Tuscany Suites & Casino

Tuscany's 715 suites are spread across a 15-building complex that's located two blocks from the Strip. The suites aren't exactly luxurious (at least not by Vegas standards), but they're huge, with dedicated seating and eating areas and bathrooms with separate bathtubs and showers. The complex has four restaurants, two relaxed pools, a spa, a sizable fitness center, and a casino -- more than what most time-share hotels have -- but it feels more like a basic apartment complex than a resort. The hotel does have some charm, like the floral arrangements, comfortable couches, and (fake) Italian stone walls in the lobby. All told, Tuscany is one of the best bargains in Vegas.

Tuscany Suites & Casino is about two blocks east of the densely packed 3.5-mile-long stretch of hotel-casinos known as the Las Vegas Strip, right behind the Bally's Las Vegas and Paris hotels. It's a 10-minute walk to the Strip, along East Flamingo, a major thoroughfare that feels relatively safe but isn't especially attractive. If you're in heels or with young children, you're probably better off springing for a taxi.Most Las Vegas visitors want to explore all of the big hotel-casinos along the Strip. Cabs are easy to find at virtually any time of day or night. A generally less expensive option is the Deuce, a double-decker bus that runs up and down the strip 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There's also a monorail system, which stops at MGM Grand, Bally's/Paris, Flamingo/Caesars Palace, Harrah's/the LINQ, the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Westgate, and the SLS. If you're traveling along the Strip with at least one other person, a cab is often the least expensive option.Virtually every hotel on the Las Vegas Strip is a 10- to 15-minute cab ride from McCarran International Airport.

Rooms here start at about 625 square feet, making them as large as -- or larger than -- rooms in some of the most luxurious hotels in Vegas. Spaciousness is the only overlap between Tuscany rooms and ones at luxury hotels, though. These spaces are all function and zero flash -- their overall look is closer to a room in an average airport hotel than a typical snazzy Vegas hotel. All rooms feature kitchenettes with mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and small dining tables, as well as lounge areas with couches, chairs, writing desks, and flat-screen TVs with cable. Bathrooms are huge, with a decent amount of tiled counter space, hotel-brand toiletries, hairdryers and separate bathtubs, showers, and toilet stalls. The 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom suites come with an extra bathroom and a hot tub. Rooms come with free Wi-Fi; premium Wi-Fi is available for a fee. 

Tuscany Suites' pools are a bit on the small side and fairly basic -- no waterfalls, no slides, no creative cavelike structures. But they do have drinks service and longer hours than some off-the-Strip hotel pools. The main pool is a four-pronged lagoon shape, with a hot tub off of one edge. It's surrounded by red-cushioned lounge chairs and is mostly populated with younger guests and families with small kids splashing about during the day. For a quieter, nearly empty pool area, head over to the heated lap pool, right by the fitness center.The fitness center doesn't have a single TV, and it's outfitted with a blah industrial-grade carpet, but it's well equipped, big, and bright (its windows overlook the lap pool). It's also free, which is notable since many other hotels charge a fee for gym access. The equipment -- Paramount strength-training machines, LifeFitness treadmills, and plenty of free weights -- is all in good condition. There's no watercooler, just a drinking fountain. The fitness center also has laundry machines available for guest use, and a simple spa that tends to book up quickly for massages.One of the hotel's best features is its collection of four reasonably priced and family-friendly restaurants, serving American and Italian food. Room service is also available, but only when the restaurants are open (it's not 24 hours, as is common on the Strip), and expect to see take-out containers and plastic utensils rather than a rolling cart draped in a white tablecloth. Off the lobby, the Piazza Lounge offers live entertainment, with Rat Pack classics, as well as jazz, piano, and pop music on the docket almost every night of the week. There's a basic 24-hour business center, located above the casino, but it charges rather high rates for use of the computers and printers. No wonder it's usually empty. Given the low rates at Tuscany, the level of service is certainly impressive. There's even a concierge who can hook you up with discount tickets to Vegas shows.

For families, Tuscany offers best of both worlds: a relatively mellow location with the action of the Strip just a 10-minute walk away.Even the standard suites are large and can accommodate families with either two double beds or, in some rooms, an extra sleeper sofa. All rooms have kitchenette areas, but they only come with a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker -- no oven or stove for cooking. Connecting rooms are not available, though the hotel does have two-bedroom suites. Cribs are free; rollaways are available for a fee.In terms of safety, the grounds are well-lit at night and common areas, such as the pools and the fitness center, are accessible only using valid room keys.

Tuscany's casino doesn't offer much in terms of atmosphere, but it does offer blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and slot and video-poker machines -- which, as with many casinos that cater to locals, are the biggest draw. Tuscany's casino has around 800 of them, costing anywhere from a few pennies to a few dollars to play. The mostly senior crowd of locals prefers Tuscany's casino to the crowded giants on the Strip.