The California is a modest, smaller hotel and a gem. It's a couple of blocks away from Fremont Street but you can either cut through the Las Vegas Club or Binions and land right at Fremont Street should you prefer to stay inside.

It is NOT a huge, glitzy Vegas showplace. It's a smaller, quiet, clean hotel and was absolutely perfect in our eyes. We wanted clean, inexpensive and safe and it delivered perfectly. The room was very clean, the bed was very comfortable and the AC was perfectly capable keeping the room VERY cool with no problems. The bathroom did lack a tub but did have a huge walk in shower and plenty of hot water was never an issue. Everyone we dealt with was friendly and helpful and the Market Street Cafe was both reasonably priced and had friendly service with great food. There were not many cable channels but we spent little time in the room! We will absolutely stay here again next time we are in Vegas. We ended up paying 40 bucks per night when all was said and done.
My only complaint was that it ended up costing 20 bucks to access their terminal to print out our boarding passes but that is a very small issue compared to the rest of our positive experience.

I met my parents out here right after Christmas and stayed until New Year's eve. Contrary to what you may think about Las Vegas, during the winter it is cold. One day was 38, the next 39, two days later, 52 degrees...and it's a lot warmer at 52.

The room was decent. Two beds a writing table with chairs and an armoire with a tv inside. The bathroom could use some updating, but it was a decent size. There was a small refrigerator in the hall closet space. I heard they just remodeled the other tower, so that is the side to stay on next. The tower we stayed in use to be the nicer of the two. I'd probably give it a higher rating if I was staying in the nicer tower.

The hotel caters to Hawaiians. During dinner downstairs, I turned to my dad and said,

"No wonder there's a blackout on Oahu...the guy who flips the switch is probably here with the rest of the island."

I love the breakfast buffet in the Market Street Cafe. Where else can you get all you can eat portuguese sausage? But my favorite restaurant is the Pasta Pirate. They have this mixed seafood grill pasta with lemon basil sauce. I also like the plate lunches at Aloha Specialties. Seriously, it's like being in Hawaii.

The only thing I don't like is all the smoking, but other than that, I feel at home with my peeps.

Great Hotel! Great Staff! Great Value! Much better than staying out on The Boulevard.

Got a mailer regarding specials at the Californian.I always make it a point to visit the coffee shop at least twice every visit.I've introduced the coffee shop to many of my local friends and guests and even tourists asking for suggestions.It has a wonderful menu of variety.Gotta order the oxtail soup after 11pm.And of course the bananas for dessert.You can't pass off the the Steak special as well the other specials.You'll notice a overabundance of asian american customers especially hawaiians.They make you feel at home even though they're not on the islands.The service is incredible.And i never had an empty cup.The rooms have been upgraded with flat screen tv's.The room was cool which means that the AC worked well.They even have an upstairs shopping and gift areas.I could purchase my favorite Ethel M's chocolate there too! Overall its not in the glitzy strip area but,you forget that the strip exists with the Fremont Street experience.With the imploding of casinos on the strip.It is comforting to know that you can still visit a piece of history in Las Vegas by visiting the Californian and the surrounding casinos. Bring yourself to the Californian and be surprised how much your visit to Sin City will feel rewarding winning or losing at the games. by the way i've noticed more winnerss there too! If you go there you will know what i mean!