The 10 Worst Hotels in Las Vegas You Should Avoid
Las Vegas Hotels: The Not-So-Glamorous Side of Sin City
Las Vegas is known worldwide for its dazzling strip, grand casinos, and an atmosphere bursting with excitement. While the city’s luxury hotels set a high bar for comfort, service, and amenities, not every hotel lives up to the reputation. Beneath the neon lights, some hotels fall drastically short—offering unpleasant experiences, poor customer service, and problematic hygiene. If you’re planning a trip to Vegas, keep reading to discover which hotels regularly draw the most complaints and should be avoided at all costs.
1. Siegel Suites Tropicana: Comfort Compromised
A hub of criminals and bedbugs, apparently. [Image: KenLund/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0]
Although Las Vegas is famous for its glitz, Siegel Suites Tropicana represents the opposite extreme. Many guests describe it as less a hotel and more a residential property with an unsavory side. Reviews consistently highlight reports of criminal activities, including drug use and prostitution, with police officers frequently responding to incidents. The rooms are characterized by broken furnishings, failing air conditioning, and infestations of bed bugs and roaches. Travelers searching for comfort or safety should look elsewhere.
2. Diamond Resorts International: High Pressure, Low Satisfaction
Despite a glamorous name, Diamond Resorts International often disappoints with aggressive and underhanded timeshare sales tactics. Numerous reviewers recount feeling misled, manipulated, or even trapped by staff intent on hard-selling their timeshares. Many guests mention dishonest communication, hidden charges, and a lack of authentic customer care. If you want to spend your Vegas vacation stress-free, avoiding this property is a smart choice.
3. Flamingo Hotel & Casino: Cleanliness and Care Lacking
Guests have complained about the long waiting times here, as well as the cleanliness standards. [Image: TonyWebster/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0]
While its iconic pink exterior might catch your eye, Flamingo Hotel & Casino frequently frustrates guests with slow service and questionable hygiene. Extended wait times for check-in—sometimes as long as three hours—have been widely reported. In one severe incident, a plumbing leak in a neighboring room led to a guest waking up to contaminated water on the floor and ruined belongings. Guests also report dirty carpets, stained linens—even hairdryers in need of cleaning—making this spot worth skipping.
4. Excalibur Hotel & Casino: Appearance Isn’t Everything
Don’t be deceived by the impressive exterior… [Image: BernardSpraggNZ/Flickr, Public Domain]
Excalibur’s castle-like exterior brings international guests hoping for a whimsical stay. However, reviewers quickly note that once inside, the reality is less magical. Guests often cite dirty rooms, unhelpful staff, mysterious hidden charges, and unclean windows. On top of this, even reservations don’t always guarantee you’ll have a room waiting. The presence of lingering odors and underwhelming service make this one to avoid.
5. On The Vegas Boulevard Hotel: Discomfort and Disrespect
The experience at On The Vegas Boulevard Hotel, from its awkward name to its subpar standards, leaves much to be desired. Among the top complaints: bed bug infestations, unhygienic conditions, and poor accessibility for guests with disabilities. Some visitors suggest you’d be better off sleeping in your car than checking in here. The lack of empathy or redress for guests—especially for those with mobility issues—raises further concerns.
6. Circus Circus Hotel & Casino: Past Its Prime
Complaints at Circus Circus are centered around the stale smells and dirty sheets. [Image: Wikimedia Commons]
Circus Circus, famous for its clown theme, can be off-putting even for those without coulrophobia. More troubling are guest complaints about stale air, smoky odors, unchanged bed linens, and shabby rooms that feel frozen in time. Reports of previous guests’ sheets, outdated decor, and generally dingy conditions turn a night’s stay into a forgettable experience.
7. Stratosphere Hotel, Casino & Tower: Iconic Views, Unimpressive Service
It may look pretty, but you won’t be getting any good customer service here. [Image: DavidHerrera/Flickr, CC BY 2.0]
The Stratosphere’s recognizable tower may dominate the skyline, but reviews indicate you’d be better off enjoying the view from outside. Common complaints include excessively long check-in times, lack of room guarantees—even with confirmed reservations—and a general sense of rundown, dark, and unwelcoming spaces. Poor communication and below-par service consistently disappoint guests seeking more than just a pretty exterior.
8. Tropicana Las Vegas: Faded Allure and Frustration
There’s nothing sweet about Tropicana. [Image:Wikimedia Commons]
The Tropicana’s tropical branding belies its many shortcomings. Disappointed guests share stories of pool areas that are partially shut down, poorly cleaned rooms, and an ongoing struggle to find even one acceptable room during their stay. Multiple room changes due to cleanliness issues are a frequent theme, adding unnecessary stress to vacationers’ trips.
9. Luxor: Historic Exterior, Outdated Interior
The Luxor is in serious need of a re-vamp. Even if just to get some hot water in the building! [Image: Wikipedia]
Despite its grand, pyramid-inspired structure, the Luxor is repeatedly criticized for outdated rooms, a lack of air conditioning—especially uncomfortable during the scorching summer—and neglectful customer service. Guests report being offered fans instead of functional AC, encountering dirty towels, and lacking hot water. Once hailed as an architectural marvel, its interiors now need significant modernization.
10. Palms Casino Resort: Disappointing Experience Behind the Flashy Name
Palms has been described as the worst hotel in Las Vegas by TripAdvisor reviewers. [Image: Wikimedia Commons]
Despite its reputation, Palms Casino Resort receives consistent criticism for unhelpful staff, poor interdepartmental communication, and tight restrictions on food and beverages in rooms. Missing basics—like an in-room fridge—combined with a lack of customer care leaves visitors discouraged and dissatisfied.
Final Thoughts: Hotels in Las Vegas to Strike Off Your List
While Las Vegas promises glamour and excitement, not every hotel delivers a winning experience. The hotels highlighted above have come under consistent scrutiny from guests for issues ranging from poor hygiene and customer service to deceptive practices and outdated facilities. For anyone planning a Vegas trip, steering clear of these establishments may help ensure your stay is memorable for the right reasons.
If you’re searching for top-notch alternatives, consider exploring the best-rated Airbnbs or relaxing at one of the top spas in Las Vegas for a truly rejuvenating escape.
