NYC for ME and other Las Vegas, NV Hotel/Accommodation Reviews

Hotel shaped like NYC skyline and NY themed. Perfect for Manhattanites who are afraid to leave home. Reasonable "rent." Fast room service. One of world's largest roller coasters travels inside and outside of building. Best things include faux Greenwich Village with fake steam coming out of fake manhole covers, "Imagine" memorial to John Lennon (find it), FDNY fireboat out front has become a FDNY memorial shrine.

Unique Qualities: Great rooms, great food, great views, not very much walking required, close (pedestrian bridge) to MGM, Excalibur, Tropicana hotels. One of the better kiddie game rooms on 2nd floor. Pool so-so, closes early.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: about average

Address: Las Vegas & Trop Blvds (as if you could miss it)
Website: http://www.nynyhotelcasino.com

Do not go to Las Vegas with your spouse or girlfriend without staying here. The "suites" are large and romantic with sunken living rooms. The public areas are a replica of Venice, Italy complete with gondolas traveling through faux canals, millions worth of art and marble in the lobby. Shopping mall; 2 Guggenheim museums. Restaurants featuring chefs like Emeril Lagasse and Joachim Splichal. Informercials about the place air more or less continuously on The Travel Channel/The Discovery Channel featuring factoids such as the liquor plumbing system that pipes 40 or so brands of booze to 50 or so bars. The rooms are a very short walk from the parking garage, a plus (but they are a long walk from the registration desk).

Unique Qualities: Caveats: Room service is pricey and takes forever (a 19% service charge is included, yet the waiter will grovel for an extra tip -- don't bite). The minibar is similarly pricey and will charge you if you so much as jiggle one of the $3 sodas. There's no buffet, you may wish to eat across the street at the Mirage or Treasure Island. The slot machines were rated last of all Las Vegas casinos in payouts. Unclear how construction of a 2nd room tower (underway) will affect service.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: more expensive than average

Website: http://www.venetian.com

This used to be one of my favorite hotels. There are still many positive qualities to the place such as beautifully landscaped grounds, beautiful swimming pools and spas, some of which are open all night, and a friendly staff. Stay in the front tower and you will be steps from walkways to MGM, NYNY, Excalibur.

Unique Qualities: Downside: The hotel is now managed by Atlantic City greedheads who installed painfully bright white lights in the casino and tore out the moving walkway to the rear tower. The property overall is generally rundown and is no longer competitive with the newer Strip hotels (i.e. all the other hotels) but, conversely, this means the rates have come down. They used to comp generously but they no longer do. The owners are spending $250M to upgrade their Atlantic City property and $0 on this one, that should tell you something.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: 3801 S Las Vegas Blvd. (at Tropicana Blvd)
Website: http://www.tropicanalv.com

Why pay more? And why walk? Motel 6 is smack dab across the street from the MGM Grand, you can park next to your room, it is a short cab ride from the airport, there is a 24 hour coffee shop, 24 hour store; and a large pool (for some reason they tore out the jacuzzi). The rates are very competitive and you don't have to walk through a casino to get to your room. You can often walk in without a reservation.

Unique Qualities: From the MGM Grand across the street, take the free monorail to Bally's and cross the Strip to get to Caesars or the Mirage. You can also walk to the Tropicana, Excalibur, and NY NY from here.

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Theme: Motel
Comparison: least expensive

Phone: (702) 798-0728
Address: 195 E. Tropicana
Directions: I-15 at Tropicana , exit 37 east
Website: http://www.motel6.com

This reasonably priced but so-sleazy-it's-almost-trendy motel is right next to the Venetian, Mirage and Treasure Island. The pool is open 24 hours -- unlike those of most major Strip hotels. There was a 3" cockroach in the room -- bigger than any I've seen in the 10 years I lived in Manhattan, New York -- but he didn't bother me, and I didn't bother him. Pets OK, maybe yours will eat the larger bugs.

Unique Qualities: I made the mistake of telling the pit boss at the Mirage I was staying here and in an instant he had snatched my comp right back out of my hand.

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Theme: Motel
Comparison: least expensive

Phone: (800) 735-DICE
Address: 3317 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Directions: E. Side of Strip N of Venetian Hotel, across from Mirage Hotel