How to Choose a Las Vegas Strip Hotel Location

By Don Nadeau, on June 6, 2009, in Hotel Tips, Travel

Merely choosing a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip is not sufficient. How much you enjoy your time in Las Vegas may depend heavily on exactly where you position yourself on the Strip. The Strip varies greatly by location. If you’re “naming your own price” for a 4- or 5-star hotel in either the north or south Strip areas, you’ll be in a good location. However, if you’re bidding on a lower-star hotel, you’re more likely be satisfied with what you win on the South Strip. Generally, the blocks between Steve Wynn’s Encore and the Mandalay Bay are considered best. The Encore and Wynn Las Vegas, both great hotels, banked on the area north of these to be quickly redeveloped, which hasn’t happened. Walking between the Encore and the venerable Sahara Hotel and Casino may make some feel uncomfortable especially at night. Much of this area has been cleared for condo and other projects halted by the economic downturn, but what remains is often quite seedy. Hotels in this “no person land” include the Circus Circus, Riviera Hotel Casino, and Hilton Grand Vacations, not to be confused with the Las Vegas Hilton. The aptly named Stratosphere, just north of these, exists among seediness, but the crowds that jam the Strip around it bring comfort. The Sahara, where Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack once partied, transcends its location by having a direct connection to the Las Vegas Monorail. Its retro vibe and usually cheap rates bring repeat business, in spite of its seen better days rooms. The Strip isn’t your only choice. Off-Strip places like the Hard Rock and Palms (one of my favorites) pull in the party hardy, and the Green Valley Resort offers some of the best rooms I’ve seen in Las Vegas and presents these at a moderate price. Use this link to find Las Vegas hotel neighborhoods discussed in detail.