The quick verdict
The bottom line: The STRAT is the cheapest way to sleep on the Las Vegas Strip, and the tower views are genuinely the best in the city. The tradeoff is the north-Strip location – you are far from the center-Strip action, and the surrounding area is rougher than the tourist corridor. For budget travelers who do not mind the walk or the rideshare, it is unbeatable value.
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Check rates and availability for The STRAT
Introduction
The STRAT – the former Stratosphere – is the 1,149-foot tower at the north end of the Strip, and it is impossible to miss. The hotel underneath it is one of the cheapest on the Strip, often dramatically cheaper than anything center-Strip. That combination – rock-bottom rates plus the most recognizable observation tower in Vegas – makes it a fascinating budget option.
I filmed an honest review of the STRAT: the room, the casino, the tower, and the area around it. This article is the written companion. And full disclosure on my bias here: I am staying at the STRAT myself for my October 8-11, 2026 Vegas trip, because the value was too good to pass up.
Watch: the full video review
My honest STRAT review – rooms, casino, tower, and the north Strip reality:
Location: the deal and the tradeoff
The STRAT sits at 2000 South Las Vegas Boulevard on the far north end of the Strip, between the core resorts and downtown, with Sahara about half a mile south and Circus Circus under a mile away.
Walking from the STRAT to center Strip is a long haul. It is a 30 to 45 minute walk to the central Strip around Wynn and the Fashion Show mall, and closer to an hour on foot to Bellagio and Caesars Palace, depending on your pace and the heat. Most guests use rideshares, the Deuce bus, or the monorail. The Deuce bus runs 24/7 along the Strip with a stop two minutes from the lobby, and a taxi to Bellagio runs about $16 to $20. There is no monorail station at The STRAT itself; the nearest is the SAHARA station, roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk south. The good news: rideshares in Vegas are cheap and plentiful, and the money you save on the room covers a lot of Uber rides.
The area immediately around the STRAT is seedier than center Strip. The surrounding stretch of the north Strip is quieter and older than the centre, with Atomic Golf next door and the Premium Outlets North about a mile and a half away. Plan on transit rather than long walks after dark. If this is your first Vegas trip and you pictured the movie version of the Strip, the walk south from the STRAT will be an adjustment. If you are a seasoned Vegas traveler who just needs a cheap, clean base, it is a non-issue.
The flip side: you are close to downtown and Fremont Street, which is a plus if old Vegas is your thing. Dining here is generally cheaper than the centre Strip, with the STRAT Cafe and PT’s Wings and Sports among the casual options.
The tower: the best view in Vegas
The Strat Tower is the reason this hotel exists in the conversation. At 1,149 feet, the observation deck gives you a view of the entire Strip, the city, and the mountains that nothing else in Vegas matches. Day or night, it is spectacular – and at night, with the Strip lit up below you, it is one of the great Vegas experiences, period.
The tower also has thrill rides – the kind where you dangle off the side of a 100-plus-story building. Big Shot and X-Scream are operating; Insanity is closed indefinitely for maintenance. Rides run from 2 to 10 in the afternoon daily, with a 48-inch height minimum and a minimum age of 14. I am not going to pretend I loved them, but they are a genuine bucket-list item for adrenaline people.
SkyPod admission starts around $27 on weekdays and $34 on weekends when booked online, with ride packages from $34 and unlimited-ride passes at $49 to $59. Nevada residents and STRAT hotel guests get discounted admission at the door. Even if you do not stay at the STRAT, the tower is worth a visit. Staying there just makes it your backyard.
Rooms: basic, clean, and absurdly cheap
STRAT rooms are exactly what the price promises: basic, clean, functional hotel rooms. The property completed a major renovation when it rebranded from the Stratosphere, covering rooms, the casino floor and public areas. No new tower overhaul has been announced. Renovated rooms are still the ones to ask for – the difference between a renovated room and an older one is significant, as it is at most budget Vegas properties.
A standard room gives you the essentials: comfortable bed, TV, desk, bathroom that does the job. The decor is simple. Nothing about the room will impress you, and nothing about it should disappoint you either – it is a clean place to sleep at a price that sometimes dips below what you would pay for a motel off the highway.
The real room upgrade at the STRAT is not a suite – it is a tower-facing room on a high floor. Rooms come with Strip-view or tower-view options depending on category; check the room description when you book. Waking up to the Strip spread out below you from 20-plus stories up is the kind of thing people pay triple for elsewhere.
Casino and amenities
The STRAT casino is a full-size casino floor – slots, table games, the usual offerings. The casino has a large William Hill Race and Sports Book. The poker room closed in 2019, so poker players should look elsewhere. The STRAT has a reputation for the best-value blackjack on the Strip, with games from $5 in slower hours, which makes it a genuinely good place to learn table games without the center-Strip pressure of $25 minimums and impatient dealers.
The Swim and Social pool is seasonal, typically open March through September from 10 in the morning to 5, with a hot tub and cabanas for rent – fine for cooling off, not a scene. Dining is budget-friendly: restaurants include the revolving Top of the World, CHI Asian Kitchen, McCall’s Heartland Grill, PT’s Wings and Sports, the STRAT Cafe, and the Swim and Social Bar and Cafe, plus coffee shops and five bars and lounges. You are not coming to the STRAT for the food, but you will not go hungry and you will not go broke.
Price and value
The STRAT regularly posts the lowest rates of any major hotel on the Strip. Base rates are among the lowest on the Strip, often in the teens to $40s in the fall, before the $49.95 resort fee. Watch for promos: a fall package ran $49 midweek with no resort fee and a $50 resort credit. This is the hotel’s entire pitch, and it delivers.
Do the honest math, though. Add the resort fee of $49.95 a night plus tax (about $56.63 all in), and add your estimated rideshare spending if you plan to spend your nights center-Strip or downtown. Even with those costs, the STRAT usually wins on total trip cost by a wide margin – the nightly savings are that large.
Parking is not free for most visitors: self-parking runs about $22 to $23 a day, with weekday valet at $25 and weekend valet at $30. Nevada locals and qualifying True Rewards members can park free. If you are driving to Vegas, factor parking into the total – but the lowest room rates on the Strip are a combination nobody else matches.
Check rates and availability for The STRAT
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Often the cheapest room on the Strip, by a wide margin
- The tower – best views in Vegas, right outside your door
- Friendly table minimums, good for casual gamblers
- Close to Fremont Street and downtown
Cons:
- North-Strip location, far from the center-Strip action
- The surrounding area is rougher than the tourist corridor
- Rooms are basic – clean and functional, not exciting
- You will spend money on rideshares or transit to get around
- Pool and dining are adequate, not destinations
Who the STRAT is for
The STRAT is for the budget traveler who prioritizes price above all else and does not mind being away from the center of the action. Solo travelers, young groups, gamblers who want low table minimums, and anyone who looks at center-Strip prices and laughs.
It is also for the view chaser. If the observation deck is on your must-do list, staying at the STRAT turns tower admission – which starts in the high $20s, with ride packages from $34 – into your hotel amenity.
It is not for first-timers who want the classic Strip experience outside their door, or for travelers who plan to walk everywhere. And it is not for anyone whose hotel needs to feel upscale – the STRAT is honest about what it is.
FAQ
Is the STRAT in a bad area?
The area around the north Strip is rougher and less polished than center Strip – more budget motels, fewer crowds. It is a well-trafficked tourist area, not a dangerous one, but it does not look like the Vegas from the movies. Know what you are booking.
How far is the STRAT from the center of the Strip?
It is a 30 to 45 minute walk to the central Strip around Wynn and the Fashion Show mall, and closer to an hour on foot to Bellagio and Caesars Palace. Most guests rideshare or use transit. Budget a few dollars per ride into your trip math.
Does the STRAT charge a resort fee?
The resort fee is $49.95 a night plus tax, about $56.63 all in. Like every Strip hotel, the advertised rate is not the total – confirm the all-in price at booking.
Is parking free at the STRAT?
Parking is not free for most visitors: self-parking runs about $22 to $23 a day, with weekday valet at $25 and weekend valet at $30. Nevada locals and qualifying True Rewards members can park free. Confirm the current policy before you go if you are driving.
Can you go up the tower if you are not staying at the hotel?
SkyPod admission starts around $27 on weekdays and $34 on weekends online. Nevada residents and STRAT hotel guests get discounted admission at the door. Hotel guests should ask about discounts at check-in.
STRAT vs Horseshoe – which budget hotel is better?
The STRAT is cheaper; the Horseshoe has the far better location. If price is everything, pick the STRAT. If you want to walk to the action, pick the Horseshoe – my Horseshoe review covers it in detail, and the budget hotels hub ranks every option.
Final verdict
The STRAT is the price champion of the Las Vegas Strip. No other major Strip hotel consistently beats its rates, and the tower alone justifies a visit. The north-Strip location is a real tradeoff – longer rides, a rougher neighborhood – but the savings are real too. I am putting my own money on it for my October trip, which tells you what I think of the value.