My husband and I just returned from a one week stay at the Strat. We stayed from Feb 22nd until March 1st. We booked through our travel agent and after reading the varied reviews were somewhat nervous - but found once we arrived, there was no reason to be nervous at all.
We arrived at the Las Vegas airport on February 22nd at around 6:30pm, and after the quick check-in at the tour counter our luggage was already on the carousel and off we went to the rental car shuttle. We were at the hotel by shortly after 8pm and were checked in and in our room by 8:30pm. We booked a package deal, and when we checked in I requested a room up high with a view of the strip and same was provided to us - we were on the 18th floor (3-18-56) a room with two queen beds looking down the strip. The room was very clean, beds pretty comfy, and the bathroom was huge and exceptionally clean.
The first night there, we walked down the strip a bit to the Sahara with no problems and no nervous feelings. Yes, the Strat is at the north end of the strip but we walked each night during our stay - as long as you walk towards the strip and not north of the hotel, I would say you have nothing to worry about.
During our stay we dined at the Courtyard Buffet, the pizza place in the shopping area and Lucky's Diner. The Courtyard buffet for brunch has anything you could ever want and then some for breakfast - my husband had pork chops one morning at 8am. We also dined at the Rio's hotel buffet and saw Penn & Teller there the same night. We dined at Pampas restaurant in the Aladdin Hotel/Casino - it was amazing!! It is buffet syle for your salads, potatoes, veggies and then the staff come right to your table with meat on skewers and they cut what you would like off the skewers. The night we were there they had chicken, beef, lamb, some seafood. All very good. Kind of pricey but well worth the money.
Well in LV we saw Penn & Teller at the Rio, Dirk Arthur at the Tropicana and the American Superstars at the Strat. We did not intend on seeing any shows due to the prices of them, but once in LV we found the TIX 4 TONIGHT at the Fashion Show Mall on the strip and that changed our mind about seeing shows!! You can go on any day and get tickets for shows for that same evening - on our Penn & Teller tickets we saved just over $50 PER TICKET, plus we got the Rio Carnival buffet for half price by paying $2 to the ticket place. We then went back the next day and bought our Dirk Arthur tickets for under $15 each and were able to get our Pampas dinner for $18 each which was half of the regular price - If you have some free time in your schedule and want to pick your shows the day of I would highly recommend going the route of going to TIX 4 TONIGHT to buy your tickets - they had everything from the afternoon magic shows to all the Cirque shows available while we were there.
We ventured off the strip to the Grand Canyon WEST RIM - drove ourselves, and booked a package once there including the helicopter trip into the canyon - it was an excellent day trip!! Also went to Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon - both well worth the drive away from the hustle and bustle of the strip.
All in all, the Stratosphere was great - no complaints at all. The check in was quick as was the check out. For check out you can check out on the tv in your room or drop your room card in a box if you prefer to not wait in line. All staff that we encountered in the restaurants, concierge desk, casino staff and housekeeping staff were great and more than happy to assist with whatever you asked them. Although we had a rental car, we used the Deuce for going up and down the strip - not the quickest, so if you have to be somewhere at a specific time make sure you leave lots of time for the trip up or down the strip - the Deuce runs 24 hours and is $5 for a 24 hour pass,.
I would definitely recommend the Strat to anyone not needing fancy but just needing a bed to fall into each night and a shower to get ready for the next adventure!!!

I have never been to Vegas before, but all I have to say is wow! The view from our hotel was incredible. Being the tallest structure in Vegas, the Statosphere is a definite must see. The amusement rides were awesome! A little on the expensive side, but definitely worth it. When we arrived, the smell, the architecture, the lights, the warm welcome of the staff made feel like we were going to have the time of our life. Although the hotel is at the VERY end of the strip, it's defintely worth staying at. I would recommend it to everyone.

Because of the really high prices of other casino hotels on the strip on a Saturday night, we booked a night here and went to the MGM for Sunday night. Some of the problems are the fault of the hotel, and others aren't. For instance, I can't fault the hotel for being right on the edge of a bad part of town and that it's HORRIBLY inconvenient with how far it is from the main part of the strip. I can blame the planners, sure...but the hotel itself?? Nah.

I CAN blame the hotel for having very tiny rooms though. I can also blame it for having a pretty indifferent/rude agent checking me in. I was afraid to even ask him a question, he seemed so direct and cold.

I will say this though...if you're looking to go to Vegas on Friday or Saturday night on a budget...this may fit. The buffet isn't bad either.

I'll begin by cutting the Stratosphere a little slack... I was in Las Vegas on business, not pleasure, and because it is situated at the far North end of The Strip, it wasn't as convenient to the Convention Center as some of the other hotels. That said, it was far less expensive, too.
First topic: Transportation. Anytime you're in Vegas, you have to deal with traffic issues, much like any metropolitan area. However, because of all the hotels / casinos on The Strip, the congestion was extreme, as any of our 15+ cab drivers can surely attest. Speaking of cab drivers, as a group, these were positively the FRIENDLIEST cabbies I've EVER encountered. I was pleasantly shocked! No kidding.
I had hoped the monorail would be an attractive alternative to cabs, but the walk to the nearest station from the Strat was around a half mile or so, through a somewhat seedy neighborhood. Now, don't misunderstand - some reviews I read before choosing the Stratosphere made the neighborhood sound like a demilitarized zone, which it certainly is not. It's far from perfect, but it's not that bad, especially during the day.
The monorail was a disappointment, frankly. It was confusing to board (you have to go up 2 stories to purchase tickets and down one to board), the tickets were pricey, and we still managed to walk for MILES after disembarking. Cabs, in the end, were the best choice for us.
Next, accommodations. The Stratosphere isn't even in the same class as some of the other top-notch hotels down The Strip, but it wasn't bad. The circular lobby bar at the front entrance was really cool, with multiple plasma displays allowing you to watch everything from SportsCenter to music videos. The rooms were average, but clean. We paid a small upcharge to get a view of The Strip, but in hindsight, it wasn't really worth it. Other than the Sahara, there are few lights to be seen at night, since Las Vegas Boulevard curves just a few blocks down.
The restaurants we visited at the Strat were okay, but nothing special. The 50s Diner was nice enough, but the food was a little pricey, and the service suspect at times. The theme was cute, though, and every so often, one of the staff would sing a 50s song, occasionally well. The buffet restaurant was not very impressive, but they did have a nice selection of foods. It was expensive, too. We were perhaps spoiled because we visited the buffet at Harrah's first; it was much better. But still expensive.
The little mall below the Stratosphere Tower was really charming, so I'd definitely recommend you visit there. The boutique-style shops were very diverse, and the staff were great. Be sure to check out the magic shop and ask one of the clerks to demonstrate the tricks!
The exercise facilities at the Strat were marginal, at best, but there was no upcharge to use them, as is the case with some hotels in Vegas. All the machines were in decent working order, and many offered a nice view out to the pool and hot tub (which became interesting one morning when a couple decided to invoke the old "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" motto in the hot tub at 7:30 in the morning - it was funny, though, since there weren't any kids around).
The staff at the Strat was overall very good, from the housekeepers, to the bartenders and waitresses, to the casino employees... they always seemed to go the extra mile to ensure we felt comfortable. The real downside we noted was checkout... the lines were long and S-L-O-W, with no automation whatsoever. The last thing you want to do when you're leaving Vegas is stand in a long line waiting to check out... sheesh.
Just a couple of miscellaneous things: I loved the Mac King afternoon show at Harrah's - tickets were just $20, and it was a steal. The Range at Harrah's was a really fine restaurant, worthy of the $100-a-person price tag. While you're in Vegas, prepare to WALK... we must've put on 3 miles a day or so. Lastly, the next time I visit, I'll only spend a long weekend... 5 days is too long, unless you have activities planned outside the city. Which we, unfortunately, didn't have an opportunity to do.
The Stratosphere was a decent hotel / casino; as you may have gathered, however, I'll probably opt for Harrah's next time. If you can get a deal on rooms, though, and don't mind cabbing it nearly everywhere, the Strat is a good choice on the North end of The Strip.