4 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. 

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.