Finding the five worst hotels in Las Vegas is a dirty, sometimes smelly, job, but someone’s got to do it! We’re sharing the worst hotels on and off the Strip, so you know what properties to avoid when booking a room.
On the Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is home to more than 30 different hotels and resorts. While most of those Strip accommodations are quite impressive, these three places will have you running for the exit!
Circus Circus Hotel & Casino
- Issues: Old and in need of renovation, dirty and smelly conditions.
Circus Circus has a reputation for being an affordable, budget-friendly hotel on the Strip. Sadly, this is a prime example that you get what you pay for in Sin City.
Circus Circus is in desperate need of renovations across the entire resort. Everything feels and looks severely outdated, not to mention the overall lack of cleanliness and unpleasant smells throughout the hotel. The atmosphere is uninviting, starting in the lobby, and it doesn’t get any better once you see the lackluster room accommodations.
The resort amenities leave a lot to be desired, with guests noting a lack of basic items during their stay, such as complimentary bathroom products. The location of the resort is quite far from the heart of the Las Vegas Strip action that tourists crave. Customer service is hit or miss and after factoring in all of the resort fees, the overall value for the guest experience you receive is bad.
Circus Circus does have some fun, family-friendly perks like Adventuredome and free daily circus acts, but you don’t need to stay at the hotel to experience those things. This hotel is seriously overdue for renovations, a deep cleaning, and better staff training!
Excalibur Hotel & Casino
- Issues: Aged property, inconsistent service quality, dirty conditions, and bed bugs.
Excalibur is another hotel that boasts a convenient location, but the good qualities of the hotel stopped as quickly as they began. Excalibur looks aged inside and out, with rooms that are in desperate need of some modern upgrades and amenities.
The hotel has a poor reputation in terms of cleanliness, with numerous cases of bed bugs reported and poor service from staff when these issues have been brought to their attention. That’s enough to make us reconsider staying here, and we certainly aren’t alone.
In addition to a dirty hotel room, guests are frustrated with inconsistent pool availability, infrequent housekeeping services, and it’s noisy at all hours of the day. There are some tasty restaurants at the resort, but you can always stop by to enjoy a tasty bite without staying at the hotel.
Off the Strip
Going off the Strip is a popular choice for people who want to secure a cheaper hotel room and avoid the busy crowds on Las Vegas Boulevard, but don’t make the mistake of booking at one of these hotels, which are known for being the worst of the worst.
OYO Hotel
- Issues: old, dirty, smells bad, broken furniture and lamps, no amenities
OYO Hotel has a reputation for having a lively atmosphere and affordable gambling options. Paired with a convenient location close to the Las Vegas Strip and monorail, booking a room here is tempting! Unfortunately, the list of cons at OYO outweighs those pros in no time.
We found the rooms to feel quite outdated, with broken furniture and lamps. There’s a general lack of cleanliness with inconsistent housekeeping frequency and quality. It’s enough to make you feel downright icky, especially in the bathrooms.
There’s a distinct smell throughout the hotel, and not in a good way! If you were hoping for modern amenities to perk up this old hotel, prepare to be let down. The amenities are pretty much non-existent, yet a steep nightly resort fee still applies.
Ellis Island Hotel
- Issues: Stained sheets, cold temperatures, and theft incidents.
Ellis Island is a family-owned hotel and casino that claims to have warmth, hospitality, and a family-friendly atmosphere, but the reality of this property is not nearly that nice. While some guests have left decent reviews, the guests who shared their not-so-positive experiences are jaw-droppingly bad!
We’re talking stained bed sheets, uncomfortably cold rooms, and multiple thefts reported. The worst part of it all is that as these issues are brought to the attention of hotel staff, there is no sense of urgency to address or correct them. Guests have also reported privacy issues, like housekeeping staff trying to enter the room even if a do not disturb sign is up.
Mardi Gras Hotel & Casino
- Issues: Lowest rating in Google, old, dirty, smelly, bad wifi, and no cable.
Mardi Gras Hotel and Casino has had a less-than-shining reputation for quite some time now, and the property only continues to decline. The hotel is in an area that can best be described as sketchy, so don’t expect to do a lot of walking near your hotel if you book here.
The hotel is generally rundown, inside and out. It feels like you’re checking into a cheap motel and honestly, some cheap motels have nicer rooms than Mardi Gras.
The wifi is inconsistent, there’s no cable, and the rooms never feel, smell, or look clean enough to want to sleep in one. It’s no wonder this property has the lowest rating on Google!
what about the flamingo? I’m sure if they used those black lights to see blood and human liquids, it would be a nightmare in those rooms, let alone bedsheets!