I will be staying at the Circus Circus Hotel in Las Vegas in a few weeks. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about the hotel/casino. Can anyone offer their opinion?

Holly, I've no experience with CC, but from all I've heard about it on <http://www.lvol.com> , you'd do better to find another place to stay. I don't mean to be negative, but there are so many nicer hotels at good prices that I think you'd be happier in. Others can correct me if they've stayed there.

We were there 5 years ago for 2 nights, the rooms were inexpensive and very nice but the place is very, very depressing.
We were in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and had a much better experience staying at a newer facility on the South strip.
The Circus Circus part of the strip is really decaying, you should select a property mid or south strip.
The cost difference is not that much and you will have a much better vacation.

I stayed there several years ago and it seemed very run-down. One thing that stands out in my mind was a big cockroach on the wall in the buffet dining room. I agree that that are many more inexpensive, quality options in Las Vegas.

Holly,
I have been to Vegas dozens of times- once across the street from C.C. at the Riviera. Made a big mistake eating at the C.C. buffet- DON'T DO IT (if the thought of cockroaches wasn't bad enough). If you are not able to go somewhere else, it's cool. You will only sleep in the hotel, you can spend every other moment somewhere else! If you can change hotels- check out the Tropicana Hotel/Casino. It's very clean and relatively cheap (older), but it is on the "happening" end of the strip- MGM, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, New York/New York, Luxor, etc. All an easy walk. Buffet at the Rio is a must! Definitely the best!

I won't be so polite. CC is a complete dump. I can think of no reason why anyone would stay there. If I had a choice between a free room at CC and $59 at Luxor or Paris, etc., I'd pay up. The reasons are numerous. CC is in a dying, decaying end of the strip. Nothing in the neighborhood is a draw, and it gets unsafe at night. You can find good deals at plenty of more desirable places in summer. Please check some of them. You won't regret it.

I cringe at the thought of anyone staying there. Try for somewhere else, you'll be glad you did.

The only reason to even walk through CC is if u want to see where part of a James Bond Film was made....and I cant remember the film...LOL

I agree...Circus Circus must be French for UGH!!!

Let me jump on the dogpile here Holly and beg you to steer clear of Circus Circus! The hotel itself is an old rat trap, and the surrounding area! Nothing but signs and ads for porn and strip clubs, plus men on every corner trying to give you more flyers for porn. Everywhere I looked that was all I saw. Not exactly a safe feeling for a woman.

Holly,
If for some reason you are locked into the CC, insist on a room in the West Tower, only a few years old. The worst is the Manor area in the back - no way would I stay there.
Here's the CC story - at one time, 10 or more years ago, CC was decent and a great bargain, and had a big following with the "family" trade - it was the first casino to have a separate entertainment area for kids, for example. Then when Excalibur, Luxor, NYNY and similar came online, the family market moved to these newer, slightly upscale places, leaving a void at CC. Last time I was in the place it appears this void has been filled by offering very low-priced rooms to people that I just didn't feel comfortable (i.e. safe) to be around.
For decent alternatives in the lower priced range I'd try Excalibur, Luxor (tower rooms) or the Orleans (off the strip). Have a great trip!

Circus Circus...oh, yes, the place I got food poisoning. I can say this with confidence, though: they have a really nice parking garage.

Casino = Trashy; can't imagine what the rooms are like. Stay away. Don't even bother to take the children to see the Circus. Too many other interesting things to see and do.

Holly, We stayed there 2 years ago with our children. Had a tower room. Surprisingly, very nice. I believe there had been a recent renovation. However, we will probably never return. The pool area wasn't that good. I would never want to stay in the manor rooms! And we made the mistake of going to the buffet. It was really awful. It was also a far walk to Treasure Island, Mirage, Luxor, MGM. Especially with 2 young children!

The James Bond movie made at CC was "Diamonds Are Forever" . It's actually a pretty good film set largely in Vegas. When I went to Circus three years ago you had to pass through a metal detector to get into the game room. Very creepy.

I have not stayed at CC, but I must tell you that as I was walking alone in the casino, two creepy-looking guys came up on both sides of me and grabbed my arms and started to walk very fast. I was lucky to get away quickly. I will never go back again!!

Holly, I have to disagree with everyone else. I JUST got back from Vegas two days ago. Stayed three days at CC with three kids. Had two very lovely rooms in the west tower, NEVER felt unsafe, did not have to walk through any metal detectors, and the ONLY place we were accosted by sleazy people trying to hand us pamphlets and ads was in the neighborhood around the MGM Grand and New York, New York. Circus Circus has undergone extensive remodelling in the past couple of years (most of the naysayers on this forum seem to have been there more than 2 years ago). Granted, the pool was nothing special, but then I didn't go to Vegas to swim, I went there to see things I can't see back home. The neighborhood is not as upscale as the south end of the strip, and the presence of the vacant El Rancho makes one block of it a little spooky at night, but the Riviera, the Sahara (Excellent roller coaster), the Stratosphere Tower, the Stardust, and the Westward Ho are all at that end of the Strip. Wet and Wild, the water park is there too. CC has an indoor amusement park with unlimited free laser tag included with the all-day wristband (big hit with my boys) and a cool roller coaster and water ride. (speaking of movies, it's not exactly Bond, but Baby Geniuses was filmed partly in the Adventuredome.) The buffet was not the best, granted, but nobody got food poisoning, and their steakhouse is still rated one of the best on the Strip. There is also an on-site McDonald's for when the kids have a food meltdown. We were able to park very near our room every day. Folks on lvol.com have complained about the distance to the rooms and how complicated it is to get around. I found it to be no more complex than any other large hotel/casino on the Strip. Folks on lvol have also complained about gang-bangers hanging around (didn't see any). For $39 a night, I found it to be a bargain. If you don't like kids, you should probably stay away, but if you're going there with kids, it's a viable option. One caution, when we checked out they screwed up on our bill and charged us the rack rate instead of the discount rate, but they cheerfully corrected it when we pointed it out. Check your bill. By the way, speaking of Bills, I guess this makes us some of those people Bill doesn't feel comfortable around. I'm so glad he stays elsewhere, because I never feel comfortable around snobs. Really guys, Circus Circus is currently a pretty decent place for the price, especially if you have kids. Of course, things are always changing in Vegas, so who knows what next year may bring?

Took the kids to indoor amusement park in 1998. That was fun. The hotel as a whole seemed a little worn. I remember our first trip there in 1986. It was fun and the property held its own. It’s now a little tired and in need of a serious overhaul if it wants to compete with the glitzy neighbors down the street. Would I stay there with kids now? Probably not. Too many other places with comparable prices and much better digs. I’d take the kids to amusement park again. Do heed this: Do not do the buffet. Its scary. Macaroni and cheese, mystery meat and fruit punch in beaten up tumblers everywhere. Totally cafeteria. Bad cafeteria.