Way better than we expected---what value---resort has everything

We stayed at Sam's Town because of my boyfriend's bowling league sweeps. I've never been a fan Vegas - I don't get the whole too much drinking and too much smoking all the while throwing one's money away. Not my idea of fun, but I understand other's have a great time of it.

Sam's Town is about 7 to 9 miles away from the strip/downtown. That suited us on such a quick weekend trip. Plus, the casino is less crowded. However, Sam's Town does offer free shuttles between its casino and several sites along the strip and dowtown, which is nice for those who either do not have cars or do not wish to drive.

Our room was nothing terribly special, but it was clean and comfortable. It is almost time for the bed to be changed (it's a little old and soft), but we managed to have a couple of good night's sleep so it was serviceable. Plenty of clean towels, clean carpeting, and everything was dusted. We didn't have the 42" plasma TV spoken of in another review, but the TV worked just fine and was standard hotel fare.

There are several restaurants in the casino. We managed to eat at Billy Bob's Steak House, which had large portions but was rather expensive for what was received and the service given. Unless a very special event, I would skip this. We did eat at the buffet for breakfast and dinner, and thought it did quite well, although we were more impressed by breakfast with lots of choices. Dinner was okay, but when it came to dessert, some of them were leftover for quite some time and had gotten a littel "crispy."

Mystic Falls in the center atrium is a relaxing parklike place to walk through or sit and relax. It is covered and air-conditioned, yet it feels like one is outdoors. There is a light and water show that gets a little loud, but is pleasing to watch - once. If kids are in tow, they might enjoy this.

The bowling alley (a place we spent quite a bit of time, actually) was quite nice. One of the better places we have bowled. The lanes are nicely set up and feel comfortable. Hey, I bowled a 189! But seriously, this offers a nice respite from the typical Vegas scene and allows one to get a little exercise as well!

The casino is, well, a casino. I stayed away from the tables, as the table minimums appeared rather high to me. But then, the last time I was in Vegas was 1991 (hey, I don't "do" Vegas, what can I say??), and these might be normal. The minimums were $5, $10, and $25. More than my budget allows. I stuck with the machines, which bore me after about an hour, and lost more than I won. (which is typical for me) My boyfriend played the penny slots and did quite well, though. My major beef with the casino (and this true of any casino anywhere in Nevada) is the smoke. I am a non-smoker, and smoke gives me a headache after a while. Even sitting in the "non-smoking" areas (which are right in the middle of the smoking areas - makes sense?) doesn't help, plus there are limited machines. There is a second floor casino, and this was a little better, only because there were fewer people up there so less smoke.

So, all in all, if you are looking for a less crowded, comfortable, clean Vegas experience with access to the Strip and downtown, Sam's Town might just fit the bill. It is huge (I kept getting lost), but there really is a lot to keep one occupied. However, if one has difficulty with cigarette/cigar smoke, then perhaps a casino vacation/getaway is not what you want to do.

I stayed at Sam's Town 7-12 September 2008 and had a wonderful time. The staff were outstanding and they really helped when I had requested a smoking room and ended up getting a non smoking room. They had a different room ready for me on the next day.

The hotel/casino is huge!! The entire complex takes up at least one entire city block including the RV park. Not only do you have the casino, Sam's also has a bowling alley, 4 resturants, a McDonalds, Duncan Donuts, a movie theater, and of course the atrium. Rooms are nice and both of the ones I had included a 42 inch plasma display. Maid service was done before 11AM which was nice.

The free shuttle service takes you to down town and the strip. If you use this combined with the other free shuttles, you won't be spending a dime on cab fares during your stay. Except for going to and from the airport.

Nice rooms, free shuttles, great service, at a low price. Sam's will be getting my business in the future.

Staying at Sam's Town for 4 days in August was a great experience for my wife and I.

Check in was prompt and efficient, the staff were friendly and helpful, the room was clean and well sized and had all the facilities we needed, and the location off the Strip was to our liking.

There is plenty to do on site with the casino action, bowling alley and movie theatre. The free shuttle bus allowed us to take multiple trips into the Strip and to downtown. This provides a later return to the hotel (approx 11pm) from downtown, allowing us to visit the Fremont St experience.

The multiple food outlets cater for all tastes, and thus we ate breakfast and dinner on site every day. There is a Walmart located across the street for groceries and general shopping, and there are also other fast food places nearby.

There is also a very good laundry located in the adjacent Sam's Town RV park.

If you are not driving, the cab fare from the airport is approximately $30.