The Best Hotels in Las Vegas

They say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but chances are you'll want to tell every single person you know about your time in Sin City. After all, it's a place devoted to pleasure and excess in all its forms. Dazzling lights turn the Strip and Downtown Vegas into wonderlands of color, majestic casino-hotels throng with daredevil gamblers chancing it on roulette and blackjack, and some of the most famous singers, comedians, and magicians on Earth put on spectacular shows all year round. Anyone will feel like a member of the Rat Pack walking these legendary streets.

Things to see in Las Vegas

In the popular imagination, the Strip IS Las Vegas. Stretching over 4 miles and blazing with casino hotel signs and giant gaudy reproductions of world landmarks, it's the thoroughfare that always features in films and TV shows about Sin City. Just walking down the Strip will leave you giddy, and even amid this much sensory stimulation you'll still notice the iconic dancing fountains of the Bellagio, a particularly opulent casino hotel even by the Strip's standards (wait till you see the Mediterranean-style pool area, and the fine dining restaurants within). More razzle-dazzle can be found at the Fremont Street Experience – a pedestrianized area of shops, restaurants, and casinos covered with a jaw-dropping canopy of over 12 million lights. If you've got time to squeeze in some shopping, head over to the Fashion Show Mall. As well as housing countless department stores and designer boutiques, it has its very own runway where models strut their stuff. Fancy a break from the urban excess? Have a great escape to Red Rock Canyon, a rugged and craggy landscape like something from an old Western film – it's hiking like you've never experienced it before.

Accommodation in Las Vegas

It almost goes without saying that Las Vegas hotels are among the most lavish and breathtaking in the world. The big names on the Strip and in Downtown feature numerous restaurants (many high-end and run by celebrity chefs), spas that will make every guest feel like a film star, epic pools, and of course the sprawling casino areas. Your typical big Las Vegas hotel will cater for your every conceivable whim, and there's a price tag that comes with that, but it's worth remembering the city has plenty of cheaper hotels and motels to choose from as well.

Where to stay in Las Vegas

If you want to immerse yourself in the Vegas you see on TV, the Strip is where you want to stay. That said, if you fancy a taste of "old Vegas" then you may prefer to book a hotel in the Downtown area, where the original hotels and casinos took root, and where the Rat Pack were the resident hellraisers. You can also choose to set your base a little way from the hustle and bustle by looking for a hotel south of the Strip – look out for Town Square, a mall complex crammed with well known stores as well as a cinema and a park.

How to get to Las Vegas

If you're flying into Vegas, you'll most likely be landing at McCarran International Airport. This is the major gateway to the area, with flights coming in from cities such as London, Paris, Mexico City, Frankfurt, as well as many other US cities. It's only minutes away from the city, making it easy to get from Arrivals to the comfort of your hotel. Meanwhile, North Las Vegas Airport and Henderson Executive Airport cater to private planes and general aviation.

When are the best times to travel to Las Vegas?

The party never stops in Las Vegas, and the decadent atmosphere of Sin City can be lapped up at any time of year. It also helps that most of the attractions are indoors, making for a fool proof break whenever you come. That said, if you want to avoid the more intense heat of summer, then it’s worth visiting between March and May, or between September and November. The Christmas and New Year period is always a wild time, and perfect if you’re looking to seriously party in the glitziest surroundings.

What are the top must-see attractions in Las Vegas?

Think “Vegas” and one place will spring to mind: the Strip. This is the gloriously gaudy, glittering array of casino-hotels like Caesars Palace and Bellagio, which draws in millions of people every year. The other major hotspot is the Fremont Street Experience, a pedestrianized hub of gaming and entertainment where a vast LED canopy comes alive with thrilling visuals every night. Fancy taking in natural beauty? Try the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, which boasts botanical gardens, wildlife habitats and impressive cacti displays.

What are the best types of food and restaurants in Las Vegas?

It’s no exaggeration to say that every conceivable kind of cuisine is served up in the grand hotels and casinos of Las Vegas. It may be in the middle of the desert, but the city gets through more shellfish than the rest of the United States combined, while the high-end Chinese and Japanese restaurants are legendary. Fine dining eateries run by celebrity chefs sit alongside cheap and cheerful joints, while all-you-can-eat buffets keep people satisfied and ready for another turn at the gaming tables.

What are the top things to do in Las Vegas?

The kitsch symbols of old Vegas can be seen at the Neon Museum. Here, you can take a guided tour of vast relics from the long-lost Vegas of Elvis, the Rat Pack and beyond. To get the adrenaline flowing, enter the enclosed theme park of Adventuredome, where rollercoasters, classic carousels and other thrill rides are protected from the elements for non-stop fun. Meanwhile, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a must for outdoor adventurers, with its scorched, other-worldly hiking trails.

What are some fun facts about Las Vegas?

If your Las Vegas hotel is on the Strip, you may be surprised to learn you won’t technically be staying in Vegas at all. The Strip is actually located outside the Vegas city limits. Speaking of famous symbols, the ever-waving neon cowboy shown in so many films and TV shows has a name: Vegas Vic. Another resident of the city was eccentric businessman Howard Hughes, who once rented 2 whole floors at the Desert Inn. When asked to leave in 1966, he simply shelled out $13 million to buy the place outright.

What kinds of public transport are there in Las Vegas?

There’s no better way to travel in Las Vegas than by the monorail, which runs between many of the most popular landmarks of the Strip, and lets you get around without having to shoulder your way through the crowds down below. There are also plenty of buses available, including the double-decker buses of the Deuce – a hugely popular way to get from the Strip to the Fremont Street Experience in central Vegas.