Are there any "nice" rooms at either hotel. They have cheap rates. Just wondered if we will be extremely disappointed. We like nice places but want a quick get away with low cost.

I haven't stayed at either place, but the Stratosphere is not in the best location - maybe a little sketchy at night. The Riviera is a little closer to the best part of the strip.

While I have not stayed at the Riv, I would give it a try if price was a primary concern. Neighbor friends have stayed there with no complaints.

I would also try the Strat for price purposes.

It depends on what else is important to you and what "extremely disappointed" means.

If you like "nice" then stay somewhere else. Especially avoid the Strat - even if it's free! The neighborhood there is HORRIBLE! And you're not close to anything you'll want to see/do. The Riviera is VERY old and dated and is on the auction block these days so that should tell you there aren't any improvements in sight.

For lower rates, try the Flamingo, Bally's or the Monte Carlo - all of those are in a much better location and are all nice hotels but do offer lower prices. A couple of years ago I got a great AAA discount at Paris and we loved it.

Try looking on "i4vegas.com" and see what you can find - they often have dynamite deals on there but be prepared to book it on your credit card because the deals don't last long.

It really does depend on what "nice" means to you. I agree with the others that the Stratosphere is not in the best neighborhood, but if you're not going to be walking anywhere who cares? To get to the rest of the Strip you'd have to take a cab or drive or something, but you certainly wouldn't walk, so being in a little bit of a sketchy neighborhood is irrelevant.

It's nice to be center Strip to be close to everything, but those hotels are generally higher-priced. Factor the cost of transportation into your hotel room price and the mid-Strip hotels may not seem as high priced.

I survived a stay at the Stratosphere with budget-minded friends. We were attending a convention so had a shuttle bus pickup most of the time. It isn't in a very good location but I took the trolley by myself to get to the Fashion Show Mall and after Le Reve at teh Wynn we took a cab back to the hotel. I wouldn't recommend the expensive restaurant at the top but the daily morning breakfast place was great. They have a small deli and I thought the buffet was pretty good. The rooms were standard hotel, a little on the small side but clean. I liked the smaller casino with a shorter walk from the elevator to the door. But, the location puts a damper on walking around. It would definitely be more fun to be close to the center of things. Cab rides might offset the room savings.

IMHO the biggest travel bargain is a better room in a better location for a few bucks more.

Boy, do I ever agree w/you, happytrails. Stratoshere has $100 rates for a night I need to be in Vegas, but I am paying $40 more to be in a better location for me at a more reliable and more quiet hotel w/better reviews.

Enjoy.

I fear there are experienced travelers out there who haven't discovered that the best deal often isn't the cheapest deal.

I only visited for the view, but found the Strat down right trashy looking/feeling and the taxi ride downtown to it was not worth the trip!

Try the Gold coast. Rooms were recently redone and it's a quick hop to the strip. The shuttle runs every half hour and the Rio or the Palms across the street also have shuttles.
goldcoastcasino.com

Actually, though it's "off strip", it's closer to center strip than the Strat is.

Stratosphere--no way. EVEN if it were a nice place to stay, it's in a "dicey" aea and too far from the big fun of the Strip.
Lois, can you explain a bit more what you mean by "cheap rates"? To me $100 is a good deal for a good room in a good location along the Strip, but that may not be what you mean.
Happytrailstoyou, you said it perfectly. No wonder your trails are happy ones!

I'm in total agreement with tracey2cents. The Gold Coast would be closer to center strip than the Strat would be and if the rooms have been recently remodeled, it would be a good place. The 'Coast' casinos have much better odds on slots, and great Chinese food in their coffee shops.

Other Coast properties worth considering would be the Orleans and the brand new South Coast (one word or two?), which both have shuttles to center strip as well.

I've stayed at the Riviera (several yrs back) and would not recommend it. However, try the Sahara...usually pretty cheap rates

I stayed at the Sahara almost 3 years ago, in it's aging and smoky glory. LOL. Anyway, I stayed in the better hotel rooms tower (Tangiers I think?). It was still marginal. I'm with others on the Gold Coast or Orleans idea. Even Place Station on West Sahara sounds better than these north strip options.

I meant Palace Station.

Also, even if either of those places has "nice rooms", I'd think you wouldn't get them with the cheapest rates they offer.

Then again, I wouldn't put "nice rooms" and "extremely disappointed" as the only options when booking a hotel.

Still, if you want to be "in the heart of it all" go for another property than either you mentioned.

Try Excalibur...they're running some great specials (just an ok property)

I actually got the rate for the cheaper hotel rooms at the Sahara via TravelWorm. Then when I called the hotel to say I really need to room when I could "climate control" our room due to my sinus condition. They switched me without a upgrade charge. Still, I don't recommend the place. Unless you are budget minded, don't mind smoke and love Nascar.

Sorry my grammar was off. I meant to say, I needed a room with climate controls.