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Travel Guide: Las Vegas
Picking the best hotel location for price and convenience
This page helps you pick the best hotel location in Las Vegas.
You'll find out the pros and cons of various Las Vegas neighborhoods with an emphasis on convenience and cost.
Your choices include
Introduction - Getting the best value
Las Vegas Strip—North and South
Fremont Street - Downtown
Convention Center—Near Strip East
UNLV (University of Nevada)
McCarran Airport—Near Strip South
Near Strip West—West of Strip
Northwest Las Vegas—The Lakes (weekend values)
Boulder Highway—East of Strip
Henderson
Nellis AFB - Las Vegas Speedway - North Las Vegas
Maps
For maps of Las Vegas hotel areas, click on
Then click on the "Name your own price" option for links to detailed maps.
Introduction—getting the best value
Attempting to save money, you could stay at a KOA campground or even a Motel 6 in Las Vegas, but that would be a terrible mistake.
You can get fantastic deals at deluxe hotels like the Mirage, Venetian, Paris, Palm, Rio, and the MGM Grand.
All you have to do is
- Avoid Friday and Saturday nights, large conventions, and big sporting events.
In fact, if you can stay Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday nights, you can often get a budget Motel 6-type rate at a first class casino hotel.
- Use a discount website that lets you pick neighborhood, amenities, and quality, but not a specific hotel to get the best deals, such as
Hotwire.com(no bidding), or
(bidding or no bidding—your choice—but bidding gets you the lowest prices)
Las Vegas Strip—North and south
Strip hotels offer the most convenient and fun packed location for your Las Vegas trip. Try to stay there if you can get a good price.
Staying on the South Strip locates you in its most popular part, although the Wynn and other top hotels have opened on the North Strip in recent years.
The North Strip—especially the far North Strip—can be less convenient, but it's still reasonably central. It also has more lower cost hotels.
Staying anywhere between the Mirage and adjacent Treasure Island and the Mandalay Bay puts you in the center of the action. You can walk or use a short taxi ride.
Hotel casinos in this area include the MGM Grand, Bally’s, Harrah's, Caesar’s Palace (its Forum shopping mall is a must see), Monte Carlo, Boardwalk, Paris, New York - New York, Luxor, and Hotel San Remo.
At the center of these, the top-rated 5-star Venetian often features deep discounts. Its deluxe suites can be one of the best values in Vegas.
The Las Vegas Monorail between the Sahara Hotel and Casino and the MGM Grand adds to the convenience of being on the Strip—either north or south.
You'll find stations at
- MGM Grand,
- Bally's/Paris-Las Vegas,
- Flamingo,
- Harrah's/Imperial Palace,
- Las Vegas Convention Center,
- Las Vegas Hilton, and
- the Sahara.
The Monorail website lists other hotels near these stations. Because traffic and parking are such issues on the Strip, you may wish to check out the monorail even if you have a car.
At the north station, the much beloved Sahara enjoys high repeat business and features the NASCAR Cafe. This restored atmospheric 1950’s era casino hotel was favored by Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack. It's our favorite Las Vegas lower cost hotel.
Fremont Street Area—Downtown Las Vegas
Fremont Street is the original Vegas fun area. The “Fremont Experience” light show sparked some much-needed revitalization downtown.
The Golden Nugget remains the best hotel here.
The cheapest downtown Las Vegas hotels tend to be marginal—even sleazy. Be cautious about booking these.
An inexpensive exception is the well-run Park Plaza Lady Luck, which enjoys great repeat business. Casino guests like its easy comps (freebies).
Use care when walking off Fremont Street at night. Stick to busy streets.
Convention Center—Near Strip East
You'll find many hotels near the Convention Center, but they fill up incredibly fast at busy times.This area puts you close to most Las Vegas attractions and has two stations on the new monorail—the Convention Center and Las Vegas Hilton.
If you have a problem finding a moderate cost hotel here, try the Sahara on the North Strip. It's very close to the Convention Center and also on the monorail.
UNLV - University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Often overlooked by visitors, the UNLV area is convenient to the action and can save you money over Strip hotels.
Adjacent to the main area of the Strip and near the airport, you are
also close to Belz Factory Outlet, the Liberace Museum,
Ethel M Chocolate Factory, and other attractions. Moreover, you are very
close to the airport,
not far from the Convention Center, and, of course, near
some of the best college sports teams in the country.
Yes, I did grow up near Las Vegas, but never attended UNLV! No bias here.
McCarran Airport—Near Strip South
Staying near the Las Vegas airport puts you near the Luxor, Mandalay Bay, and other large casinos at the south end of the main Strip.
Near Strip South gives you another chance to save some money without sacrificing much convenience.
Near Strip West and West of Strip
The Near Strip West area (along Interstate 15) allows you to adjoin the Strip without paying Strip prices.
Locals love the vibrant Rio Suite Hotel & Casino here.
Just a mile from the Strip, the Rio's clubs are filled with single, fun-loving party hardies in their 20’s or 30’s. If you want to connect, this may be your place.
The Orleans there, another local favorite, attracts an older crowd. Its popular breakfast buffet gives great value.
Your proximity to the I-15 freeway makes it easy for you get around.
Further out, the West of Strip neighborhood becomes a bit run down, but you'll often save money there, while remaining reasonably convenient to the Strip if you have a car.
Northwest Las Vegas - The Lakes
A bit far from the Strip, hotels in Northwest Las Vegas, the Lakes, and Summerlin cater mainly to business travelers.
As a result, this is a great area to find room values on weekends. The Lakes may be your best chance to get a first class or deluxe hotel for a great price during the busiest periods elsewhere in Las Vegas. However, you really need a car.
Northwest Las Vegas also offers your best chance for good values on top golf and tennis resorts in the Las Vegas area.
Boulder Highway—East of Strip
(Not to be confused with the name Near Strip East Hotwire.com uses.)
The Boulder Highway runs between downtown Las Vegas and Henderson (and onward to the Hoover Dam). This was the traditional "motel row" in Las Vegas, but larger casino hotels have developed over the years.
Casinos here cater predominately to locals. Because Vegas residents know the odds on games, video poker is the game of choice. Traditionally, you'll also find looser slots where the locals gather.
This area lacks the "elegance" of the Strip (to put it mildly), but you'll find great values on meals and entertainment. Places here depend very heavily on repeat business.
Henderson
Hotel casinos in fast-growing Henderson, a major suburb of Las Vegas, also cater to locals.
You are a bit far from the Strip, but very close to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. New freeways (I-215 and I-515) make it easier for you to reach most parts of Las Vegas, including the Strip.
Henderson offers values on modern resort-style hotels that feature golf and tennis and a wide selection of moderate cost accommodation.
Nellis AFB - Las Vegas Speedway - North Las Vegas
The Priceline hotel zone around Nellis Air Force Base and the Las Vegas Speedway is packed with budget and moderate cost accommodation.
You won't find fancy places or much atmosphere, but may save quite a bit of money in North Las Vegas.
You are reasonably close to the Fremont Street fun area, and I-15 gives you quick access to the Strip.
Have a great time in Las Vegas and best of luck!
