Everyone's list of MGM properties might be different but I think we can all agree that they are superior to Caesars properties. Caesars has gone downhill hard since their merger.
Probably for several years even before the merger. Caesars is very poorly managed, and the guest experiences reflect that. MGM is superior in every way. Thanks for watching!
Spot on! I would probably switch Mandalay and MGM, just personal preference, but otherwise I agree 100%! Great video! I wish they would put Cosmo on the MGM Rewards Program!!
@@ShowMeVegas that’s great news! Perhaps my husband and I will be able to stay at Cosmo for our 25th anniversary (instead of Vdara) in May after all. Thank you!!
Love that your videos drop on Sunday afternoons… they cheer me up as the Sunday scaries of another work week begin to set in 😜 Nice to escape to Vegas, another well done video!
We stayed at the Aria for a week and it was awesome! The room was clean, the bed was very comfortable and the staff was very friendly. Location is great for casino hoping and restaurants are great but a bit pricey
They’ve fixed the issues they can fix, from what we’ve heard. We’re not avoiding it anymore, but it did slip a few notches in our rankings for now. Thanks for watching!
Our last Aria room debacle not withstanding, we’d probably do it the other way. Stay at Aria and gamble at Park MGM. We’ve done that many times. It’s fun to see how opinions differ! Thanks for watching!
Great list! We took our little boy to Vegas for his first trip last month. ..stayed at Park mgm cuz it's smoke free. Our casino host saw that we used to visit A LOT. She saw our history from 8 years ago. She asked what took so long to come back. I said his name is Dexter! She set us with another visit...this week..in the Nomad! My boy saw Beatles Love...and is thrilled we are going back this Tuesday! Thanks for the exciting preview video.😀
I agree with your picks except one I would rate Bellagio number one and Cosmo number two. Other than that you're spot-on. I stayed at the Bellagio January 2022, I saw you guys there but didn't want to bother you. Keep up the great vids!
Park MGM ranking is very debatable, but but i think the bottom end and top end of the list are pretty accurate. I need to try the cosmopolitan, but I’ll probably wait until the rewards program switches over to MGM. Mandalay Bay too is one i should check out, I guess I was always put off because of the shooting.
Thanks guys! Great review. We are Delano people - love the spacious luxurious suites and the non-smoking aspect is also a plus. I've never even smelled any weed there. Mandalay Bay has always been one of our favorite casinos. MGM is a great place to visit but so huge that the distance from your room to the front desk can take 20 minutes. Stayed there once and wouldn't go back. Luxor was the first place we ever stayed in Las Vegas in the late 90s. It was still new and themed and we loved it. Will always have a soft spot for Luxor - plus I always do well in their casino. We get comped rooms at all MGM resorts yet still choose Delano. Now that they've brought on Cosmopolitan, we might book a stay, but I have a feeling we'll be back at Delano. It just suits us. 😊
I actually agree with your list. I still love Aria and might put it before the Bellagio because we didn’t have the same issues with our room! But we did recently stay at Nomad and fell in love with the park MGM property! Love the videos! ❤
I feel like Vdara and Aria should be considered two different hotels. I love Vdara (actually just cancelled an upcoming reservation at ParkMGM to stay at Vdara instead) but hate Aria (could've stayed at Aria for the same price but chose Vdara instead). I'd put Vdara at No. 3 on my list behind Cosmo and Bellagio. I hope they can somehow build indoor passageways connecting Cosmo, Vdara and Bellagio now that it's all MGM so that I don't have to worry about getting hit by a car walking from Vdara to Cosmo.
The biggest reason it’s lumped in with Aria is that it is far too difficult to rank gaming and non-gaming hotels against each other. That and the fact that it’s the same age, same style, both part of City Center, and the fact that Aria serves as the de facto casino for Vdara. We have very much enjoyed our stays at Vdara. Thanks for watching!
@@doncheto9016 no, probably 8-10 minutes from the car to the front doors at Vdara, but you’ve got to go pretty much all the way through the Aria casino.
just stayed at Park MGM. you described it perfectly. after 4 nights and seeing most of the strip and downtown, my top 5 vegas properties were cosmo, aria, circa, park mgm & golden nugget
A very interesting list! He’s mine, keeping in mind it’s now early 2024. My list definitely comes from a middle-class mentality, with a preference for comfort level, location and access to affordable dining. 9. Luxor - poor location and a depressing casino 8. Excalibur - higher than Luxor because I prefer their casino and they have a Dairy Queen. 😅 7. MGM Grand - too big, don’t like their casino layout. 6. Aria/Vdara - rooms need renovations, not impressed with their food hall, casino is meh. 5. Mandalay Bay - poor location, casino is meh, terrific rooms. 4. Cosmopolitan - Terrific rooms, great location, too expensive, casino is too crowded and loud, not comfortable for me. 3. Bellagio - Nicely renovated rooms, minus points for taking the soaking tubs out of many rooms. Comfortable casino, great location. Loses points for lack of affordable dining. If I want an iced tea after Palio closes, it’s a long walk through the casino and retail outlets to get to their Starbucks. Also expensive. 2. NY-NY - Affordable with nicely renovated rooms. Refrigerator in the Soho Premiere rooms. Lots of affordable, enjoyable dining outlets. Lively, fun casino that’s not too loud like Cosmo. 1. Park MGM/NoMad - Affordable rooms that need a refresh. Lots of affordable, enjoyable dining outlets. A CVS next door, an ABC Store across the street via a pedestrian bridge, tram connects to Bellagio. My favorite casino, a more mature yet friendly crowd, and completely NONSMOKING!!
Great video!! Totally agree about Aria. Just stayed there in October and was so disappointed in our room especially since they continue to charge so much for them!! Will not stay there again until renovations happen.
Really enjoyed the video. The higher-end hotels had to be hard to rank. I'm fine with No. 9 Excalibur because the room is...a hotel room, clean with a comfortable bed. Besides, I don't go to Vegas to stay in a room for a lengthy stretch. And, I can use the savings from the less expensive room to spend elsewhere. Thanks for your work and I'll be on the lookout for your next video!
Great video! think your definition of “Best” is nice rooms and a nice property. For value, I think Luxor is very nice for the money and would be at the top of a best value list. Your comments on Luxor were spot on. Mandalay Bay is nice but too far down the strip, you will have to do tons of walking or taxis to get around. Like most reviewers, you forgot about MGM Signature. Huge, beautiful standard rooms with a full kitchenette and whirlpool and walk out balcony. Moving walkways to MGM Grand and you can use the MGM Grand pools or use the private pools at Signature. To get a room this big elsewhere are you usually pay $300 to $500. If you go on the right days, you can get rooms here for $100 to $200. It doesn’t have a casino so it’s not crowded and check in is easy.
The Signature is so far back we just don't even consider it, to be honest. Even still, we consider it to be part of the MGM Grand. Thanks for watching!
I love Excalibur! I won money, The food was good, drinks were good! The view was amazing. Luxor was terrible, smelled like death! Aria is by far the Best! I loved it! The Deposit through me off!
We did that last year: What is the BEST Caesars Property in Las Vegas? Our Caesars Entertainment Properties Rankings 2023! ua-cam.com/video/xRcWmiW5FLY/v-deo.html
As an MGM Platinum card holder, I really enjoyed your summation of the MGM hotel line up! You did a great job of fleshing out the pros and cons of each property clearly and succinctly. I have to agree with your choices for #1 and #2 standing, as those are the two hotels we choose to frequent. Both are great hotels and each is so different from the other. We are taking my daughter to Cosmo for her 40th birthday in May and have requested a fountain view one-bedroom terrace suite for her and her friend. I’m positive she will have a great time celebrating at the Cosmo!!! Thanks for your effort in providing this video! 😉👍💰🎰💰
Great list thanks guys, I definitely agree with Park MGM being an underrated property, we stayed there in November and I love it. We are staying at Delano in April and really looking forward to it. My personal preference is not Cosmo but then again we're not into partying or hanging at lounges or bars. Great video you guys rock. 👍👍
Great video and a pretty fair list. Aria is still our go to, but agree on the need for an update. We stayed in the Sky Suites last year and they did a great job on the remodel. Thanks for the video!
I stayed at Bellagio last March, and thoroughly enjoyed the lovely room overlooking the fountains (stayed up every night watching the show until midnight). However, I probably won't stay there again. Late night food is unavailable. The only option was room service and, honestly, it was sub-par. I wish there were late night options. Unfortunately, there are only upscale dining room options that close too early.
I believe Snacks and Noodles have late hours, but you’re absolutely right. The dining is almost entirely formal at Bellagio. It could use a 24 hour cafe.
We stayed at Bellagio in December. It was terrible for the price. The food was subpar for the money and the casino was so small compared to other MGM properties.
@@sherrienicholson9516 the typical casino on the strip has 80,000 to 100,000 square feet of gaming space. The Bellagio has 156,000 square feet, which makes it the second largest casino amongst MGM resorts in Las Vegas.
We loved the Signature when we stayed there in 2019, so much so we're staying again at the end of June. Spacious well appointed rooms even if the decor is a bit dated. Thanks for the ranking though!
We’d consider the Signature to be part of the MGM Grand, but it didn’t factor much into our ranking because it’s too far away for us to really consider staying at. Thanks so much for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas yea it is a bit of a trek but having the kitchenette and the choice of both pools was a big win for us! That said great to know the cheaper alternatives are improving their core offerings.
@@ShowMeVegas You are forgetting that there are moving walkways all the way from Signature to MGM Grand. And they are always working, and they are never broken. So if you don’t have a problem with the MGM Grand location, you really can’t have a problem with Signature. I’ve been at both Mandalay Bay and Signature, and Signature is way more accessible to the strip than Mandalay Bay. Near where the walkways end you are very close to the MGM Grand monorail station.
We’re staying at the cosmopolitan in early April for our honeymoon and are so excited! Luxor was the first place we stayed in Vegas so I understand the sentimental factor. It’s always the first place we gamble, out of tradition.
the luxor was my family and i first fling with the MGM brand back in 2016 when we did our first trip to vegas. We got a room in tone of the side towers instead of the pyramid so we could have more space but it was a realy nice room, clean, very spacious, good AC and wifi so no complains for me to the luxor and my mom and i went to the cryss angel show there so it was awesome
I've fallen out of love with Park MGM, and for a few different reasons: the standard room I had on my last stay, in October, really was starting to look a bit shabby. The aircon didn't work, and somebody was trying to break into my room in the early hours of the morning using the old dental floss lever trick. The gym area had some kind of plumbing problem, which smelled really bad - and nine days later, when I checked out, it was no better! The room key card didn't work on three different occasions, meaning I had to queue at the front desk, and put up with the staff member's rolling eyes and comments about why people don't carry their ID (to the gym, at 7am!). Also, while the casino is smoke-free, there were still multiple occasions when people in the rooms near mine were smoking (cigarettes and marijuana!) Finally, when I checked out I left my new prescription glasses behind by mistake ... and the cleaning staff claimed they'd never seen them! My mistake, I know ... but you'd hope for a little honesty, especially as I left a tip for housekeeping! Great location, nice smoke-free casino ... but I'm staying elsewhere next time!
wow, did not see the ending coming like that!! I have not stayed at #1 so I can't rank it but all the rest fall right in place! 😁As always great video and appreciated.
I used to work for Michael Mina's corporate office and stayed at all the MGM properties, still do. At the end of the day, it does come down to some personal taste. I remember when Bellagio opened, I thought it was strangely snooty for a Las Vegas hotel, and lacking fun. But that changed fairly quickly and Bellagio remains my favorite. The Cosmopolitan and Aria both tend to attract younger clientele and I guess I am an old fart. Honestly, Cosmopolitan feels a bit cramped and Aria is like a fancy shopping mall. I still prefer Bellagio, but I wish the service was better.
3:17 yeah. I want to stay at luxor but i dont like the elevators. They look slow and its weird. #6 yeah, mgm grand is one of my favs. Love the grand king room. I get that one on comp for 3 nights. Great deal there.
My wife and I stay at Excalibur or ny ny, Excalibur is definitely dated, but it has always been clean when we stayed, to say the Luxor is miles ahead is somewhat reaching, I’d rather stay at Excalibur than Luxor
We were VERY turned off by the room we had at Excalibur, whereas the Pyramid King at Luxor was great. That sealed the deal for us, but experiences will vary for sure. Thanks for watching!
I stayed at Excalibur back in the day when I was a ''budget traveler.'' I had no problems. I'm in Vegas to gamble and party hard. I didn't much care about the room or hotel then and I don't now. I spend a lot of time off the strip so it's no big deal to me. Doesn't concern me much in Vegas unless the room is filthy which has not happened in 30 years of going. Not ONE time.
I’ve always loved Excalibur! Staff is always great. I really like the location too. Wish they would spend some money and make it as nice as it used to be. But it’s still my go to when in Vegas.
Right now, MGM is in the dog house with me. Let me explain. I signed up for the MGM M-Life credit card to get higher status, and free parking. Now, if there is an event at T-Mobile, I still have to pay a whopping $35 to park my car (not the usual $18.) How am I supposed to know what qualifies as an event. Bellagio is the lone exception, but who has the money to stay there, anyway. The concierge told me that you have a 50 / 50 shot at avoiding the fee at The NY NY, but how is one to maneuver through that when making reservations two months in advance ?
I get the ranking, but overall, I enjoy Luxor. I am not a fan of the tower rooms, but anything in the Pyramid has been great, particularly the suites. Tender is a great traditional type steakhouse if you are not necessarily looking for something edgy and new. Backstage deli is also a great casual food option. The entertainment is very diverse, from the Titanic exhibit to the Blue Man Group, there is something for the whole family. I can agree the casino isn't the best, but with the the Mandalay Place walkway easily connecting you directly to the Mandalay Bay Casino, it's not a huge problem.
Luxor is underrated when it comes to Vegas as a whole. This ranking is really more of a reflection of how good the MGM lineup is than anything else. Thanks for watching!
We stayed at the Aria when it first opened and it was tremendous. We loved the room, the view, and the personalized touches. But haven’t stayed in a while. The Cosmo seems to have a little more charm as a trendy hot spot, and love the balconies. The Grand is reliable, except that one tower that compares to the Flamingo GO. Bellagio is like a Disney park to me, but I wasn’t wowed by the room.
It’s interesting to see how other people view the hotels. I prefer the theme and more casual hostels so my list would have been the complete opposite. I’ve always loved Excalibur, I wish they would invest some money into it and bring it back to its original glory. Great video!
Definitely agree with Exacalibur and Luxor, they should pour some money in them and bring back the themes. Themed casinos are becoming rare on the strip and I think they would benefit with MGM investing in them.
Bellagio’s Standard rooms NO LONGER have Soaking tubs, only showers! I’d swap Park MGM with Mandalay Bay because Park MGM’s rooms are similar to Motel6’s, NO soaking tubs.
The lack of tubs is becoming more and more common in Vegas (and probably all) hotels. If a tub is important to you, yeah those properties aren’t for you. It didn’t factor into our opinion because it’s not important to us. Thanks for watching!
I agree with the order. The gap between Cosmopolitan at #1 and Bellagio at #2 (similar to what you described between Luxor and Excalibur) is just massive though. My wife and I stayed at the Cosmo in a bungalow suite during the summer and it essentially became another on-property hangout spot for us and our friends who were also staying at the Cosmo that trip. It felt like we booked an experience instead of a hotel room.
I will be at NYNY on February 27 th. They have always treated my Brother and I very well. We always go together. We have a Casino Host who is absolutely the best. We always have a very nice suite, they comp us very well in my opinion. 4 nights , 1,400 in free play , 1,200 for food. My Brother needs an electric wheelchair to get around and that is also comped. We are not Whales by any means, but we have been known to drop 10,000 to 15,000 grand if it’s an unlucky trip. I do enjoy the variety of food at NYNY. The Steak restaurant is fabulous.
I totally agree with your take on Mandalay Bay/Delano. Huge and beautiful resort with tons of great food and cocktail options and the best pool area in Vegas. Their grand entrance way in and of itself is an attraction worth mentioning. It’s too bad its location turns some people off because they are really missing out.
The only thing about the Bellagio even though it was one of the top hotels there is no place to get a quick snack in there! I usually have to walk over to the cosmo and go to eggslut or district donuts or the henry for food. But this list looks spot on! Good job!
Snacks, right off the casino floor has “inexpensive” food and is open late, but that’s literally all there is. Definitely needs more. Thanks for watching!
Awww you just refreshed my mind! There is a snack place by the spa towers. I totally forgot about it as i don't usually walk that far unless i'm saying at the spa tower said.
For many years, I had Gold status for my MLife card. Three things made me reverse course and leave Mlife properties for good. First, they simply downgraded the vast majority tiers, and I was dropped all the way to Sapphire. Second. I always drive from LA to Vegas. The MGM group's determination to charge me $18 a day to self park was primary in my decision, thanks to the tier downgrade. Third. Right when Vegas reopened post covid lockdowns, I stayed at The Bellagio. The room had a seal on the door assuring it was sanitized. Imagine my shock when I found a dried french fry on the floor. I'm guessing the organization as a whole found out that economic downturns - 2009 and 2020 - exact a more severe toll on a company that has 9+ properties to maintain (Caesars likely found the same with its multiple properties also). I'm now full on at Wynn Resorts, with honorable mention to Venetian/Palazzo. No more MGM for me.
Great video and rundown of the resorts. Your opinions pretty much line up with what we are thinking, having stayed at all of them except NYNY. MGM does have the definite edge on the other resorts. I included our thoughts on The Signature since you can book it through the MGM Rewards page, though it's been over five years since we stayed there. Appreciate the work you guys do on these! When we lived in CA, before moving back to the Show Me State, we stayed a few times at The Signature at the MGM Grand. Nice rooms, some with balconies. There were a few reasons we'd stay there. Having a balcony was something we enjoyed and made the decision for us many times. The high floor balconies provide a great view of the NYE fireworks, if you also happen to come for that event. Next was it's proximity to the dining at MGM Grand. All the rooms had a kitchen if you wanted to make yourself something, but we didn't ever really use that because, why would you when you're that close to fine dining? It was much quieter since there was no casino downstairs. It still had it's own pools and you still had the option of the great pool complex at MGM Grand. And because we'd drive in from California, there was never a problem with the valet being full since it was gated with a guard shack. The trade offs were guessing what tower you'd get and if it would be the strip side or not. We rarely had a problem getting the tower or the west side rooms, though. It is a pretty good walk to get to the casino and restaurants since there were very limited dining options attached directly to the towers. Top Golf was nearby but was also a bit of a hike to get to as I recall. We'd probably rank it about where you have the MGM ranked. Again, we enjoy your videos and they are really helpful when planning a trip there!
Glad you enjoyed it! We’d consider the Signature to be part of the MGM Grand, but it didn’t factor much into our ranking because it’s too far away for us to really consider staying at. Thanks so much for watching!
There are other ways to save money is register for the club rewards you can save for the price of the room and booking . With the many properties you have missed some of the areas of the hidden food court of the Excalibur and the connection hallway of the Luxor.
I love Mandalay Bay also! And NYNY. Great video. I think I agree completely with your rankings. But I would not rank Aria as the same as Vdara. Vdara is in a completely separate building from Aria and the rooms there are amazing. I stayed at Vdara in November 2021 and it was not dated or worn. Unlike Aria, every standard room is a small suite. I enjoyed staying in a hotel without a casino. Much smaller and easier to navigate. Vdara has its own pool. And it has a sky bridge directly into Bellagio. It's about a 2 minute walk from one to the other using that skyway.
Part of the rationale for lumping them together is that it's really not practical to compare gaming and non-gaming hotels to each other. Since Aria/Vdara are both part of City Center, share some of their management, and have the same aesthetic, it seems reasonable to put them together. Thanks for watching!
Before viewing your video, I listed my own top to bottom list of MGM properties (I could since I stayed on all of them last two years, some more than once). So, here's mine (let's see if your thoughts are same as mine), top to bottom: Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Aria/Vdara, MGM Grand, Nomad, Delano, Park MGM, NYNY, Luxor, Excalibur (did not yet include Cosmo)//
Frequent Vegas traveler here, and your list is almost spot on! Here are my comments: - I have stayed at both Mandalay and Delano and Delano is definitely worth the upgrade IF you request a discounted upgrade at the check in desk. The long walk to the pool is brutal though! :P - Aria/Vdara has a scent that gives many people terrible headaches. If the scent doesn't impact you, Aria's ranking would be spot on. If you plan on bringing friends who have never been to Aria/Vdara, I would avoid bringing them to Aria as the risk of them it is very risky as they could get headaches from that scent and get their trip ruined. - Nomad is way too expensive for what it offers in return (costs more than Wynn), the suites are very small and not reflecting the premium nature of the hotel, you are still bound by Park MGM's restrictions, and the decor is kind of tacky and similar to Cromwell.
Great stuff guys, could you do a top list of all Vegas strip hotels? Maybe also do one for down town, it's super helpful and I'm sure cna help you grow the channel.
We stayed at aria for our anniversary last year and it was amazing. We got a standard room and it was perfection. Maybe we got lucky and got a good one? 🤷🏼♂️ My wife actually thought it was too big of a property, and she liked the feel and vibe of NYNY more when we walked through there. I was afraid to book that one due to the dated rooms, but we are excited to try the remodeled rooms later on.
They've surely deep cleaned the rooms at Aria since our last stay, but most of them are simply beat-up and worn out, as they have never been remodeled in the 13.5 years the hotel has been open. NYNY has always been one of our favorite places to hang out, but the dated rooms have kept us from staying there in recent years. We're looking forward to trying out the new ones. Thanks for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas I also follow Coolist here on UA-cam and his scathing review of the NYNY rooms kept me from booking for our last trip. The renderings on the new rooms look amazing. Travel Ruby is another channel I watch, and she recently stayed in a remodeled room there. I’m excited to try it. I wonder if it’s the rooms on the higher floors of the Aria that are more beat up, since people seem to request higher floors more. We got one on the 20th floor, facing the mountains. Not as popular, so maybe they were just in better shape? I just hope they don’t end up like Bellagio and get close to 20 years without a remodel. I hear their standard rooms were lacking before they finally remodeled
That’s a great vlog and I would largely agree with most of it. I love Mandalay Bay and would have it higher up the rankings ahead of Park MGM and Aria but I accept what you say about the location. Bellagio will always be number 1 for me. 🤣
very good analysis of MGM hotels. Next time, please do a COST-ADJUSTED / 'bang for your buck' ranking. With that in mind, I would place The Luxor and Park MGM as #1 & #2
Aria on the up and up. We were Bellagio regulars and switched after 1 stay at Aria. That was before the food court too!. BEtween ARIA, COSMO, BELLAGIO I don't even need to go anywhere else
Love your vids, but you must do another re-ranking sooner rather than later. Aria ranked behind Park MGM?? Please...I get the sentimental value of PMGM being your first stay together in Vegas; heck, I'm old school and have very vivid sentimental memories of staying quite a few times at the site when it was formerly known as Monte Carlo, which wayyyyyyy before any UA-cam vids were out, I was giving my own HUGE thumbs up to as both a bargain spot and a great location combo for the casino, grub, and room. And even now, as I bemoan the loss of the old MC because I loved their food court, replete with my Sbarro Pizza, I now love what I see in the new PMGM rooms, and have even once thought of staying there instead of Aria, just to give them a look and save a few bucks. But even with all that, nah, no way, the precious little savings comparatively speaking, with the difference in scenery, casino, and food - come on, no contest. Aria with the tablet that turns on your room lights and opens your shades (does so the first time you enter your room), and the soon-to-be refurbished standard rooms, cannot ever slot behind any MGM property besides maybe Bellagio (very debatable there to me as well, having stayed at Bellagio before) and Cosmopolitan (Too soon to say, haven't stayed there yet, looking forward to doing so when it comes us as an MGM Rewards destination option). But I love you guys' vids, keep 'em coming because I'm an MGM guy through and through - and aside from ranking MGM #3 and Aria #4 (which I'd flip flop for sure), I think you hit the nail on the head with #1-2 and #5-10. Keep up the good work, and thanks for allowing me to chime in here! Best wishes, see y'all in April and June this year if you're there!
The non-gaming properties are lumped together with their “primary” resorts (Aria-Vdara, Mandalay Bay-Delano, MGM-Signature) simply because it’s too difficult to rank a non-gaming hotel in Vegas against mega casino resorts. That’s all. Thanks for watching!
Vdara hands down for me is#1. No off strip traffic cause no casino or clubs so its quiet. You get a fridge and microwave and if you have a suite you get a washer dryer. You are right next door to Aria and easy walking to Bellagio and cosmo and park mgm and NYNY.
I'm happy to see you rank Park MGM so high as I plan on staying there in April. I stayed at Luxor last time and the low railings along the hallways are just off putting to me. Anyone could push you over those.
Our last video was about Park MGM, be sure to check it out! I’m 6’2” and those Luxor railings come up well past my belly button, I thought they were just fine. Thanks for watching!
I've only stayed at 2 MGM properties on the strip (I usually stay downtown, near or on Freemont street) Stayed at MGM Grand thought it was ok, when stayed at New York, New York, had a great experience, may have been the company we had there with us, 2 other couples besides us 2).
I am curious, I didn't see the Signature Suites Towers mentioned. Did you consider them to be a part of the MGM Grand? Even if they were considered to be a part of the MGM Grand complex, then wouldn't at least a casual reference to the adjacent all suites towers be warranted much like you did for Mandalay Bay & Delano? I stayed at the Signature Suites last fall, and I found them to be a "hidden gem" and a great value.
Signature are not all suites towers, even though their basic rooms said deluxe suite, but it is not a real 2 room suites unlike Delano is a true all minimum 2 rooms suites tower, at signature it is just a longer room similar what you see at a Hyatt place with separate sitting area that's all. I also wouldn't say it is a hidden gem as if you want a kitchenette, you get that at Vdara as well, not to mention signature is just too far walk to the strip if you are assigned to tower 3
Signature has been my go to place to stay. One bedroom 950 square feet with a kitchen and balcony and use of the MGM pool and lazy river. No resort fees if booked through Airbnb or VRBO. Great videos, very informative. Thank you.
Greetings . I agree with most of your assessment but for me Bellagio is number one and I would place Mandalay Bay above Park MGM . Excalibur is cool on the outside but the inside has seen better times and the rooms are dreadful. I’m staying at Aria in May . Great video 😎😎😎
Nice reviews I prefer MGM Grand, Ive been staying there for the last 10 years, Im comfortable with the layout. I like my restaurant choices, the stay well rooms are great. Next anniversary trip My wife and I will stay at MGM and then move over to Bellagion for a night, I proposed to her by the fountains, so being our 20th Anniversary, its only appropriate we spend the night of our 20th at Bellagio, and have dinner by the fountains. I never win at Bellagio, but do well at MGM almost every trip. I have to agree about Caesars properties, stayed at Caesars Palace once, guy in cage was rude to my wife, I told him if he wasnt inside that cage I would have knocked him out for talking to my wife the rudely. We stayed at Rio once, we liked the property actually did well playing craps and slots both, but the room was dated and food selection wasnt the greatest. Now the Rio is like an abandoned shopping mall, sad how run down it has become
We have stayed at the Cosmo many times, because my wife’s sister worked there. We were never overly impressed, but we are older and perhaps not as plugged into the young hip scene. Remains to be seen what MGM will do with it.
As a player on My Vegas I've stayed at all of the MGM resorts except Vdara and Cosmo. The rooms were comped except resort fees and taxes. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. I guess I'm too cheap to gamble at the MGM resorts, the odds suck and the slots are tight.
SWAP Mandalay Bay and Park MGM on this list and I'd agree 100%. Monte Carlo was also our first stay and the main reason was its $39 a night price tag!! PARK MGM is still 1/2 the cost of MB and Delano or more and there is a very BIG REASON for that price difference. You guys are great and we love your videos!!!!! The other Key thing you didnt mention about the MGM GRAND which might also move it up the list is the MGM Signature properties. (Those are super upscale properties with each tower having its own pool Area while being able to have access to the MGM Pool as well.
Yeah, the Signature doesn’t really factor in for us because it’s so far back into the property, but some people love it. Thanks as always for watching!
Just the location / food and casino put Aria up the list - you might want to check it out again, stayed there last fall and it's obvious they've taken care of many of the issues you had post-Covid.
We’ll be back, it just dropped out of the top spot. A lot of the issues we had were very much a factor of the rooms being completely worn out. They’ve addressed the service and housekeeping, surely. But the rooms need a physical reboot. Thanks for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas yup, they've made repairs. It looked good, a little dated, but honestly my stay at Bellagio impressed me more, had a stay well fountain view, the room was very nice, as was the rest of my experience.
I am mostly a Caesars player mostly due to their properties scattered all over the USA and not mostly in Vegas like MGM's are. The closest MGM property to me now is Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MS which is a nearly 9 hour drive for me. 😞
To nitpick, I wouldn’t actually call the Cosmo an MGM property as it’s not part of their Rewards program yet, so you can’t use your MGM Rewards card there and earn MGM Tier Credits. I heard it’s supposed to get integrated into the Rewards program sometime either during or after the summer.
The business is owned and operated by MGM Resorts, so it's an MGM property. They're slowly integrating, starting with the fact that you can room charge from several MGM hotels to your room at Cosmo and vice versa. Thanks for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas Yeah I know. I don’t understand why it’s taking so long to integrate the Rewards/Tier Credit part, but I guess I just don’t know enough about how that whole system works. Somebody on the internet (can’t remember who) told me that’s going to be ready sometime in the summer, or possibly as early as April.
Good catch. I had in my mind that once Mirage was sold that made MGM the oldest but Excalibur’s age just slipped my mind. That’s going to bug me now! Thanks for watching!
Going to Luxor this summer. Never stayed at an MGM before (Being a east coaster, I've visited the Borgata but never stayed in the hotel and have visited the MGM Northfield Park Ohio). All I really need is a decent room and I can get gaming and food elsewhere. Was hoping to stay at the OG Hard Rock but alas...gonna have to wait for that mirage to fade into a guitar. The NY was one we never wanted to stay at...cause we already live close to the real thing so...
We stayed at MGM Grand in October for the first and last time. Our room was filthy, the elevators were down often and in the middle of the night, we could hear the room renovations going on in the west wing. At least we had a very good room rate for our stay.
The Cosmo has been killing the game since its opened. It never fell out of relevancy like most of the other resorts. It's because it stays on top of trends rather than letting audiences get tired of the same old tricks like other resorts like Aria or even Bellagio.
I stayed at the MGM Grand in a Studio king (which is remodeled) and liked it. To me the MGM offers the best value. Mandalay Bay looks very nice but it’s too far down the strip.
As a frequent Vegas traveler who has been to nearly all Vegas properties, I'd absolutely recommend Mandalay Bay in MGM portfolio as it gives the best value especially during summer. It is an almost 5 star property that costs as much as a lower end 4 star, most of the year. Pros: The standard rooms and pool complex are the best in Vegas. Hotel is very clean. It has a busy topless pool which is uncommon in Vegas. Live music every night. Some of the best bars in Vegas are located in Mandalay Bay and Delano. Property has a poker room, and it is close to the stadium. Cons: no A-tier nightclub. The property is mostly catered towards 35 to 45 year old customers. Limited shopping options. Some people complain about the location requiring taxis/uber to get to center strip but to be honest it is a non factor because while properties like MGM Grand, Luxor, NYNY, Wynn, etc. are closer to center strip, they are still far enough that you'd still be needing a taxi/uber anyway. The difference would be a 6 minute cab ride vs a 9 minute one.
I've stayed at most of these - would depend on what you are looking for - what price is on your sweet spot - and what you want to do. Food could be a game changer - so not sure this list is the way I'd line them up.
There is more to LV besides the strip, Downtown. Freemont Street Experience. Biggest and most fun block party there is! Dont worry about street noise in your room, things quiet down around 1 AM. If you are not still up at 1am anyways you're doing it wrong lol.
@ShowMeVegas, are there any significant differences between the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay overall? These two, along with the Luxor, are my final choices for a one or two night stay in Vegas during a transit to Los Angeles.
Everyone's list of MGM properties might be different but I think we can all agree that they are superior to Caesars properties. Caesars has gone downhill hard since their merger.
Probably for several years even before the merger. Caesars is very poorly managed, and the guest experiences reflect that. MGM is superior in every way. Thanks for watching!
Caesar's lost my vote once I found out they only allow for 2 devices for WiFi! What a crock!
An Cosmo is still my favorite!
Spot on! I would probably switch Mandalay and MGM, just personal preference, but otherwise I agree 100%! Great video!
I wish they would put Cosmo on the MGM Rewards Program!!
@@lisabarton916 rumor is that they will be merging Identity with MGM Rewards as early as this April.
@@ShowMeVegas that’s great news! Perhaps my husband and I will be able to stay at Cosmo for our 25th anniversary (instead of Vdara) in May after all. Thank you!!
Love that your videos drop on Sunday afternoons… they cheer me up as the Sunday scaries of another work week begin to set in 😜 Nice to escape to Vegas, another well done video!
We stayed at the Aria for a week and it was awesome! The room was clean, the bed was very comfortable and the staff was very friendly. Location is great for casino hoping and restaurants are great but a bit pricey
They’ve fixed the issues they can fix, from what we’ve heard. We’re not avoiding it anymore, but it did slip a few notches in our rankings for now. Thanks for watching!
For me, it’s Park MGM to stay and Aria to gamble. I love the restaurant options at Park and the video poker selection at Aria.
Our last Aria room debacle not withstanding, we’d probably do it the other way. Stay at Aria and gamble at Park MGM. We’ve done that many times. It’s fun to see how opinions differ! Thanks for watching!
Great list! We took our little boy to Vegas for his first trip last month. ..stayed at Park mgm cuz it's smoke free. Our casino host saw that we used to visit A LOT. She saw our history from 8 years ago. She asked what took so long to come back. I said his name is Dexter! She set us with another visit...this week..in the Nomad! My boy saw Beatles Love...and is thrilled we are going back this Tuesday! Thanks for the exciting preview video.😀
I agree. I stayed at the Cosmo for 3 days with terrace room. Absolutely fantastic, the staff are happy working in such a gorgeous property. ❤
I agree with your picks except one I would rate Bellagio number one and Cosmo number two. Other than that you're spot-on. I stayed at the Bellagio January 2022, I saw you guys there but didn't want to bother you. Keep up the great vids!
Shoulda said hi! Thanks for watching!
Park MGM ranking is very debatable, but but i think the bottom end and top end of the list are pretty accurate. I need to try the cosmopolitan, but I’ll probably wait until the rewards program switches over to MGM. Mandalay Bay too is one i should check out, I guess I was always put off because of the shooting.
Watching this video after booking my stay at the park MGM and now I’m very happy with my choice
Thanks guys! Great review. We are Delano people - love the spacious luxurious suites and the non-smoking aspect is also a plus. I've never even smelled any weed there. Mandalay Bay has always been one of our favorite casinos. MGM is a great place to visit but so huge that the distance from your room to the front desk can take 20 minutes. Stayed there once and wouldn't go back. Luxor was the first place we ever stayed in Las Vegas in the late 90s. It was still new and themed and we loved it. Will always have a soft spot for Luxor - plus I always do well in their casino. We get comped rooms at all MGM resorts yet still choose Delano. Now that they've brought on Cosmopolitan, we might book a stay, but I have a feeling we'll be back at Delano. It just suits us. 😊
I actually agree with your list.
I still love Aria and might put it before the Bellagio because we didn’t have the same issues with our room! But we did recently stay at Nomad and fell in love with the park MGM property!
Love the videos! ❤
Thanks so much! Cheers!
I feel like Vdara and Aria should be considered two different hotels. I love Vdara (actually just cancelled an upcoming reservation at ParkMGM to stay at Vdara instead) but hate Aria (could've stayed at Aria for the same price but chose Vdara instead). I'd put Vdara at No. 3 on my list behind Cosmo and Bellagio. I hope they can somehow build indoor passageways connecting Cosmo, Vdara and Bellagio now that it's all MGM so that I don't have to worry about getting hit by a car walking from Vdara to Cosmo.
The biggest reason it’s lumped in with Aria is that it is far too difficult to rank gaming and non-gaming hotels against each other. That and the fact that it’s the same age, same style, both part of City Center, and the fact that Aria serves as the de facto casino for Vdara. We have very much enjoyed our stays at Vdara. Thanks for watching!
i have aria booked 4 nights but want to switch to vdara, but been hearing the parking is a nightmare to get to vdara
@@doncheto9016 yeah, if you’re staying at Vdara and park your own car, you use the Aria garage. The trek from that garage to Vdara is long.
@@ShowMeVegas what would you say like in minutes ? 15 min walk ?
@@doncheto9016 no, probably 8-10 minutes from the car to the front doors at Vdara, but you’ve got to go pretty much all the way through the Aria casino.
just stayed at Park MGM. you described it perfectly. after 4 nights and seeing most of the strip and downtown, my top 5 vegas properties were cosmo, aria, circa, park mgm & golden nugget
Right on! Thanks for watching!
A very interesting list! He’s mine, keeping in mind it’s now early 2024. My list definitely comes from a middle-class mentality, with a preference for comfort level, location and access to affordable dining.
9. Luxor - poor location and a depressing casino
8. Excalibur - higher than Luxor because I prefer their casino and they have a Dairy Queen. 😅
7. MGM Grand - too big, don’t like their casino layout.
6. Aria/Vdara - rooms need renovations, not impressed with their food hall, casino is meh.
5. Mandalay Bay - poor location, casino is meh, terrific rooms.
4. Cosmopolitan - Terrific rooms, great location, too expensive, casino is too crowded and loud, not comfortable for me.
3. Bellagio - Nicely renovated rooms, minus points for taking the soaking tubs out of many rooms. Comfortable casino, great location. Loses points for lack of affordable dining. If I want an iced tea after Palio closes, it’s a long walk through the casino and retail outlets to get to their Starbucks. Also expensive.
2. NY-NY - Affordable with nicely renovated rooms. Refrigerator in the Soho Premiere rooms. Lots of affordable, enjoyable dining outlets. Lively, fun casino that’s not too loud like Cosmo.
1. Park MGM/NoMad - Affordable rooms that need a refresh. Lots of affordable, enjoyable dining outlets. A CVS next door, an ABC Store across the street via a pedestrian bridge, tram connects to Bellagio. My favorite casino, a more mature yet friendly crowd, and completely NONSMOKING!!
Well thought out! Thanks for watching!
Great video!! Totally agree about Aria. Just stayed there in October and was so disappointed in our room especially since they continue to charge so much for them!! Will not stay there again until renovations happen.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Really enjoyed the video. The higher-end hotels had to be hard to rank. I'm fine with No. 9 Excalibur because the room is...a hotel room, clean with a comfortable bed. Besides, I don't go to Vegas to stay in a room for a lengthy stretch. And, I can use the savings from the less expensive room to spend elsewhere. Thanks for your work and I'll be on the lookout for your next video!
Thanks for watching!
Great video! think your definition of “Best” is nice rooms and a nice property. For value, I think Luxor is very nice for the money and would be at the top of a best value list. Your comments on Luxor were spot on. Mandalay Bay is nice but too far down the strip, you will have to do tons of walking or taxis to get around. Like most reviewers, you forgot about MGM Signature. Huge, beautiful standard rooms with a full kitchenette and whirlpool and walk out balcony. Moving walkways to MGM Grand and you can use the MGM Grand pools or use the private pools at Signature. To get a room this big elsewhere are you usually pay $300 to $500. If you go on the right days, you can get rooms here for $100 to $200. It doesn’t have a casino so it’s not crowded and check in is easy.
The Signature is so far back we just don't even consider it, to be honest. Even still, we consider it to be part of the MGM Grand. Thanks for watching!
I love Excalibur! I won money, The food was good, drinks were good! The view was amazing. Luxor was terrible, smelled like death! Aria is by far the Best! I loved it! The Deposit through me off!
Great video can you do a ranking of the other big boy properties Caesars?
We did that last year: What is the BEST Caesars Property in Las Vegas? Our Caesars Entertainment Properties Rankings 2023!
ua-cam.com/video/xRcWmiW5FLY/v-deo.html
@@ShowMeVegas thanks. Enjoy your work
As an MGM Platinum card holder, I really enjoyed your summation of the MGM hotel line up! You did a great job of fleshing out the pros and cons of each property clearly and succinctly. I have to agree with your choices for #1 and #2 standing, as those are the two hotels we choose to frequent. Both are great hotels and each is so different from the other. We are taking my daughter to Cosmo for her 40th birthday in May and have requested a fountain view one-bedroom terrace suite for her and her friend. I’m positive she will have a great time celebrating at the Cosmo!!! Thanks for your effort in providing this video! 😉👍💰🎰💰
Hey guys Great Video !!
Thanks Scott! And thanks as always for watching!
Great list thanks guys, I definitely agree with Park MGM being an underrated property, we stayed there in November and I love it. We are staying at Delano in April and really looking forward to it. My personal preference is not Cosmo but then again we're not into partying or hanging at lounges or bars. Great video you guys rock. 👍👍
Thanks so much!
Park MGM is my favorite MGM property it’s a nice cool environment.
The Luxor for us is still our favourite. Great atmosphere and great staff, always friendly and always willing to help
Great video and a pretty fair list. Aria is still our go to, but agree on the need for an update. We stayed in the Sky Suites last year and they did a great job on the remodel. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for watching!
I stayed at Bellagio last March, and thoroughly enjoyed the lovely room overlooking the fountains (stayed up every night watching the show until midnight). However, I probably won't stay there again. Late night food is unavailable. The only option was room service and, honestly, it was sub-par. I wish there were late night options. Unfortunately, there are only upscale dining room options that close too early.
I believe Snacks and Noodles have late hours, but you’re absolutely right. The dining is almost entirely formal at Bellagio. It could use a 24 hour cafe.
We stayed at Bellagio in December. It was terrible for the price. The food was subpar for the money and the casino was so small compared to other MGM properties.
@@sherrienicholson9516 the typical casino on the strip has 80,000 to 100,000 square feet of gaming space. The Bellagio has 156,000 square feet, which makes it the second largest casino amongst MGM resorts in Las Vegas.
For me it
9. Excalibur
8. Luxor
7. Park MGM
6. New York New York
5. Mandalay Bay
4. Aria
3. MGM Grand
2. Cosmopolitan
1. Bellagio
We loved the Signature when we stayed there in 2019, so much so we're staying again at the end of June. Spacious well appointed rooms even if the decor is a bit dated. Thanks for the ranking though!
We’d consider the Signature to be part of the MGM Grand, but it didn’t factor much into our ranking because it’s too far away for us to really consider staying at. Thanks so much for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas yea it is a bit of a trek but having the kitchenette and the choice of both pools was a big win for us! That said great to know the cheaper alternatives are improving their core offerings.
@@ShowMeVegas You are forgetting that there are moving walkways all the way from Signature to MGM Grand. And they are always working, and they are never broken. So if you don’t have a problem with the MGM Grand location, you really can’t have a problem with Signature. I’ve been at both Mandalay Bay and Signature, and Signature is way more accessible to the strip than Mandalay Bay. Near where the walkways end you are very close to the MGM Grand monorail station.
We’re staying at the cosmopolitan in early April for our honeymoon and are so excited! Luxor was the first place we stayed in Vegas so I understand the sentimental factor. It’s always the first place we gamble, out of tradition.
Have a blast! Thanks as always for watching!
the luxor was my family and i first fling with the MGM brand back in 2016 when we did our first trip to vegas. We got a room in tone of the side towers instead of the pyramid so we could have more space but it was a realy nice room, clean, very spacious, good AC and wifi so no complains for me to the luxor and my mom and i went to the cryss angel show there so it was awesome
I've fallen out of love with Park MGM, and for a few different reasons: the standard room I had on my last stay, in October, really was starting to look a bit shabby. The aircon didn't work, and somebody was trying to break into my room in the early hours of the morning using the old dental floss lever trick. The gym area had some kind of plumbing problem, which smelled really bad - and nine days later, when I checked out, it was no better! The room key card didn't work on three different occasions, meaning I had to queue at the front desk, and put up with the staff member's rolling eyes and comments about why people don't carry their ID (to the gym, at 7am!). Also, while the casino is smoke-free, there were still multiple occasions when people in the rooms near mine were smoking (cigarettes and marijuana!) Finally, when I checked out I left my new prescription glasses behind by mistake ... and the cleaning staff claimed they'd never seen them! My mistake, I know ... but you'd hope for a little honesty, especially as I left a tip for housekeeping! Great location, nice smoke-free casino ... but I'm staying elsewhere next time!
That's a shame. Thanks for watching!
wow, did not see the ending coming like that!! I have not stayed at #1 so I can't rank it but all the rest fall right in place! 😁As always great video and appreciated.
Thanks for watching!
I used to work for Michael Mina's corporate office and stayed at all the MGM properties, still do. At the end of the day, it does come down to some personal taste. I remember when Bellagio opened, I thought it was strangely snooty for a Las Vegas hotel, and lacking fun. But that changed fairly quickly and Bellagio remains my favorite. The Cosmopolitan and Aria both tend to attract younger clientele and I guess I am an old fart. Honestly, Cosmopolitan feels a bit cramped and Aria is like a fancy shopping mall. I still prefer Bellagio, but I wish the service was better.
I would rank Aria above Park MGM and Bellagio above Cosmo, otherwise I agree with your ranking. Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
3:17 yeah. I want to stay at luxor but i dont like the elevators. They look slow and its weird.
#6 yeah, mgm grand is one of my favs. Love the grand king room. I get that one on comp for 3 nights. Great deal there.
My wife and I stay at Excalibur or ny ny, Excalibur is definitely dated, but it has always been clean when we stayed, to say the Luxor is miles ahead is somewhat reaching, I’d rather stay at Excalibur than Luxor
We were VERY turned off by the room we had at Excalibur, whereas the Pyramid King at Luxor was great. That sealed the deal for us, but experiences will vary for sure. Thanks for watching!
I stayed at Excalibur back in the day when I was a ''budget traveler.'' I had no problems. I'm in Vegas to gamble and party hard. I didn't much care about the room or hotel then and I don't now. I spend a lot of time off the strip so it's no big deal to me. Doesn't concern me much in Vegas unless the room is filthy which has not happened in 30 years of going. Not ONE time.
I’ve always loved Excalibur! Staff is always great. I really like the location too. Wish they would spend some money and make it as nice as it used to be. But it’s still my go to when in Vegas.
And, the beds were super comfy, at Excalibur, which is important to us
Right now, MGM is in the dog house with me. Let me explain. I signed up for the MGM M-Life credit card to get higher status, and free parking. Now, if there is an event at T-Mobile, I still have to pay a whopping $35 to park my car (not the usual $18.) How am I supposed to know what qualifies as an event. Bellagio is the lone exception, but who has the money to stay there, anyway. The concierge told me that you have a 50 / 50 shot at avoiding the fee at The NY NY, but how is one to maneuver through that when making reservations two months in advance ?
I get the ranking, but overall, I enjoy Luxor. I am not a fan of the tower rooms, but anything in the Pyramid has been great, particularly the suites. Tender is a great traditional type steakhouse if you are not necessarily looking for something edgy and new. Backstage deli is also a great casual food option. The entertainment is very diverse, from the Titanic exhibit to the Blue Man Group, there is something for the whole family. I can agree the casino isn't the best, but with the the Mandalay Place walkway easily connecting you directly to the Mandalay Bay Casino, it's not a huge problem.
Luxor is underrated when it comes to Vegas as a whole. This ranking is really more of a reflection of how good the MGM lineup is than anything else. Thanks for watching!
We stayed at the Aria when it first opened and it was tremendous. We loved the room, the view, and the personalized touches. But haven’t stayed in a while. The Cosmo seems to have a little more charm as a trendy hot spot, and love the balconies. The Grand is reliable, except that one tower that compares to the Flamingo GO. Bellagio is like a Disney park to me, but I wasn’t wowed by the room.
It’s interesting to see how other people view the hotels. I prefer the theme and more casual hostels so my list would have been the complete opposite. I’ve always loved Excalibur, I wish they would invest some money into it and bring it back to its original glory. Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Definitely agree with Exacalibur and Luxor, they should pour some money in them and bring back the themes. Themed casinos are becoming rare on the strip and I think they would benefit with MGM investing in them.
9: Excalibur
8:Luxor
7: New York, New York
6: Park MGM
5: MGM Grand
4: Mandalay Bay
3: Aria
2: Bellagio
1: Cosmopolitan
Fair. We're very partial to Park MGM and the non-smoking atmosphere there, otherwise your list looks very similar to ours. Thanks for watching!
Bellagio’s Standard rooms NO LONGER have Soaking tubs, only showers! I’d swap Park MGM with Mandalay Bay because Park MGM’s rooms are similar to Motel6’s, NO soaking tubs.
The lack of tubs is becoming more and more common in Vegas (and probably all) hotels. If a tub is important to you, yeah those properties aren’t for you. It didn’t factor into our opinion because it’s not important to us. Thanks for watching!
I agree with the order. The gap between Cosmopolitan at #1 and Bellagio at #2 (similar to what you described between Luxor and Excalibur) is just massive though. My wife and I stayed at the Cosmo in a bungalow suite during the summer and it essentially became another on-property hangout spot for us and our friends who were also staying at the Cosmo that trip. It felt like we booked an experience instead of a hotel room.
I will be at NYNY on February 27 th. They have always treated my Brother and I very well. We always go together. We have a Casino Host who is absolutely the best. We always have a very nice suite, they comp us very well in my opinion. 4 nights , 1,400 in free play , 1,200 for food. My Brother needs an electric wheelchair to get around and that is also comped. We are not Whales by any means, but we have been known to drop 10,000 to 15,000 grand if it’s an unlucky trip. I do enjoy the variety of food at NYNY. The Steak restaurant is fabulous.
I totally agree with your take on Mandalay Bay/Delano. Huge and beautiful resort with tons of great food and cocktail options and the best pool area in Vegas. Their grand entrance way in and of itself is an attraction worth mentioning. It’s too bad its location turns some people off because they are really missing out.
I love Excalibur because it has character and when I lived in Vegas and was homeless it was a haven
Nice recap of Vegas mgm properties!! Thank you!!
Glad you liked it, thanks for watching! Don’t forget to subscribe!
We agree Cosmo is #1, love the terrace.
Thanks for watching!
Great show very helpful. thanks
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Completely agree with this list. I will be at Cosmo in May and Im really hoping MGM doesn't change anything. I like it just the way it is.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
The only thing about the Bellagio even though it was one of the top hotels there is no place to get a quick snack in there! I usually have to walk over to the cosmo and go to eggslut or district donuts or the henry for food. But this list looks spot on! Good job!
Snacks, right off the casino floor has “inexpensive” food and is open late, but that’s literally all there is. Definitely needs more. Thanks for watching!
Awww you just refreshed my mind! There is a snack place by the spa towers. I totally forgot about it as i don't usually walk that far unless i'm saying at the spa tower said.
My favorite was Mirage. I hope it doesn’t change too much when it’s Hard Rock
It’s going to change a lot. It won’t even resemble the same property. At least that’s their intention. Thanks for watching!
I love the Mirage and gonna really miss it!
For many years, I had Gold status for my MLife card. Three things made me reverse course and leave Mlife properties for good. First, they simply downgraded the vast majority tiers, and I was dropped all the way to Sapphire. Second. I always drive from LA to Vegas. The MGM group's determination to charge me $18 a day to self park was primary in my decision, thanks to the tier downgrade. Third. Right when Vegas reopened post covid lockdowns, I stayed at The Bellagio. The room had a seal on the door assuring it was sanitized. Imagine my shock when I found a dried french fry on the floor. I'm guessing the organization as a whole found out that economic downturns - 2009 and 2020 - exact a more severe toll on a company that has 9+ properties to maintain (Caesars likely found the same with its multiple properties also). I'm now full on at Wynn Resorts, with honorable mention to Venetian/Palazzo. No more MGM for me.
Wynn\Encore is beyond compare. Thanks for watching!
Get a mgm credit card. Gives you free parking at all mgm properties.
Great video and rundown of the resorts. Your opinions pretty much line up with what we are thinking, having stayed at all of them except NYNY. MGM does have the definite edge on the other resorts. I included our thoughts on The Signature since you can book it through the MGM Rewards page, though it's been over five years since we stayed there. Appreciate the work you guys do on these!
When we lived in CA, before moving back to the Show Me State, we stayed a few times at The Signature at the MGM Grand. Nice rooms, some with balconies. There were a few reasons we'd stay there. Having a balcony was something we enjoyed and made the decision for us many times. The high floor balconies provide a great view of the NYE fireworks, if you also happen to come for that event. Next was it's proximity to the dining at MGM Grand. All the rooms had a kitchen if you wanted to make yourself something, but we didn't ever really use that because, why would you when you're that close to fine dining? It was much quieter since there was no casino downstairs. It still had it's own pools and you still had the option of the great pool complex at MGM Grand. And because we'd drive in from California, there was never a problem with the valet being full since it was gated with a guard shack.
The trade offs were guessing what tower you'd get and if it would be the strip side or not. We rarely had a problem getting the tower or the west side rooms, though. It is a pretty good walk to get to the casino and restaurants since there were very limited dining options attached directly to the towers. Top Golf was nearby but was also a bit of a hike to get to as I recall.
We'd probably rank it about where you have the MGM ranked.
Again, we enjoy your videos and they are really helpful when planning a trip there!
Glad you enjoyed it! We’d consider the Signature to be part of the MGM Grand, but it didn’t factor much into our ranking because it’s too far away for us to really consider staying at. Thanks so much for watching!
I would put Park MGM at the top of the list just because it's non-smoking.
We love that about it! Thanks for watching!
There are other ways to save money is register for the club rewards you can save for the price of the room and booking . With the many properties you have missed some of the areas of the hidden food court of the Excalibur and the connection hallway of the Luxor.
We're well aware of the Excalibur food court, so I'm not sure what "you have missed some of the areas" is supposed to mean...
Totally agree with this list
Thanks so much for watching!
I always look forward videos. Nice! Wondering, if you know as to when MGM Rewards will be intergrated with Cosmopolitan. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Rumor has it that the transition will take place in April, but there has been no official word.
Stayed at Delano and Park MGM. Never stayed at Ny Ny but the casino, cheap food and Hershey store seem fun.
I love Mandalay Bay also! And NYNY. Great video. I think I agree completely with your rankings. But I would not rank Aria as the same as Vdara. Vdara is in a completely separate building from Aria and the rooms there are amazing. I stayed at Vdara in November 2021 and it was not dated or worn. Unlike Aria, every standard room is a small suite. I enjoyed staying in a hotel without a casino. Much smaller and easier to navigate. Vdara has its own pool. And it has a sky bridge directly into Bellagio. It's about a 2 minute walk from one to the other using that skyway.
Part of the rationale for lumping them together is that it's really not practical to compare gaming and non-gaming hotels to each other. Since Aria/Vdara are both part of City Center, share some of their management, and have the same aesthetic, it seems reasonable to put them together. Thanks for watching!
Before viewing your video, I listed my own top to bottom list of MGM properties (I could since I stayed on all of them last two years, some more than once). So, here's mine (let's see if your thoughts are same as mine), top to bottom: Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Aria/Vdara, MGM Grand, Nomad, Delano, Park MGM, NYNY, Luxor, Excalibur (did not yet include Cosmo)//
Thanks for watching and of course for sharing! We like to see how others’ opinions differ from ours.
Frequent Vegas traveler here, and your list is almost spot on! Here are my comments:
- I have stayed at both Mandalay and Delano and Delano is definitely worth the upgrade IF you request a discounted upgrade at the check in desk. The long walk to the pool is brutal though! :P
- Aria/Vdara has a scent that gives many people terrible headaches. If the scent doesn't impact you, Aria's ranking would be spot on. If you plan on bringing friends who have never been to Aria/Vdara, I would avoid bringing them to Aria as the risk of them it is very risky as they could get headaches from that scent and get their trip ruined.
- Nomad is way too expensive for what it offers in return (costs more than Wynn), the suites are very small and not reflecting the premium nature of the hotel, you are still bound by Park MGM's restrictions, and the decor is kind of tacky and similar to Cromwell.
Great stuff guys, could you do a top list of all Vegas strip hotels? Maybe also do one for down town, it's super helpful and I'm sure cna help you grow the channel.
Lists like this one are sure to be a bigger part of our video lineup going forward.
We stayed at aria for our anniversary last year and it was amazing. We got a standard room and it was perfection. Maybe we got lucky and got a good one? 🤷🏼♂️ My wife actually thought it was too big of a property, and she liked the feel and vibe of NYNY more when we walked through there. I was afraid to book that one due to the dated rooms, but we are excited to try the remodeled rooms later on.
They've surely deep cleaned the rooms at Aria since our last stay, but most of them are simply beat-up and worn out, as they have never been remodeled in the 13.5 years the hotel has been open. NYNY has always been one of our favorite places to hang out, but the dated rooms have kept us from staying there in recent years. We're looking forward to trying out the new ones. Thanks for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas I also follow Coolist here on UA-cam and his scathing review of the NYNY rooms kept me from booking for our last trip. The renderings on the new rooms look amazing. Travel Ruby is another channel I watch, and she recently stayed in a remodeled room there. I’m excited to try it. I wonder if it’s the rooms on the higher floors of the Aria that are more beat up, since people seem to request higher floors more. We got one on the 20th floor, facing the mountains. Not as popular, so maybe they were just in better shape? I just hope they don’t end up like Bellagio and get close to 20 years without a remodel. I hear their standard rooms were lacking before they finally remodeled
That’s a great vlog and I would largely agree with most of it. I love Mandalay Bay and would have it higher up the rankings ahead of Park MGM and Aria but I accept what you say about the location. Bellagio will always be number 1 for me. 🤣
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
very good analysis of MGM hotels. Next time, please do a COST-ADJUSTED / 'bang for your buck' ranking. With that in mind, I would place The Luxor and Park MGM as #1 & #2
Aria on the up and up. We were Bellagio regulars and switched after 1 stay at Aria. That was before the food court too!. BEtween ARIA, COSMO, BELLAGIO I don't even need to go anywhere else
The top of MGM’a portfolio is pretty impressive! Thanks for watching!
Love your vids, but you must do another re-ranking sooner rather than later. Aria ranked behind Park MGM?? Please...I get the sentimental value of PMGM being your first stay together in Vegas; heck, I'm old school and have very vivid sentimental memories of staying quite a few times at the site when it was formerly known as Monte Carlo, which wayyyyyyy before any UA-cam vids were out, I was giving my own HUGE thumbs up to as both a bargain spot and a great location combo for the casino, grub, and room. And even now, as I bemoan the loss of the old MC because I loved their food court, replete with my Sbarro Pizza, I now love what I see in the new PMGM rooms, and have even once thought of staying there instead of Aria, just to give them a look and save a few bucks. But even with all that, nah, no way, the precious little savings comparatively speaking, with the difference in scenery, casino, and food - come on, no contest. Aria with the tablet that turns on your room lights and opens your shades (does so the first time you enter your room), and the soon-to-be refurbished standard rooms, cannot ever slot behind any MGM property besides maybe Bellagio (very debatable there to me as well, having stayed at Bellagio before) and Cosmopolitan (Too soon to say, haven't stayed there yet, looking forward to doing so when it comes us as an MGM Rewards destination option). But I love you guys' vids, keep 'em coming because I'm an MGM guy through and through - and aside from ranking MGM #3 and Aria #4 (which I'd flip flop for sure), I think you hit the nail on the head with #1-2 and #5-10. Keep up the good work, and thanks for allowing me to chime in here! Best wishes, see y'all in April and June this year if you're there!
The Signature MGM is very nice too and easy access to MGM grand.
It looks nice, but easy access might be a stretch. We've walked back there once and never want to do it again. Thanks for watching!
The Vdara is amazing. You really did not talk about it when you brought up the Aria, but it is one of the best hotels on the strip.
The non-gaming properties are lumped together with their “primary” resorts (Aria-Vdara, Mandalay Bay-Delano, MGM-Signature) simply because it’s too difficult to rank a non-gaming hotel in Vegas against mega casino resorts. That’s all. Thanks for watching!
Mandalay Bay will do well at next year's Super Bowl. Easy walk to the stadium.
Absolutely. We made that walk for a concert and it was very easy. Thanks for watching!
Vdara hands down for me is#1. No off strip traffic cause no casino or clubs so its quiet. You get a fridge and microwave and if you have a suite you get a washer dryer. You are right next door to Aria and easy walking to Bellagio and cosmo and park mgm and NYNY.
I'm happy to see you rank Park MGM so high as I plan on staying there in April. I stayed at Luxor last time and the low railings along the hallways are just off putting to me. Anyone could push you over those.
Our last video was about Park MGM, be sure to check it out!
I’m 6’2” and those Luxor railings come up well past my belly button, I thought they were just fine.
Thanks for watching!
Good to see Bellagio remodel went well. Before Covid I stayed there and was very disappointed.
Our first stay was ok but the room was very tired. Our stay after the remodel was great, we loved it! Thanks for watching!
I've only stayed at 2 MGM properties on the strip (I usually stay downtown, near or on Freemont street) Stayed at MGM Grand thought it was ok, when stayed at New York, New York, had a great experience, may have been the company we had there with us, 2 other couples besides us 2).
I am curious, I didn't see the Signature Suites Towers mentioned. Did you consider them to be a part of the MGM Grand? Even if they were considered to be a part of the MGM Grand complex, then wouldn't at least a casual reference to the adjacent all suites towers be warranted much like you did for Mandalay Bay & Delano? I stayed at the Signature Suites last fall, and I found them to be a "hidden gem" and a great value.
Signature are not all suites towers, even though their basic rooms said deluxe suite, but it is not a real 2 room suites unlike Delano is a true all minimum 2 rooms suites tower, at signature it is just a longer room similar what you see at a Hyatt place with separate sitting area that's all. I also wouldn't say it is a hidden gem as if you want a kitchenette, you get that at Vdara as well, not to mention signature is just too far walk to the strip if you are assigned to tower 3
Signature has been my go to place to stay. One bedroom 950 square feet with a kitchen and balcony and use of the MGM pool and lazy river. No resort fees if booked through Airbnb or VRBO.
Great videos, very informative. Thank you.
I concure with your list! The only other hotel we have stayed at was the Stratosphere and Wynn. All others have been MGM properties
Greetings . I agree with most of your assessment but for me Bellagio is number one and I would place Mandalay Bay above Park MGM . Excalibur is cool on the outside but the inside has seen better times and the rooms are dreadful. I’m staying at Aria in May . Great video 😎😎😎
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Love the Luxor very underrated
Tower rooms are much better than pyramid. Pyramid a trap for a 1st timer.
It’s not bad at all! Thanks for watching!
Nice reviews I prefer MGM Grand, Ive been staying there for the last 10 years, Im comfortable with the layout. I like my restaurant choices, the stay well rooms are great. Next anniversary trip My wife and I will stay at MGM and then move over to Bellagion for a night, I proposed to her by the fountains, so being our 20th Anniversary, its only appropriate we spend the night of our 20th at Bellagio, and have dinner by the fountains. I never win at Bellagio, but do well at MGM almost every trip. I have to agree about Caesars properties, stayed at Caesars Palace once, guy in cage was rude to my wife, I told him if he wasnt inside that cage I would have knocked him out for talking to my wife the rudely. We stayed at Rio once, we liked the property actually did well playing craps and slots both, but the room was dated and food selection wasnt the greatest. Now the Rio is like an abandoned shopping mall, sad how run down it has become
We also like the MGM Grand, we also never win at Bellagio, and we also don’t like Caesars at all…. Thanks for watching!
We have stayed at the Cosmo many times, because my wife’s sister worked there. We were never overly impressed, but we are older and perhaps not as plugged into the young hip scene. Remains to be seen what MGM will do with it.
It’s a different scene, for sure. Thanks for watching!
I completely agree with this ranking but I honestly love park mgm so much I would switch Aria and Park MGM
We had Park MGM ahead of Aria! Thanks for watching!
As a player on My Vegas I've stayed at all of the MGM resorts except Vdara and Cosmo. The rooms were comped except resort fees and taxes. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. I guess I'm too cheap to gamble at the MGM resorts, the odds suck and the slots are tight.
SWAP Mandalay Bay and Park MGM on this list and I'd agree 100%. Monte Carlo was also our first stay and the main reason was its $39 a night price tag!! PARK MGM is still 1/2 the cost of MB and Delano or more and there is a very BIG REASON for that price difference. You guys are great and we love your videos!!!!! The other Key thing you didnt mention about the MGM GRAND which might also move it up the list is the MGM Signature properties. (Those are super upscale properties with each tower having its own pool Area while being able to have access to the MGM Pool as well.
Yeah, the Signature doesn’t really factor in for us because it’s so far back into the property, but some people love it. Thanks as always for watching!
Just the location / food and casino put Aria up the list - you might want to check it out again, stayed there last fall and it's obvious they've taken care of many of the issues you had post-Covid.
We’ll be back, it just dropped out of the top spot. A lot of the issues we had were very much a factor of the rooms being completely worn out. They’ve addressed the service and housekeeping, surely. But the rooms need a physical reboot. Thanks for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas yup, they've made repairs. It looked good, a little dated, but honestly my stay at Bellagio impressed me more, had a stay well fountain view, the room was very nice, as was the rest of my experience.
I am mostly a Caesars player mostly due to their properties scattered all over the USA and not mostly in Vegas like MGM's are. The closest MGM property to me now is Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MS which is a nearly 9 hour drive for me. 😞
We rarely go to a casino if it’s not in Vegas, so that isn’t a concern for us. Thanks for watching!
To nitpick, I wouldn’t actually call the Cosmo an MGM property as it’s not part of their Rewards program yet, so you can’t use your MGM Rewards card there and earn MGM Tier Credits. I heard it’s supposed to get integrated into the Rewards program sometime either during or after the summer.
The business is owned and operated by MGM Resorts, so it's an MGM property. They're slowly integrating, starting with the fact that you can room charge from several MGM hotels to your room at Cosmo and vice versa. Thanks for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas Yeah I know. I don’t understand why it’s taking so long to integrate the Rewards/Tier Credit part, but I guess I just don’t know enough about how that whole system works. Somebody on the internet (can’t remember who) told me that’s going to be ready sometime in the summer, or possibly as early as April.
I love park mgm great location..I’ll be back this year
Have fun! Thanks for watching!
MGM Grand is not the oldest hotel. Excalibur opened June 19, 1990. MGM Grand did not open until 1993.
Good catch. I had in my mind that once Mirage was sold that made MGM the oldest but Excalibur’s age just slipped my mind. That’s going to bug me now! Thanks for watching!
Going to Luxor this summer. Never stayed at an MGM before (Being a east coaster, I've visited the Borgata but never stayed in the hotel and have visited the MGM Northfield Park Ohio). All I really need is a decent room and I can get gaming and food elsewhere. Was hoping to stay at the OG Hard Rock but alas...gonna have to wait for that mirage to fade into a guitar.
The NY was one we never wanted to stay at...cause we already live close to the real thing so...
Luxor is really an overlooked property. It's not a bad stay at all. Have fun, and thanks for watching!
My Bro is getting married and all the events plus a block of rooms are at the Park MGM. I am glad it is ranked fairly high since ill be staying there
We stayed at MGM Grand in October for the first and last time. Our room was filthy, the elevators were down often and in the middle of the night, we could hear the room renovations going on in the west wing. At least we had a very good room rate for our stay.
Great list staying at the Park MGM in May 2023
Have a great time! Thanks for watching!
@@ShowMeVegas we will thanks and you're welcome 😊
nice list 👍
Thanks as always for watching!
The Cosmo has been killing the game since its opened. It never fell out of relevancy like most of the other resorts. It's because it stays on top of trends rather than letting audiences get tired of the same old tricks like other resorts like Aria or even Bellagio.
I stayed at the MGM Grand in a Studio king (which is remodeled) and liked it. To me the MGM offers the best value. Mandalay Bay looks very nice but it’s too far down the strip.
Never stayed at a mgm hotel, I think I might try Mandalay bay??
As a frequent Vegas traveler who has been to nearly all Vegas properties, I'd absolutely recommend Mandalay Bay in MGM portfolio as it gives the best value especially during summer. It is an almost 5 star property that costs as much as a lower end 4 star, most of the year.
Pros: The standard rooms and pool complex are the best in Vegas. Hotel is very clean. It has a busy topless pool which is uncommon in Vegas. Live music every night. Some of the best bars in Vegas are located in Mandalay Bay and Delano. Property has a poker room, and it is close to the stadium.
Cons: no A-tier nightclub. The property is mostly catered towards 35 to 45 year old customers. Limited shopping options.
Some people complain about the location requiring taxis/uber to get to center strip but to be honest it is a non factor because while properties like MGM Grand, Luxor, NYNY, Wynn, etc. are closer to center strip, they are still far enough that you'd still be needing a taxi/uber anyway. The difference would be a 6 minute cab ride vs a 9 minute one.
So long as you’re ok with the location you will love the hotel! Thanks for watching!
park mgm is my go to especially for the price
We love Park MGM and it is definitely a great value. Thanks for watching!
I've stayed at most of these - would depend on what you are looking for - what price is on your sweet spot - and what you want to do. Food could be a game changer - so not sure this list is the way I'd line them up.
That's what opinions are for. Thanks for watching!
There is more to LV besides the strip, Downtown. Freemont Street Experience. Biggest and most fun block party there is!
Dont worry about street noise in your room, things quiet down around 1 AM. If you are not still up at 1am anyways you're doing it wrong lol.
Well, this was a video about MGM Resorts, which are ALL on the strip. Thanks for watching!
@ShowMeVegas, are there any significant differences between the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay overall? These two, along with the Luxor, are my final choices for a one or two night stay in Vegas during a transit to Los Angeles.
Mandalay Bay will have a considerably nicer and more modern guest room than the MGM Grand. Personally we'd choose Mandalay Bay. Thanks for watching!