Just returned from our first time staying at The Orleans. I chose The Orleans based on the reviews here and boy were they right on the money. The rooms are really nice and large with a couch, chair and coffee table sitting area. Perfect to place the computer. The bathroom is large (phone by toilet). The carpet was fresh and I felt OK walking on it in my socks. One thing I really liked is you get clean bed spreads every time because the way it's decorated the bedspread is a decorative large sheet (looks nice sounds tacky). Coffee pot with coffee is nice touch and every room has free in room safe that YOU set the passcode everytime you lock the safe.

Free valet parking 24hours.

The restaurants were nice. The buffet is nice (not "gourmet" or "fine dining") but it's good. On a scale of one to 10 I give it a 8.Get the B1G1 coupons it's so worth it. Don miguel's fajitas are awesome, many B1G1 coupons. The Courtyard Cafe has 2 egg, has brown, 3 large saugsage (or bacon) and 2 big slices of sourdough toast for 3.99 right now and a late nite steak and egg special that was around 6 or 7, I can't remember exactly.

You can spend 4 hours in the casino and not come out smelling like smoke, YIPPPEEEE (I hate cigarette smoke)!! You can smell smoke occassionally but it doesn't hang in the air, nor is it "smokey". I guess high ceilings and good ventilaiton system.

Pool is nice, large hot tub with big palm tree in the middle was really nice.

After a certain time at nite security requires a room key to be presented in order to get on the elevators to the room. There was good security appearance.

Five dollar Paigow poker (during the week we were there) during the day (2 tables) until about 8pm and if you were at the table at that time you got "grandfathered in" so you could continue betting 5.00 all nite if you wanted, which is what I did when I was losing (but I won).

Maid service was good. Staff was nice and pleasant. Make sure you hang the do not distrub sign on your door at night or the maid will wake you up every morning at 8am doing a room check.

Unless you really have/want to stay on the strip (you can see the NYNY from the Orleans) I can't fathom staying anywhere else from now on. Just a suggestion, ask for a view of the pool. We didn't ask for that and it would have been nice but we could see parts of the strip from our room.

The Orleans is a great value. I went with my son for four nights midweek. We booked through the hotel website, and we paid a $33 rate for the first three nights, with the fourth night thrown in for free by the hotel. Even with the $5 "resort fee" add on for the first three nights, that was still less than $30 a night average , all for a room that would go for much more than $200 a night in a place like New York.

Here are the positives about our stay at the Orleans.

Parking is free and convenient to the Casino and check-in. Check-in was very fast (and if you have been to other hotels in Vegas, particularly on the strip, you know what a boon that is).

The room, with two queen beds, was large and clean, with a nice decor. It had a sitting area and a large bathroom. The beds were very comfy with nice pillows and firm mattresses. While the air conditioning was a touch loud, I heard not one sound from the hallway, another room, or outside the hotel during our entire stay. Up on the seventh floor, we had nice view of the strip from our room. Housecleaning did a great job on our room every day.

The Orleans is a full service hotel and casino, with several restaurants, a spa, movie theater, business center, multiple performance venues, swimming pool, and even a bowling alley. Unfortunately, there were no live performances scheduled during the week we were there. The food was generally inexpensive and good. We received several coupons at check-in that made the food even less expensive. The pool was not realy fancy, but nice enough..

My son and I played some blackjack. The Orleans pretty much always had two or three five-dollar tables, which is good. All the tables in the big strip hotels are generally ten dollars or more. The blackjack dealers were very friendly. We also bet on some horse races. The sports book at the Orleans is effiicient, though a bit run down compared with some of the strip hotels. I played poker as well, though again at other casinos (not at the Orleans). Too many locals at the Orleans.

The Orleans does have a few minor drawbacks.

It is about a mile off the strip, and stands by itself, so if you want to go the strip or to the downtown casinos you need a car or need to take the shuttle. We had a rental car, so this was no problem. We did not try out the shuttle.

You also have to pay for internet if you want it in the room. You can get ten minutes of free internet each day up in the business center (it comes with the "resort fee"). You also can get free internet at the Seattle's Best coffee vendor near the check-in desk, but for some reason after the first day I couldn’t get it to work.

Bottom line: for less than $30 a night, the Orleans was a steal. At rates like that, I would go back any time.

And here are a couple of tips about Vegas -- some of the most stunning scenery in the Western Hemisphere, if not the entire world, is only a few hours away by car. Go visit the Grand Canyon (both north and south rims) and Zion National Park. Simply awesome.

We thought for the price this hotel would not be very nice, but we were pleasantly surprised! It was really nice, clean, friendly, and just an overall great experience. The rooms on the 21st floor are great. We liked it so much we went back a few nights later for a repeat. :) The value was incredible. We also enjoyed the pool and movie theater. We had our 13 month old with us, and it was easy to push him around in his stroller, and the place felt safe and clean. We will go back again.

Have stayed here several times before - always appreciate being removed from the Strip. Located on West Tropicana and I always slide through In-and-Out Burger on the way to the hotel. Usually avoid the tables and walk upstairs and catch a movie in the on-site theater. Ventilation system could use some refresh but you smell more like ozone than smoke after walking through the floor area.

Room was very clean and spacious. Current pricing really unbelievable (NS 2Q Suite for $34 + $5 resort fee a night!). I paid $100 more the next night to stay closer to the airport - next time I think I'll stay here longer, get up earlier to make my flight, and save the extra $100 I paid to stay at the Doubletree!