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| Near the Strip...WEST SIDE |
| NORTH STRIP -- The cheapest strip hotels will be found at the north end. These hotels are older than most, and predate the trend towards high-class accomodations from the late 1990's forward. Inside you will get a full Vegas experience, but out on the street the neighborhood is kind of seedy, you will be a good distance from the best strip attractions, and you may feel cheated out of the Strip experience. Stay here only if your budget absolutely requires it...otherwise you should consider spending the extra dollars to stay south of Spring Mountain/Sands Ave. (Street addresses 3200 and above.) |
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| STRIP SOUTH: some think it's too far south, but only if you HATE to walk anywhere. It's the nicest, cleanest spot on the strip. |
| Las Vegas -McCarran Airport website. |
| "The Deuce" buses run up and down the strip 24 hours a day for $3 a ride, $7 for a day pass. Very slow at times due to strip gridlock. If time is of the essence, take the monorail; it may save you an hour. Click the bus for more bus routes in Clark County. |
| Current SPECIAL ON THE MONORAIL: $12 ALL DAY PASS Otherwise, the fare is now $5 a ride, which would be tolerable if it were not for the LONG walk through casinos to get to the station. But there's a huge advantage: it's the only method of transport that is not victim to strip gridlock. If you need to travel the length of the strip in 20 minutes,, the Monorail gets you there on time. |
| Be warned...this hotel is WAY NORTH in a seedy area on the strip, far away from any of the best strip attractions. The surrounding area might feel unsafe at night. On the bright side, it's a full service resort, slots pay better, there are now 3 thrill rides at the top of the tower (will cost you about $33 per person) and there are enough restaurants and shops to keep you amused for the night if you prefer not to venture off the premises. Or just take a cab down to the center strip. |
| Just south of the Strat, and a little better than the Riviera. The rooms are nice but a little worn. Word is that the roller coaster is good if you'll shell out $10 for a ride. Also has NASCAR Cafe. Beware of add-on surcharges that inflate their low come-on rates. The LV Monorail now connects the Sahara to the rest of the strip,slightly increasing the hotel's desirablility, as it's a long walk to Center Strip. Still, it's old school and good value. |
| CHILDREN! 24/7! The most family friendly of the big hotels. With the Circus theme and a huge indoor amusement park, this is a place for families with children, and not for those without! You WILL be surrounded by children. One of the cheapest megaresorts on the Strip. |
| The outdoor pirate show extravaganza now features amorous pirates hamming it up with the showgirls in "Sirens Of Treasure Island" . Showtimes: 5:30, 7, 8:30, 10 PM, but I'd double check that if I were you. |
| This is the orignal mega-resort that changed the face of the strip in 1989.with its erupting volcano. Huge casino...it's hard to find your way out. See the "Secret Garden" ($) where you can get real close to Siegfried and Roy's lions and tigers, and dolphins, too. New Circue du Soleil show is based on the music of the most overrated pop group in history (no, not the MADDERTONES.) One of the best buffets. |
| All rooms are suites close to 700 sf or more. Venice is recreated at every turn, right down to the singing gondoliers. If you're on a budget forget about staying here, but you can stop by the food court for a meal about$10, and then enjoy the best of the streets and canals of Venice...indoors, with air-conditioning. |
| There's nothing special about Harrah's, unless you're a loyal member of their"Total Rewards Club" that was known to give good comps to moderate level gamblers (although people are now starting to debate that on the blogs.). Do see comedienne Rita Rudner who performs at Harrah's. |
| The rooms can be pretty cheap (well under $100 weeknights, not much over $100 many weekends) and you're at the center of it all, walking distance ro almost everything. In the casino, the Oriental theme is now so dated, it's kind of charming and $5 minimums at the tables can still be found. The pool is plain: lots of concrete, not much landscaping, but lots of misters though to cool the area down on superhot days. Excellent choice if you're willing to pay for location, a small but comfortable room, and full-service amenities without the polish and grandeur of pricier strip resorts. If you can bypass piss-elegance to save $$, IMPERIAL PALACE IS THE FIRST PICK FOR A STRIP HOTEL. (Do eat somewhere else.) |
| Good mainstream property. Rooms prices start in the middle of the spectrum. You're right in the center of the strip, and it's no more than a 15-20 minute walk to anywhere worthwhile on the strip. One of the best pools in Vegas. (For pools any nicer, you'll probably want to be rich & beautiful...Mandalay Bay...Hard Rock.) Stroll the tropical gardens by the pool for free and see the flamingoes. But you'll have to go to the gift shop to buy a large plastic one for $22. For true collectors: these are not genuine original Don Featherstone P.P.F.'s (phoenicopteris ruber plasticus.). |
| ELVIS'S OLD PLACE IN VEGAS...formerly the International Hotel and once the largest hotel in the world. It's off-the-strip and too far to walk, but the new LV Monorail now links the Hilton with the rest of the strip. Rooms are spacious, modern, and reasonable. Problem is, it's friggin' boring. Worse, chances are you will walk out the wrong door and never find your car. Nice place, but no way a first choice. LV Strip Trolley is a cheap ride to the Strip hotels. |
| ALADDIN IS NOW PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT! This place is looking nice, and skeptics will be won over when they see how well they've fixed up this place. Not that it was ever grungy, but the Arabian theme did not do it for most people. It's now very modern, classy, spiffy. It will be a few more months before the transformation of the Desert Passage Mall is complete, as it is transformed into the Miracle Mile Mall. (It's actually about one and a quarter mile from end to end.) This joint may be around awhile. |
| Not clear if it's still in business. The trolley-style buses look charming, but can take forever to pull in and out of hotel lots since they're not permitted to stop on the streets. .The city bus is more efficient (except that city bus people ride it.) Economical alternative to the monorail for Hilton guests to get to the Strip, or to get to places like the outlet mall that cannot be accessed from "The Deuce." $2.50/ride. |
| Their Eiffel Tower knockoff looks spectacular, but the attempt to replicate a European city is upstaged by the successful splendor of the Venetian Hotel a few blocks north. Mel Brooks' "The Producers," has closed, another B'way show that didn't win the strip over. Among the tightet slot machines I've ever come across, and probably one of the more overpriced and overrated hotels for what you get. |
| Bally's features LV's best showgirls extravaganza, "JUBILEE!" But there's nothing else to see here if you're not a hotel guest. |
| Caesars is the original luxury strip hotel but in recent months, a new, hip Caesars has emerged with something for everyone who has money. New Augustus Tower opened Sept 2005, which brings Caesars up to around 3300 rooms like most of the other strip megaresorts. A new tower is in the works that will add another 700 suites. Visit the Forum Shops, the most successful and luxurious shopping mall in North America. You've already missed your chance to see Celine Dion...her show closed at the end of 2007. Bette Midler now shares the venue with Elton John and Cher. |
| Bellagio, home of the musical dancing fountains. Gorgeous property, atrium, top notch in every regard. But in my hotel room here, I found the glamour a little too understated. |
| Acquired by Harrah's, the Barbary Coast name has been replaced by "BILL'S GAMBLIN' HALL" named after company founder William Harrah. (There's a Bill's Casino in Tahoe, too.) 19th century Fisherman's Wharf theme in a modest, but lively hotel-casino. Guest rooms now boast 42" plasma TV's, usually found at more upscale hotels. Harrah's traded 23 acres of the former Westward Ho site, worth close to $20 million an acre, for this 6 acre site, placing the cost of this property at about $82 million an acre! |
| Monte Carlo used to be a very boring but very quiet and comfortable 4 star hotel. But right now it sits next to the largest private construction project in U.S. history, the mammoth Project CityCenter, slated for a 2009 opening. Construction continues 24 hours a day, and I've heard it's not condusive to sleeping. I The spring 2008 fire that closed the hotel for several weeks has hastened MGM to begin remodeling rooms, which should give this place several more years of shelf life. MC has a brand new parking garage! (The old one was torn down to make way for CityCenter construction.) |
| NYNY is one of the most fun casinos to walk around in and look at stuff, with its recreation of the New York skyline, the winding indoor Greenwich village streets and Central Parrk-like casino (with High Limits at the mockup of Tavern On The Green.) Alas, it is being "de-themed" and the Manhattan theme is being minimizedI am perpetually bugged by the presence of Pepsi...except for the pizzerias, New York is a Coca-Cola town. Pricier than most. I hear the small rooms don't match the grandeur of the exterior. |
| It's the largest hotel in the world with over 5000 rooms with a mammoth casino that seems to go on forever. Unlike many of the other MGM properities, THEY DO SERVE COCA-COLA. If you're not staying here, avoid the monstrous parking structure, especially nights when there's an event at the MGM Grand Arena. Better still, avoid Tropicana Avenue, Koval Lane, and even the I-15 exit at Tropicana during Arena events. |
| Famous name on the strip for almost 50 years. Likethe Rat Pack survivor hotels, Sahara, Riviera... time has caught up with it. Only its fab location and nice pool area keep it worthwhile.. Garden rooms are cheapest. Can be a little noisy, dated furnishings, but easy access and most have balconies. The Island Tower has large tubs and mirrors around and over the bed that don't make up for the Flintstone mattress and pillows, and the long walk to get anywhere. Paradise Tower costs the most and offers nothing but a shorter walk to the strip. Bad taste without the charm. . The Trop has great parking, especially for garden rooms, first light east of the strip on Tropicana. No place to go for good cheap food...try a food court at Excalibur or MGM Grand. |
| Now, this is the place for Everyman on the strip. Midprice, midrange, and loads of fun for the family, especially if they gamble. Tables will bump up to $10 on busy nights, but otherwise $5 limits will be found, along with tons-o-slots. Shops, restaurants, and McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Quiznos, and Krispy Kreme on the second floor. 4000 unspectacular rooms, but they're on the best corner of the strip. Free monorail to Luxor and Mandalay Bay. If you turn your nose up at Sears and think of West of the Hudson and East of Hollywood as Oklahoma, you won't like Excalibur. (You probably won't even like Vegas, you piss-elegant elitist fop.) Otherwise you're on the best corner of the strip, can walk anywhere worth walking, and have an easy escape route by car through the gridlock-busting Tropicana Avenue intersection. Parking places are abundant, but it is a long an awkward walk to get from your car to the hotel. MGM is in the process of upgrading Excalibur...they've added a spa, are renovating the pool area, and remodeling rooms for the first time since opening. Marketed as their "widescreen" rooms after the 42" plasma TVs, they cost about $20 more than the faux-medieval brown rooms that now scare away those with pillowtop aspirations. |
| Not the tallest, but arguably most distintive architecture on the strip. Right between sister properties on the strip-the trendier Mandalay Bay, and the commoner's Excalibur-the Luxor fills in the middle quite nicely. They are spending a fortune to "de-theme" the place, removing all the Egyptian decor. The Luxor has halfway decent rates for a full service strip resort. See a full-scale recreation of King Tut's tomb, ride an inclinator (instead of an elevator) diagonally up the pyramid to your room (although rooms are supposed to be nicer in the newer rectangular hotel addition.) Excalibur and Mandalay Bay are just a short walk, but there's a monorail if you're feeling lazy. Tables are never less than a $10 minimum. |
| Pricey and elegant, noveau-riche and beautiful. To keep up with the trendiest, rooms are already being remodeled, adding the now de rigeur 42" plasma TVs. Extensive convention facilities, multiple concert venues, and one of the best pools in Vegas. The top floors are a separate "Four Seasons" hotel. |
| The new tower offers all-suite accomodations, with TWO plasma-screen TV's, and a phone next to the toilet, giving a whole new context to the slogan "let your fingers do the walking" when the phone is next to a toilet paper holder. You'll feel real special in these rooms. |
| Crappy airport location, bad gaming, impossible to get a cocktail waitress. If you're not interested in showing off your pretty young body around the sandy bottom pool, or hanging out LA-style at their hip nightclubs, you can get much more for your money at any of the 4-star properties on the Strip. Otherwise, the young, rich and pretty will enjoy the joint despite the high prices, the young-and-economical may find good rates around $100 or so on some weeknights. |
| Near the Strip...EAST SIDE |
| The Palms is the West-Of-Strip home of the rich, beautiful and slutty on weekends, and they welcome the retiree crowd on weekdays to keep occupancy high and the slots spinning. Outrageously expensive on weekends for an off strip property, but weeknights can be cheap for a very nice room. Gambling here is much more favorable to the player than at the Rio across the way. |
| All-suite resort. See the carnival parade in the sky, now enhanced with more T&A! (Covered, of course) It's loads of fun. But the gambling leaves much to be desired: tight slots and high table minimums, and you're stuck with their food options if you don't have a car.. |
| The Gold Coast is the low-roller & locals joint across the street from both the Palms and the Rio. You don't need to make a special visit here, because there's nothing to see. It works as a low rent alternative if you want proximity to the Palms & Rio, and rooms are being upgraded, but that's it. Check out the Orleans for more fun. |
| Big place: what it lacks in location it makes up for in fancy digs and name brand lounge acts. Too far from the strip to be convenient or trendy, but this is where Boyd Gaming is trying to steer its now-stripless Stardust customers. |
| Across from the Wynn...indoor upscale shopping at...FASHION SHOW MALL and a big food court also. Write down where you park, or you'll never find your car! |
| Here are the Strip hotels! DO stay on the strip. You'll be an outsider to the magic if you don't. |
| TRAFFIC ALERT: Flamingo Road at S. Las Vegas Blvd. (The Strip) is the most grid - locked intersection in Vegas. Avoid, especially at rush hour. |
| WAL-MART 3075 East Tropicana Avenue Las Vegas 89121 5 miles East of the airport |
| TARGET 4001 S. Maryland Parkway Las Vegas 89119 runs parallel to the strip about 2-3 miles east |
| Cheapo-Vegas sister site |
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| Cheap Show Tickets: Both open at noon...available shows posted at 11:30 AM. Available shows are NOT posted online-you must show up to find out. My experience: Tix4 has more selection than Tickets2. There is a $4-$5 service charge per ticket. |
| Tix4Tonight Branches at the Polo Towers, Fashion Show Mall, Next to Peppermill's, Downtown. |
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| It's fabulously ornate, with draperies and canopies over lots of stuff theat never had drapes or canopies before. The elegance is more over-the-top than it is at Bellagio or Venetian/Palazzo. ENCORE: Phase 2 of Steve Wynn's vision for Vegas opened in Dec 2008. It's a step up even from the top-notch Wynn. It's fabulous. TEven the biggest tightwad will want to throw money around in this pleace, it's so nice. |
| STRIP Center: almost everyplace south of here is good! |
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| In July 2003, 80's rock legend ADRIAN MADDERTONE performed live on the strip outside the Flamingo, saluting Johnny Cash with a performance of 'A BOY NAMED SUE." |
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| This is one of the few small low-rent properties remaining on the strip. The clientele is like spring-break, young, not a lot of money, but out to have a good time. Walk in for $1 Michelobs or slushy daquiris, or when you're looking for $5 table miniimums. Not glamorous, but good value. |
| BEWARE... The Trop imposes a nightly "resort fee"now $7.99 per night over and above the quoted room rate. Most recently they have not charged this on reservations on their own website, but still do on third-party sites. |
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| Both of these properties are experiencing financial woes that could bring building to a halt. But once that hashes itself out, CityCenter will be a massive commercial and residential complex, with 4000 rooms and a mammoth casino. MGM is now taking reservations for late 2009 at its Aria Hotel there (one of several that will comprise the complex). The Cosmopolitan has been in financial trouble for well over a year, although construction continues. This project may have a new operator and a new name before it finally opens...when is anyone's guess. |
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| The entire ECHELON project, sheduled to open in 2010, has been mothballed for 12-18 months, probably longer. |
| Hooters Hotel & Casino, brought to you by the famous breast & wings / thigh & legs joint. This place is so close to the strip that the rooms here are probably closer to the strip than some strip rooms. If the rates are low, and you don't need luxury, but a nice bright clean room, a pool, and a casino, then this is a good option. |
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| CLICK HERE FOR ALL OTHER LAS VEGAS AREAS including Downtown/Fremont Street, Summerlin, Henderson, Green Valley, Jean, and Primm |
| Value Alert: Tropicana, Excalibur, and Imperial Palace offer prime central location at "North Strip" prices. |
| In the 1950's the 9-story hotel tower was considered the strip's first high-rise. |
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| Nonsmoking hotel walking distance to Strip with Westin's famous "heavenly" bed. Smoking permitted in their small casino. |
| Super 8 Motel & locals casino. |
| Nice & spacious but a good distance from the Strip. |
| Basic hotel rooms, now with plasma TVs and a good sized locals casino. Fine in a pinch or when funds are tight, but you sacrifice location. |
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| strip photo by Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com |
| Need to shop for essentials? |
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| Transportation: to, from, and on the Las Vegas Strip |
| FUN AND HELPFUL LINKS |
| LasVegasHotelSpecial.com SINGULAR! |
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| LAS VEGAS Strip |
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| Hotel Bargain Hunt |
| Vegas News-Culture-History |
| BEWARE... $5 resort fee per night is added to the quoted room rate. |
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| MAINTRAINSTATION.COM LAS VEGAS HOTEL BARGAIN HUNT Pick the rate, not the date. Don't decide when you want to go until you check the rates for those days. Alternate dates could save you hundreds. FIRST: Go to Vegas.com. Use this site for your initial hotel search. This is your first indicator of whether you'll find appealing rates for your chosen dates. (Plus, search under "shows" to see what shows are playing during your visit.) OR: Did that search overwhelm you with hotel names and descriptions? Try searching "center strip" & "south strip" on Hotwire.com. These are the prime locations you want to be. Hotwire won't name hotels, but will indicate rate per night & star rating. (Hotwire will give you the average rate per night. Thus if the rate for a Fri-Sat-Sun stay is $240, $300, $60, it will indicate $100 per night. Yes, it's not unusual for rates to vary like this from day to day.) NEXT: Visit one or more of these bargain sharing sites. (Beware of some deals that hotels may restrict to certain guests or club members.) Las Vegas Hotel Specials.com Casino Trip Reports Blog Fat Wallet Las Vegas Forum THEN: Visit the hotel web site. Unlike hotels in other cities, Vegas resorts' sites often beat all other reservation sites. In addition, they have the most lenient cancellation policies. Most of them have no cancellation penalty if you cancel 48-72 hours prior to your arrival date. BEFORE YOU RESERVE: Read on-line hotel reviews at a site like TripAdvisor.com. For a laughs AND perspective, visit CheapoVegas.com. And if you want MY opinion, then look no further.... FINALLY: Still rate-curious? Try these web-scrubber sites, which work for world-wide reservations. Kayak.com SideStep.com Travelaxe.com |
| LAST CHANCE: The parking lot between the Golden Arches and the now closed and now demolished Westward Ho is where Nomi (played by Elizabeth Berkley) threw up in the movie SHOWGIRLS. The site is now surrounded by a chain link fence and the asphalt ripped away. Only the palm tree cluster gives the indication of where the glorious scene was filmed. The McD's was torn down and rebuilt on the Westward Ho grounds, adjacent to Slots-A-Fun. |
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| $4 per night is added to the quoted room rate for "energy" and "telephone.". |
| $4 per night is added to the quoted room rate for "energy" and "telephone." RIVIERA ALSO CHARGES $15 TO CANCEL A RESERVATION.. |
| The Palazzo promises bigger and better suites than the Venetian. However, one wonders what they were thinking in designing this bland casino. Wynn & Encore blow this joint out of the water. |
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| The famous Miami hotel brand is coming to Vegas in late 2009, with an azure-blue glass tower of 4000 luxury hotel rooms. This will be the first high end property on the North Strip,. Other luxury hotels were planned for the area, which would have transformed the neighborhood. However, MGM has no money to develop its land holdings to the north of Circus Circus, the Crown Hotel project to the north, has been cancelled, and Echelon to the south has been mothballed for a minimium of 12-18 months. |
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