6 Best Hotels in Paradise Road and the East Side, Las Vegas

The story of how Station Casinos came to dominate the Las Vegas "locals casino" scene—and divide that dominance into regions—is exemplified by Boulder Station. It opened in early 1994, cementing what's now the Stations formula with its attached Regal movie theater, Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant, and The Broiler steak house for living-it-up occasions. The latest additions are Game On, which fuses a sports bar with the 24-hour coffee shop, and a six-outlet food court (replacing a buffet that never reopened after the pandemic). The unintended consequence of Station's corporate success is that Boulder Station is now extremely local, serving primarily the east side, and offering no real reason to cross town for those living closer to other Station properties. Some of the 299 rooms and suites have distant views of the Strip and downtown, and midweek room rates can dip well below $100.

The former Hooters Casino Hotel has become a part of a fast-growing Indian chain, though things look much the same—there is still even a Hooters Restaurant inside. You'll also find what's touted as the largest Steak 'n Shake burger outlet in the country. And of course, it has a  great location across the street from the MGM Grand (just east of and facing its parking garage), though one that's a little more lonesome thanks to the demolition of the Tropicana next door. 

This swank, nongaming condo-hotel has become a fashionable hideaway for Vegas regulars who prefer top-notch amenities but don't need to stay on the Strip. The all-suites property has huge rooms starting at 900 square feet, and all have walk-out balconies, living rooms with convertible sofas, lavishly appointed kitchens with stainless-steel appliances (and optional grocery delivery service), whirlpool tubs, and satellite radios. The top units also have fireplaces and views of the Strip. Additional perks include both indoor and outdoor pools, Stir lounge (with a menu), complimentary valet parking, and the adjacent Well Spa. All told, Platinum offers the style and substance of one of the city's top resorts with highly personalized service.

Everything is intimate at Marriott's nongaming hotel off the Strip on Paradise Road, a favorite of business travelers because of the location right next to the Las Vegas Convention Center. There are "only" 578 rooms and suites in this property, and most of them are smaller than the standard accommodations on the Strip. Bathrooms are diminutive, too, but do come with separate tubs and glass shower stalls. Even the pool is small. The property lacks a casino but has everything to suit a convention visitor's needs, including access to the monorail and some room packages offering breakfast at the on-site restaurant Grill 55.

The pioneering "locals casino" has anchored Boulder Highway since 1979 as a pure example of the casino as a mall-meets-community-center: locals flock to the movie theater, huge sports book, and sprawling underground bowling center. If you do make a special trip, the distinguishing feature is the Mystic Falls Park, an indoor garden under a beautiful skylight, rimmed by hotel rooms, a bar and patio seating at the Angry Butcher Steakhouse, punctuated by the occasional howls of animatronic animals and periodic synchronized light shows.

Convention attendees have loved this hotel's proximity to the Las Vegas Convention Center for decades, but converting some of its hotel rooms to time-shares has also helped the hotel stay in the game as the Strip has exploded with bigger and bolder properties. It's an amazing testimony to resilience, and has been renovated extensively since the mid-2010s. Some lean years for the showroom made famous by Elvis robbed the overall property of that certain sizzle; but entertainment has been on the upswing as well, thanks it being the one guaranteed place to still see Barry Manilow, as well as one-night concert stops by casino favorites such as Air Supply and Cheap Trick. Magician Jen Kramer and tributes to Motown and Elvis have lately shared a unique little cabaret venue. The property's real standout attraction now is its Superbook, which pioneered the mission-control-style sports book and continues to set the line for betting action (the giant screens got upgraded during the pandemic). Because the hotel is east of the Strip, west-facing accommodations have great views. A variety of suite options include one- and two-bedroom accommodations with amenities ranging from spa tubs to dining tables and wet bars. Live cooking action at the world's largest and arguably most famous Benihana restaurant has been a consistent novelty amid changes inside and outside this piece of Las Vegas history. But a surprising number of restaurants are still on property, including a rare surviving buffet.