports for entry.

Aladdin -- Big-time Middle Eastern theme, caters to a lot of tour groups.

Bellagio -- In your face ostentatious; caters to upscale clientele and security guards shoo away families with young kids (unless they are staying at the hotel). If you ain't got a fat bankroll, don't play there.

Paris -- Not bad, though the in-your-face assault of pseudo-French culture can get a little unnerving sometimes.

Bally's -- When it used to be the original MGM Grand, it was the victim of the worst casino fire in Vegas history. Not bad, caters to upscale clientele.

Caesar's Palace -- Used to carry the in-your-face ostentatious label until Steve Wynn built the Bellagio, upscale clientele.

Flamingo Hilton -- If you're looking for the Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel memorial rose garden, fuhgeddaboudit -- it's long gone. The casino appears to feel kinda cramped compared to others.

Imperial Palace -- Tacky Oriental decor, older casino.

Mirage -- Upscale along the same lines of Mandalay Bay.

Harrah's -- caters to lower-limit gamblers, somewhat friendly place.

Venetian -- Upscale; if you can't afford to travel to Venice, go to Las Vegas' reproduction.

Treasure Island -- Not as upscale as the Mirage next door.

The old Desert Inn no longer exists -- plans are underway for another megacasino called the Reve by Steve Wynn.

Frontier - caters to low-limit gamblers and tour buses

Westward Ho -- ditto.

Stardust -- not bad.

Riviera -- Tacky decor, Pia Zadora's husband owns the place.

Las Vegas Hilton -- Technically not on the Strip (it's on Paradise Road) -- caters to megaconventions.

Hard Rock -- Caters to the young rock and roll crowd; the casino chips are worth collecting (If you don't gamble you need $131 at the cashier's cage for a $1, $5, $25 and a $100 casino chip, each one has a different design for different rock groups. And that doesn't count commemoratives.) Like the Las Vegas Hilton, it's on Paradise Road.

Circus Circus -- For the family and those young at heart.

Sahara -- Even though it has an Arabian theme, it actually caters to NASCAR fans.

Stratosphere -- AKA 'Vagrant's World' (a play on the name 'Vegas World' which it was before the Stratosphere Tower was built). No amount of gimmickry and the tallest structure west of the Mississippi will ever erase the image of a nice hotel in a sh*tty neighborhood. Technically not on the 'Strip', even though it is on Las Vegas Boulevard, though it is the only megacasino wholly within the City of Las Vegas proper -- all the other casinos are in the unincorporated township of Paradise. (The Strip begins at Sahara Avenue and ends at Russell Road, from the Sahara to the Mandalay Bay.) Back when I was living in Vegas and it was still Vegas World, it was the only place that actually gave me a case of claustrophobia... casinos don't make it easy for people to get out once they're in, but this one was egregiously so.

Your mileage may very, this is my opinion; you might like a casino I don't particularly care for. It doesn't matter... just have FUN!

Really fun and accurate post AlphaSigOU!

I haven't been to the Bellagio spa, but I have been to the Venetian, which may be similar. Venetian had full work out room w/ cable tv at each of the cardio machines. They provide headphones, bottled water and towels. Lounge area for spa services (men and women separate). Included Finish and steam saunas, cold dip, hot tub on women's side. They did all common spa treatments and services, and had a dressing area with hair products (dryer, etc) for after you showered. I got a three day pass there for $72 and went to the gym/sauna/hot tub circuit each day.

Personal impressions of some off-Strip casino/hotels:

Palace Station (Sahara and I-15) -- Caters mostly to locals and travelers on I-15. This is the casino my younger brother works at -- he's a 'boxman' (the guy who sits in the middle of the craps (dice) table and supervises the game) on dayshift. Decent, reasonably-priced hotel rooms, good eats (Krispy Kreme on premises :)).

Rio (Flamingo and I-15) -- Upscale, catches a lot of overflow from the Strip hotels and travelers on I-15. Hasn't forgotten its local roots either, though it's more upscale. Also caters heavily to Asian clientele; even to the point of eliminating 'floors 40-49' on their main hotel tower. (The number 4 is considered very bad luck). All rooms are suites, and it also has an outstanding buffet that has long lines going through the casino.

Palms (Flamingo and Valley View) -- Haven't visited the casino yet, but I've been told it's on par with the Rio.

Gold Coast (Flamingo and Valley View) -- Some wags (including myself) call this place the 'Mold Coast'; caters mostly to locals, mostly those in their late middle age and senior citizens. Decent casino, though.

Boulder Station (Boulder Highway and I-515/US 93-95) -- Sister hotel and casino to the Palace Station chain (the parent company is called 'Station Casinos'). Caters to locals on the east side of town, some traffic from the freeway.

Texas Station (Rancho Road and Lake Mead Drive) -- Another Station Casinos property, caters to locals on the northwest side of town. The epitome of every Texan stereotype you've ever seen. Decent casino, excellent buffet and restaurant. Awesome martini bar. Originally simply named 'Texas', then later became 'Texas Station' (I have a $5 chip from the grand opening.)

Santa Fe Station (Rancho Road and US 95) -- Southwest themed casino, home to one of the only ice-skating rinks in Las Vegas, sometimes used as a hockey practice facility).

Fiesta -- Rancho Road and Lake Mead Drive (across from Texas Station). Mexican themed casino, not bad, just got bought by Station Casinos, though I don't know if they'll tack on the 'Station' moniker like the others.

Sunset Station (I-515 and Sunset Road) -- Caters to locals living in the Henderson/Green Valley area.

Green Valley Ranch (I-215 and Pecos) -- More upscale and smaller casino than Sunset Station, also owned by Station Casinos.

Showboat (Boulder Highway and Charleston) -- Caters to locals mostly, not a very nice neighborhood at night.

The Reserve (Boulder Highway near Lake Mead) -- Decent casino, caters to locals in Henderson.

Sam's Town (Boulder Highway and Flamingo) -- Decent casino, western theme a favorite of locals and visitors.

The Orleans (Tropicana and Arville) -- Locals joint, New Orleans/Cajun/Mardi Gras atmosphere. Not bad.

Suncoast (Rampart and Charleston) -- Newer casino catering to upscale locals living in the Summerlin area on the far west of town. Not bad.

Jerry's Nugget (North Las Vegas Boulevard and Lake Mead) -- Strictly a locals joint for people in North Las Vegas, no hotel. Good chow in the restaurant, desserts are to die for. NOT RECOMMENDED TO BE IN THIS AREA AT NIGHT AWAY FROM THE CASINO -- this is North Las Vegas (aka 'North Town', home of the (in)famous 'Nasty Boys' (the North Las Vegas Police SWAT/narcotics team)).

Next... Downtown 'Glitter Gulch' casinos.

Caesar's Palace - the best place to stay and shop - hands down.

Venetian a VERY close second.

Excalibur had the best prime rib all-you-can-eat special - OMG!

Be sure to ride the coaster at NYNY - wild fun!

I was NOT impressed (my expectations were let down big time) by the Luxor - still nice, but not as nice as I expected from the outside.

They also have an INSANE breakfast special - two unbelievably HUGE pancakes, 2 eggs, sausage, ham, bacon, hashbrowns and drink for UNDER 3 bucks!

AlphaSigOU
 

Good recap. I also lived in Vegas for about five years, but couldn't tell anybody much about casinos. Outlet malls, that's another story.
:p

500th post! YAY!
 

Here's the downtown casinos:

The area of Fremont Street from Las Vegas Boulevard to Main Street has been made over into a strictly pedestrian zone (well, not exactly -- if I remember correctly Casino Center Boulevard cuts through it) known as the Fremont Street Experience. Some may remember Fremont Street used to allow vehicles once as a two-way street (see Diamonds Are Forever and Vega$), later as a one way street until the mid 1990s. There is an overhead canopy loaded with all kinds of light bulbs that do an hourly sound and light show.)

El Cortez -- Technically outside the Fremont Street Experience area, but considered a Glitter Gulch casino. Old, ratty-looking hotel catering to lower-income locals.

Fitzgerald's -- Big, cramped, stuffy casino, relatively cheap rooms -- the equivalent to the Irish dive casino/hotel.

Sam Boyd's Fremont -- Older casino, not bad.

Four Queens -- Decent casino.

Golden Nugget -- Before Steve Wynn made it big with the Mirage, he turned a dump into a really nice upscale casino. If you stay downtown, recommend this hotel/casino.

Binion's Horseshoe -- The original and best; originally a straight gambling hall with only a few rooms until Benny Binion bought the Mint casino next door for the rooms. Unless it's changed since the last time it was there, the only place where you could play full table baccarat for $5 a hand. (Most places offer only mini-baccarat (baccarat layed on a blackjack table) for $5 a hand; if you want full table baccarat, be prepared to fork over a minimum of $100 a hand.) Home of no-limit gambling. One time a gambler went up to one of the craps tables at the 'Shoe and brought a briefcase loaded with about $200,000 in cash. Benny Binion accepted the bet -- and lost. He paid up.

All the other casinos are mostly sucker joints with tight slot machines except for the Golden Gate. This is where my younger brother got his start as a craps dealer 13 years earlier. The GG has a good (and cheap!) shrimp cocktail.

Union Plaza -- Also home to Las Vegas' Amtrak station. The area ain't the greatest and the hotel looks old. Next door is the bus station and it's a dump.

Las Vegas Club -- Small casino, big on baseball theme.

Main Street Station -- North of Fremont near 95 -- First known as the Park, and originally one of the spinoffs of Orlando's Church Street Station, the hotel was bought out by the Boyd Group and is an overflow hotel for the California across the street.

California -- Caters to the Hawaiian/Asian clientele; the local Hawaiian community has a luau there in one of the upstairs lounges once a month.

Lady Luck -- Not bad, but could be better. Lousy surroundings, though.

Re: 500th post! YAY!
 

I caught a cold at this joint during Christmas years ago by standing over someone's smoldering cigarette while playing roulette. It later turned into a two-month flu. That preceed one of the most stressful years of my life, and I haven't been back to the Golden Nugget (or even Fremont Street) since! ;)