After six trips to Las vegas this was the first one we stayed at several years ago. We got a good deal in April so went back for another week. Apart from the first trip all the hotels we have stayed at have been on the strip whereas this one is not. It is a small motel style hotel just off the strip with a shuttle bus every hour to one of the strip hotels. This is good and if the bus is filled the driver will return. It is also handy for the new monorail but this is extremely expensive and should be avoided until they see sense and drop the price. The hotel has good largew clean rooms with fridge and kitchen worktops. A small casino and an excellent swimming pool with sun loungers. The bar is cosy and the food first class. Turn left out of the door and it is a short walk to the excellent Encore and Wynne hotels and then onwards up the strip. Getting around is easy on foot or using the excellent and cheap 'The Deuce' double deckers. All in all Las Vegas is brilliant and the Mardi Gras is a great place to start.

Well what can I say about my Stay in the Mardi Gras Best Western?

To start with I was a little apprehensive about the visiting having read some of the reviews on this site. However after my visit between 3rd June & 17th of June I kind of wonder what the majority on here were looking for?

Best Western cater for the "lower end" of the market and are the equivalent to a travel lodge/holiday inn type thing in the UK.

The hotel was located just off the strip about a mile out and cost between $8 - $12 in a taxi depending where you were going travelling from. The hotel also run a free shuttle bus on the hour that will drop you off at Bally's and from there you have a short walk 100m to the main strip were you can head either left or right and take your pick of many of the attractions ths strip has to offer - remember and tip the driver a few bucks I seen so many people get the bus daily and not give the driver a few bucks for the service.

Anyway back to the hotel, it was clean - maid service daily although they never got nto our room often as we were out every night and not returning til around 6/7am so sleeping at the times the maids were on duty.

The bar area although small was superbly stocked and the staff were absolutely class big praise to Chris, Kelly, Jerrie and Cheryl. The food on offer again for what you paid was really good. I think I tried most of the chicken dishes - all very good and the $1.49 breakfast is a must have when you hit the hotel in the wee small hours.

The rooms again were basic but they had 2 beds, shower/bath sink and shaving area and we had a fridge as well as tea/coffee making facilities. Also had free wi-fi access in the room which was great.

The pool area was very quiet nice sized pool for the number of users and there was also plenty of beds, the hot tub was class too. There was a garden area and also a sun lounge area which was on the 1st floor. My only criticism of the pool area was there is no bar or waiter service so if you wanted a drink you had to leave the area and then come back - bit of a pain that one.

I realise this review is a bit all over the place, I am not long back only been back in Glasgow a few hours but wanted to get this done as soon as i could as i felt some of the reviews were very harsh.

Parents stayed here for two weeks with Thomas Cook, clean and basic, pool area nice with padded cushions, shade if you want it. Small bar and restaurant, bar service excellent by Jason. Good value snacks after 11pm. Small slot machine area. Payouts in cash not tickets. Shuttle bus service once per hour, but not guarenteed to be on time.
The two male drivers were excellent more or less on time, the female driver was unreliable with an attitude problem, always leaving the Best Western late, and considering there is only one shuttle an hour this is unacceptable and inconvienient to all guests. Many Thomas Cook guests complained about the female driver being late including my parents. She thought it was her own bus and not interested in providing a scheduled shuttle service, thus Thomas Cook guests did not tip her, but tipped the guys who provided a good service. Drops off at the side of Ballys Casino on Flamingo. MacDonalds ideal for breakfast one block away. Visited the Desert Rose and the Gold Coast while we were there for future reference, would stay there instead of the Mardi Gras.

service was awful. rooms were not very nice. surrounding area do not feel safe. had to ask for extra pillow four times, each time was told it was on its way. very small bar , and the slot machine did not appear to be very entertaining , barely got a run. slot machine area very small and could not get a seat at the small bar any time. not a good stay