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.

Service was good, rooms are old & small but clean. Bed had a good firm mattress. It's located on Freemont St. which is the downtown original area. There is a long covered promenade with free concerts & several other casinos. Each night there is a video show on the long promenade ceiling. Noisy area.

I loved this casino/hotel. Everyone here is sooooo very friendly, from the desk clerks, Allen, and Debbie, and Conrad... to the housekeeping people, to the dealers at blackjack, floor personnel, cashiers and CW's, restaurant people, and even security. Bernie, one of the security people made it a point to make sure that I had a great time. I can't say enough about how outgoing and friendly everyone was.

I believe all of the rooms have now been renovated at the Golden Gate, and I can vouch for the rooms facing Fremont street with two beds. These rooms are not large, but... they have new carpet, pillowtop mattress which was as good as the one I slept on at Golden Nugget, and the bathroom though small, was very adequate, and clean as a pin. I had a tub/shower combination, so I could soak, as I love to do for my poor old hips, and I could shower off when done. There was plenty of hot water, the air conditioning was nice and cool, and I really enjoyed the coffee in the room! Golden Nugget did NOT have that!

I knew that the room would be noisy with Fremont Street Experience Light show going on, but... since I fully intended to be out late every night, this wasn't a problem. I will say that one night I was just exhausted, and went to my room at 11:30 pm. Fell asleep and nothing woke me till the morning, so... I guess if you're tired enough, even the light show won't keep you awake. LOL. They do have the heavy drapes that keep out light if you want it that way. I even filmed some of a light show from that window. It is a unique vantage point on the whole Fremont Street thing.

Food at the Bay City Diner is inexpensive, and delicious. Service is good, and is usually pretty fast. The Deli sandwiches are great as well, and who doesn't know about the Shrimp Cocktails for 99c here! They are famous since 1957! This is the oldest casino/hotel in Las Vegas, and... I hope it sticks around for a lot longer. I had luck here gambling also~! Fun slots and excellent blackjack rules.

I highly recommend this hotel... The only thing that I have to say that takes away from it is that... I wasn't happy that the iron and hair dryer could only be checked out for one hour at a time. I did mention that they should put this on their website so that people are aware of it. Thats why I'm putting it here. It won't stop me from going back.. but it will make it where I can make arrangements on my own.

I booked May 31 to June 5 at the Golden Gate. Because I wasn't sure I'd like it, I also booked a couple of nights at the Golden Nugget. After one night at GG, I cancelled that other reservation.
I arrived at the GG early on a Sunday. They did not have anything ready facing Fremont, so I left my belongings with the front desk and went out to wander Fremont Street. When I came back, it was still early and they only had smoking rooms available so far. The head housekeeper told me that since the rooms were newly renovated, I would not smell anything. And she was right. I had room #207 - second floor facing Fremont. It was small, but perfect for one person who wasn't going to spend a lot of time in the room anyway. I liked the way it was decorated, too. There was a small closet, but a large dresser with plenty of room for clothes. The room had a flat-screen TV and a coffee maker (with coffee, cups & etc). There was also a clock radio with an iPod dock. I've read some reviews that say paper-thin walls, but no one complained when I played my music, so they couldn't have been that bad.
The front desk has irons and hair dryers available. If the place is busy, they only let you have them for a certain amount of time, but I opted for wet hair and wrinkled clothes anyway.
The bathroom is kind of dated, but clean. I'm not a fan of separate hot and cold water knobs, but the old fashioned style added to the ambiance. I never did seem to get the shower water temperature just right, but I didn't get burned, so that's all that counts.
I would have like a more comfortable bed, but at $19.06/night we're not talking Wynn quality mattresses. The only thing I didn't like was that, being short, I couldn't get close to the bathroom mirror to apply makeup. I had to use the large mirror on the wall by the bed, but the lighting in the room was kind of dim and not useful for that purpose. So they could use some of those swing-out makeup mirrors or brighter lighting near the mirror.
Overall, I liked my stay at the Golden Gate. I wouldn't hesitate to stay again. Everyone I came in contact with that worked there was super helpful and friendly. And Valet was fast and friendly, too. They have one small lot with Valet and you never wait more than a minute for your car.
(I ate downstairs at the Bay City Diner and the food & service was good both times)