Las Vegas, Nevada Hotels And Resorts

We’ve known for years that Las Vegas, America’s #1 city of adult entertainment, had plenty to offer families but hotels didn’t really want to welcome visitors under 21. While that’s still true at the city’s most luxe gambling emporiums, we’ve found some fun, family-friendly hotels where you can sidestep the casinos when you’re with the kids, and enjoy them after the babysitter has arrived. There are clowns, trapeze artists, and a gigantic spread of midway games and arcades at some hotels; aquariums, animated rides and roller coasters at others. You’ll also find families photographing their toddlers with showgirls, guests in the pool with martinis, crazy tatoos, and wild outfits galore — after all, this is Las Vegas.

Overall, we think their kid-friendly facilities and welcoming staff make these the most fun and least intimidating Las Vegas hotels for families. And, if your hotel doesn’t have a great pool complex, inquire about getting day passes to the world-famous water playgrounds at some of the larger resorts.
 

Circus Circus
2880 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
800/634-3450
Rates: $-$$
This veteran resort may not have cachet, notes travel writer Michael Shulman, but “with its 123-foot-tall clown marquee, live circus acts and cacophonous arcades, it’s still the best place on the Strip to stay with youngsters.” With free circus acts on its Midway Stage and the adjacent Adventuredome, a five-acre indoor theme park with and attractions including a boat trip with its own waterfall, and a double-loop, double corkscrew roller coasters, your kids may never want to head south to the main part of the Strip. (Though the Strip may seem less crowded and quieter than this hotel late at night!)  Additionally, the 3,770-room hotel offers well priced Tower rooms, which are connected to the casino with direct access to the two pools; Manor rooms, which provide in-room refrigerators and coffeemakers; a KOA campground RV Park, where you can stay in your RV; and the full-service beauty salon.

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
3960 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
702/632-5000
Rates: $ – $$$
Mandalay Bay’s 11-acre beach with wave pool and lazy river — the kid-friendliest part of the hotel — puts it high on our family list for an upscale Vegas experience. but families may find its special Daylife Club cramps their midday swim style. Teens will love the resort’s resident Cirque du Soleil show, “Michael Jackson One,” whose moonwalking and dance moves are sure to inspire. The 3,300 standard rooms are spacious with great views, and the many on-site restaurants and casual cafes have extensive menus. Don’t miss the resident Aquarium whose colorful tanks defy the surrounding desert, and the Shark Reef exhibit, where “hands-on” rules encourage visitors to try the touch pool. Overheard kid’s report: the shark and sea stars felt rough, the sea cucumber and stingray were slimy. After the family has come out of the water, the Mandalay Bay offers a free tram to their sister properties, the Luxor and the Excalibur where families can enjoy arcades, game rooms and carnival games.

Bellagio Hotel
3600 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
888/987-6667
Rates: $$ – $$$
Our pick for the affluent family traveler who wants the best of Vegas glitz. In addition to the fantastic fountain show outside the hotel, and the fanfare around Cirque du Soleil’s “O” theatre, we like the Bellagio Hotel for older kids age 12+ because of its combination of Vegas luxe, high style and beautiful artwork. Starting with the Dale Chihuly glass flower sculpture decorating the lobby ceiling, the Bellagio also has its own fine arts gallery with rotating shows (for a fee) and a large Conservatory Garden (free) where flowers, plants and art combine to create an oasis from the Strip’s bustle. The floral displays and landscaping around the pools and in the shopping arcade are spectacular as well. Ahead-of-the-pack touches include a state-of the-art interactive wayfinding resort map, and on-site restaurant apps, powered by a free public WiFi that’s strong enough to maintain a signal across all the MGM owned hotels. Note that this hotel has a strict “over 21” policy and does not allow 18-year-olds to even enter the property, unless they’re guests, or dining or going to the theatre with an adult; under-5s are not allowed. 

MGM Grand
3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702/891-7111
Rates: $ – $$
It’s big — nearly 5500 rooms rated 4-star plus dozens of duplex suites rated 5-stars are tucked behind the 45-foot-tall bronze lion guarding the entrance — so you’re not going to get personalized service. But it’s clean, well run, staff is friendly and there are some great seasonal values on their website. The Vegas Monorail (a fun and efficient way to get around by avoiding the traffic jams on the Strip) stops right next door. Best for families are the on-site food court, recreation options and variety of shows. The 6.6-acre, five-pool complex features a long, winding lazy river pool (open seasonally) with waterfalls and fun, cave-like grottoes. Foodie families can choose among outlets of celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Joel Robuchon, Tom Colicchio, Michael Mina and Emeril Lagasse. At the Rainforest Cafe, kids will enjoy the rainforest decor, periodic mist showers (don’t worry, not as wet as it sounds), and animatronic gorillas. Tweens will like the on-site Bodies: The Exhibition, and teens may want to crime solve in CSI: The Experience. Truth is, this is such a large, entertainment focused hotel that you may be able to choose from between a prize fight or Lady Gaga concert at your visit, if you don’t want to see “Ka” the Cirque du Soleil show in residence. All to say that with these crowds, waits for service can be long… but everyone fits in.

The Mirage
3400 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702/791-7111
Rates: $ – $$$
The Mirage has a great center Strip location for those who want to be part of the non-stop action, and AAA four-diamond calibre rooms that are spacious for a family of four. Best is the really fun, free nightly outdoor special effects spectacular, the Mirage Volcano. True! Amid palm trees and a lagoon, their volcano spews smoke and fire 100 feet into the air. Additionally, this hotel counts Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat; “The Beatles LOVE” by Cirque du Soleil; and Terry Vator, a very popular ventriloquest, among its house entertainment. Your littlest ones will enjoy his puppetry while older ones can smirk along with you at some of the adult humor.

New York New York
3790 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
866/815-4365; 800/689-1797
Rates: $ – $$
Combining Las Vegas and The Big Apple, New York New York is a Manhattan-themed 2,024-room hotel that re-creates the New York skyline with a statue of Lady Liberty and a mini Brooklyn Bridge, features three great spots for kids to hang out. A big attraction there is the 28,000-square-foot arcade which looks like Coney Island, filled with video and carnival games for the youngsters to enjoy, complete with Nathan’s Hot Dogs for the kids to eat. They also have a roller coaster that lifts you up 200 feet, drops you down 150 feet, spins you 180 degrees like Times Square at rush hour. Another spot the kids seem to enjoy hanging around is the Food Court, which consists of 13 restaurants.

Four Seasons Las Vegas
3960 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
702/632-5000
Rates: $$$ – $$$$
The elegant and kid-friendly Four Seasons, an obvious departure from the felt poker tables and ringing slot machines that permeate Vegas, is one of the only “non-gaming” hotels in the city. Without a glitzy high-rise tower of its own, it occupies the 35th-39th floors of the deluxe Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, yet has a separate lobby, two fine restaurants, lounges, and express elevators up to the rooms. You’ll have to pay extra for a Strip-view room but they’re pretty special. Families with babies will find their room stocked with a crib and basket of essentials, while older kids get welcome gifts, in-room milk and cookies (delicious), and in-room video games. Families can count on free rollaways, use of strollers, playpens, and highchairs. Use of Health Club and Mandalay Bay’s famous pool are included in the steep rates. The concierge staff is very helpful.

Hilton Grand Vacations Club
3575 Las Vegas Boulevard South
800/230-7068, 702/697-2900
Rates: $ – $$$
These 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom condo time-share units built next to the long-popular Flamingo Hilton offer families a lot of room to spread out in a casual and homey atmosphere. Long stay guests and visitors have their own fully equipped kitchens, washer/dryer, TVs and DVDs, sofabed, pool and kiddie pool, a deli, outdoor health club, fitness center and access to the next door Flamingo’s splashy wave pool complex.  Special activities for children include ice cream socials, board games, movie night and Play Station contests.  HGVC now operates five properties in Las Vegas including one in the Trump Tower, so there are options at several price points. 

Babysitters for Adult-Only Fun

If it’s babysitting you need, there are separate, licensed services that will go to almost all hotels and provide the kid-watching for you. Some charge a flat rate for the first four hours, and then charge hourly after that. So whenever you feel the need to spend some time apart from your kids, our top recommendation is Nannys & Housekeepers (702/451-0021) which has CPR-certified caregivers who have had background checks, work in uniforms, and are familiar with the hotels. Rates start at $45 per hour for up to three children (one child costs the same, so invite a friend), and there’s a four-hour minimum. Call ahead for weekend bookings.

For more information on the region and its lodging choices, contact the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority.