Best Budget Hotel Bargains in Las Vegas

With few exceptions, the best budget hotels in Las Vegas are those located at least a mile away from the Strip, officially Las Vegas Boulevard, the city's main street. Finding a cheap room in Sin City is almost as much of a gamble as playing in one of its casinos. Before you book, check with your favorite hometown or online travel agency to try to work your way through all the promotions, specials and combinations.

For the most convenience, many visitors may prefer to stay at hotels actually located on the Strip. Check for those that advertise comparatively low prices. Among them are Imperial Palace, Harrah's, Casino Royale, Stratosphere, Circus Circus, Excalibur and Flamingo. Their average prices on Sundays through Thursdays, range from $25 to $50 per night. The cleanest and best located in the middle of the Strip is Harrah's.

The best off-Strip budget hotel in Las Vegas is the Rio, with similar low rates. The Rio is known for its lively decor and and most extensive buffets in the city. Another choice would be Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, a basic no-nonsense Western-style place that makes no pretense of Strip elegance. Both hotels offer non-weekend rates as low as $40 a night. However, the Rio is all-suite, and can be a good bargain for visitor groups of three or four who can share what is basically two rooms.

The best cheap downtown hotels are on the street where it all started, named for famous Civil War general and Western pioneer, John C. Fremont. Since the 1930s, when the massive Boulder Dam was being constructed just 30 miles away, thousands of construction workers came to Fremont Street on weekends. Similar to Las Vegas visitors today, they went to gamble and seek other anything-goes fun at bargain prices.

Because Nevada was the only state where gambling was legal, by the end of the decade, the street had become a favorite tourist destination for people from throughout the country. With the influx of the famed entertainers, including Sinatra, Elvis and Liberace, by the 1950s Las Veags became the playground of the stars.

Since the big mega-resorts started going up on the Strip in the 1960s, Fremont Street has lost some of its luster. However, today it's still the destination for construction workers, foreign tourists, accountants, bank clerks, students on spring break and others who want to have just plain fun.

The best cheap hotels downtown, all over 50 years of age, are the Golden Nugget, the Four Queens and the Fremont, with rates of about $45 a night.