Fwiw I’ve stayed at Aria, Caesars, Wynn, Cosmo, Flamingo (big yikes in 2014), Trump Tower before he was a politician (biggest yikes, it was via a Priceline thing where they gave you a secret 5* hotel for a low rate), Palazzo, Ballys, Hilton Grand Vacation Club, and the Westin or something. Wynn #1
Aria - 2013 Caesars - 2017 Delano/Mandalay Bay - 2020 here. Best room was Delano, but Caesars was best property of those 3. Cosmo is definitely place I’m going to next time I’m in Vegas.
Cosmo had an ownership change back around 2015-16 iirc. The decline was predicted. I’m going to visit though on my next trip. It had an excellent food & beverage program and I hope that it still is. Aria is still my favorite place to stay. Vdara is too if you want smoke free (it’s not a casino). The comments about Aria being a bit boring are on target. It wasn’t conceived as a property with “pop”. It’s all about luxury.
Right- my opinion is just a former 20s guy looking to party. I just don’t think Aria has an identity (from my only having been to the strip 3 times. Know you and racer are regulars). Bellagio, Paris has that romantic, historical thing. Caesars, cosmo, planet Hollywood corner that willing to spend 20-30s market. Wynn, Venetian has got that rich old man money. I can’t figure out who Aria is trying to compete with. Just feels like Bellagio overflow. But I can see where a guy like you likes it. Former resident, not your first time in Vegas. It’s definitely a quieter, convenient location mid strip for a home base trying to enjoy the food, trying to gamble in peace, if that’s what you’d like.
That’s really a thought provoking post, and I appreciate it. When Aria was opened in 2009 it was the most technologically advanced hotel in the world. It’s selling points were unparalleled luxury and “everything at the touch of your finger”. Each room was essentially a marvel. Via the tablet you could set every room control...even open the window shades. Room service, everything, at the touch of your finger. No other hotel in the world had that. It was the largest hotel in the world to attain LEED certification. The kitchens were advanced way beyond any other property in Vegas and provided the safest food in the City and cuisine prepared by world renowned Chefs. Of course others eventually caught up with some of the technology. From there Aria sought just to be ...Aria. It didn’t directly compete with any other property. It sought to stand out from the others. It didn’t adopt a theme such as Venice or Ancient Rome or Paris or New York, etc... it set out to be a destination resort through world class dining, high end luxury and “a memorable experience for every guest”. Basically, the mission was to provide an experience that each guest would remember on a level fairly equal to their marriage, having children, etc... if we succeeded at that we would succeed as a business. In Vegas it was universally considered to have the highest achieving team in town. Our competition was, well, us. And that’s why I will always stay there. I know what goes on behind the scenes to serve the guests, and the dedication to continually make staying there a unique, memorable experience. But, yeah, if I was 20-something I would stay somewhere else.
Cosmo Boulevard Suite if you have the money. only balcony on the Strip with great rooms. or as racer said. Aria Sky Suites. Racer and I are Aria suite eskimo bros. Im also still upset he stood me up for Sturgill
I think about that a lot. I also think about how my wife was mad enough at me over it to leave me in the desert broke and divorced.
i've only ever stayed at the Mirage, which is showing its age big time but checks all the boxes we need at a cheap price will do cosmo next if we do it in covid times, just for it being centrally located with all the food we want to eat close
Mirage is still one of my top 2-3. It makes me sad that it’s been so de-themed. It was one that had some unique character without being super ridiculous. You can also have a really sweet suite for considerably less than the more popular and higher end properties. It still maintains AAA 4-diamonds, which is pretty good company. Spoiler Delano Las Vegas (2004) Encore Las Vegas (2016) JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa (2005) Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino (2000) MGM Grand Hotel & Casino (2006) NoMad Las Vegas (2019)* Palms Place Hotel and Spa (2010) Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa (2007) Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel (2005) SKYLOFTS at MGM Grand (2019) The Alexandria at Sahara Las Vegas (2017) The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Autograph Collection (2011) The Mirage (1990) The Palazzo Las Vegas (2016) The Signature at MGM Grand (2007) The Venetian Las Vegas (2016) Trump International Hotel Las Vegas (2008) New Hampshire BEDFORD Bedford Village Inn and The Grand at Bedford Village Inn (1987) BRETTON WOODS Omni Mount Washington Resort (2010) CONCORD The Hotel Concord (2019)* EXETER Inn by the Bandstand (2018) New Jersey ATLANTIC CITY Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa (2004) Caesars Atlantic City (2011) Ocean Casino Resort (2019)* BERKELEY HEIGHTS Embassy Suites by Hilton Berkeley Heights (2019)* BERNARDSVILLE The Bernards Inn (1996) CAPE MAY The Southern Mansion (2010) FLORHAM PARK Archer Hotel Florham Park (2018) Vdara Hotel & Spa (2011) Wynn Las Vegas (2016) NORTH LAS VEGAS Aliante Casino+Hotel+Spa (2011)
I’m envious. I have never stepped foot on any of the non-Vegas properties in your list. Delano’s Skyfall Lounge was created after you stayed there. Did you ever go?
I see EMAW FC liked this post. I should have added that by far my best NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament watching experience was at Cosmo, courtesy of him.
That year at Chelsea ballroom was unreal. They switched to a different ballroom in the following years to create more space for VIP couches and stuff but it didn’t have the same atmosphere as the Chelsea
I agree. In the Chelsea everything was close and it felt like the action was endless. It helped that I somehow “mistakenly” sat in the VIP section and had bottomless booze and food.
I’ve been up to foundation room on a slow night, but never skyfall. That list is just a copy from the AAA 2020 4-diamond list. I certainly have not stayed at them all. NJ snuck in there on accident.
As best I can remember, my LV hotel stay list is: El Cortez Downtown Grand Harrahs Imperial Palace As Linq or maybe the Quad also Flamingo Paris Ballys Mirage Aria Tower Suite Aria Sky Suite Excalibur Mandalay Bay Four Seasons Orleans Rio Could be others I’m forgetting, especially away from the strip. Favorite places stayed are Aria, Mirage, 4S, Flamingo. Flamingo GO room was a surprisingly good experience. I regret none of it, each one was a unique experience. I’d like to stay at every major property at some point.
My LV list: Flamingo MGM Grand NYNY Caesars Palace Bellagio Planet Hollywood Mirage Park MGM With exception of PH and Mirage, have done multiple stays at all others. Flamingo and NYNY are my favorites. I like the cheap food options and casino vibe at NYNY but location sucks aside from MGM Grand proximity. Pool also is bad. Flamingo has a great location and a fun casino but can be a little hit and miss due to the young/crazy crowd it attracts. Not a fan of the pool either. Other thoughts: MGM has great rooms and a great pool area. But it’s huge as fuck and everything is so damn spread out. Caesars/Bellagio feel like classic Vegas but I would never spend money to stay at either of them. Bellagio pool area was nice. PH is just meh. Plus I always lose money there so fuck ‘em. Love gambling at Mirage because they actually have natural light in there. Nice pool also. Of all the casinos I haven’t stayed at yet, Cosmo and Paris are about the only 2 I want to stay at still. Will probably do the rest just to say I did (except Mandalay Bay since my wife still refuses to stay there).
Going July 4th weekend-probably staying at the Nobu hotel inside Caesars have hosts at Cosmo and at Paris who can book all Caesars properties Just get free rooms at Cosmo but usually get everything comped from my Paris host
MGM Paris Caesar’s Wynn Aria Wynn is clear #1 followed by Caesar’s. The pool area at Aria was pretty disappointing and rather dead the weekend I was there. Cosmo we did the indoor pool area and got a cabana that was definitely better. back in the day(20 years ago) there was a buffet at the Rio that was top notch. Sushi, prime rib, lobster, Italian etc all of it and it wasn’t cheap tasting food either. Iirc it was something like $35 a person. I went back years later and the price had like tripled. The food at the Aria buffet wasn’t nearly worth what we paid
Wynn Buffet is #1 in my pretentious expert opinion. All the restaurants in Aria are good. and Momofuku at Cosmo every trip to Vegas fwiw.
In no particular order, we’ll see if I’m forgetting anything The D (a few times - usually try to stay at least one night on Fremont St. during a Vegas trip) California (once) Main St. Station (once) El Cortez (random trip that went long we stayed here on our final night, basically was a place to leave our bags) Excalibur (once) NYNY (once) Monte Carlo (once) Flamingo (couple times) Mirage (a few times) The Linq (once or twice - possibly was the Quad when I stayed?) Planet Hollywood (three or four times) Aria (once) Caesars (once) Cosmopolitan (a few times) Best Value (Flamingo) Best Location (Cosmo/Planet Hollywood) Best Room (Aria) Best View (Cosmo - Terrace Suite with Bellagio Fountains on the patio) Underrated (Mirage) Best Overall (Cosmo) Btw - I miss Bill's Gambling Hall
My in-laws are doing vaccine tourism in May, flying in from South America to try to snag a shot, since their country probably won't get vax till late 2021 or 2022. They want to make Las Vegas part of the greater trip, and are willing to go off strip to save money. I'm seeing the following prices on Sam's Club website right now... which would you chose for a balling on a budget and enjoying all the free stuff/reduced price there is to offer? I'm guessing Flamingo given the pool or Tropicana/Travelodge by Wyndham for the bang for buck. The STRAT at $40 a night OYO at $44 Mardi Gras $48 Tropicana $51 Rio $59 Travelodge by Wyndham $53 The Orleans $77 Flamingo $84 The Linq $84 Know the last two at least are going to have the resort fees....
Linq or Flamingo for sure. I’d pick Flamingo b/c they have a nicer pool Oyo (formerly Hooters Hotel/Casino) and Tropicana are too far south on the strip. Rio is probably decent value but off the strip. Strat is the northernmost strip property
I thought flamingo for the pool too, but I got to imagine rio is nicer than flamingo. With that said, rio has to have a shuttle to the strip... right? I’ll have to research it.
Can’t spreak to quality or the property as I’ve never stayed at the Rio. Rio will have a shuttle to one or the Caesars properties as they’re under the same ownership. Rio would have a resort fee just not as severe as strip hotels.
Property wise, Rio is nicer than Flamingo, but not by much. There is a shuttle to Caesars last I checked, but when I lived at Palms Place, I would either uber or walk it to the strip though. It's about a 15 minute walk from Rio to Caesars but across a pedestrian bridge that is sometimes a little sketchy. I'd say staying at the Flamingo would be better than Rio if you are wanting to do strip stuff, just for the convenience of already being on the strip.
I don’t know anything about Travel Lodge or Mardi Gras, but to my knowledge the rest had resort fees in mid-2020. I don’t know the current status. The best way to find out is to call them. The Linq and Flamingo have, by far, the best locations if y’all intend to spend most of your time on the Strip.
I saw an article that said it stopped in 2017. If it came back, I’d imagine it ends for good with Caesar’s dumping it. I’d say Flamingo or Trop from that list.
I can't imagine not being able to find a value on strip to stay at that would make off strip not worth the hassle.
The strip is is for almost everyone. Downtown is a good stay, too. There’s a portion of visitors for which the off-strip properties are great. When you look at value, you have to take the entire experience into consideration. You’ll pay the same for a room rate in a lot of cases, but the whole package of staying on the strip costs more. That’s where you decide if you value the experience of the strip, or you want to gamble cheaper/smarter and have lower entertainment and other ancillary costs.
This is a very nice POV. There are folks who go to Vegas to golf, do things in the surrounding scenic outdoors, or want to gamble and have great food without the glitz and chaos of Downtown or the Strip. Red Rock, The M, and Green Valley are excellent properties for this type of visitor. There’s a small outdoor mall by Green Valley with some excellent bars. Other decent choices are Santa Fe Station, South Point, Aliante, and Rampart/JW Marriott.