The Cromwell Hotel Las Vegas

This luxury boutique hotel occupies what was once the Barbary Coast casino and, later, Bill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon, before finally being renovated in 2014 by its parent company, Ceasers Entertainment, and transformed into the Cromwell. And while the hotel still has a late-70s-style exterior, with off-white boxy exteriors that look pretty plain when compared to some of the more grandiose properties on The Strip, the lobby is downright snazzy, with lots of dark wood and marble paired with brass fixtures and elegant retro pincushion chairs. Unsurprisingly, this hotel attracts (mostly young) people in town to party and gamble, and its small size (at least by Vegas standards) and lack of conference facilities make it less than ideal for business travelers. Plenty of people come here just to eat dinner at Giada, an Italian eatery by celebrity chef and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis. 

The Cromwell is located right on the strip in Las Vegas, across the street from Caeser's Palace and kiddy-corner from the Bellagio and its famous dancing fountains. The area is happening day and night, and the hotel's central location makes it ideal for those who want to spend their time exploring Vegas on foot. It's about a 20-minute walk to the Hard Rock Cafe, while New York New York Hotel & Casino, with its famous rollercoaster, is just a few minutes further down the road. Vegas Indoor Skydiving is about a half-hour walk (or eight-minute drive) in the opposite direction. Bonanza Gift Shop, which touts itself as the world's largest gift store, is about 45 minutes up The Strip on foot, or 15 minutes by car. The McCarran International Airport is a 10-minute drive away.  

This hotel offers elegant rooms at a variety of price points, starting with entry-level, 360-square-foot Deluxe and Luxury Rooms. These two categories make up the bulk of the units here, and are more or less identical in terms of size and amenities: all have flat-screen TVs, vintage-style iPod docks, and free Wi-Fi with either two queen beds or a king-size bed. The Luxury Rooms feature views out over The Strip. All guests also get access to a mobile concierge app, Ivy, for texting their needs and questions to staff. Unfortunately, rooms lack coffee-and-tea-making facilities (though some floors have free coffee stations in the hallways). Fridges are available to rent for a fee.Decor is also consistent in both room types, with sleek dark-wood floors and matching cabinets, burgundy accent walls with red pincushion backboard and two-toned paisley borders, dark gray-leather finish sofas, and steamer-style drawers. Recessed lighting and bedside lamps give the spaces a soft look. Bathrooms are luxurious, with black-and-white mosaic tiling and walk-in showers with ceiling-mounted rainfall showerheads. Hairdryers and free toiletries are provided.Suites start out at the 723-square-foot Parlour Suite and run clear up to The Cromwell Suite, a gargantuan 1,730-square-foot unit with its own pool table. All suites come with the same amenities found in rooms, but add little extras such as full-size refrigerators and free access to Drai's Beachclub. Each category has its own decor scheme, but all generally have elegant, vintage-retro touches and big bathrooms with separate walk-in showers and soaking tubs, not to mention views of The Strip. 

This hotel has a couple of main draws, notably its casino with everything from slots to Single Zero Roulette, a sports book with a gargantuan video wall for viewing games as they happen, and an upscale casino lounge, The Abbey, featuring 31 high-limit slot machines and little VIP touches. Live entertainment is staged nightly at the hotel's Interlude Lounge.The other big draw here is that all guests get expedited access (but still pay an entry fee, unless they're in a suite) to the rooftop Drai's Beachclub Nightclub, a 65,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor beach-style pool complex, complete with gargantuan palm trees and multiple seating and swimming areas. It opens early and stays open late, and the hotel offers an after-hours club in the basement for those who want to keep partying. However, it's only accessible to guests over 21, and there's no pool for younger visitors. For those who would rather focus on wellness than partying, there's a small but sleek fitness center with TechnoGym cardio equipment and a few weight-training machines. Dining options include the 24-hour Eatwell, which offers a selection of quick sandwiches, pizzas, and coffee drinks. Theres's also the more upscale Giada (named for its founder, celebrity Food Network chef Giada De Laurentiis), which focuses on Italian food paired with an extensive wine list. Room service is available around the clock. Guests are charged a daily resort fee, which covers Wi-Fi, but parking still costs extra.