Plaza Hotel and Casino - Downtown Las Vegas Review
Full Property Tour & Experience
INTRODUCTION & ARRIVAL
Property Overview
- Location: Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street
- Opening Year: 1971
- Historical Significance:
- Largest hotel and casino when it opened
- Featured in multiple movies including "Back to the Future Part II"
- Originally connected to Amtrak Las Vegas station
- Main Appeal: Unbeatable location with surprisingly affordable prices
- Primary Concerns: Older building, potential noise from Fremont Street Experience
Parking & Check-In
- Parking: Free for guests
- Parking Structure: Low clearance
- Walk to Check-In: Long walk through casino floor from parking garage
- Check-In Experience:
- Front desk agent: Precious (5 stars mentioned)
- Room type: North Tower
- Upgrade purchased in advance
- Note: Rooms facing Fremont Street are noisy but have nice views
- Cannot see Fremont Street light show from this room type
DINING EXPERIENCES
Hash House A Go Go (First Meal)
Location: Inside Plaza Hotel
Review:
- Reviewer had been wanting to try this restaurant
- Restaurant closes early typically
- Late lunch service available
Order & Prices:
- Meal cost: $27
- Dish features:
- Deep-fried chicken
- Bacon
- Biscuit
- Spinach (healthiest component)
- Mashed potatoes (real potato with skin)
- Tomatoes and vegetables
- Described as "thick thing" tasting like "montan"
Food Review:
- Presentation: Impressive, stacked high
- Hot plate service
- Taste: Too salty
- Fried chicken: Crispy outside, tender and moist inside
- Portion size: "Too much"
- Overall verdict: "Worth it just to experience it"
- Tip given: 20%
- Post-meal feeling: Very full
Pink Box Donuts
Background:
- Started by Cambodian refugee in the 1980s
- Pink boxes chosen because:
- Cheaper than white boxes
- Pink is a lucky color
- White is considered a mourning color
Experience:
- Price: $5 per donut
- Varieties mentioned:
- Classic custard
- Dubai chocolate
- The Grinch (Christmas special - filmed mid-December)
- One with lotus decoration
- One with custard inside (wished they'd ordered this)
Store Atmosphere:
- Described as "cutest thing"
- Empty when reviewer arrived, then got busy
- Poker tournament happening nearby (761 entrants, down to 95 players, $1,100 buy-in)
Review:
- Visually impressive donuts
- Forgot names of varieties immediately after ordering
- Shop described as "very cute"
Other Dining Options Available
Coffee Bar:
- Grab-and-go service
- Closes at 5 PM
- Prices: $6 for sandwich or muffin
Food Court Restaurants:
-
Rice Restaurant:
- Yellow curry: $15.88
- Truffle crab fried rice (noted as appealing)
-
Subway
-
Mexican Restaurant:
- Noticeable taco smell
Note: Only three restaurants in food hall, but proximity to Fremont Street Experience provides many additional dining options
Pop-Up Pizza
Location: Discovered at 5 PM walkthrough Offerings:
- Crispy wings (reviewer prefers wings over pizza)
- Pizza by the slice (price not recorded)
- Noted positive smell
Oscar's Steakhouse (Dinner)
Reservation Experience:
- Walk-in at almost 8 PM
- Last seating until 9:30 PM
- Service issue: Had to ask for menu after sitting unattended
Order:
- Burger
- Las Vegas Lager beer (first time trying)
- Caesar salad (ordered to add vegetables/"greens")
Ambiance:
- 4K video displays throughout
- Oscar's branding and decor
Review:
- Food described as satisfying hunger
- Ordered beer "to drink sorrows away" (after losing sports bet)
ROOM DETAILS
Room Type & Location
- Tower: North Tower
- Upgrade: Purchased in advance
- View: End of Fremont Experience
- Room Setup: Simple/basic configuration
Room Tour - Main Area
Entry & Closet:
- Closet by door
- No locker found in closet (unusual)
Bedroom:
- King-sized bed
- Bed test result: Too soft
- Pillows: NOT king-size (noted disappointment)
- Artwork: Picture of people having fun (reviewer loved it)
Entertainment & Storage:
- Large/huge TV
- Cabinets below TV
- Refrigerator: "Not that cold inside"
- Stored to-go food
- Reviewer concerned about forgetting leftovers
Work Area:
- Study table/desk
- Not comfortable for working
- Ice bucket (reviewer "doesn't trust it")
- Free coffee available (reviewer "doesn't trust it either")
Window & View:
- Cannot open window fully
- View includes:
- Circa (can see stadium pool)
- The D Las Vegas (previous stay location, one of reviewer's favorite downtown hotels)
- El Cortez
- Fremont Experience (live and loud)
Room Atmosphere:
- Feels "a little bit dusty or musky"
- Reviewer forgot air freshener spray
- Acceptable for "strong kid"
Bathroom
Size: Larger than expected, not tiny but not huge
Layout & Features:
- Locker located in bathroom (not closet)
- Modern finishing
- Soap: Almond and olive scent (confirmed authentic smell)
- 10x magnification mirror
- Lavatory (toilet area)
- Shower with external control
- Water pressure: Strong
- Shower concern: Water reaches legs, potential flooding to bathroom floor
Amenities Kept:
- Reviewer usually doesn't keep hotel soaps
- Made exception for almond and olive soap
HOTEL AMENITIES & FACILITIES
Rooftop Area (5th Floor)
Pickleball Courts:
- Food truck nearby (closed for season)
- Can bring own food
- Courts appear open but no one playing during visit
- Imagined as great summer venue
Pool:
- CLOSED - In maintenance mode
- Not pool season during visit
Hot Tub:
- OPEN year-round
- Temperature: Warm and nice
- Jets available for massage
- Water test: Confirmed warm
- Music: Can hear Fremont Experience music
- Suggestion: Bring own music if preferred
Rooftop Views:
- "Amazing view"
- Quiet scenery during daytime
- Worth visiting just for the view
- Good spot for coffee and relaxation
Weather During Visit:
- 62°F in Las Vegas
- Reviewer forgot slippers (feet cold)
Casino Floor
General Atmosphere:
- Very smoky
- Long walk from parking through casino
- Non-smoking zone available just outside Plaza (still part of casino resort)
Table Games Available:
- $10 Roulette
- $15 Roulette
- $25 Roulette
- $10 Blackjack
- $15 Blackjack
- $25 Blackjack
- Big Six (reviewer wanted to learn)
- Craps (initially mistaken for roulette)
Slot Machines:
- Many new machines in non-smoking area
- Machines with light-up features
- Gambling session: Put in $40, didn't move much
- Reminder: "Must always gamble responsibly"
Notable Features:
- Heavy chairs at gaming tables
- Live table games (some not operating during visit)
- Carousel Bar just outside
Other Hotel Facilities
Retail Store:
- Souvenir items
- "Official Converse of Las Vegas"
- Mini slot machine (can open, described as cute)
- Jerky selection ($12.50+)
- Tomato chips: $6
- Salted pistachio nuts: $9
- Items for children (sized for one-year-old mentioned)
- Late-night munchies available
- Alcohol sales
Wedding Chapel:
- Available for ceremonies
- Photo shoot location
- Fresh flowers on display
- Fully bloomed roses noted
Bingo Hall:
- Convention area attached
- Closed Wednesday, December 17 during visit
- Opens 10 AM normally
- Empty during peek visit
- Beautiful convention area noted
Photo Booth:
- Available for guests
Lucky Box:
- Contains: Jersey, Pokemon cards, or sports cards
SPORTS BETTING EXPERIENCE
Initial Bet
Game: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls Bet Details:
- Spread: Cavaliers minus 5.5
- Amount: $100
- Expected finish time: 7-8 PM
Plaza Rewards Card
Obtained during visit Context: Guest was winning at slots during card pickup
Bet Outcome
Score Check Timeline:
- 8 PM: Game finally over
- Third quarter: Not in favor
- Final result: LOST
- Chicago Bulls won
- Response: "We are an adult and I'm sure we can afford Oscar Steakhouse"
FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE
VivaVision Light Show
- Location: Above Fremont Street
- Description: World's largest LED screen canopy
- Cost: FREE
- Review: Stunning
Nearby Attractions & Venues
Entertainment:
- Circa: Dancers, stadium swim
- Zip lining available
- Live concerts/performances
- Michael Jackson tribute
- "Peacock ladies" (performers)
Dining Options:
- ABC Store
- $5.99 steak burger combo (noted as great deal)
Other:
- Chevy truck giveaway promotion
- Various casino properties visible
Noise Level
From Room: Fremont Experience is "live and loud" From Rooftop Hot Tub: Can clearly hear music from Fremont Experience
FINAL IMPRESSIONS & CONCERNS
Positive Aspects
- Unbeatable location on Fremont Street
- Surprisingly affordable prices
- Free parking for guests
- Hot tub open year-round
- Historic property with character
- Multiple dining options
- Rooftop views
- Non-smoking zones available
Negative Aspects
- Very smoky casino floor
- Long walk from parking through casino
- Room feels dusty/musky
- Noise from Fremont Street Experience
- Bed too soft
- Pillows not king-size for king bed
- Refrigerator not very cold
- No service initially at Oscar's Steakhouse
- Food too salty at Hash House A Go Go
- Lost $100 sports bet
Value Proposition Question
Central Question: "Will our stay here be still comfortable?" with older building and Fremont Street noise Implied Answer: Mixed - depends on priorities and tolerance for noise/smoke
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Ice Machine: Extremely loud (mentioned when considering room change)
Lucky Penny: Found someone's penny (noted "not lucky because there's inflation")
Personal Items Forgotten:
- Air freshener spray
- Slippers (for rooftop hot tub visit)
Future Video Idea: "Things you shouldn't forget on your Vegas trip"
Filming Date: Mid-December (referenced during Pink Box Donuts Grinch donut selection)
OVERALL VERDICT
The review presents Plaza Hotel and Casino as a budget-friendly option with an unbeatable downtown location, but with trade-offs including older facilities, noise, and heavy casino smoke. Best suited for guests who prioritize location and affordability over modern amenities and quiet environments.