5 Vegas hotels for the quintessential Sin City experience

The sparkling Luxor Hotel is a beacon in the Las Vegas desert. Credit: http 2007.

By Vince Font

No matter how you slice it, Las Vegas vacations top almost every must-see vacation wish list. Vegas is also home to an awesome assortment of hotels, each offering full-tilt experiences ranging from ancient Rome and rock-n-roll to modern and over-the-top opulent. If you’d rather take the guesswork out of the equation, check out my top 5 favorite Las Vegas hotels for a quintessentially Vegas experience.

Stratosphere Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

1. Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower
Of all my trips to Las Vegas, the Stratosphere has always delivered a best-of-both-worlds experience, due mostly to its proximity to both old Fremont Street and the newer end of town. I like having the option of indulging my “old school” sensibilities, but there’s plenty to do at the Stratosphere to keep me rooted in one place. Just visiting the observation deck on the 1,149-foot tower is enough to send my stomach into knots.  If that’s right up your alley, then you’re probably a great candidate for the Stratosphere’s SkyJump, a thrill ride that asks the hilarious and chilling question, “Are you a jumper?” If you’ve still got a stomach left after absorbing all those Gs, try the revolving Top of the World restaurant which offers the best view of all Las Vegas hotels.

2. Luxor Hotel
Luxor offers one of the most impressive sights to behold on the Las Vegas skyline — especially when flying into McCarren International by night– but for all its outward beauty this hotel is even more remarkable from the inside. From high speed elevators that move in angled shafts to gorgeous rooms with slanted walls that look out from the pyramid’s face, this hotel is truly epic. Shows run the gamut from titillating (Fantasy) and wacky (Menopause The Musical) to unique exhibitions like Bodies and Titanic Artifacts.

3. MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
For me, the MGM Grand was the first of the Las Vegas hotels that proved once and for all that “SinCity” wasn’t just a place for gamblers, but also adventurers. If the simple fact that the MGM Grand has a free admission lion habitat isn’t enough to convince you, then maybe the opportunity to take part in an attraction called “CSI: The Experience” will be. Somewhere between dinner theater and Westworld (without the robots), it’s a fully interactive attraction that ranks at the top of my “must do” list. After you’re done crime solving, you can celebrate your victory at one of eight nightlife destinations housed right within the hotel itself. Best experience: Studio 54, but be sure to submit your reservation well in advance.

Excalibur, Las Vegas

4. Excalibur
The next best thing to living in stereo is lodging in widescreen. If you have no idea what I’m talking about then you probably haven’t been to Excalibur lately, which is the only hotel with the capacity to deliver Las Vegas vacations in an acceptable aspect ratio. The newly renovated “widescreen rooms” are sleek, iPod ready, and come with a 42” plasma TV and granite countertop bathroom. Of course, no stay at a place called Excalibur would be complete without some themed entertainment — and for that I strongly recommend Tournament of Kings. This dinner show has everything from invading armies to dancing maidens, and some jousting and fireworks thrown in for good measure. When you’re good and tired out, you’ll have lots of options for unwinding with everything from a simple body massage to an all-out aromatherapy wrap at the Royal Treatment Spa.

5. Monte Carlo Resort and Casino
The thing I really love about the Monte Carlo is that every room’s got a view. But second to that is its affordability. For a place as swank as this, you’d expect to pay at least an arm, if not a leg too. The trick is to avoid weekend stays because that’s when rates skyrocket. Downstairs, you can catch headlining entertainers like magician Lance Burton and comic Frank Caliendo. Or if you’d rather relax, you can opt to laze on a raft in the easy river, splash around in the wave pool between meals (there’s 10 restaurants inside)  or leisurely sip cocktails (there’s just as many lounges).

Vince Font is a freelance writer born in Puerto Rico and currently escaped to Utah. When not dreaming of interstellar travel, he’s on the hunt for weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations. Next stop: The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast.

Tagged: Las Vegas