I stayed here May 23, 2009 for after my airline changed my flight and I needed a cheap place for just the one night.

It's located under the canopy on Fremont Street and in a very safe area. It's at the end of the street next to Main Street. I had a pullman suitcase and had no trouble walking there from the bus stop at 4th and Fremont.

My first impressions when walking into the hotel/casino is that it was dark but I liked the feel of the place. It was old(built in 1906) but in very good shape, spotless and didn't smell funky. There were also plenty of security people at all times.

I don't see any hotel signs and roamed around to a dead end to the Bay City Diner. Back I go and then find the Deli with the .99 Shrimp Cocktail. You need a players card to get this deal and although I don't eat seafood, they looked like a good deal for those that like the little crustaceans. The cocktails are large as they are served in a parfait glass.

I see some people happily gobbling theirs and am surprised at how big they are(the cocktails, not the diners). Too bad I can't eat seafood or it would be a great deal. What I really want it the check-in but I can't seem to find the desk and finally have to ask. The officer points back to the deli and I see the hotel desk is actually through a doorway right by the deli. How did I miss it? It's big enough.

The registration is a nice quiet area with some comfy antique looking seats for you to sit if you need to wait or look for wallet etc. Lots of wood paneling(not that icky 60's stuff. It's nice wood.) It had a nice character to it. A cross between antique Victorian and an old Western movie feel.

The man at the desk is the manager and promptly checks me in. He is polite and seems happy to serve his clients and answered any questions I had. I had emailed the hotel about something pre-trip and he'd answered me himself and even remembered my email. All the other staff I encountered were very nice as well. No attitude from anyone.

There are no safes in the room so I got a safety deposit box for my passport & video camera(it's just a tiny camcorder so it JUST fit) and then I went to the elevator. It's really small, old and a little slow(not Imperial Palace elevators slow) but with the building being over 100 years old, it's a wonder they even have one. Although it's old, it didn't feel unsafe.

The hallway is long for such a small property and the walls are a buttery yellow coloured plaster. Kind of dull but clean and in good repair. There is also an ice machine and pop machine. I don't remember the price but had remarked to myself it was very reasonably priced compared to others that are well over $2.

I get to my room and use their interesting key card. Instead of the usual "credit card" style, this one is a chunky plastic sort of antique shaped key. One swipe and I open the door and take a look inside. I knew to expect a very small room and that it was but it was very functional. All the furniture in the room was new within the past year and included a leather club chair, modern-retro style floor lamp, large cadenza with a big LG flat screen TV & Hamilton Beach coffee maker, two night tables, two table lamps and Ipod docking station. The curtains, bed, bedding and pillow-top mattress(almost as comfy as the ones at the MGM Signature) were also new, as was the carpet.

The only thing not totally redone are the bathrooms and mine was miniscule(but workable). The toiletries were Nutragena and were better than what I've had in some more expensive rooms. Towels were on the thin and rough side but there were plenty. While the bathroom was clean, the tiles on teh floor and walls could do with revamping. Don't quote me but they look like they could be the originals from when the hotel opened in 1906 or not long afterwards. Not sure if all the rooms had bathrooms back then. Some of of the very small tiles that were chipped and there were many grout repairs but again the bathroom did not feel gross or dirty. The counter/taps/toilet looked newer and the shower head was one of those large rainshower ones. It had a long neck that I'm sure would easily accommodate someone quite tall.

The closet door was very narrow but when I looked inside I saw that it actually goes really deep so you have lots of room.

The airconditioner worked very well and blocked out any noise from the Fremont Street Experience/bands outside (The Guess Who were playing that night. Cool!). The music and stuff ends at midnight. My rooms wasn't facing out towards Fremont but sideways over an alleyway that the employees use for breaks. It's also where they throw out glass beer bottles but again with the A/C on I didn't hear any of the noise.

The biggest thing that bothered me with the room is that there is a little lip up from the floor where the bathroom meets the rest of the room and I kept forgetting about it. It wasn't exactly a step so there was no danger of catching your foot and tripping but it was a little bit of a nuisance.

Looking closer at the room, I notice that the edges of the carpet where they meet the baseboards are a little dusty. Either the maids were taking shortcuts with the vacuuming or their machine does not allow for close contact against the walls because the rest of the room was spotless and I'm a germaphobe.

There are no hairdryers in the rooms but they are available at the front desk. I was able to get one in the evening to use the following morning but I've noticed reviews the past few days that say folks were only able to keep them an hour or so. I didn't experience that but maybe they weren't busy that night even though it was a Saturday with lots going on.

If room-service is important, they don't have it here. It's not a big deal to go bring something up from downstairs yourself though is it?

I usually stay at the Venetian or Signature but had to do things on a budget this time. For $19.06 I was scared of what I might get and honestly was very pleased. I had absolutely no trouble and would definitely stay here again and recommend it to others. It was nice staying at a smaller place and I've paid many times more money for rooms not even half as nice as this in other cities(even though they were much bigger than the ones at Golden Gate).

It you want to try something different from the mega-resorts and save some $$ then give the Golden Gate a try.