Sahara Las Vegas is a North Strip casino resort with hotel accommodations, several dining options, free self-parking and valet, and its own Monorail station. I think its strongest selling point is convenience for drivers and convention travelers, rather than a central Strip address. The main trade-off is that exploring the busiest stretch of the Strip takes transportation planning. It best suits visitors who want a casino-hotel base and are comfortable riding rather than walking everywhere.
Sahara Las Vegas quick facts
| Address | 2535 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 |
|---|---|
| Property type | North Strip casino resort |
| Minimum gambling age | 21 |
| Hotel towers | Alexandria, Blanca, and Marra |
| Check-in / check-out | 4:00 p.m. / 11:00 a.m. |
| Daily resort fee | $54.95 plus tax; the pretax fee is included in direct quoted room rates |
| Parking | Free self-parking and valet for hotel and property guests |
| Poker room | No |
| Retail sportsbook | No |
| Transportation | Monorail station, Vegas Loop station, taxis, rideshare, and paid airport transfers |
| Rewards program | Infinity Rewards |
| Guest rooms | All non-smoking |
| Guest-assistance text line | 702-930-2701, not the main voice telephone number |
| Information date | October 13, 2026 |
What kind of casino is Sahara?
Sahara sits between a quick gambling stop and a sprawling destination resort. Its appeal is having a hotel, restaurants, a casino, and seasonal pool access together, rather than trying to outsize the Strip’s biggest properties.
If you remember it as SLS, you have the right place. Las Vegas Advisor dates its return to the Sahara name to August 2019, a useful distinction when browsing older reviews and photographs.
The address matters: Sahara is at Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, north of the main concentration of central Strip attractions. Staying here is not the same proposition as stepping out near Bellagio or Caesars Palace.
My advice is to map your itinerary before booking. Convention-center visits and Monorail-connected destinations can make this location useful. If most reservations are farther south, transportation belongs in your room-price comparison.
Casino floor and gaming
Sahara offers machine gaming and live table games, with a high-limit area shown on the property map. I would not choose it on the assumption that a North Strip address guarantees cheaper minimums or better rules. The table in front of you, not the neighborhood, determines the wager.
Take a lap before buying in. Check which tables are open, read the posted rules, and ask about the minimum. Game availability and staffing can change, so an older table list is not a promise of what you will find.
Slots and video poker
Machine titles, denominations, and inventories change. Slot players should check the total wager, not just the denomination: a penny label does not necessarily mean a small spin. Video poker players should compare the specific game’s pay table before choosing a seat.
Guest stories about winning or losing do not establish a casino’s payout percentage. Set a budget you can afford to lose, and treat the session as entertainment rather than a way to pay for the hotel.
Table games
Minimums and operating tables can vary with demand. If a particular game or low-limit session is essential, ask about your intended day and time rather than relying on an old advertised minimum.
Where different versions are offered, compare their rules. At blackjack, read the payout and posted conditions. At roulette, count the zero pockets. At craps, distinguish the standard game from crapless variations. Similar-looking tables can offer very different propositions.
Poker room
Sahara has no dedicated player-versus-player poker room. Video poker and poker-themed house games are separate forms of gambling, not cash-game rooms.
Sportsbook
Sahara has no on-property retail sportsbook. Sports screens in a restaurant or lounge should not be confused with a betting counter.
Hotel rooms and booking costs
Sahara’s accommodations are spread across the Alexandria, Blanca, and Marra towers. Compare the specific room description, bed configuration, bathroom layout, and photographs rather than assuming every tower delivers the same room.
Oyster’s hotel review describes rooms as small by Las Vegas standards, with limited storage. It includes older property details, so use that observation as a reason to check your chosen room’s current dimensions and layout, not as a verdict on every accommodation.
I would rather have a layout that suits the trip than pay extra for an impressive category name. Discuss essential accessibility features and bed arrangements before booking. Requests for high floors or placement away from elevators are noted but not guaranteed.
Check-in is 4:00 p.m., and check-out is 11:00 a.m. Early room access and late checkout depend on availability.
Resort fee: do not add it twice
Sahara publishes a daily resort fee of $54.95 plus tax. Its website, booking-engine, and reservation-agent room quotes already include the pretax fee. Taxes are additional. When comparing booking channels, check what each displayed total includes before adding anything.
At the published 13.38% tax rate, the supplied calculation puts tax on the resort-fee component at $7.35 per night. That is not the full tax bill for your room.
The booking terms also specify a $50 daily incidental authorization, in addition to room charges, taxes, and fees. Unused incidental funds may take up to five business days to be released by your financial institution. That hold requires available card funds but is not automatically a permanent expense.
Gamboool’s three-night stay-cost comparison
This comparison separates included charges, occupancy-related costs, and temporary authorizations. The examples assume a three-night stay and are illustrations, not live room quotes.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information and our calculations. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| Direct hotel pricing: Resort-fee inclusion versus taxes | The published daily resort fee is $54.95 plus tax. Sahara says its website, booking-engine, and reservation-agent quotes already include the resort fee, while taxes are additional. |
| Parking: Self-parking versus valet | Both self-parking and valet are free for hotel and property guests, including short visits and multiday stays. |
| Hotel occupancy: Two adults versus additional adults | The third and fourth adults each add $15.00 per night to the room rate; guests aged 17 and under are considered children for this policy. |
| Additional bedding: Rollaway versus crib | Adult and child rollaways each cost $30.00 per night; cribs have no charge, but room compatibility must be confirmed. |
| Incidental deposit: Temporary authorization versus spending | The card authorization includes a $50.00 daily incidental deposit in addition to room charges, taxes, and resort fees. Unused incidental funds may take up to five business days to be released. |
| Reservation deposit: Booking payment versus check-in requirements | The first night’s room rate and tax are charged at booking. The cardholder must present the booking card and valid photo identification at check-in. |
| Cancellation: Reservation-specific cancellation versus no-show | Cancellation terms vary by booking, and late cancellation can cost the full reservation. The published no-show fee is one night’s room rate plus applicable taxes. |
| Resort credits: Eligible outlet spending versus excluded charges | Credits require guest-room charges at participating outlets and cannot pay for rooms, taxes, gratuities, resort fees, or gaming. Daily credits do not roll over. |
| Airport transfers: Per-person starting fare | LASXpress offers prebooked airport transfers with published fares starting at $18.00 one way per person. |
| Public transportation: Monorail frequency and station access | Sahara is the Monorail’s northern terminus, with trains every four to eight minutes and a pedestrian walkway near Alexandria Tower. |
| Vegas Loop: Destination service versus airport availability | The published Loop network includes convention-center and resort destinations, but airport service is described as beta service with limited availability. |
| Vehicle parking: Garage clearance versus oversized overnight parking | The garages accommodate vehicles under six feet eight inches. Oversized vehicles, including RVs and trailers, are not permitted to park overnight. |
| Parking garages: Height restriction | The published garage clearance is for vehicles under six feet eight inches; oversized-vehicle valet is subject to availability and restrictions. |
| Room selection: Requested location versus guaranteed accommodation | Requests for high floors or placement near or away from elevators are recorded but not guaranteed. |
| Guest rooms: Room smoking and property cannabis restrictions | All guest rooms are nonsmoking. Cannabis possession, use, and consumption are prohibited throughout the property, including the casino floor. |
| Animals: Pets versus service dogs | Pets are prohibited, with an exception for service dogs. Service dogs must remain with their owners and cannot be left unattended in rooms. |
| Uno Más Street Tacos + Spirits: Published temporary closure | The restaurant’s dedicated page announces a temporary closure beginning June 19, 2026, without supplying a reopening date. |
| Fitness center: Published access schedule | The FAQ lists Alexandria fitness-center hours on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with closures on Tuesday and Wednesday. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Daily tax on the resort-fee component | $7.35 per night, rounded to two decimal places | The resort-fee component also attracts tax. Sahara says its direct quoted rates already include the fee, so do not add the fee again when comparing those quotes. |
| Resort-fee component of an illustrative three-night stay, before tax | $164.85 per illustrative stay, before tax, rounded to two decimal places | Use this to understand the fee component of the stay, not as an additional charge on top of a direct quote that already includes it. |
| Incidental authorization for an illustrative three-night stay | $150.00 of incidental authorization, rounded to two decimal places | Allow card headroom for the incidental authorization separately from the stay cost; unused incidental funds are not a permanent hotel charge. |
| Four adults versus two adults in one room for an illustrative three-night stay | $90.00 of additional room-rate charges, before tax, rounded to two decimal places | Sharing a room with more adults changes the quoted room cost even if everyone uses the existing beds. |
| One rollaway versus existing bedding for an illustrative three-night stay | $90.00 of rollaway charges, before any applicable tax, rounded to two decimal places | An extra bed is a separate cost from the additional-adult surcharge. Confirm that the selected room can accommodate a rollaway before relying on it. |
| Starting-fare airport-transfer budget for an illustrative couple traveling round trip | $72.00 at the published starting fare, rounded to two decimal places | Compare the party’s combined transfer cost with a taxi or rideshare quote, rather than comparing a per-person shuttle fare with a whole-vehicle fare. The starting fare is not a guaranteed booking price. |
Research references: saharalasvegas.com 1, saharalasvegas.com 2, saharalasvegas.com 3, saharalasvegas.com 4.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-13. Illustrative assumptions are labeled, and the full calculation inputs remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
- Resort-fee component: $164.85 before tax. This is already inside a direct quote under Sahara’s published policy, not an extra amount to add again.
- Illustrative incidental authorization: $150. Allow for this separately from the stay’s actual cost.
- Four adults instead of two: $90 more before tax. This uses the published surcharge for the third and fourth adults over three nights.
- One rollaway: $90 before any applicable tax. It is separate from the extra-adult charge, and the room must accommodate it.
That is the comparison I find useful: equivalent rooms, occupancy, cancellation flexibility, and expected transportation. Free parking helps drivers, but it does not erase resort charges or make every offer a bargain.
The first night’s room rate and tax are due as a booking deposit. Cancellation terms vary, so use your confirmation rather than assuming a universal window. Included resort credits require room charges at participating outlets, cannot cover gaming or resort fees, and do not roll over from one day to the next.
Restaurants and bars
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Sahara’s Guest Services page lists mobile pickup ordering from Balla Italian Soul, Chickie’s & Pete’s, Zeffer’s Cafe, and The Noodle Den. Those choices make staying on property for meals practical.
Balla is the Italian-dinner option, Chickie’s & Pete’s fits a casual sports-bar meal, and The Noodle Den offers a change from the usual steak-and-burger routine. Compare menus and opening times against your budget and schedule.
Maroon by Kwame Onwuachi is another dinner option. Sahara’s official dining feature describes it as a steakhouse drawing on Onwuachi’s Jamaican heritage and Caribbean cooking traditions. Check its menu and reservation availability for your dates.
Do not plan a meal around Uno Más. Its restaurant page announces a temporary closure beginning June 19, 2026, without a reopening date. Older listings may still show it.
CASBAR Lounge appears on the property map, but check current hours before choosing it as a meeting point. A casino operating late does not mean every kitchen or lounge keeps the same schedule.
Pools, fitness, and entertainment
The resort fee includes in-season pool access, fitness-center access, and in-room Wi-Fi. Confirm pool access conditions for your dates if swimming is a major reason for booking.
The fitness schedule is a practical limitation. Sahara’s FAQ lists the Alexandria fitness center as closed Tuesday and Wednesday, open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday and Thursday, and open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Use the dated entertainment calendar for your trip. I would not choose a hotel because an older article names a performer who may no longer be appearing.
Parking, directions, and transportation
Free parking and EV charging
Self-parking and valet are free for hotel and property guests, including short visits and multiday stays. The West Garage is accessed from Las Vegas Boulevard, and the East Garage from Paradise Road. Sahara’s Guest Services page provides arrival and transportation details.
The garages accommodate vehicles under 6 feet 8 inches. Oversized vehicles, including RVs and trailers, cannot park overnight under the booking terms. Free parking does not mean every vehicle will fit.
EV drivers have 16 Level 2 connectors on the seventh floor of the West Garage, advertised at up to 10 kW and available 24/7. Non-Tesla drivers start sessions through the Tesla app. Do not assume free parking means free charging.
Monorail and Vegas Loop
Sahara is the Monorail’s northern terminus, reached by the pedestrian walkway near Alexandria Tower. The property lists trains every four to eight minutes and connections to six other stations, including the Las Vegas Convention Center and MGM Grand.
I would favor the Monorail when your destinations line up with its stations. Compare the trip door to door, however: include the walks at each end, luggage, mobility needs, and the number of travelers.
The Vegas Loop station is at the Paradise Road entrance. Sahara describes convention-center and resort connections, but airport service is in beta testing with limited availability. Confirm it for your date rather than building a tight flight schedule around it.
Airport transfers: compare the whole party
LASXpress transfers start at $18 per person one way. At that published starting fare, the supplied calculation gives an illustrative couple a $72 round-trip budget, not a guaranteed booking price.
Compare that total with a taxi or rideshare quote for the whole vehicle. A per-person fare can look inexpensive until everyone is counted. The Monorail does not serve Harry Reid International Airport, so arrange airport transportation separately.
Smoking, accessibility, and practical policies
All guest rooms are non-smoking, and cannabis possession, use, and consumption are prohibited throughout the property. Those policies do not establish a tobacco-free casino floor. If smoke exposure is a deciding issue, ask specifically about the gaming areas and your route through the resort.
Confirm the accessibility features you need, including bathroom configuration, bed access, and transportation requirements. The property’s Loop information says dedicated ADA vehicles are available; tell the station attendant what you need.
You must be 21 or older to gamble. Bring valid government-issued photo identification. Pets are not permitted, with an exception for service dogs under the booking policy.
Infinity Rewards
Infinity Rewards is Sahara’s casino loyalty program. Enroll before gambling if you want eligible play tracked, and ask how your preferred games earn benefits. Do not assume slot and table-game tracking work identically.
My standing advice: treat a comp as a bonus on play you already intended to make. Gambling beyond your budget to earn a discounted meal or room is an expensive way to shop.
Strengths and limitations
Sahara’s strongest practical combination is free parking, direct Monorail access, on-site dining, and a hotel attached to the casino. Drivers and convention travelers have clear reasons to consider it, and short gambling-and-dining visits do not add a parking charge.
The main limitations are its North Strip location, substantial resort-fee component, restricted fitness hours, and dining schedules that need checking. Free parking is a strength, not proof that the full stay costs less than a more central alternative.
For other options, see our guide to Nevada casinos.
Who Sahara Las Vegas is best for
Sahara suits drivers and convention travelers who value free parking, direct Monorail access, and a casino-hotel base with several dining options. I would shortlist it when the itinerary fits its North Strip location, but compare the full booking total and allow for transportation rather than judging value by the room rate alone. Travelers whose main goal is walking between central Strip attractions should choose a more central property; fitness-focused guests should also weigh the gym’s limited schedule.
Sahara Las Vegas FAQ
Is Sahara on the Las Vegas Strip?
Yes. It is at the northern end, at Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, rather than in the central Strip hotel cluster.
Is parking free at Sahara?
Yes. Self-parking and valet are free for hotel and property guests. Garage height and oversized-vehicle restrictions still apply.
Does Sahara have a poker room or sportsbook?
No. Sahara has no dedicated poker room or on-property retail sportsbook.
How much is Sahara’s resort fee?
The published daily fee is $54.95 plus tax. Direct quoted room rates already include the pretax fee, so do not add it twice.
What are check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is 4:00 p.m., and check-out is 11:00 a.m. Early room access and late checkout are subject to availability.
Can you take the Monorail to the airport?
No. Arrange a taxi, rideshare, paid transfer, or another confirmed option. Sahara describes Loop airport service as limited beta service.
How old must you be to gamble at Sahara?
You must be at least 21.
Sources and information date
Property information supplied for this guide is dated October 13, 2026. Offers, venue schedules, transportation availability, and charges can change. Check the official Sahara Las Vegas website and your reservation confirmation before traveling. The earlier page’s official website link is retained here.
The property map helps locate towers, garages, and walkways, but older venue labels should not override current closure notices. The June 2026 Nevada Gaming Commission agenda identifies SB Gaming, LLC as the Sahara gaming entity, with Las Vegas Resort Holdings, LLC as its parent.
Poker room and sportsbook
There is no dedicated poker room or on-site sportsbook.