Las Vegas Hotel Deals

Back to Las VegasBest Las Vegas Hotel Deals

Best for Conventioneers/Business Travelers: The Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd. (tel. 888/732-7117; www.lvhilton.com), adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center and the setting for many conventions, offers extensive facilities that include a full business center. And now it's a stop on the monorail, making access to the Strip easier than ever.

Best Luxury Resorts: The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson (tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), perched on the edge (and over part) of Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, wins the prize for its combination of setting (gorgeous, peaceful) and experience (such service!). But you might want something that's actually in town, and for that, you must go to the Four Seasons, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), because experience running luxury resorts around the world makes them the only true claimant to the throne within Vegas.

Best Resort for the Indecisive: So you want a proper resort getaway, but you don't want to be too far from Vegas action. Red Rock Resort, 10973 W. Charleston Rd. (tel. 866/767-7773; www.redrockstation.com), is a smashing newer facility that has it all: luxe rooms, an excellent pool area, good and relatively inexpensive food, fab decor, and a breathtaking view of the red rocks of the canyon. Many a well-heeled celeb has already kept a low profile by the pool.

Best Archetypically Las Vegas Hotel: To be honest, these days there aren't any. Las Vegas hotels are one and all doing such massive face-lifts that the archetype is mostly a memory. Still, despite some major changes, Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/427-7243; www.caesars.com), will probably continue to embody the excess, the romance (oh, yes) and, well, downright silliness that used to characterize Vegas -- and to a certain extent still does.

Best Non-Vegas Vegas Hotel: Mandalay Bay's THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), is as elegant and sophisticated as any lodging in Manhattan. All accommodations are true suites, complete with flatscreen TVs and deep soaking tubs. Since it's a separate tower, you are far away from the clash and clang of Vegas -- at least in spirit. In reality, it's just a medium walk down a long hallway. Quite possibly our favorite hotel in the city.

Best Swimming Pools: Hands down, the acres of water park fun at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com) -- wave pool, lazy river, beach, regular swimming pools . . . no wonder they check IDs carefully to make sure only official guests enter. Everyone wants to swim and splash here. If you can't, you won't be disappointed by the amorphously shaped pools with water fountains and slides, plus a rather festive atmosphere, at The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667; www.mirage.com). But if you've ever longed to swim at Hearst Castle, Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/987-6667; www.bellagio.com), with six swimming pools in a neoclassical Italian garden setting (and a more hushed, chic ambience), is for you. Then again, the pool at Green Valley Ranch Resort, 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy. (at I-215), Henderson (tel. 866/782-9487; www.greenvalleyranchresort.com), with its foliage, beach, and everything else, may have them both beat. But its distant location (in Henderson) takes it out of the running. But only just.

Best Spas/Health Clubs: We only wish our own gym were as handsomely equipped as the one at the Canyon Ranch Spa in The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com), which also has a number of other high-priced amenities on which you can blow your blackjack winnings. We are also partial to the full complement of machines at the health club at Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/987-6667; www.bellagio.com), probably the best-equipped club of all. Attentive attendants, a well-stocked locker room, and comfortable lounges in which to rest up after your workout are other pluses. For a straight spa experience, the new Qua at Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/731-7110), is a paean to quiet pleasure, a peaceful and aesthetically pleasing haven with all sorts of included-in-admission indulgences, such as an ice exfoliation room.

Best Hotel Dining: Foodies can't miss the chance to eat French food from the hands of a true master, at Joël Robuchon and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (the latter is a more casual and somewhat cheaper experience, but just as lauded; tel. 702/891-7925), in the MGM Grand. If, of course, you don't mind taking out a small bank loan to fund that gastronomic venture. Otherwise, you can work up a good case of gout trying all the haute-cuisine options at Bellagio, which has restaurants by Todd English (Olives; tel. 702/693-7223) and Julian Serrano (Picasso; tel. 702/693-7223). The hotel has seven James Beard Award-winning chefs on staff. Wynn Las Vegas has brought in a number of name-brand chefs, including Alex Strada (Alex; tel. 888/320-7110) and Paul Bartolotta (Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare; tel. 888/320-7110). The Venetian isn't too far behind, with restaurants from Emeril Lagasse (Delmonico Steakhouse; tel. 702/414-3737), and Joachim Splichal (Pinot Brasserie; tel. 702/414-8888), plus a version of Thomas Keller's bistro Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200).

Best for 20-Somethings to Baby Boomers: Palms Casino Resort, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. (tel. 866/942-7777; www.palms.com), is the single most happening hotel for the hip and hip-hop sets. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 4455 Paradise Rd. (tel. 800/473-ROCK; www.hardrockhotel.com), bills itself as the world's "first rock 'n' roll hotel and casino" and "Vegas for a new generation."

Best Interiors: For totally different reasons, it's a tie between New York-New York Hotel & Casino, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/693-6763; www.nynyhotelcasino.com), and The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667; www.mirage.com). The Mirage's tropical rainforest and massive coral-reef aquarium behind the registration desk may not provide as much relaxation as a Club Med vacation, but they're a welcome change from the hubbub that is usual for Vegas. Speaking of hubbub, New York-New York has cornered the market on it, but its jaw-dropping interior, with its extraordinary attention to detail (re-creating virtually every significant characteristic of New York City), makes this a tough act to beat.

Best for Families: The classic choice is Circus Circus Hotel & Casino, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/434-9175; www.circuscircus.com), with ongoing circus acts, a vast video-game arcade, a carnival midway, and a full amusement park. Less aged, and less hectic, Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com), is a more modern choice, right for families because you can gain access to both the guest rooms and the pool area (itself fun for kids, with a beach, a wave pool, and a lazy river) without trotting through the casino. Those of you with bigger budgets might want to try the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson (tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), because not only is it well out of range of Sin City's temptations, but it also offers a variety of healthy and fun activities (from hikes to fly-fishing to stargazing).

Best Rooms off the Strip: Again, we love the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson (tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), with its perfect decor, spacious interior, and gorgeous bathrooms, but you'll probably want something closer to town. Still not in the thick of things, but not quite as far away is Red Rock Resort, 10973 W. Charleston Rd. (tel. 866/767-7773; www.redrockstation.com), where the smashing rooms include lush bathrooms and beds that are like sleeping in a bowl of whipped cream -- both offering places to relax while watching big flatscreen TVs.

Best Rooms on the Strip: We need to break this down. If one is talking actual suites, then THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), wins the day, with its one-bedroom could-be-a-great-apartment-in-Manhattan sophisticated wonders. Best "suites" (because no matter how the hotel bills them, these accommodations are really just one big room) are clearly the 700-square-foot extravaganzas at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com), with separate sitting and bedroom areas, full of all sorts of special details. Best "room" goes to the Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/320-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com), where the rooms are quite big, the bathrooms not far behind, the beds are plush, the TVs (plural!) are flatscreen, and the tubs are deep. The newly upgraded rooms at the Flamingo, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd S. (tel. 800/732-2111; www.flamingolasvegas.com) pay homage to its venerable past with vintage photos and hot pink accents -- plus various luxuries and other style touches that make them ring-a-ding!

Best Rooms Downtown: Downtown, the rooms at the Golden Nugget, 129 E. Fremont St. (tel. 800/846-5336; www.goldennugget.com), are getting some much-needed love that should return them to the top of the heap, but don't forget about the lovely Main Street Station, 200 N. Main St. (tel. 800/465-0711; www.mainstreetcasino.com), with lots to offer both in the rooms and beyond. It has done a terrific job of renovating an older space, boasting solidly good restaurants and surprisingly nice rooms for an inexpensive price.

Best Bathrooms: This honor goes to THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), where each good-size marble bathroom features a large glass shower, a separate water closet, a flatscreen TV, and a soaking tub so deep that the water comes up to your chin. It's a wonder anyone ever leaves to go to the casino. Not far behind is Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/320-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com), which offers a similar layout, including a plasma TV and deep, long tub, plus lemongrass-scented amenities and silky robes to cradle you afterward.

Best Non-Casino Hotel: Four Seasons, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), used to win this category, but now it's a tie with THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com). It can't be a coincidence that both are found around Mandalay Bay. Once you've experienced the Four Seasons' quiet good taste, superior service and pampering, and the serenity of their non-casino property, or the sophistication and elegance of THEhotel, it's hard to go back to traditional Vegas hotels. But best of all, should you want the best of both worlds, you need only pass through one door to have access to Mandalay Bay and all its traditional Vegas hotel accouterments, including that missing casino. Coming in a close second is the Venezia, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com) at The Venetian; same idea as THEhotel (a separate yet equal entity, the non-casino part of the casino hotel), though we prefer the decor and gestalt of THEhotel.

Best Casinos: Our favorite places to gamble are anywhere we might win. But we also like the casinos in The Mirage (lively, beautiful, and not overwhelming), New York-New York (because of the aforementioned attention to detail -- it almost makes losing fun), and Main Street Station, because it's about the most smoke-free casino in town and because it's pretty.

Best Views: From the high-floor rooms at the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/99-TOWER; www.stratospherehotel.com), you can see clear to the next county, while the Strip-side rooms at Four Seasons, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), give you the entire Las Vegas Boulevard panorama from the southernmost end. Higher-up floors at the Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., at Riviera Blvd. (tel. 888/732-7117; www.lvhilton.com), show you that same panorama from a different perspective. If you are lucky, your room at Red Rock Resort, 10973 W. Charleston Rd. (tel. 866/767-7773; www.redrockstation.com), will overlook those very same red rocks, though at some distance.

Back to Las Vegas Next: Las Vegas Dining Picks