Best Places to Stay on Las Vegas Strip, According to Las Vegas Local

One of my first visits to Fontainebleau was for a 4-year-old’s birthday party (yes, toddler parties in luxury resorts are a thing in Vegas).

The resort had just opened, an import from Miami Beach. The only thing I knew about the ocean-blue hotel with the unusual name — for the record, it’s pronounced “Fountain-Blue” — was from the photos I’d seen online of opulent floral displays and a casino, punctuated by dripping gold accents and towering columns.

But what struck me in person was the ambiance. Fontainebleau had a vibe that was somehow both luxurious yet laidback, like some effortlessly cool royal who moonlights as a surfer.

I loved all the little flourishes, like the floor-to-ceiling windows in the hotel rooms, the midcentury modern decor, and the hundreds of fresh-cut roses on display in the lobby.

Plus, the food is amazing — its Miami Slice has the best pizza on the Strip.

It had been a few years since I’d stayed at the Bellagio, so when I met up with family who were vacationing there recently, I wondered if it’d still have its charm or if, 26 years in, it might have started to feel dated.

But as I leaned up against a fountain in the pool, full from the famous blueberry-pancake brunch at Sadelle’s, I noted that the Bellagio seemed just as polished as ever.

No thumping music, no rowdy crowds, and no yard-sized frozen daiquiris littering the pool deck. Most of the pool’s guests were reading or napping in the shade.

If it’s a classic Vegas experience you’re after — buffets, Cirque du Soleil, and timeless elegance — the Bellagio still delivers.

The Cosmopolitan (or simply “The Cosmo” as locals call it) is known for its unique bars, trendy restaurants, and buzzy vibe.

What it isn’t known for is ranking high on anyone’s list of family-friendly Vegas resorts. But after staying there three times with my preschool-aged daughter and her cousins, I can say: It works.

For a resort with several speakeasies and a 60,000-square-foot nightclub, it’s actually a surprisingly ideal place for families.

The central location makes for easy outings with kids to the arcade next door at New York New York or the Rainforest Cafe across the street. Plus, most rooms come with their own private balcony — perfect for sneaking away onto with a coffee or cocktail while the kiddos nap.

Ask locals to name their favorite casino, and many will say the Wynn. That’s because everything here is luxe — even the resort’s golf course has a 35-foot-tall waterfall behind the 18th hole.

If I had to pick a Strip resort to spend my entire vacation in without leaving, I’d happily wrap myself up in one of Wynn’s $185 plush bathrobes and spend my days alternating between its many restaurants, pools, and spa areas.

Though everyone raves about catching the “Lake of Dreams” water show at the Aft Cocktail Deck, I personally prefer ordering drinks and dessert overlooking the pool at the more spacious Terrace Pointe Café.

The Vdara stays under the radar for a lot of visitors because it lacks many headline-making attractions. It doesn’t have a roller coaster or a concert venue, or even a casino. But for the regulars who stay here, this is part of the appeal.

I was 26 the first time I stayed at the Vdara, and I remember stumbling on the elevator at dawn and side-eyeing some of the resort’s permanent residents who were headed out in sweats to walk their dogs or hit the fitness center.

Now that I’m nearing middle age, I get it. There are few greater pleasures than a massage at a five-star spa or a quiet evening spent luxuriating in a soaker tub after a loud, sweaty day on the Strip. Plus, every room at Vdara is a studio or multi-room suite.

If you’re looking for a quiet, nonsmoking wellness resort in the heart of Sin City, Vdara should top your list.