Rio is similar to Bally's and Harrah's with a couple differences. The Rio rooms are bigger (if that matters to you) and they have refrigerators. In the summer, that's huge. If you're in the Ipanema tower with those big windows in the summer (and you shouldn't be) the rooms bake, and it takes half the night for the a/c to get it under 80.

As for the in-room safes, just search on "Rio stolen".

as others have stated, I would not recommend doing this ever. But, if one insists on doing it, this is the "safest" (and I use that term loosely) way:

1. Walk to either Flamingo Road or Valley View Blvd. (the road between the Gold Coast and the Rio).

2. Cross to the other side of Flamingo at Valley View Blvd. and walk towards The Strip. You'll go a short distance to 3.

3. In front of the Rio, there is a stoplight. You will want go right at the stoplight. This is a short winding road that goes down to a T intersection with Industrial Rd./Dean Martin Dr. (it's the same street, it just changes names somewhere in this area). Go right at the T intersection onto Industrial/Dean Martin.

4. Take Industrial/Dean Martin to the next stoplight (maybe 1/4 mile) which is where the Panorama Towers are. Go right at this stoplight.

5. Walk down this road past the Panorama Towers and the road will eventually wind left to another stoplight. Go left at this stoplight.

6. You are now on Harmon Ave. Continue walking down this road and you will eventually come to Aria which is on the right side of Harmon. also the Cosmopolitan is on the left side of Harmon in the same area.

I stayed at both GC and The Orleans during my last trip to Vegas (it was also my 1st trip as well) during March Madness 2014. Even though it's off the strip, both of these places have nice rooms for the price as said. Nothing amazing, but it works. Remember, you're in Vegas.... you're only going to be in your room to sleep and shower for the most part. Having the shuttle between both of these places and Bally's is really nice, even though it doesn't run after basically midnight.

As for the question about walking to the strip from GC... I actually had the "honor" of doing this. (My buddy and I made the scenic trip from MGM to GC, quite the hike, but we wanted to do it. We took the bridge that runs from Caesars to the Rio. I'm not sure if that is the one that you are talking about) Although it was a little sketchy at night, it worked lol.

Overall I liked The Orleans much better because of the poker room (Because my buddy isn't a poker player, I only played there and at the Rio while I was there). I think I would stay at The Orleans every time because of the price and the great poker room and take the shuttle /cab to the strip when I wanted to if I was on a budget.

Point being.... we are planning on doing the same exact trip again for March Madness this year and I can't wait!

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You only played poker at Rio and The Orleans? Those are both locals places. You need to play some poker on the strip to experience Vegas!

That is my plan!!! I gotta ditch my buddies and go play at the B and play the daily/nightly tourney at Aria. I wanted to do that but there is only so much time when it's your 1st time in Vegas. I wish I could get out there more than once a year.

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Well it doesn't involve Polaris and isn't all that desolate, but I'm changing my answer to Flamingo overpass being at least equal or preferential, even though it is farther. But FFS why would anyone want to do either.

Anybody stay at The Cromwell?

The Orleans has nearly 1900 rooms and the Rio has over 2500 rooms. Non-locals play there too.

The Cromwell is an interesting place. In the space that used to Be Bill's and before that Barbary Coast. Those places were the ultimate low budget spots mid strip. Now Cromwell is like the poor man's Wynn, but without a poker room, sports book, and the absolute worst table games rules. Ultimate grind joint. BUT..... Incredibly attractive employees. I heard from a friend that works there they hired 300 from 7,000 applications. Later at night, some of the hottest girls you will ever see are packed into the joint for the beach club and Drai's. If I were a young guy I would spend some time there just for the pussy.

ok judging by this comment orleanes doesn't seem like a good idea since its still q distance to the strip..

I came across this website, http://www.lmtclub.com/ got free membership and I found a price for Harrahs that is 30% lower than booking direct through harrahs website.
US$65per night for Feb including resort fees.. no brainer?..

*Free 1year membership code is JOINCLUBRT . and first booking is 10% off.

Yeah, but he's wrong.

search function keeps telling me 0 results and i know that cant be right so can anyone direct me to a recent review of el cortez or circus circus

Thinking about staying at planet Hollywood for the circuit, should I consider other places or is planet Hollywood worth staying at. Dont mind paying a little extra for something nice.

Check the terms & conditions but Harrah's will price match and take 10% off.

IMO it's always better to book direct.

Anyone stayed at The California downtown recently?

If you stay at Gold Coast, just walk across to the rio and catch the shuttle to harrahs. It drops you off in the back and then cut through the parking garage at the Venetian and your inside.

I stay on the strip always but if I am in vegas for a long period of time and rooms are booked, Gold Coast or ti are my backup places to stay.

Gold Coast isn't nice but it's a good locals place. Harrahs is old but a great location. Flamingo rooms are just ok unless you get the go room. Then flamingo becomes one of the nicer places to stay.

All this is coming from someone who stays at Cosmo, Pallazo, or Wynn.

Can't vouch for the legitimacy of lmtclub.com, but the rate and property -- Go for it. You'll be but a few steps from the Venetian poker room.

Yes, a few months ago. The California is acceptable for a budget hotel and I'm staying there again in a few months, but I'm a cheapskate.

If you aren't Hawaiian, you'll be in the minority.

If you are accustomed to Wynn/Venetian/Bellagio quality rooms, you'll be disappointed, but otherwise it's fine and pretty cheap.

Yeah, it's nice. If you want to spend more money, upgrade to better rooms. They have a number of different levels of quality.

LOL, serious? Check your LV history. You should find that generally accepted that old Vegas began to be bull dosed when when Caesars went up.

I don't know if Luxor is a cheap stay but it is out near the old Haciendia property and they have inclinators rather than elevators which are very cool.

Not to be condescending but old Vegas is a term that didn't refer to specifically properties really but to the personal attention that a regular joe could get. My grandmother used to go to LV once a year in the 60s and 70s. She returned to the Silver Slipper every year to play nickle slots where they would great her with "hello Mrs. WXXXXXXXX we are so glad your back with us." How did they remember her but they did. She was given comps rather than being "rated" (they knew grand pa lost his ass at BJ with out computers). The whole strip and downtown worked together to make sure that they had such a good time they never even considered going anywhere else to spend their retirement money. That was old Vegas, not Evil jumping the fountains at Caesars.

Caesars was built in the 60's.

Anyone know if i can get a good Poker Room rate at Mirage?

I always grind my 1/2 games there.

If you're thinking about the Cali, stay at Main Street Station, imo. Rates about the same, but much nicer ambiance, classic look instead of dated. They are connected to each other by a skybridge, so location is basically samesies.

I always find Cali just a bit depressing, and MSS to be a cool place to hang out.

California and Main Street Station are owned by Boyd Gaming, just as are Orleans, Suncoast & Sam's Club. However, California and MSS are in a special category: Boyd runs a charter airline for the benefit of Hawaii residents. The properties are actively marketed only to Hawaiians. So the patrons of these two casinos are largely Hawaiian, and this is why you'll see things like sticky rice and oxtail stew on the menu.

MSS has an excellent buffet, one of the best in town, also a microbrewery. Their gaming tables have uncomfortable chairs and unfavorable rules on blackjack (e.g. no double after split). They offer 20x odds on craps; no poker.

If I'm downtown I'll eat at MSS, and play at Golden Nugget across the street.

I like playing at MSS, as it is nicer than most other places downtown and you can order their microbrews at the table. It is no DAS, but that's not uncommon downtown and it is for a double-deck, pitched game that can be as low as $5 min. I like all those things.