Las Vegas gives you two very different bases. Our exclusive pick is a Five-Star resort on the North Strip; our accessible pick is the oldest hotel in town, on Fremont Street downtown. Prices are shown as a level, from $ to $$$$: rates move with the season and the room, so check the live price before you plan.
Wynn Las Vegas
$$$$
Pick no. 1 · The standoutLuxuryNorth Strip, opposite the Las Vegas Convention Center
Forbes Five-Star resort on the Strip, with the all-suite Encore next door
Photos: Wynn Las Vegas, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.
A garden-and-lagoon resort on the North Strip, with a Five-Star spa and its own golf course.
What convinced us is how much of the trip happens without leaving the property: a garden-wrapped pool, a Fazio golf course, a Five-Star spa and the free Lake of Dreams show after dark. We would book a Resort room on a high floor for the Strip view, and save the energy we would have spent crossing the boulevard for one great dinner and a show at Encore Theater.
Best for
Couples
Food lovers
Pool and spa days
Lake of Dreams: a free light-and-music show on a lagoon, every half hour from dusk
640-square-foot Resort rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows over the Strip or the valley
An 18-hole Tom and Logan Fazio golf course and a Forbes Five-Star spa on site
What the hotel offers
As listed on the hotel’s own website.
Pools and cabanasTemperature-controlled pools at Wynn and Encore, daily 9 am–6 pm
Two Forbes Five-Star spasThe Spa at Wynn and The Spa at Encore; Wynn spa open 7 am–7 pm
Fitness centersAccess for two guests included in the room purchase
RestaurantsCasa Playa, Mizumi, Pisces, Sartiano’s, Tableau, Red 8 and more
Lake of DreamsFree show every half hour from dusk, seen from the North Show Terrace
Wynn Golf Club18-hole, par-70 course by Tom and Logan Fazio
Wi-Fi15 Mbps in-room Wi-Fi for unlimited devices, included
Self-parkingComplimentary for up to two vehicles for hotel guests
Strip viewsFloor-to-ceiling windows; Panoramic rooms on higher floors
MinibarIn every Resort room, with daily complimentary bottled water
Concierge and digital check-inCheck in from the Wynn Resorts app; concierge books cabanas and cars
Golden Gate Hotel & Casino
$$$$
Pick no. 2 · The easy choiceMid-rangeDowntown, at the west end of the Fremont Street Experience
Historic casino hotel on Fremont Street, the oldest hotel in Las Vegas (1906)
Photos: Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.
The 1906 hotel at the head of Fremont Street, with free parking and Circa’s pools a short walk away.
What convinced us is the address and the history for the price: a hotel standing since 1906 under the canopy of the Fremont Street Experience, with free parking and passes to Circa’s Stadium Swim included. We would book it for two lively downtown nights, start with the 6 pm open bar at Bar Prohibition!, then walk the four neon blocks of Fremont Street.
Best for
Adults on a budget
History fans
Old-school Vegas nights
The first hotel in downtown Las Vegas, opened in 1906, with ten Original 10 rooms dating from that year
Free self-parking and valet for hotel guests, rare in Las Vegas
Two daily passes per room to Stadium Swim, the six-pool amphitheater at sister property Circa
What the hotel offers
As listed on the hotel’s own website.
Original 10 roomsTen rooms dating from the 1906 opening
Bar Prohibition!The original casino bar, open bar 6–7 pm daily (wristband from Club One)
Stadium Swim passesTwo passes per room per night at Circa (21+), early entry 8–9 am
The D poolFor guests of any age, 7 am–7 pm
Fitness centerThe D’s 24-hour fitness center, with your room key
Free parkingSelf-parking and valet at no extra cost for hotel guests
ConciergeShuttles, limousines, tours and show reservations
Airport shuttleBell Limousine from $15 per person one way
SuitesKing bed, sofa bed, Keurig coffee maker and refrigerator
Where to stay in Las Vegas, neighbourhood by neighbourhood
In Las Vegas, “neighbourhood” mostly means which stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard you sleep on. Distances look short on a map and are not: the Strip is about four miles long, and walking between neighbouring resorts can take 15 minutes. Pick the section that matches how you plan to spend your evenings.
Center Strip
Best for: first-timers, walking everywhere
From the Bellagio to the Venetian: if this is your first visit and you want to walk, start here.
You gain
The fountains, Caesars Palace, the Venetian and the Sphere on foot; the most shows and restaurants within reach.
You lose
The busiest sidewalks and the longest elevator and check-in lines.
Where should I stay in Las Vegas for a first visit?+
Most first-timers stay on the Strip: Wynn Las Vegas is on the North Strip, opposite the Convention Center, with the center Strip a short taxi ride away. For a cheaper, livelier and more walkable base, downtown’s Fremont Street has the Golden Gate, the oldest hotel in the city. Read our Las Vegas travel guide
How far ahead should I book a hotel in Las Vegas?+
Book a few weeks ahead for spring and fall weekends, and much earlier for big conventions such as CES in January, when every hotel fills up. Sunday to Thursday is often far cheaper than Friday and Saturday. Use the See prices button of each hotel for live availability.
When is the best time to visit Las Vegas?+
March to May and October to November, with warm days and cool nights. From June to September highs pass 100°F (38°C): fine by the pool, risky on a trail. Wynn’s pools open daily from 9 am to 6 pm. When to visit Las Vegas
How do I get from the airport to my hotel?+
Harry Reid International Airport is about 5 miles from Wynn, 10 to 20 minutes by taxi or rideshare; the Wynn concierge can also arrange a private car. Golden Gate is about 20 minutes away, and Bell Limousine runs a shuttle from $15 per person one way.
Which of the two hotels suits families?+
Wynn Las Vegas: its Resort rooms sleep up to four, rollaway beds are available on request, and the Tower Suite Two Queens is described as ideal for families. At Golden Gate the guest checking in must be 21; younger guests can use the D pool next door.
Do these hotels charge for parking?+
Wynn includes complimentary self-parking for up to two vehicles for hotel guests (non-guests pay $25 a day). Golden Gate offers free self-parking and free valet to hotel guests, but no oversize vehicle parking.
Can I book these hotels directly?+
Yes. The See prices button under Wynn Las Vegas opens the hotel’s official website. For Golden Gate Hotel & Casino it opens Trip.com, one of our booking partners. Both open in a new tab.
Picked by Kylian Dev. These are editorial picks: no hotel paid to be here, and we never describe a stay we did not make. Facts come from each hotel’s own website; the Trip.com buttons are partner links (how we make money).
