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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—UNLV
UNLV (University of Nevada) (continued)
Las Vegas McCarran Airport
West of Strip
Northwest Las Vegas—Summerlin (weekend values)
Boulder Highway Strip
Henderson
Nellis AFB - Las Vegas Speedway - North Las Vegas

Maps

Check out maps of Las Vegas hotel neighborhoods we discuss. 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 Luxor, Venetian, Paris, Palm, Trump International, and even the new Encore.

All you have to do is

• Avoid Friday and Saturday nights, large conventions, and big sporting events.
  
  
• 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
  
  Las Vegas Hotels from $29! (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 South Strip moves you away from the seediness that mars portions of the North Strip. However, very deluxe hotels like the Encore and Wynn are located along the North Strip.

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 Mandalay Bay and the Encore puts you in a decent area. You can walk or use a short taxi ride.

Hotel casinos in this area include among others the Bellagio, Luxor, MGM Grand, Bally’s, Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, Caesar’s Palace (its Forum shopping mall is a must see), Monte Carlo, Paris, Wynn, Palazzo, Treasure Island, Imperial Palace, and New York - New York.

Within this area, you find the top-rated 5-star Venetian, which 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 Sahara enjoys high repeat business for its very budget rooms (read need renovation) and features the NASCAR Cafe. This restored atmospheric 1950’s era casino hotel was favored by Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack.

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—University of Nevada Las Vegas

NOTE!!! President Obama's implication that you can't have a serious business conference in places like Las Vegas and Orlando has severely hurt Las Vegas convention business. This has caused meetings to be moved to other cities, often much more expensive ones, because CEOs want to avoid potential criticism.

These cancellations mean that hotels especially near the convention center such as the Las Vegas Hilton are hurting for business. That means incrediable potential values for you.

The Convention Center and UNLV area puts you close to most Las Vegas attractions and has two stations on the new monorail at the Convention Center and at the Las Vegas Hilton.

More on UNLV - University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Priceline sometimes offers this as a separate bidding zone.

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.

Las Vegas McCarran Airport

Staying near the Las Vegas airport puts you NEAR but not at the Luxor, Mandalay Bay, and other large casinos at the south end of the main Strip.

Staying around the airport gives you another chance to save some money without sacrificing much convenience.

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West of Strip

The West of Strip area (along and west of Interstate 15) allows you to adjoin the Strip without paying Strip prices.

University of Nevada Las Vegas students love the vibrant Palms Resort & Casino here.

Just a mile from the Strip, the Palms' 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 pool scene too is outstanding.

The Orleans, a 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 - Summerlin

A bit far from the Strip, hotels in Northwest Las Vegas, the Lakes, and Summerlin cater mainly to business travelers and their casinos to locals.

As a result, this is a great area to find room values on weekends. This 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 may offer your best chance for good values on top golf and tennis resorts in the Las Vegas area.

Boulder Strip

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 favored by locals have developed over the years.

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.

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Henderson - Lake Las Vegas

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.

Note that Priceline's Henderson zone does not include all of the entire city of Henderson.

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 the I-15 gives you quick access to the Strip.

Have a great time in Las Vegas and best of luck!

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