This sprawling resort with spacious rooms just west of the Strip was pioneering in its appeal to locals and visitors but fell on post-pandemic hard times before new owners, Dreamscape Cos., started sinking money into a complete renovation, but room renovations are still ongoing. By the end of 2024, the $350-million refurbishment was evident on the casino floor, with new furniture, carpeting, and wall coverings—even the new Lapa Lounge at the center of it all. The Rio's pioneering buffet became a permanent casualty of the pandemic (as did most Las Vegas buffets), but was replaced by the Canteen Food Hall, with sushi, ramen, and burgers among the choices. The sprawling pool area, another stand-out of the old days, received a complete overhaul as well. And after a five-year absence, the 51st-floor VooDoo Lounge reopened in early 2025. More than half of the rooms had been remodeled by the end of 2024 as well. The standard so-called \"suites\" don't actually have separate bedrooms, but they're spacious (at least 600 square feet), and higher-end units have double whirlpool tubs, wet bars, and other cushy touches. And the place makes up for its distance to the Strip by having plenty of entertainment options under one roof, including Penn & Teller, a family-friendly, old-school variety revue called Wow!, and a branch of New York's Comedy Cellar.