We booked at the Hilton because of the price, which was about the lowest we could find at the time for a 12/18-12/21 stay at a big-name place.

Being budget travelers we did our homework and found we could take a city bus (CAT, or Citizens Area Transport) from the airport to the Hilton for $1.25 each. For getting around the Strip we found the Monorail deal ($20 for 10 one-way trips) to be the most efficient option since the Hilton is a bit of a walk from most places of interest.

Service was as service is. On check-in we were efficiently processed and assigned a room. Same as eight million other people arriving in Vegas that day. Same as we have always been processed in Vegas no matter what we pay. Our service at the Hilton was no more or less than at anywhere else we've stayed in Vegas. We wish it were more personal.

The hotel is still being renovated. We don't know what it looked like before they started the reno, but it should look pretty nice when they're done. Very rich marble (in brown, black, and cream colors) is going into the floors - after a day of wandering we noticed the same brown, black and cream colors on the marble floors at Bellagio and Venetian and wondered how many millions Hilton is putting in to keep up with the Jones's. New lighting, columns, and paint give an elegant look to the lobby and elevators. The problem with the renovation is the noise it causes and the sometimes bawdy conversation of the construction workers. For the sake of the hotel and everyone who stays there we hope this work is completed soon.

We were happy with our room on the 10th floor of the East tower. It had been renovated and was clean and stylish, with a very cool cutout in the wall by the spare sink so you could look out over downtown while shaving. The bed was comfortably firm and lighting was good all around. Noise from other rooms was not a problem. The bathroom was roomy, with a big soaking tub, but the shower was unfortunately equipped with one of those water-pik things that seem to vomit water rather than spray it - it's a gimmick that doesn't work. If only they would install a wide-brim showerhead so a person could take a civilized shower without having to wrestle with a Rube Goldberg water-flayer. And it would be cheaper.

We don't know what to say about the Star Trek wing. The warp-drive column and laser blasters didn't match the brown, black and cream marble and diamond chandeliers in the rest of the lobby level. There were no aliens in the bar; and on top of that the bartender said he could not make a Mojito! It seemed like a movie set after all the actors had gone home, but they forgot to turn out the lights.

Dining was Vegas standard. We ate at the buffet, which seemed to us to be better than average for the price. We could not afford to eat in the restaurants in this hotel's fine restaurant section. We were disappointed that the "Margarita Grille" Mexican restaurant was closed, without explanation, during our stay.

On the morning of our checkout, while I was seeking coffee in the lobby at 4:30 am, I was greeted by a smartly-dressed lady of the morning - who inquired if I was alone. Notwithstanding Vegas' "what happens here stays here" slogan, we hope this is not a feature of hotel stays for tourists who do not ask for it.

All in all, our stay was a bargain; we prefer to stay right on the Strip or in Downtown but we would stay at the Hilton again if they offered a similar deal.

I got a weekend room for around $50/night, which is quite a steal. Prices here flucuate based on whether a convention is going on. This was actually my fourth stay at this hotel; each stay has been enjoyable. The rooms are comfortable and they usually find me a decent strip view. Parking and the monorail station are convenient. If you're a Hilton Honors member, you get free access to the spa, which has some very nice amenities.

Room: space and décor:
Very large room. I had a fantastic view looking towards the strip with the mountains in the background. The window was gigantic, and had a nice desk and chair so you could sit and enjoy the view. The furniture and bed were all fairly new, comfortable and currently styled. The bathroom was fairly recently redone. There was nothing fancy about the room. It was what you'd expect to find at any airport hotel.

Room: Cleanliness
Everything appeared to be completely clean.

Hotel: Amenities (Restaurant, room service, workout facilities, pool, transportation)
Casino: A rather small casino by Las Vegas standards, but a nice atmosphere. The Star Trek casino adds a different twist to the rest of the rather ordinary Flamingo casino. The games are space and Star Trek themed, but the odds remain the same! The dealers and casino bartenders were all quite friendly. The sports book is one of the best around.

Restaurants:
The Buffet - I ate lunch at the buffet. Sometime within the last few years the buffet was moved to the sportsbook and significantly upgraded and modernized. The selection was good, though not overwhelming. Its mostly typical buffet faire, but well prepared and served fairly fresh.

Margarita Grille - My dinner at Margarita grill was quite good. I expected nothing more than a glorified Taco Bell, but there were original menu offerings that made it memorable. The service was slow, but since I was having a nice dinner with friends, I didn't mind lingering over some margaritas.

Paradise Cafe - the 24 hour coffee shop. Normally, these are my favorite Las Vegas restaurants. My first impression of the Paradise Cafe was that it was over-priced. The first day I arrived, I ordered chicken strips and a bowl of chicken soup. The bill was over $16.00, which seemed a bit extreme. Las Vegas is getting expensive these days, and I haven't had the opportunity to compare the prices of the Paradise Cafe to other hotels' coffee shops. The food was good, however. The chicken strips were hot, and the chicken soup had a very homemade feel to it.

Vegas Subs - the deli adjacent to the sports book. The subs were quite good. They had a good selection of deli meats. The style reminds me of the older sub chains - shredded lettuce, oil and vinegar, thinly sliced red onions, tomatoes, italian meats, etc. I was pretty happy with the sandwiches, although the people behind the counter were more involved with their own conversations than serving the customers.

Perk Place - Coffee bar located near the Star Trek Casino. My only beef with this place is that it got ridiculously crowded in the morning, and they did not seem to have a good system for getting people through quickly. The coffee was good, but everything was a tad bit overpriced.

Hotel: Location
Although the Las Vegas Hilton itself hasn't moved, the location has greatly improved with the addition of the monorail. Now that it seems to be operating regularly, its easy to access the rest of the strip. Though it may sound ridiculous to some, walking from the Las Vegas Hilton can be a welcome break from drinking, eating and gambling. I recommend walking to Paradise Rd and turning left. Then, turn right on Convention Center Dr. From there, its less than a 2/3 mile straight shot to Las Vegas Blvd. From there, you can go north or south. I've done this walk a few times, and I find it nice and relaxing.

Hotel: Staff – courtesy, attitude and promptness
I arrived in the afternoon on a weekday. There were a few other people in front of me in line, but I didn't wait more than 10 minutes. The front desk clerk was quite friendly. I'm a cigar smoker, and requested a smoking room, and she joked with me about not too many people requesting smoking rooms any more. She told me to call down if I had any questions about the hotel. I was really pleased with her attitude.

Value:
I paid a convention rate of roughly $90.00. For this rate, I was completely satisfied. It may not be the most glamorous hotel, but with the addition of the monorail, it should be considered alongside most other strip hotels, if the rate is right. I would be happy staying here up to about $150.00.

I stayed free as a Hilton Hhonors member for 4 nights Dec 11-15, 2005, a great deal of course. I'm a 36 year old single guy traveling alone with moderate expectations, simply looking for a comfortable place to shower and crash, while spending the majority of my time on the strip. Don't pay more than $100-120 a night, or you will possibly be very unhappy.

This is because of the major ongoing renovation project throughout the lobby, restaurant row and fringe casino areas. The finished areas look great, but you'll need to dodge wheelbarrows and jackhammers all times of day, with congested hallways through the construction areas. Because of the inconvenience, call the hotel directly and they may be willing to quote a good price during an off peak time of the week.

The property has all the standard Vegas things to do, just nothing extraordinary like locations along the strip. Perhaps entertainment acts are a bit above average if Barry Manilow & David Brenner are your speed. Casino area is small, but newly renovated with sparkling crystals adorning the ceiling. All staff personnel were friendly to expectation and the front desk graciously granted a complimentary late checkout to 3:00PM upon my request.

I only ate at 'The Buffet' for breakfast, everyday, for a reasonable $10.95 per day. Food was tasty, hot and moist - drinks were refilled quickly.

I heavily recommend requesting a room in the North Tower where my renovated room was nicely appointed in the 3-star range (saying this is a 4 or 5 star property is a probably a stretch). The room was clean, shiny new, and very adequate for my modest needs. The cable channel selection was weak (no HBO, ESPN2, History Channel, FoxNews, HGTV, Lifetime, etc), but who watches much TV in Vegas. I hate the crummy alarm clock/radios most chains put in their rooms. Hilton could offer a daily complementary bottle of water, considering you are in the desert. Bottled water was $4(ouch), so pickup a $2 bottle from the vending machines when exiting the monorail.

Coupon book presented at check-in for hotel restaurants and shops did nothing to interest me. As a single traveller, too much food needed to be purchased to realize the special deal for example.

The prized asset here is the incomparable monorail access taking you to the strip. The North Tower elevators are just a couple minutes walk to the fabulous monorail that takes you to 4 or 5 stops along the strip in less than 15 minutes. You know it's a great thing because the cabbies complain about all the fares they're losing. No other property in Vegas has such a short walk based on my ventures. Go for the 3 day unlimited deal for $25 per person. Cab meters start at $3.20 now, so a round trip to MGM with tip would have to run at least $12-$15 plus traffic.

Warm regards and happy trails!