Where To Stay In Las Vegas

 

Hey you're headed to Las Vegas, fantastic! Now before you book your hotel/resort there are a few things you might want to consider.  

1. Should I stay on or off the strip?
   You absolutely want to stay ON the strip. The best kept secret about Las Vegas is how deceptively far apart all of the casinos and attractions are. By the time you end up hitting the sheets after a day/night on the town, chances are you'll have walked over four or five miles. Do you want to double that by adding walking to the strip? Do you want to blow your gambling money on cabs, rental cars and shuttles? You're going to Vegas to see the strip, stay there as well. The rooms cost more on Las Vegas Blvd but it is worth it. The Hard Rock Hotel may fit your personal style, but it is a 40 minute hike from the HRH tower to Planet Hollywood. Don't waste your time or money anywhere but the strip.
   
   
2. Should I stay in a classic or modern casino?
   For a town that appears to ape everyone else's culture, Las Vegas is very proud of its history and has its fair share of sacred cows. Why did both the Sahara and Sands close their doors? Because they were dated and no one wanted to stay there.
   
   
   The older the casino, chances are the more outmoded it is.
   
   
   The older casinos tend to have lower ceilings, outrageously loud music blaring, and the stench of 60 years of smoke lingering. Smoke is inescapable in Vegas and unless you're smoker, that's hard to adapt to. You'll find the newer casinos are havens for non-smokers. The Flamingo and The Tropicana are considered landmark hotels on the strip; walk through them, take some pictures, but stay somewhere else.
   
   
3. Are the theme casinos worth it?
   This is tricky, some people really love New York-New York, Luxor, Excalibur, Paris, and Hard Rock, but personally, I find the first four tacky and the HRH obnoxious (plus it is way  off the strip). Unless you're a New Yorker or have a thing for parodied Parisian/Egyptian culture, stay somewhere else. These hotels is where Vegas tries to get family friendly, and with the exception of the Venetian, it mostly fails. Stay somewhere culturally agnostic for optimum enjoyment.
   
4. Which end of the strip -north or south- is better to stay at?
   You will without question spend the majority of your time near the epicenter of the strip; Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo Rd; however, the ends of the strip do have their charms. On the south end is Mandalay Bay, at the north end is Encore. The problem with Mandalay is while it is a beautiful, palatial casino & resort, its neighbors are Luxor, Excalibur and New York-New York, i.e. the casinos I just called tacky. Encore, on the other hand, is just as beautiful and near the sparklingly clean Wynn, Fashion Mall, and Palazzo. It also helps Encore is only a 20 minute walk to Caesars or The Venetian. So unless you absolutely love Mandalay, stay at the North end.

So now that you have some selection criteria, let me expose my personal bias. 

Here are my Top 3 Las Vegas Resorts:

Aria, Casino and Resort
Neighbors:  Bellagio, Vdara, Monte Carlo, Cosmopolitan

Prior to my last visit to Las Vegas, I was pretty down on the town overall. The Aria completely changed my opinion. It's pretty new, having only opened in 2009, and it is beautiful and spacious. I'm not claustrophobic, but once you pile in hoards of people, smoke, gambling and loud music, I start to shut down. Aria has the highest ceilings in town and everything on the main floor is perfectly spread out. It also helps Aria has a free tram to its neighbors, has delicious & decently-priced restaurants and is near the eye of the Strip hurricane. If someone wants a short answer to "Where should I stay in Vegas?" Aria is the place.

Wynn, Resort and Casino
Neighbors: The Palazzo, Encore, Fashion Mall

Wynn Resort and Casino is like a luxury sedan, it's elegant, spacious and clean. This hotel sports one of the few buffets I recommend and is full of wonderful little touches that almost persuade you not to leave the premises. The Wynn is near the north end of the strip and a touch on the pricey side, but if you want to stay in the lap of luxury, this place wins hands down.

Venetian, Casino, Hotel and Resort
Neighbors: The Palazzo and The Quad

I have spent more time in this hotel than any other in my life and I've only been to Vegas a handful of times. The Venetian is one of the biggest hotels in the world, has possibly the coolest, most welcoming mall in the town and pulls of the tricky feat of having a theme and not being an eye sore. Thanks to Ocean's Eleven, when most people think of Vegas, they probably think of The Bellagio and its fountains. That water show is cool, but I would tell people to check out the Venetian first, before heading to the Bellagio. If it weren't for how much time I've spent in this hotel, it would be my top choice simply for the fact its casino is hidden below all of the shopping and restaurants. The downside is being so big it takes forever to get to it, get anywhere inside it and its neighbors aren't the most exciting. Still, a fantastic hotel.

So there you have it, Vegas has finally won me over and I look forward to returning. Now before I open the floor to questions, let me get across with one final thought: DO NOT STAY ON FREMONT STREET. Unless you have always dreamed of joining the circus, or camping on a landfill, there is nothing worth seeing in the downtown area.

Who disagrees with me? What questions do you have about Las Vegas? What is your favorite casino in the town? Leave a comment.