Guide to the Casino Resorts of Las Vegas
Las Vegas can seem like a confusing place to first time visitors. The problem is the huge choice. You’ll get a choice of hotels, casinos, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, shows and more. This is a great problem to have, since many of your options will be world-class in nature. At the same time, a little independent guidance can be useful too.
This section of the site gives you independent Las Vegas Information. This will help you to decide on where to stay and which casino to try your luck at. You will also find articles here on how to get the most of you the benefits available. These include the $20 Trick, how to deal with your casino host and the benefits of High Limit rooms. This section is a vital resource for planning your trip to the Las Vegas Strip.
Las Vegas Hotel Information – North to South
The first thing you will need to do is decide where to stay. You really are spoiled for choice in Las Vegas, and if your budget is not a problem you’ll have several of the best hotels in the world to choose from. Below you will find a few words on the main hotels along the strip, these are listed in order of their location going from the North of the Strip to the South.
Wynn / Encore: Opposite to the giant Fashion Show shopping mall at the north end of the strip are the unmistakable Winn and Encore hotels, owned by Steve Wynn. These are linked by a shopping mall and the theme of the hotel is luxury. There is a huge casino here, and one of the best buffets anywhere in Vegas.
Venetian / Palazzo: Next to the Wynn is the famous Venetian, along with linked Palazzo (which provides thousands of extra rooms). This is themed around Venice, to the extent that canals with gondolas can be found here. With must-see shows and the linked Sands Expo center, this is a must-see.
Treasure Island: Opposite the Venetian you’ll find the hotel now known as ‘TI’. They are branding away from their pirate image of old and moving from family-friendly to a more adult theme.
Mirage: Next to TI (in fact they are linked by a tram) is the Mirage, this was the first of a new breed of Mega-casino resorts, built in the 1980’s. It is home to the Circe de Soleil Beatles tribute show as well as a dolphin sanctuary and secret garden full of tigers and lions.
The Flamingo: Back over the road and continuing south, the Flamingo is a historic casino which was first opened in 1946, named after the nickname of the girlfriend of one of the Mob bosses who built the casino (and was shot shortly afterwards). This is a large casino and is home to Marie and Donny Osmond’s show.
The Cromwell: Opposite to Caesars palace is the newly built Cromwell, this is very much a boutique hotel, and has only 188 rooms (the majority of them suites). This venue is already becoming well known for its rooftop beach nightclub.
Caesars Palace: One of the largest casinos on the strip, this is themed on ancient Rome and has been build up piecemeal over many years. The shows here have included Celine Dion and Elton John. The forum shops (and gladiators themed show) are must see tourist attractions in their own right, and the casino here is huge.
Bellagio: Next south you can find the famous Bellagio, with a lake outside having regular fountain shows and a poker room inside where the stars of the game clash for unbelievable high stakes.
The Aria: This is a relatively new development and has already made a splash in the gambling world by hosting a World Poker Tour tournament at the same time the WSOP was running at the Rio.
Mandalay Bay: An MGM owned property, there are thousands of rooms here and one of the biggest conference centers in the world. There are events here including UFC fights, as well as big trade shows and business events. This casino has a beach resort, which includes a pool with a wave machine.
Planet Hollywood: Themed on Hollywood, this is another huge casino resort, while the celebrity design and idea attracts a younger crowd, the real must-see attraction is the famous Planet Hollywood burgers.
MGM Grand: The MGM group now own a lot of casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, this is their original property. You can see shows including David Copperfield here or party in the surreal Bleacher’s Madhouse. This casino is home to the Lion’s Share slot, which has not paid out its jackpot since being installed in 1993, and attracts lines of visitors waiting to play.
There are even more casinos in Las Vegas, including the Aria, New York New York, Luxor and Excalibur.