whirlwind

Has anyone stayed at the Golden Nugget? What are the pros and cons?

4khansen

Pros -- nicest place downtown (if that is a pro)
Best pool downtown, quiet, not many kids, classy old school type pool -- a bit like Caesar's pool, lots of older couples.

Reasonably inexpensive rooms, possibly a bit smoky for some but nice amenities etc. You can easily bid for the Golden Nugget on Priceline as it is the only 4* in that particular area.

CONS -- being downtown if you like checking out the casinos on the strip.

I would not hesitate to stay there again if the strip prices were outrageous, if I can get a strip casino at the same level for only $20 or so dollars more a night, I would probably prefer the strip.

MinnieNo1

We have been to Las Vegas many times, and while we have stayed on the strip numerous times, we prefer the Golden Nugget. It's glitzy, but small. The rooms are nice and they have a really good buffet. The hotels on the strip are huge and easy to get lost in let alone a short trip back to your room. It kinda depends on why you're going. If all you want to do is walk and look at the casinos then stay on the strip. But if you want to also do some gambling I would stay downtown. If your luck is running bad a casino downtown, it's a matter of walking a few steps to another casino. If you're on the strip, it's about 15-30 minutes to get to another one. It's easy enough to take the bus (I'm not sure what the going rate is now, but I'm pretty sure there's a pass you can buy that will save you money - ask at the terminal downtown) or a taxi to the strip.

bashfulLV

The Golden Nugget is a great hotel. The restaurants in it are among the best in Las Vegas - not just downtown. The slots payback higher - by far - than the Strip hotels. Fremont St Experience is cool at night and a fun place to shop. The rooms at the GN are nice and the hotel is glamorous. But be warned and don't venture off of Fremont St or Main St (past the Plaza or Main St Station) as the surrounding areas are no place for tourists, but the GN is a great place.

whirlwind

I've stayed downtown before, at the Fremont. The GN sounds like at least a couple steps up. GN it is! Thanks for the comments!

Budman

We stayed at the GN, and it was Great!! Our room was much better than some of the ones we stayed in Atlantic City.

When I booked, I had the option to pay in advance, which I did. In return, they provided a $50 comp towards the bar/restaurant. Bought us a couple of buffets, breakfasts, and drinks in the lounge.

manduss

I've stayed at Fremont and the Golden Nugget. GN is much nicer. The rooms are nice. The service is good. I was happy with all of the meals that I ate there. The only complaint I had on the trip was that valet parking was full one evening when we came in. They directed us to the self-park which had a long line to get in since they were sending everyone there.
Overall, though, I really liked the GN and would stay there again. It is the only place I can realistically see myself staying downtown.

The high limit room starts with low limits. One morning I played a hand held blackjack game with nice rules in the high limit room with a $50 minimum.

I am interested to see if anything changes now that Landry's has bought the Golden Nugget.

kaykay

The only positive thing I can say about the Golden Nugget is that the rooms are very nice and very clean, other than that I was very disappointed in everything else. For starters, aside from gambling, the most important aspect of vegas for me and many others is a pool and lounging in the sun. My friend and I were livid when we found out that 1)the pool doesn't open until 11:00 (yes that is correct) and 2) there are only about 40 lounge chairs for huge hotel of this size. So if you're not standing in line at 11:00 (yes there is a line every morning), you don't get a chair and people are allowed to come down at 11:00 and save them by putting a towel down!! When we got to the pool around 11:20, there was only about 15 people around the pool and the rest of the chairs each had a towel on them for saving. When I asked the cabana boy about it he said, well if no one sits in them within an HOUR, we'll see what we can do!!!

Secondly, the food was not great at all. The buffet is twenty something for dinner and was below average in my opinion. We then tried the asian/ steak restaurant and spent $80.00 (2 people) we had the blandest food I have ever had. I do have to say, Stefano's was awesome and one of the best meals I have ever had!

The slots were awful, no one could win on a slot machine in our group and we were there 3 days. In fact, during dinner one night we met a man who came for a slot tournement at GN and he told us no one can win slots at the GN and that all the slot experts joke about it. We'll its true, not once in three days did I or anyone in our group win let alone see anyone win a semi good slot.

I know I sound really negative and I know that there are people who swear by this hotel but I'm not really a hard person to please and I was greatly disappointed and no one in our group will stay there again.

Someone on another travel site said that the comps were really good at GN and I thought it was a joke. I gamble on a pretty regular basis playing both tables and slots and always get great comps from other casinos. After three days of gambling most of the days solid average table bets anywhere from 20-$50, we recieved a buffet! Not consistent whatsoever with other casinos...

I had such high hopes!