Where to Stay in Las Vegas

There are tons of choices, and we have tried out many of them. Most people, including us, prefer to stay on the strip or downtown, but we have also stayed off strip. We usually spend a week or more in Vegas so we split our stays between properties. This allows us to explore an area more thoroughly and provides better variety especially for nearby restaurants.

We like to stay where we enjoy gambling and where we get the best comps. For us, that is MGM properties. If you plan to return to Vegas and you gamble, the best choice is to choose a rewards program that has places where you want to stay and play and spend most of your gambling money there. We have played at most of the casinos on the strip and downtown, but we do not seem to get any worthwhile offers compared to MGM. We also like the MyVegas games for the MGM properties. MGM properties are now part of Marriott which is even better for us and anyone who stays at Marriotts frequently. The Cosmopolitan was already part of Marriott which is why we stayed there initially, but now it is also part of MGM. With this combination, you can double dip your rewards. We are basically sold on MGM at this point. No matter where you decide to stay, book directly with the hotel. The third-party deals can sometimes seem like a better deal, but I promise you that booking directly is the way to go in Vegas.

Here is everywhere we have stayed in Vegas

The Strip:

• Mirage – We enjoyed our stay here, but it is no longer an MGM property. At the time of writing, it is in transition to Hard Rock Casino. We played here and did quite well on our last trip in 2024, but we did not get any good offers from the new rewards program.

• Cosmo (twice)– This is our very favorite hotel in Vegas. The rooms are amazing, and the casino is fun. We had terrace rooms both times and highly recommend trying to get a room with a terrace. The photo above of the fountains is a view from our room. We are looking forward to our next stay here.

• Bally’s (now Horseshoe) –It was a good, budget friendly stay. We never get free nights from Ceasar’s despite staying and playing at multiple Ceasar’s properties across the country. Since we have only stayed at this one Caesar's property in Vegas, we may try another one at some point.

• MGM Grand – We did not like our stay here due to the hallways and bathroom. We did stay for free in the most basic room, but I would not stay here again (at least in a basic room). We do like the casino though.

• Luxor (twice) – We really like Luxor. It is a budget friendly hotel, and we do not mind the south location. We have stayed in a pyramid room and in the towers in a one-bedroom suite. I would suggest Luxor to anyone who is trying to save money on a Vegas trip. We really enjoy this casino, especially their bar top games. The service is phenomenal at Aurora every time we have been there.

• New York New York (twice) –We like the location, restaurants, and gambling. I think it is a good middle of the road MGM property and would recommend it.

• Aria – We stayed here for two nights for free in a basic room in Dec 2023. Out of all the Vegas stays we have had, this was the worst which was shocking to us. The room and hallways were filthy, and things were in disrepair or completely broken in the room. We never once saw a cocktail waitress on the floor after three days of gambling. Aria does have some pretty lobby displays.

• Mandalay Bay – We think this is a great property. It is on the far south of the strip so if you stay here, be prepared for a lot of walking or taking rideshares. This does not bother us at all. Even the basic rooms are great, and there are good restaurants on site. We like the casino too.

Downtown:

• The D (twice) – The D is budget friendly, and we like the vibe. We had some issues with the room the last time we stayed here, but nothing major. However, with as many options as Vegas has, we do not think we will stay here again anytime soon since we have already twice.

• Downtown Grand – We liked our three night stay here. It was a budget friendly option, and we loved playing the $1 blackjack tables. We would recommend this hotel.

• Circa – We loved our stay here and highly recommend this hotel. The room was excellent. The restaurants are good, the casino is fun, and the bars are awesome with ample seating. We did not go to the pool when we stayed because we were there in winter, but we did go to the pool on a previous trip when we were staying at the D. The pool area is awesome. Circa has it all.

Off strip:

• Ellis Island – The hotel is not exactly on the strip, but it is close. We only stayed here for a partial night because we had a red eye flight. I would not recommend this hotel for a first timer, but it worked for what we needed. It is very budget friendly, but the amenities and casino reflect that price point. We were treated very well, and the room was clean. With our stay we were provided an ace to use on any blackjack table at their casino, and we got free beer too.

• Residence Inn Las Vegas South/Henderson – We stayed here to work remotely between two of our other hotel stays. While working remotely, we like separate spaces and a kitchen/kitchenette so we usually stay at extended stay hotels like Residence Inn or short-term rentals if it is a longer stay. There are some hotels on or near the strip that offer rooms like this (even other Residence Inns), but I read a lot of reviews that mentioned poor Wi-Fi so I went with a hotel that had better reviews. We did not have any connectivity issues so I would recommend if needing a hotel for working remotely or wanting to stay off strip.

• Short term rental – We stayed in a rental because we needed to work remotely for a longer period of time, and homes are usually more comfortable for us than hotels for these types of stays. I would not recommend this for people who are wanting to go to the casinos and see the sites. Plus, there are a lot of restrictions on short term rentals in Vegas so if you do decide to book a short-term rental, make sure it is a legal rental.

Next read about Things to Do in Vegas or Restaurants in Vegas