Hotels on Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas
There are twelve hotels in downtown Las Vegas. And here I’m talking about the safe, walk able, tourist area of downtown.
There are dive motels that are technically located downtown, just east of the Fremont Street area, but this list consists only of places that most of us regular tourists would fee comfortable staying at.
These hotels range from very low priced joints with dated, bare bones rooms, to contemporary resorts with elegantly appointed suites rivaling the luxury found on the Strip.
Fremont Street Hotels and Others Downtown
Nine of these hotels are directly on Fremont Street, while the other three are just steps away from the action. (This page may contain affiliate links for which I may receive a commission).
Some visitors, (like me), love staying right on Fremont. Staying at a hotel directly on Fremont Street offers you the convenience of easy access to the pulsating action on this wacky, exciting pedestrian boulevard, while allowing you a quick escape back to the quiet and comfort of your hotel room when the party is over.
Unlike the Strip, where going back to your room after a night out may involve Ubers, trams, buses and/or literally miles of walking, “calling it a night” on Fremont Street means taking a few steps into a casino and into a nearby elevator up to your room. (This page has affiliate links for which I may receive a commission).
The downside is that rooms facing Fremont are subject to the loud noise and bright lights of the Fremont Street Light Show, and from whatever band is playing on the street below you. If this bothers you, you can either be sure to ask for a “quiet side” room when checking in, or stay at one of the three downtown Las Vegas casinos not directly on Fremont Street.
(Go here to find some fun things to do on Fremont Street.)
The twelve hotels are listed as follows: Circa Las Vegas, The Plaza Hotel and Casino, Main Street Station, The Californian, Downtown Grand, Golden Gate, Golden Nugget, Apache Hotel at Binion’s, Fremont Hotel and Casino, Four Queens, The D Las Vegas, and the El Cortez.
Here’s a brief rundown of each of these downtown properties:
Circa Las Vegas
Opened in October of 2020, Circa Las Vegas became the first brand-new downtown hotel in over forty years. It’s far and away the nicest hotel downtown in my opinion. Basically it’s the Bellagio of Fremont Street.
The 35 story resort rises nearly 500 feet above Fremont Street. In what has to be a lucky open Circa boasts exactly 777 rooms. It because the first hotel/casino in Las Vegas to be adults-only.
The 1.25 million square foot property includes the world’s largest sportsbook, and an outdoor pool scene rivaling no other.
This “Stadium Swim” as it’s called, has huge, multiple TV screens, including a monster 143 foot by 40 foot LED screen. (And you thought your 65 inch TV was big). The resort’s six different pools are all part of what they describe as the “Country’s largest destination pool experience.”
Plaza Hotel and Casino
Anchoring the extreme west end of Fremont Street, The Plaza Hotel and Casino has 1,003 rooms – all of which have been recently remodeled in a makeover of the hotel.
The resort, whose address is 1 Main Street, was built in 1971, over the site of the former Union Pacific train station depot, (hence it’s former name “Union Plaza.”)
Most people will recognize the Plaza’s signature front entry way. It’s an old-school Las Vegas look of millions of tiny lights welcoming cars and guests to the resort. The lights, and hotel frontage have been seen in numerous movies, including “Casino.” Formerly called “Union Plaza,” you’ll recognize this hotel as Biff’s headquarters in “Back to the Future II.”
The resort has undergone a couple of different multi-million renovations to its 1,003 rooms and public areas. The hotel upgraded its rooms furnishing by purchasing all the furniture that wasn’t needed when the luxurious, planned Strip resort, the Fontainbleau, halted construction in 2009.
While their pool is modest, it’s location on the rooftop offers fantastic views.
Golden Nugget
Just down the block from the smallest hotel in downtown Las Vegas (Golden Gate) sits the largest hotel downtown, the Golden Nugget.
Prior to the new Circa Las Vegas opening, the Golden Nugget was far and away the “golden” standard for Fremont Street hotels. However it still remains the kind of place that would fit it seamlessly among the fancier Strip resorts.
With four different towers, 9 penthouse suites, another 175 suites, the Golden Nugget has 2,419 rooms total. It’s widely recognized as either the first or second most luxurious hotel in downtown Las Vegas, with some of the finest restaurants in the area, and downtown’s finest spa.
(RELATED: Stay on the Las Vegas Strip or on Fremont Street downtown?).
Rates here can be all over the map, but nightly fees are often the highest on Fremont Street.
The resort is also known for “The Tank” – its $30 million dollar swimming pool complex consisting of three levels, and a waterslide that takes riders through a 200,000 gallon aquarium full of sharks.
Golden Gate Hotel and Casino
Right across the street from the Plaza, the Golden Gate is one of the oldest buildings in Las Vegas, having been built in 1906. (Las Vegas was officially established a year earlier in 1905).
In fact, this hotel had the city’s first phone number (“1”).
The newly renovated Golden Gate has 106 rooms, (and 16 suites), making it the smallest hotel downtown (but one of the coolest too). It’s decked out in a vintage Vegas Rat Pack era decor.
Like the D Las Vegas down a few blocks on Fremont, and Circa right across the street, this boutique hotel is owned by Derek Stevens.
The resort and rooms have been renovated, from top to bottom.
Four Queens Hotel & Casino
Nothing fancy, the Four Queens, which opened in 1966, has 690 standard, no-frills rooms, including 45 suites. There’s excellent fining dining downstairs, Hugo’s Cellar, which always gets great reviews, along with the Chicago Brewing Company restaurant.
(Go here to learn about how you can upgrade your hotel room with the $20 Trick in Las Vegas).
A very affordable resort, it has small, basic rooms, with coffee makers and 32 inch flat TVs. The big selling point with the Four Queens Hotel and Casino (other than its fantastic location in the heart of the action) is that it is one of the few remaining hotels in Las Vegas without a resort fee.
If you’re just looking for a simple place to crash in-between the gambling, partying, shows and eating, the Four Queens may be your place, as it offers the perfect mid-Fremont Street location, as well as some of the lowest room rates downtown.
Fremont Hotel and Casino
Opened in 1956, the Fremont Hotel and Casino is similar to the Four Queens, in that it’s a simple, average, affordable hotel in a fantastic, convenient location, right in the center of Fremont Street.
The Fremont has 447 rooms and very basic, (some would say boring) swimming pool up top. The hotel does not charge guests a resort fee.
The D Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
With a loud, pulse pounding vibe, the D is a fun mainstay of the Fremont Street Hotel scene. The the D Las Vegas Hotel is a clean, comfortable, newly remodeled hotel that acts as a good compromise between the lower rent Fremont Hotel or Plaza Hotel, and the higher-end Circa or Golden Nugget.
The former “Fitzgerald’s” casino was bought by Derek Stevens and his brother in 2012, and subsequently remodeled and re-branded as “The D.”
You cannot miss the giant D tower, at 34 stories, and with 638 renovated rooms, it’s the third largest hotel downtown. Like with most other downtown hotels, the swimming pool here is nothing to write home to Mom about, but overall the D Las Vegas has good rooms and reasonable rates, all in a fun casino atmosphere.
Hotel Apache at Binion’s
A boutique hotel within a hotel, the Hotel Apache is an 81 room property inside the iconic Binion’s Casino. As you can see from the photo below, these are smaller, pretty basic rooms.
While the boutique hotel is “vintage” in design, (a nod to this original hotel’s 1932 roots), it does have a fitness center and a basic swimming pool on the 25th floor.
Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel
First off, you have to love this hotel’s name, as it combines almost everything I love in life.
The Main Street Station is just north of the Plaza Hotel, a block off of Fremont Street.
Built in 1977, and has Victorian-era theme. The hotel has 406 rooms, but overall the property is probably more known for the popular Triple Seven Brewery onsite.
It has also been featured on the Travel Channel – specifically the portions of the actual Berlin Wall found in the men’s restrooms in the casino.
California Hotel and Casino
Attached via a walkway to Main Street Station, (the two hotels share the same ownership), the California Hotel and Casino is known as a favorite for visitors from Hawaii for some reason.
With 781 rooms, it is the second largest hotel in downtown Las Vegas. Because it’s a block away from the action on Fremont Street, you can typically find very good room rates at the California.
(Additional articles: Stay on the Las Vegas Strip or on Fremont Street downtown?).
Downtown Grand
Formerly the Lady Luck back in the day, the Downtown Grand opened in October of 2013 after the completion of a reported $100 million in renovation.
Self-described as “industrial chic,” the Downtown Grand sets two blocks north of Fremont Street.
With the completion of the Gallery Tower in September 2020, the Downtown Grand now boasts three different hotel towers, including an 18 story and 25 story tower attached via pedestrian walkway. All total the resort boats 1,124 rooms, making it the second biggest hotel downtown (after the Golden Nugget).
The new Gallery Tower itself has 495 rooms. Of these, 67 are studio units, 20 are one-bedroom suites and three are 1,500-square-feet Presidential Suites.
As might be expected with what is basically a brand new hotel, rates are a little higher than many of its neighbors to the south on Fremont Street. Its bed and pillows get great reviews, if that’s important to you.
Another notable feature of the Downtown Grand is its pretty rooftop pool/bar/restaurant area called the Citrus Grand Pool Deck. Other than the Golden Nugget, and Circa Las Vegas, it’s the nicest pool area in downtown Las Vegas.
There are also dog-friendly hotel rooms, and a 1,500 square foot workout facility.
El Cortez
Just a block away from the Fremont Street Experience, the El Cortez is in the heart of the upcoming Fremont Street East district. The iconic hotel was once owned by Bugsy Siegel. Believe it or not, it hasn’t changed its sign or exterior since opening in 1941.
In fact, the El Cortez is on the National Registry of Historic Places.
The small hotel has 363 rooms and offers some of the most bargain-priced rooms downtown. It’s also very nearby the new, trendy bars popping up on East Fremont Street.
As for the reviews of El Cortez’s rooms? Let’s just say that you get what you pay for.
Conclusion
With downtown Las Vegas growing as a tourism destination, these twelve uniquely different hotels should be able to accommodate all different tastes and budgets while providing quick access for you to enjoy all of the fun things to do on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.
By Steve Beauregard. Photos courtesy of the city of Las Vegas’ tourism page: VisitLasVegas.com, and the Fremont Hotel & Casino. Circa Las Vegas photo courtesy of Tom Donoghue from Circa’s media page. Flickr photos from the El Cortez by Raul Jusinto, the Californian and Main Street Station by .Martin..