Casino-free Hotels in Las Vegas
It happens: Every so often, I’ll meet someone who tells me they “just don’t like Vegas.” Now, everyone’s entitled to their opinion, of course, but when I ask a few more questions, the issue usually involves an aversion to staying in the casino environment.
I could argue that every casino is a little different (some are so clean, quiet & elegant, you’d be shocked to learn there’s gambling going on!) but why bother? The fact is, if you’d like to experience all the amazing shows, restaurants, nightclubs, natural wonders & more that Vegas offers while keeping casino exposure to a minimum, there are plenty of great “non-gaming,” non-smoking Las Vegas hotels. I enjoyed stays at a few of them recently & came away impressed:
If you’re thinking Grand Vacations is a “holiday ownership” property, you’re right. But when rooms are vacant, they also offer them for the night just like a hotel.
Located on the Strip between the Sahara & Steve Wynn’s Encore casino resorts, HGV has a lot of destination resort elements: a pool area well suited for couples & families alike, with a full bar but also self-serve grill pit; 24-hour fitness room, business center & lounge (with ping pong, pool, foosball & massive TV); & a minimart with reasonable prices for breakfast, sandwiches & pizzas, as well as basic convenience foods, beer & wine (open 5 a.m. – 1 a.m.).
I loved stretching out in my conservatively modern one bedroom suite, which featured a full-size, fully appointed kitchen, dining area, flatscreen TV with a Bose DVD system, pullout sleeper couch, soaking tub open to the bedroom & soft bedding I didn’t want to part from. Crabtree & Evelyn products & a massaging showerhead in the bathroom lessened the blow. Making a pleasant finish to my stay, I enjoyed a very relaxing Grand Aromatherapy Ritual (using oil candles for both scent & skin) at their moderate sized but modern spa. They charge for parking (unusual on the Strip), but Wi-Fi & Starbucks coffee in the rooms are included — nice touches.
There are two other HGV properties in Vegas too: one by the LV Hilton (rooms are a little smaller but feature Jacuzzi tubs) & another adjacent to the Flamingo (almost entirely occupied by owners).
Platinum Hotel & Spa
Standing on my open-air balcony just east of the Strip (a real rarity here) last week, I wondered how the Platinum has remained such a secret in town. Even the smallest suites here are over 900 square feet, the hip lobby bar Stir has a funky-mellow happy hour, there’s a good fitness center (included) & perhaps LV’s only heated indoor-outdoor pool (take note if you’re visiting in December-January)! My urban-elegant one-bedroom suite had a bed comparable to the best on the Strip (really), pull-out sleep sofa, swivel-mounted flatscreen TV, Bose wave radio, full kitchen (with icemaker in the fridge — nice) & an unusual wide-spray shower. But perhaps the strongest selling point of the property would be the two-person jacuzzi (standard). There’s also an intimate spa here with a fun Pittura Festa couples treatment that I’m eager to try. Small surprise that Platinum seemed to be particularly popular with groups of smart-shopping cute girls.
Consider Westin’s new Element concept the hybrid vehicle of hotels: It’s a cross between an extended-stay hotel & a chic urban retreat, emphasizing eco-friendliness without sacrificing style.
Upon entry, you first experience the intriguing & inviting multi-use common room, including several cozy-cool sitting areas with cool books to peruse, Wii gaming, chess & backgammon , & an open business center (with printer — computer use & full-property Wi-Fi are included). Complimentary breakfast (smoothies, egg white sandwiches, etc.) & an evening snack are served here.
My room was more like an ultra-mod efficiency apartment than a junior suite, with
baby soft white linens over a thick “Westin Heavenly” mattress, a sitting area with a Simmons pull-out sleeper, very functional kitchenette, swiveling flatscreen TV with DVD player & big workspace. The bathroom featured a big multi-option shower with liquid soap & shampoo in eco-personable dispensers. I felt hipper just staying here. Located on Town Center drive off I-215 west in Summerlin, the property also sports a 24-hour fitness center, heated pool deck with gas grill, launderette & includes shoe shines & even mountain bikes.
Gold Coast new “Premium Rooms”
When it comes to older Las Vegas hotels remaking themselves, travelers tend to be dubious. People still don’t believe me when I tell them about the superb GO rooms in Flamingo, but are even more skeptical when I endorse last year’s remodels at Excalibur & Circus Circus. You can read more about them in my Top 10 new Las Vegas hotel rooms story. (Palace Station & Four Queens have also made some respectable improvements.) Now the venerated locals casino Gold Coast has redone some floors in a satisfying modern style that is a worthy alternative available for a very modest upgrade (as little as more than a standard room).
Using an urban-geometric palette that wouldn’t be out of place in New York or Cologne, the rooms aren’t massive, but use space efficiently, with a big flatscreen & wardrobes built into one unit, while a small two-sided table works as desk or sitting area. The bathroom sports a good pressure rainfall-head open shower, large towels & plenty of counter space for getting ready. Coffeemakers in the room, & fitness center use are included in a resort fee. Beds aren’t quite four-star deluxe, but they aren’t stone slabs either.
Insider tips: You don’t need to stay at Grand Vacations to shop the minimart — just use the 10-minute parking spaces in front; Platinum’s rooftop function room & Kilawat on the pool deck both make very good wedding locales; Element offers extended-stay rates; Gold Coast has a free shuttle bus to the Strip & to sister property Orleans, which hosts many big shows.