- The Las Vegas scene began in 1931 with the building of its first casino, the Pair-o-Dice Club. El Rancho Vegas, the first hotel on the world famous Vegas Strip, opened 10 years later. Soon the Hotel Last Frontier and the Flamingo followed. Las Vegas's hotel culture really began to flourish with the building of the International Hotel. It opened in 1969 and featured 1,512 rooms, making it the largest hotel on the planet at the time. This was the first megaresort in Las Vegas.
- Kirk Kerkorian was the pioneer of these hotels and megaresorts. Kerkorian built the first MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in 1973. It topped the International Hotel with 2,084 rooms. The first water park in Las Vegas, called Wet 'n Wild, was built in 1985 as a part of the Sahara Hotel. Then came the Mirage in 1989, and it raised the bar as the largest megaresort in Vegas. It has multiple entertainment halls, dining rooms and a beautiful casino.
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On the Vegas Strip, popular hotels include Paris, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay, New York New York, Venetian and the Wynn. Right off the strip, you will find many top hotels as well, including Palms, Hard Rock and Rio Suites. In downtown Las Vegas, you can find Fremont, Golden Nugget and El Cortez.
If you looking for a budget hotel, consider Tropicana Inn, Knights Inn and Sahara Westwood Hotel. Most of the major hotels in Las Vegas center their decor and events around a specific theme. For example, New York New York is like a miniature version of the Big Apple--complete with a replica of the Statue of Liberty outside. - The features available in Las Vegas hotels are virtually endless. Restaurants, nightclubs, casinos, concert halls, spas, gyms and pools have become extremely popular. In upscale hotels, you can expect features such as concierge service, complimentary transportation and gourmet room service. You can also find lodging options that include golf courses, fishing lakes, horseback riding and museums.
- Las Vegas hotels that are on the Vegas Strip stand between Sahara Avenue and Russell Road. This 4.1-mile stretch is technically a section of Las Vegas Boulevard South. The Strip brings more than a billion dollars annually to the Las Vegas economy in terms of room rental fees, gambling fees and entertainment fees.
