Sonia Taourghi

Ah, Vegas—there’s no place on earth quite like it, and we know just how important it is to find the right hotel that’s going to ensure you absolutely rinse this once-in-a-lifetime trip. But, with quite literally thousands—and we mean thousands—of hotel rooms, plus shedloads of swimming pools, restaurants and (of course) casinos, where on earth are you supposed to start? Here, that’s where—below is Time Out’s refreshed list of Las Vegas’s best hotels, from sprawling Strip landmarks to expansive suburban resorts, with golf courses, pumpkin spa treatments and even rollercoasters thrown in.  Which area is best to stay in Las Vegas? Vegas is all about embracing the crowds, noise, and nightlife, and copping a place to stay in the Strip (the 6.8km hotel and casino-packed portion of Las Vegas Boulevard South) is undoubtedly the best way to do it. However, if you’re after something a little more laid back where you can dip your toe into the Vegas scene and also retire for some proper rest, stays such as the Hilton Vacation Club Desert Retreat or the Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa Casino could be the best places for you.  Las Vegas’s best hotels at a glance: 💎Most luxurious: Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas 👛Best budget: New York-New York Hotel & Casino 🏊‍♀️Best swimming pool: Hilton Vacation Club Desert Retreat 🌃Best spa: Wynn Las Vegas & Encore 🤩Most iconic: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas 📍 Discover our ultimate guide to the best budget-friendly hotels in Las Vegas How we curate ou

The moment you step into ARIA’s soaring atrium, with its undulating glass ceiling and ribbons of natural light cascading down 60 stories, you realise this isn't your average Vegas casino hotel. Located within what’s now known as ARIA Campus, the property opened way back in 2009 with all the swagger of a tech startup flush with venture capital—and after three nights navigating its sleek corridors and discovering both its genuine innovations and sneaky gotchas, I can confirm it’s both simultaneously one of Vegas’s most impressive properties and most frustrating examples of nickel-and-dime hospitality. Why stay at ARIA Resort & Casino? What sets ARIA apart from the Strip's gaudy titans isn’t just its LEED Gold certification (rare as unicorns in Vegas) or its commitment to sustainability—it's the property’s genuine embrace of technology as hospitality enhancement rather than mere gimmickry. The resort pioneered the use of mobile check-in, keyless room entry, and climate control systems that actually respond to your preferences rather than fighting against them. The architecture deserves particular praise. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, the curved glass tower feels more Manhattan than Nevada, rising from the desert with an elegance that photographs beautifully against both sunrise and neon. Inside, Maya Lin’s installations and Jenny Holzer’s LED poetry transform what could have been another corporate hotel into something approaching an art gallery (albeit one with 4,000 slot mach

The moment you pull up to the Hilton Vacation Club Desert Retreat, you realise this isn’t your typical Strip showstopper. Set in the quiet residential neighborhood of Summerlin, this sprawling timeshare property feels more like a suburban flat complex than a Vegas casino hotel—and that’s precisely the point. After three nights navigating the sun-baked courtyards and discovering hidden corners of this sprawling complex, I can confirm it’s the antidote to Vegas sensory overload you didn’t know you needed. Why stay at Hilton Vacation Club Desert Retreat? What sets Desert Retreat apart from Vegas’s glittering towers isn’t what it has, it’s what it doesn’t. No slot machines jingle in the lobby, no cigarette smoke clings to the corridors, and no crowds surge past your door at 3 am. Instead, this property banks on space, serenity, and surprisingly sophisticated amenities that feel different from the Strip’s controlled chaos, with the resort’s Spanish Colonial architecture (terracotta tiles, stucco walls) embracing rather than fighting against Vegas’s desert setting. What are the rooms like at Hilton Vacation Club Desert Retreat? I stayed in a one-bedroom king suite with a sofa bed, although the property offers accommodations ranging from studios to three-bedroom units. The suite felt more like a well-appointed flat than a traditional hotel room—700 square feet of space that included a separate living area with sofa bed (perfect for families or extra guests), full kitchen, and a bedr