We were heading to Vegas on a business trip, then decided to make it a longer stay and have some fun. We picked the Aruba because it has a pool, restaurant and lounge on the property. (We were on vacation after all!) AND... The price was certainly well within our budget!!
Once we navigated the airport(!) We had no problem getting to the hotel- we actually took a limo- THAT was fun, and probably an unusual sight to pull up to the Aruba in a limo!
The check -in staff was very friendly and helpful.
The first elevator we came to didn't work, ugh! Our room was on the third floor! Whew! The second elevator worked and was much closer to our room.
I was VERY skeptical what to expect of the room after reading many of the reviews, but I was delighted! Beautiful area rugs on the tile floors, and I think tile is much more sanitary than carpets anyway! The bedding and curtains were lovely. It's obviously an older building, and things are kinds run down, but what the heck, we are there for the town, not the room.
Our next stop was the lounge-
WOW! Amazing history in there! The old photos are wonderful, you can FEEL the history and excitement! The bartenders are outstanding!! AND... it's happy hour from 6am-6pm!!! That's a LOT of sweet happiness in a cup! :)
We proceeded on to our next adventure on the property-
The Pool.
WOW! FUN!! We had a blast! Being from Washington State, we were overjoyed to be in the sun and the heat and had a hoot in this big beautiful pool!
After swimming and cleaning up, we next tried the restaurant on the property. Now, I am not saying that everyone's experience will be the same here, but... We found the restaurant, Esteffany's, I believe it is called, to be an enormous let-down. They did not have the first items we ordered off the menu. Our food took an hour to get to the table (and we were the only people in there) and the food when it did arrive, well. Let's just say I have never had instant mashed potatoes served with chicken Parmesan before, nor do I ever hope to again. One really GREAT thing about the restaurant- The VEGETABLES were HEAVENLY! Zucchini and carrots....... yummmmmm... wish I had some of those now!!
We stayed there 5 nights and 6 days and yes, we will go back. It is great to be off the beaten path, away from the crowds, within walking distance to anything we need, and any further- Hop on the Deuce! Wow, the double decker bus- ride once for $2 or pay $5 and get a 24 hour pass to ride as often as you like. It takes you from the crazy "strip" up to the Best area- FREEMONT! Wow, go there! The Aruba is in the middle of it all, away from them, but close enough. We spent one entire day just hanging around the neighborhood, and we did not see hookers, beggers, etc. Just a lot of newly wedded couples! :)
The very best part of the Aruba experience was the people- They ALL were wonderful to us and made the trip more fun.

Yes, you can stay in the glitzy, costly hotels, but you are more likely to get robbed, snubbed, spend all your money, overwhelmed, and not experience the history you get being in the Old Thunderbird.

We love this place, and we will be back!!

Just returned from Las Vegas and yes, I did stay at The Aruba. Reason being, the usual places I book were either sold out on one or more nights of my stay, or were off the charts pricewise due to conventions and spring break. After reading some other reviews of this place I have to say ... use some common sense when evaluating this place. Before taxes the average nightly rate was 34.00. That should tell you something. Also, realize that this location is north of the Stratosphere along Las Vegas Blvd in an older section of the strip that .... imagine this ... is somewhat of a seedy neighborhood. The building is old, the exterior paint color is horrible, the parking lot needs much better lighting at night and is in need of repaving. However, the actual rooms sit back off the strip about 60 to 75 yards, my room was spacious, clean and very average. The bathroom looked like it had been remodelled in the last year or two. Basic tv, basic phone, older drapes ... all for 34.00 a night. The staff was great, and one night the night clerk actually walked me to the room as it was very late.
This isn't Caesars, it's not even Motel 6, but in a pinch all things considered it was more than adequate for one guy for one week on business. Not a family, not a couple, one guy. If one uses common sense you'll be fine here. Restaurant there is ok, just ok, but for the last time ... 34.00 a night this will certainly meet SOME people's needs.

This hotel wasn't quite as bad as some of the reviews on here. It's kinda ghetto, and a lot of the cab drivers don't know where it's at, but for the price you really can't beat it. The room was a little dusty and the walls were thin, but for the most part it was clean. The emplyees are really friendly. On our last day there we had been up all night gambling, and they let us have the room until 3:00 so we could take a nap before our flight home. The Thunderbird lounge is really cool too, there is a lot of history there. They will give you free drinks if you are gambling on the machines at the bar.

Overall, the only negative is the location (about a $20 cab ride to the action of the larger hotels/casinos). A lot of the other reviews talk about hookers hanging out by the hotel. I did not see any. There is a strip club accross the street, but that's it. If you're looking for a simple, inexpensive place to stay, this is the place.

I was very skeptical about the place when i made the reservation but still decided to give it a shot. Upon arrival the Front desk staff was very helpful and the room was very clean and comfortable. I would definately come here again.