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If you’re heading to Las Vegas for a vacation, you can stay at one of the city’s hotels or resorts, or consider renting a room or house on a home-sharing app like Airbnb. There are plenty of Las Vegas residents eager to rent their homes and amenities to you, such as swimming pools, outdoor gardens, and even tennis courts.
Las Vegas hotels vary from niche boutiques to upscale resorts with their own casinos. However, if you’re looking for a more authentic residential experience, renting on Airbnb may offer a more realistic view of life in this hotspot.
Key points to remember
- If you visit Las Vegas, the famous “Strip” and its extravagant resort hotels are tourist destinations themselves.
- Airbnb can let you explore Las Vegas beyond Main Street.
- While these hotels often offer deals, a home on Airbnb can be easier on your wallet, especially for larger groups.
- You may have a different experience of your hosts’ city, especially if they are local.
- What you will miss about staying at an Airbnb, however, is the hotels luxury experience and access to some of their amenities such as their famous casinos and pools.
Choose a location
Log on to Airbnb.com to view hundreds of listings for Las Vegas, from downtown to quiet residential neighborhoods. The choices available for early September 2021 ranged from a “luxury condo” near downtown for $93 a night to a private estate with a pool for $1,314 a night.
Use Airbnb’s filters to narrow your search by accommodation type, including a shared room, private room, or entire residence. You can narrow it down by price, and a map adjacent to the listings lets you choose by location.
At the detail level, you can view photos and read descriptions and user reviews. The best web hosts offer extremely detailed descriptions and lots of photos. An amenities checklist is attached, so you can make sure the place has Wi-Fi, a pool, or is handicapped accessible.
Don’t skip reviews
Regular Airbnb users are conscientious about leaving reviews after their stays. They often note details that a homeowner may not have mentioned, such as distance to public transportation or neighborhood safety.
Reviews are often brutally honest. You’ll usually get a warning if the place was dirty, the bed was hard, or the host was surly. All of this information combined can give you an idea of the place: is this your kind of place? Generally, after reading the reviews, you can tell if the property is best suited to backpackers, business couples, families, or retirees.
How to book
To book, you must register as an Airbnb member.
Once you are a member, you choose an advertisement and click on “Book”. Many listings offer an “Instant Book” option that guides the user directly through the checkout process. Others require the user to request the reservation in a message to the user. Once the reservation is confirmed and you finalize it, your payment is transmitted to Airbnb via a major credit card or PayPal. It is transmitted to the owner, less the service charge, approximately 24 hours after your check-in.
A Superhost status refers to hosts who consistently have high ratings.
What you get
Most Airbnb rentals cost considerably less than a comparable hotel room. However, that means you’re staying in someone else’s house. Whether the owner is at home or you take over the whole place, there are pros and cons.
Most of the inconvenience could have been resolved by the host with a better listing description or by the guest asking the right questions. Will you have cooking rights? Does the host have a rooster that crows every dawn? Better to inquire before booking.
The following examples compare rooms at three Las Vegas hotels with Airbnb “whole house” rentals that offer similar amenities in nearby locations. We’ve been considering a seven-night stay in a private suite listed on “Travelocity.com” or an “entire house” listed on Airbnb for two from September 6-13, 2021. These prices may change by the time you read this.
On (or near) the Strip
Wynn Las Vegas
This luxurious 2,700-room hotel on the Strip has a distinctive contemporary style with handsome furnishings and bright colors. You will find all the amenities: swimming pools, restaurants, gym, spa, casino, golf course and a chic shopping arcade.
What you’ll pay: Deluxe room for approximately $628 a night, excluding taxes, fees, and gratuities.
Airbnb
“Resort style condo one block from the Vegas Strip.” It’s not to the strip but it’s only a block away. The building has two swimming pools and a jacuzzi. The kitchen is fully equipped and security is provided 24/7. Host Monica is a Superhost and Airbnb gives her top ratings.
What you’ll pay: $95 per night, not including Airbnb’s resort fee and housekeeping.
The resort experience
Cancun Resort Las Vegas by Diamond Resorts
Much like its name, the resort is similar to upscale entities found on Mexico’s beaches, but Cancun Resort Las Vegas is just minutes from the bustling Strip. Gorgeous pools, including one with waterslides, a spa, games room, and poolside food service.
What you’ll pay: Double rooms for approximately $233 per night, excluding taxes, fees, and gratuities.
Airbnb
“Exceptional 1 Bedroom Condo, Sleeps 4, Near the Strip.” This place has one bedroom and two bathrooms, plus a sleeper sofa, so our imaginary couple can invite over some imaginary friends. It’s near the strip but not within shouting distance, has two balconies, and visitors have pool access. What you will pay: $105 per night, not including Airbnb’s resort fee and housekeeping.
For outdoor enthusiasts
Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa
This 811-room resort sits at the entrance to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, with more than 30 miles of spectacular hiking trails. Downtown Vegas is less than 20 minutes away via a free shuttle. The resort itself has a casino and spa, nine restaurants, and eight lounges and bars.
What you’ll pay: $1,799 per night for a Deluxe King Room.
Airbnb
“Licensed, close to the strip, sanitized, huge pool! The title says it all. This is a secluded house with a spa and pool, about two miles from the Strip, but in a quiet, residential neighborhood. This home is offered by a Superhost and has over 50 great reviews.
What you’ll pay: $512 a night, not including Airbnb’s resort fee and housekeeping.
What’s the catch?
Saving money isn’t the only reason to consider Airbnb. Here are some pros and cons.
personal contact
Through Airbnbyou meet a local (at least virtually) who may be happy to recommend upcoming events and their favorite bars and restaurants and maybe even hang out with you, if you wish.
Less flexibility
Many Airbnb hosts require a minimum stay of two or three nights, and others require seven to 14 nights, so check property ratings online carefully. Cancellation fees are at the discretion of the host and may be high. Check-in times have to be negotiated, although many use safes so you can check in.
No business center
Business travelers may need standard amenities that only a hotel can provide.
things happen
Airbnb has been around for a while now, and it has shut down as many opportunities for fraud and general insanity as it can identify and address. When you book an Airbnb, you don’t necessarily get the efficiency of a hotel chain, and Airbnbs doesn’t have on-site restaurants or more expansive amenities.
The essential
Airbnb and hotels can offer both special deals and savings on lodging for Las Vegas visitors. But if you want to go beyond the main drag and try something new, Airbnb can offer accommodations with amenities to visitors at lower prices than some hotels.
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