Dear Alena,

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Vegas for a weekend. Can you suggest a good hotel in Las Vegas which is also inexpensive and well located?

John in Brooklyn, New York

Anyone who has visited Las Vegas over a weekend knows that all hotel prices are at least double what they are midweek. I get asked a lot about hotels in Vegas and I always tell people first and foremost to stay on the strip. The atmosphere and convenience of the the strip are an integral part of the Las Vegas experience…especially if you are a first timer. Now to answer your question, there are two hotels I like and recommend that meet your requested criteria:

Luxor (be sure to request a pyramid room)

Treasure Island

Both of these properties are in great locations and offer rooms at under $300/night on weekends. They are also both connected by tram to other hotels on the strip making it easier to explore. The Luxor tram stops at the Excalibur and Mandalay Bay and the Treasure Island tram connects to the Mirage. Vegas hotels always offer promotions on their websites so booking online is a great option. I recommend revisiting the site regularly even after you’ve booked because new promotions with lower prices may be added as your trip date gets closer. If this happens, simply call the hotel and ask them to update your reservation with the new lower rate.

As a side note, the cheapest hotels on the strip are Excalibur and Circus, Circus. Many people avoid them because they are hotspots for families and there are often many children around. Having stayed at both, my personal take is that Circus, Circus is not centrally located enough for me to recommend it but I found Excalibur to be just fine if you don’t mind the kids.

Have a great trip!