Carol

Hi, I'm going to Las Vegas this weekend. On the travel channel they stated that the Stratosphere was a good place to gamble with good odds. We're thinking of staying there, but want others opinions. Since we're out of the hotel for most of the three day trip, we don't want to spend a lot on a luxury hotel. Thanks!!

MJ

The hotels "OK" but that's about it. It's very poorly located so you will need a car or you'll be cabbing or busing everywhere. Also it sounds as if you're not going to be there much anyway so why stay somewhere rated for it's casino when you won't be spending much time! It assume your a slot player since that's the only game that can be manipulated enough to have much difference in odds. Also remember 98% percent paybacks (which seem really good!) mean that, on average, for every $1.00 you put in, you get 98 cents back! The table games offer up to 99 1/2% payback if you play smart!

thereuare

DON"T stay at the Strat if you plan on not being at the hotel a lot. It's poorly located for somebody looking to see the sites of Vegas.

Inexpensive hotels on the main part of the strip include: Flamingo Hilton, Ballys, Barbary Coast, and Imperial Palace (the IP is the worst of the bunch). Even Treasure Island has some amazing deals currently... i'd check Expedia.com as well as each hotel's website.

pat

Don`t stay at the Stratoshere. It`s kind of dumpy and way too far out. I stayed at the Orleans. It`s off the strip but there is a shuttle bus running back and forth. It`s very inexpensive. If I go back, I would probably stay at Treasure Island, as I like the location, right in the midst of everything. Orleans is probably the best value in Vegas, but we did waste time going back and forth on the Shuttle bus.

Vic

Carol:
If the Travel Channel stated that the Stratosphere had 'good odds', you either misinterpreted what they were saying, or they were misrepresenting the truth.
Without going into a lot of detail you probably don't care about, just suffice it to say that it is ALWAYS incorrect to state that any particular casino on the strip has better odds than any other.
Which games? Which month of the past year are you analyzing? Slots? Which ones, 25 cent or dollar or nickel?
Table game odds don't change. There are a few "one zero" roulette wheels around (Monte Carlo e.g.) but they number very few.

Bottom line: Stratosphere is a poor hotel, an average casino, in THE worst location on the strip.
Don't waste your vacation.

thereuare

Vic,

Many hotels on the strip have started to hit a "soft 17"... so there is some difference between hotels (just as the single "0" roulette games are better odds than the double 0 games). However, for the average, casual, low stakes gambler, these differences are minimal.

Dennis

there is a very good reason that the rooms there are 29$ per nite. Try hotwire for a deal, or goto expedia i've seen much better hotels for around 59(paris, aladdin) to 100 (venetian). depends when your going though.

jesse

I stayed at the Strat and thought it was a good hotel. Yes the location is not the best but the casino is very nice. The best odds the Travel Channel was talking about must have been Black Jack. The Strat offers a single deck Black Jack, one of the very few that do. Our room was very nice but our view sucked. We olny paid 19 thru Expedia. We also had a car so it was easy to go to other casions. I prob would spend an extra 30 bucks and stay at the Monte Carlo, again thru Expedia.

Carol

Thanks to all of you for your help!!!