First timers guide to picking the best Las Vegas hotel (bonus Stratosphere review)
- Abigail Gaston
- Jan 13, 2018
- 7 min read
My boyfriend and I took a late-afternoon flight out of Detroit and arrived to Las Vegas a little after dark; right around 7:00 PM. After catching a “Lyft” from the airport to the Stratosphere, we got to chatting with our driver; a Sin City resident for about 15 years. Our driver told us that the Stratosphere is a nice hotel and casino but the streets surrounding it can be sort of “sketchy” once night falls upon the city. His recommendation was that we stick to the bus and/or rideshare or taxi service for commuting around at night.
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Jeff, my boyfriend, and I had been to the Stratosphere briefly once before, so we were a little familiar with the area. We knew ahead of time that it is not located in the most attractive Las Vegas area. The surrounding landscape is meager, at best, and there really is not any other impressive or lavish architecture nearby; i.e. other beautiful casinos to look at /walk into, but we had our reasons for wanting to stay at the Stratosphere regardless.
Although we had not seen anything alarming when heading out at night during our stay, we had taken our Lyft drivers advise and stuck to the bus or rideshare system to get around during the evening, and even daytime hours.
The reason for this was not because we felt in danger whatsoever. It was because walking anywhere from the Stratosphere really is not practical. There really is nothing exciting to look at and the closest fellow casino is a good 15 minute walk away. It just is not the best way to optimize our time when only there for 2.5 days, like Jeff and I were. Trust me, you do not want to get fooled by what Jeff and I like to call “The Vegas Effect.” It may look like it is close but that building really is much farther than it looks. In short, opting not to walk really had more to do with the location and proximity to other casinos rather than safety.
Hey there, all my first time Las Vegas vacationers; take this advice into consideration when booking your hotel...
If you are traveling to Las Vegas for the first time, stay toward the middle of the strip. This is where all the major action is; you can find some great hotel deals in this area and you will be completely submerged in the hip of The Strip!
Personally, I do not feel that the Stratosphere is a good first timer experience. It truly is a nice casino and hotel. It offers some really fun things for thrill seekers, like the “Sky Jump,” as well as some other rides. It also has “Radius,” a 21+ roof top pool bar/night club, and "Sky Lounge," a fairly trendy bar in Las Vegas with a view you cannot beat. Plus, I cannot forget about the Tower Shops and experience! There are plenty of stores to meander through and if heights is your thing, you can take a trip to the top of the sphere and step outside on the observation deck and embrace heights on a whole different level. And, again, that view! Also, it is home to two very successful productions; “MJ Live” and “A Rock Legends Tribute Concert.” Both have very high ratings.
I know what you are thinking, “These things sound great; why doesn't she recommend Stratosphere for first time Vegas vacationers?"
Don’t get me wrong; like I said, the Stratosphere is a very nice casino and hotel. For Jeff and me, two people who have been to Vegas 11 times, collectively, it was just fine. It was not our favorite casino resort, but it was still a nice trip. Actually, Jeff probably enjoyed it a bit more than I did; he won over $1100 on one hand of Three Card Poker. With that said, Jeff had a friend and his girlfriend meet us in Las Vegas during this vacation and they too stayed at Stratosphere.
Between the four of us, three had been to Las Vegas before; Fremont Street Experience and The Strip. The girlfriend of Jeff’s buddy, however, had never vacationed to Las Vegas prior to this trip. Do you know what the first words out of her mouth were when we walked outside the Stratosphere? She muttered five words that nearly broke my heart, “Wow! Vegas is a dump!”
For two people like Jeff and me who absolutely love the city of Las Vegas, it was like a knife to the heart! However, moments after her statement, clarity washed over me and I realized that it was the current location we were in. Sure, walking outside the Stratosphere and seeing that dull and uninspired scenery across the street and all around, I am sure was not at all what she anticipated on seeing the first time she stepped outside a casino in Las Vegas! I mean, we have all seen the movies and TV shows with all the flashing lights and the lavish decor and extravagant architecture. This expectation was far from what she saw when exiting Stratosphere. I almost felt guilty!
Suddenly, it dawned on me that this was the first impression she had of Las Vegas and as a travel fanatic and Las Vegas enthusiast, this truly saddened me. Las Vegas is not a dump. Sure, some of the outskirts, away from the The Strip and Fremont Street Experience are a bit rough and run down and could use some tender loving care, and this area I speak of is largely toward the north end of The Strip and surrounding the Stratosphere property. This was the Las Vegas scenery she was first being exposed to and for a first timer in Las Vegas, it is not idea if you are looking for the total Las Vegas package.
When you are completely immersed in the tourist area of the strip or posted up somewhere, anywhere, near or at Fremont Street Experience, there is not a “dump” to be seen. In fact, it cost owners and investors millions, heck, billions, of dollars to construct, decorate, and employ some of these casino resorts. In by opinion, both The Strip and Fremont Street Experience are purely magical and this is where Vegas first-timers really need to be.
So, I made it my mission to change her perception of the ever famous "Entertainment Capital of the World," and it took all but moments. We just had to travel down to the popular busy end of the strip and she quickly realized what a fabulous place Las Vegas truly is.
Although I was able to rectify the situation, her statement still stuck with me and as a travel blogger, advice contributor, and Vegas lover, I knew I had to speak out. I also knew that this statement may be contested by the Stratosphere and hard-core Stratosphere lovers, but I have always spoke my opinion and told the truth during reviews and blog posts. This is no exception. Las Vegas is such a fun and exciting city. I would hate it if I spoke based solely on my experience at the Stratosphere, which is that it was a really nice place to stay for two people who have been to Las Vegas numerous times and wanted to be between The Strip and Fremont Street, initially. However, just because it worked for us, I honestly do not think that works for all.
If you have been to Vegas before and you are looking for a good deal, the Stratosphere truly is a nice option for you. The hotel has newly remodeled rooms, a decent sized gambling floor, some pretty fun non-gambling things to do, and staff are really nice and personable. Plus, Stratosphere typically has great deals via Expedia, Groupon, and even their own website.
However, if you have never been to Las Vegas before or you just do not want to be too far away from Fremont Street Experience or The Strip, definitely do not choose the Stratosphere as your hotel. We thought that it would be nice to be equal distance from both but really we just distanced ourselves from everything, and we paid for it in Lyft rides!
It is not always customary to tell a story prior to listing your pros and cons of an experience. However, in this case, I feel that this story will be very helpful with your Las Vegas hotel decision making. Now, however, take a few moments to checkout the following listed observations regarding Stratosphere Casino Resort.
The List
Pros:
Expedia and Groupon tend to have very cheap deals for rooms at the Stratosphere.
Expedia’s bundle deal with flight and hotel at Stratosphere typically gives you your hotel for free.
The Stratosphere staff members are very kind and accommodating
Upon check-in, ask if there are any available upgrades. Initially, I was told $50 extra each night. When I turned it down, it was dropped to $20 extra each night. Lesson here, play a little game of hard to get, it could possibly get you much more for much less.
Newly remodeled rooms
Fun amenities including thrill rides, beautiful views from the observation deck and Sky Lounge, and two top of the line productions; "MJ Live" and "Worlds Greatest Rock Show."
Pretty much equal proximity between Freemont Street and The Strip.
Cons:
You have to take transportation everywhere you go, so it could get costly; we purchased a one day bus pass for $8 but we only used the bus pass twice. We ended up using Lyft instead, because I had a "half-off week" through American Express. Despite having half-off all rides, we still ended up paying around $140 for three days, which would have been $280 without my half-off discount! I have never spent this much for transportation in Las Vegas and I know it was because of the proximity of the Stratosphere to, well, everywhere.
We would most likely have spent a lot less in transportation staying further into The Strip and getting a rideshare to Fremont Street or taking the bus a few times and just walking everywhere else on The Strip.
There is not much beauty in the scenery outside Stratosphere; it is in a more run down part of the city of Las Vegas; you have to take the bus or a rideshare /taxi to get to a more scenic location.
Bad first impression for first timers. This is solely based on location and scenery; the hotel/casino itself is very nice.
If you found this review to be helpful, please comment below or share via social media! Also, feel free to ask questions; I will respond quickly.
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