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Your First Off-Strip Hotel and Why


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joespoolhall

joespoolhall

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Two of us were going down for some golf. It was my 3rd or 4th trip and my buddy's 1st. Back then the Sunday paper had numerous LV travel ads and one offered air and room at Palace Station for about $200. This was about '93. Rooms were the Courtyard section, tiny but clean. We had a great time and loved the smaller crowds. The next golf trip base was Sam's Town. That continued 4-5 times a year for about 3 years. Over the years we gravitated to Boulder and Sunset Stations, Gold Coast and Orleans, Silverton and South Point. Other than a stay at the DI just before it closed, it's been locals joints for me the last 60+ trips. I'm not comped as I don't play a lot, so cheaper food and rooms along with fewer crowds just offer more appeal for me. I realize that some prefer nicer rooms on the strip along with high end food and that's great, for them. Give me off-strip or DT anytime.

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes
 
Not the first by any means but we've kind of "moved" from the Strip to Sams Town for the primary hotel. Main reasons are that another couple visits there frequently and talked us into trying it, and that what I consider very modest play has resulted in free room offers. (But no so-called "silver card" yet, if they still do that.)
 
Palace Station was actually my first off strip property also, in 1989. It was the air and hotel "deal" at the time.....my first Vegas hotel was actually the Stardust in 1978 but that was just the first one we came to when driving in.

Like you I bounced around the Station and the Boyd places. I was never really a Strip guy until I met my wife fourteen years ago and she was a CET player and though a low roller still did enjoy some room comps, primarily just discounts and not free however. Usually Flamingo.

Of late we have moved back to off Strip places, at first the Rio, so still CET, but the last three years we have actually opted for condos. We always visit the Strip for all the vibe and lights and, well, the Strip IS Vegas. :woohoo:

We primarily play now at Boyd places, and use our limited comp rewards for food.

Being Vegas vets and watching the increasing fees we just enjoy off Strip more. I still think the Strip offers some great bargains compared to other resort cities......and we could afford it, I guess after seeing it back the way it was I feel almost insulted at the myriad added fees, then the speed play for drinks. The parking charge is the final tipping point, doubt we will ever return to stay on the Strip. We will just shuttle back and forth from our condo or the Orleans.

Just a bigger bang for the buck off Strip, but if anybody asks me where to stay on their first trip I will always say mid-Strip ! WOO HOO :headbang:
 
I played a few times at The Blue Chip (Boyd Gaming) in Michigan City, IN. One day I talked to a host there to see if I could get a deal at one of their Vegas properties. He set me up with a few comped nights at Orleans. I did some research, seemed like a decent place just off strip with the free shuttle service, so we took the offer. Had a blast! I've stayed there 3 times over the last 15 months. They send me good offers. I usually do 3 nights there, than a night or 2 somewhere different.
 
The Rio, back in the 90's because despite being Off-Strip it was still considered "classy". Didn't hurt that the rooms were super large. My favorite now is the Palms.

Only place I have seriously been Off-Strip (as opposed to downtown) is Sunset Station. Nice place but too far away from the action for my personal taste.
 
Hubby and I still like the Gold Coast. We love the shuttle to the strip and thus far, parking is still free. LOL Now that the strip is charging for parking at almost all properties, off strip will get our business.

My niece and I stayed at the Tuscany and that was a nice property as well.

K-9treatbaker
 
My first off strip stay was at Red Rock. Visited there on a prior trip and gave them minimal play. Got 3 nights comped then the next 3 for only $49 a night. So with resort fees ( no fees on the comped nights ) total cost was a little over $200. I said I would never stay off strip again. Red Rock is a wonderful resort, just to far from the strip and didn't care for the vibe as its mostly locals playing. I'm a tourist and would rather be playing with other tourists. But a few months later I had a trip at Paris booked and got an offer from GVR for 3 nights no resort fee and $75 free slot play. So I shortened my Paris stay from 7 nights to 4. Saved a good amount of money. I would probably stay there again on an offer but it's been almost 2 years since that trip and I haven't gotten any mailers. Probably didn't give them enough play. I'm looking forward to my next trip at Cosmo. I've never stayed in a balcony room before. And while I do like to make short gaming trips to local casinos and also eat at time to avoid lines and better prices, this trip will probably be mostly strip. With paid parking and rental cars going through the roof, I think it's easier to use Uber/Lyft. I'll still visit M resort since they always send me and my wife coupons for a free buffet, one of the best off strip buffets IMHO.

So for the long rant. I love talking about Vegas.
 
K-9treatbaker said:
Hubby and I still like the Gold Coast. We love the shuttle to the strip and thus far, parking is still free. LOL Now that the strip is charging for parking at almost all properties, off strip will get our business.

My niece and I stayed at the Tuscany and that was a nice property as well.

K-9treatbaker
Click to expand...

Hopefully the off strip joints won't follow suit. I think most have with the resort fees.
 
First few times in Vegas it was the Strip or nothing for me. Reading this forum has made me look further afield.

Really enjoyed Sam's Town found the staff friendly, drinks were on tap and just nice and relaxed. Obviously the food isn't high end but we tend to take the free shuttle to The Strip everyday then relax back at Sam's Town in the evening.

Palms Place was another great hotel. Suite with an awesome view of the Strip and found the gambling ok at The Palms.

We do get our fill of The Strip though and always have a few nights there too. We don't drive in Vegas so parking doesn't affect us but even if we were local I doubt we would as we like a drink with our gaming.

Will try a couple more off Strip Casinos on our next trip and combine with a hotel on The Strip that we haven't stayed at before as we generally go for 10 nights so can fit 3 hotels in easily.
 
It's been a while, so I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that our first off-strip (non-downtown) place was Suncoast. We love the rooms there, and Connie likes their pool area - she can hang out there during the day easily as it is rarely crowded. Then we stayed at Orleans, GVR, Sunset Station, and finally Red Rock when it opened. My personal favorite is Red Rock - Connie likes the pool at GVR the best. So we usually stay at one of those two depending on the offers we get, and occasionally Suncoast again. But we did stay at Sunset in September for the first time in a number of years and have gotten quite a few offers from them since that. We stayed at JW Marriott a couple of times - love the property and the casino.
 
Just got back from a Vegas trip. Orleans was my first stay off-strip. We did 2-nights there and 4-nights at our home base (Cosmopolitan). Found the Orleans to be a surprise (good thing). The only things I didn't like about the Orleans was the following:

-Too much noise coming from outside the room (hallway noise, other room noise...seems walls are thin and can hear other rooms)
-Bed was slightly uncomfortable
-Pillows were not really comfortable
-Limited TV channels
-No refrigerator (it's an added fee if needed)

But, what I did appreciate was:
+Allowed to check in early, way before stated check in time
+Room was clean & was always serviced daily
+Room was large for price paid (very spacious)
+Price paid was a bargain
+Rooms were not smoky
+Excellent hot water & water pressure
+Nice sitting area with a couch
+24-hour security guard posted by the guest elevators. I like this kind of security
+Parking structure is great and easy to access
+Free parking
+Close access to the strip, In-N-Out Burger and Raising Cane's
+Easy room check-out via the TV
+Can get to the parking garage from the outside without even walking through the casino area
+No problem accessing the wifi with decent speed for surfing
 
The Palms was my first off strip hotel, but didn't stay there again.

We have stayed at Sam's Town 5 times now, and will be going back in february for probably five nights.

Plusses:
- We like the (cheap) breakfast buffet with the nicest lady working there.
- The rooms are a little outdated, but large and clean
- We know a few dealers by name and they know us, that's nice. It makes me feel welcome.
- We always get all our nights comped
- It's never too crowded in the casino
- We love the low limits on games
- We just the slow-and-easy vibe at Sam's. And if we want a little more action, we take the shuttle to Fremont street.

Sam's is really our home in Vegas. We like Suncoast too though!
 
Tonysb8, that's exactly how I got started in staying at The Orleans in Vegas. Played awhile at Blue Chip Casino about 12 years ago, talked to the casino host and she hooked me up with the The Orleans. We've been staying at The Orleans (and once in a while at Sam's Town) ever since. My main play is at Blue Chip and still earn enough points for a few free room offers at the Orleans per year.
 
I actually love this thread! We all know & love some of the big name properties on the strip/downtown. It's cool to see how & why some of us dabble off strip. I know proximity to the action factors in,(not to mention gaming rules, certain fees for things, etc) but nowadays between shuttles, buses, lyft, Uber, etc...always good to explore & have options depending on what you're going for...very cool.
 
Technically, Rio was my first. It was just Harrah's and Rio in Vegas at the time and I was excited to get comped at Rio based on the WOM. I think I stayed there three or four times and liked it but that was before CET forgot about it. Since then, it's been Gold Coast, Orleans and the Silverton. Orleans has emerged as home base as I get better offers from them over Gold Coast and because other family members have really taken to it. I really like Silverton but it's missing something that I can't put my finger on yet. It needs something else that would make me choose as my home base considering the location.
 
M Resort when it first opened. I loved everything about it when it first opened. It was nice to stay at a nice place that wasn't so busy as the strip. I got free rooms for a couple of years and stayed there quite a bit. I believe once they sold the place my offers seemed to disappear so I haven't stayed there in awhile. Now I am spending the vast majority of my trips downtown especially since Downtown Grand opened and the positive changes over the years...
 
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dmr said:
(But no so-called "silver card" yet, if they still do that.)
Click to expand...
I never got silver card from Sam's Town, only gold cards.
As I always double booked, I never really stayed at Sam's Town, but used their generous free plays and gold cards many times.
 
Rio but for a fantasy football nfl opening weekend draft in 2003.Liked the place..still do but it's not the headliner anymore with the resort fees and no coffee in the rooms..
 
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