Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

110
CHAPTER 5 . WHERE TO STAY
are larger but have no kitchen facilities. And two-bedroom suites are not just
spacious, they are really full apartments, with large living rooms (some with sofa
beds), dining areas, and full kitchens. Ground-floor accommodations have
patios, and all accommodations feature bathrooms with oversize whirlpool tubs.
3970 Paradise Rd. (between Twain Ave. and Flamingo Rd.), Las Vegas, NV 89109. & 800/531-5900 or 702/
796-9000. Fax 702/796-3537. www.laquinta.com. 251 units. $79 and up standard double, $89 and up executive
queen; $115 and up suite. Rates include continental breakfast. Inquire about seasonal discounts. AE, DC,
DISC, MC, V. Free self-parking. Amenities: Outdoor pool; Jacuzzi; tour desk; car-rental desk; free airport/Strip
shuttle; coin-op washers; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies, dataport, kitchens in executive
rooms and suites, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron and board.
Residence Inn by Marriott Staying here is like having your own apartment
in Las Vegas. The property occupies 7 acres of perfectly manicured lawns
with tropical foliage and neat flower beds. It’s a great choice for families and
business travelers.
Accommodations, most with working fireplaces, are housed in condolike,
two-story wood-and-stucco buildings fronted by little gardens. Studios have
adjoining sitting rooms with sofas and armchairs, dressing areas, and fully
equipped eat-in kitchens complete with dishwashers. Every guest receives a welcome
basket of microwave popcorn and coffee. TVs have VCRs (you can rent
movies nearby), and all rooms have balconies or patios. Duplex penthouses,
some with cathedral ceilings, add an upstairs bedroom (with its own bathroom,
phone, TV, and radio) and a full dining room.
3225 Paradise Rd. (between Desert Inn Rd. and Convention Center Dr.), Las Vegas, NV 89109. & 800/331-
3131 or 702/796-9300. www.marriott.com. 192 units. $119 and up studio; $149 and up penthouse. Rates
include continental breakfast and free breakfast buffet, offered in lobby lounge. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Free selfparking.
Amenities: Outdoor pool; guests have access to small exercise room next door at the Marriott
Suites; Jacuzzi; coin-op washers; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, TV/VCR w/pay movies, dataport, kitchenette,
coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron and board.
MODERATE
Best Western Mardi Gras Inn Value This well-run little casino hotel has a
lot to offer. A block from the Convention Center and close to major properties,
its three-story building sits on nicely landscaped grounds. There’s a gazebo out
back where guests can enjoy a picnic lunch.
Accommodations are all spacious, queen-bedded minisuites with sofa-bedded
living-room areas and eat-in kitchens, the latter equipped with wet bars, refrigerators,
and coffeemakers. All are midlevel motel okay, but they were recently
redone so the furnishings and so forth should be fresh. Staying here is like having
your own little Las Vegas apartment. A pleasant restaurant/bar off the lobby,
open from 6:30am to 11pm daily, serves typical coffee-shop fare; a 12-ounce
prime rib dinner here is just $9.
3500 Paradise Rd. (between Sands Ave. and Desert Inn Rd.), Las Vegas, NV 89109. & 800/634-6501 or
702/731-2020. Fax 702/731-4005. www.mardigrasinn.com. 314 units. $59 and up double. Extra person $8.
Rates include free continental breakfast. Children under 18 stay free in parent’s room. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
Free parking at your room door. Amenities: Small casino; restaurant; outdoor pool; Jacuzzi; tour desk; carrental
desk; business center; free airport shuttle; limited room service; coin-op washers; nonsmoking rooms.
In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies, dataport, kitchenette, fridge, coffeemaker, iron and board.
Clarion Hotel & Suites—Emerald Springs Value Recently switched
from the Holiday Inn brand to Clarion, we aren’t sure if over time that will make
an ounce of difference. We hope that if it does, it’s not for the negative. Housed
in three peach stucco buildings, the Emerald Springs offers a friendly, low-key
alternative to the usual glitz and glitter of Vegas accommodations. You’ll enter