Plaza Hotel & Casino

When going to Vegas, almost everyone wants to stay on the strip. Unfortunately for the budget-minded traveler, this can be expensive. This was exactly the case for my fiance and I, so we opted for the $39.99 a night Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The location, although not on the strip, is superb. It is right at the end of the fabulous Fremont Street experience in Downtown Vegas (2-3 miles from the strip). There's plenty to do both in and out of the hotel, so for those wanting to live it up, it is a perfect match.

The hotel itself is all lit up outside, typical Vegas style. The lobby isn't all that impressive, but the rooms are more than great. They're not the Four Seasons, nor do they want to be. If you want a nice, clean place to sleep, then this is it. The rooms are a good size, the bathrooms are clean, and the views can be nice (mountains, Vegas Strip, or Fremont Street views). We found we didn't spend much time in our room, and when we did it was for a short nap and then we were up and out. 

I fell in love with their breakfast buffet. The chicken fried steak and eggs were so yummy! We never had a problem with their food nor service at the buffet. It's a great value and you cannot beat the convenience. They also have a McDonald's at this hotel if you get a Big Mac craving. The casino itself had a good variety of slot machines and table games. It was never overly crowded, and the staff was always very accomodating in drink refills or as a dealer. The one bad thing (and this is true of any Vegas hotel really) is the smoke! I think the Plaza could do a bit better in the air filtration system. It was awful really! The way I combatted this problem was to go out onto Fremont Street to get fresh air or to visit other casinos.

For the price, this hotel cannot be beat. The location is great, the staff is wonderful, and it was a fun vacation that didn't break the bank. Check it out the next time you want to go to Vegas! Don't spend money on your room, spend it on trying to get lucky on the slot machines or on the massive buffets. Remember that there are taxis 24-7 going to the strip as well as a bus to the strip about 3 blocks away if you do want to go to the strip.