Ultra Hip Patio Room Review - Planet Hollywood Las Vegas
Key Points:
- The Ultra Hip Patio Room features an outdoor space that opens to the pool and starts at under $175/nt after fees.
- Chock full of deals, the Miracle Mile Shops make the resort a great home base.
- Despite lacking any real "wow-factor", this room is solid for the price.
Planet Hollywood has long been one of my favorite budget properties in Las Vegas, with standard rooms (that don't suck) starting at under $100/nt after fees.
The Miracle Mile Shops add to the value proposition, with myriad food & drink deals (covered below!), and the resort's mid-Strip location is tough to beat.
I recently noticed they added Patio Rooms with an outdoor space that opens to the pool, similar to the Poolside Cabana Room at LINQ.
A "pool guy" at my core, I had to check it out.
Check-In & Cost
I paid $156.78 total for a night in the Ultra Hip Patio Room, which is about as cheap as it gets.
The check-in process at Caesars properties remains stuck in the 1990s.
Unlike MGM Resorts' seamless app check-in & room keys that allow you to skip the front desk, Planet Hollywood still forces you to visit a lobby staffed by a mix of kiosks and humans.
While MGM properties will let you into your room early for free when available, Caesars charges a tiered early check-in fee right up to 4pm, with the price dropping as standard check-in approaches.
I shit you not, they recently tried to charge me $20 at 3:58 pm... 2 minutes before check-in... at LINQ recently. Just disrespectful, and borderline hilarious.
On this occasion, I was (begrudgingly) willing to pay for early check-in and ponied up $30 for the privilege.
I like Caesars properties, but the check-in process being far inferior to that of their biggest competitor on the Strip remains a major factor in my booking decisions.
Ultra Hip Patio Room Review
Despite being a budget-friendly property, Planet Hollywood's hotel common areas have a bit of rizz to 'em, are well lit, and are in good condition.
It's a good introduction to the hotel.
The Ultra Hip Patio Room is essentially a standard Ultra Hip room with an added outdoor patio.
It's a smidge smaller than the similarly appointed Ultra Hip Resort Cabana Room.
Aside from that outdoor space, the room isn't all that impressive, but it's solid for the price and above average in size at 450 SF.
The TV was crisp, had a channel guide, and there was an empty mini-fridge in the cupboard next to the work desk - A necessary amenity for those looking to slurp down cheap beverages purchased from the ABC Store in the Miracle Mile Shops.
There was a little table and chairs pushed up against the wall graphic that oddly isn't wide enough for the wall it's plastered on.
While the zebra-striped graphic is weird, I liked the above-bed wall art.
The bathroom has a bit more visual pizzazz, with an illuminated mirror, deep soaking tub, and separate water closet.
A lot of room for activities in here.
The outdoor patio is pretty spacious, and the furniture was of higher quality than I expected. Those padded seats were great.
Unlike LINQ's poolside rooms, Planet Hollywood's don't have a TV.
I appreciated the solid walls that prevented awkward eye contact with your neighbors.
The door to the pool area is unlocked when the pool opens and locked overnight.
You can still use the patio during the winter when the pool closes for the season.
What's Not To Like?
When I review hotels, I give you the whole story, not just the good, so that you can make a more informed decision.
These rooms were last renovated as part of a 2017 project, and they've held up well for the price point.
That said, it's not a perfect room.
The tub floor was discolored, grout lines are tired, several surfaces were in rough shape, and the showerhead could use a spritz of CLR.
The worst flaw was elevator noise.
My room was next to the elevator lobby, and one of the elevators made a freight-train-like noise every time it moved up and down. That noise never stopped throughout the night.
It sounded like the room above me was rolling a bowling ball back and forth at random times.
Flukey one-off issue... but it was infuriating. Almost dragged my mattress out to the patio to sleep. No joke.
Flaws aside, I've found Planet Hollywood rooms to be one of the better values on the Strip. You get a lot of room for a non-appalling price.
The resort experience, which I'm diving into next, only enhances the appeal.
Planet Hollywood Resort Experience
The Pool
This was my first time at The Scene, what PH calls its pool, and it left me a bit underwhelmed.
The rooftop complex has two main pools separated by a large concrete area with seating, a bar, and table games. This "middle ground" with no pool visibility was where most of the free loungers were.
Only one of the two pools was open when I visited promptly at 9 am.
The best part of The Scene is the views.
The cabanas looked solid, and they're among the cheapest on the Strip, starting at a $125 flat rate for the day.
Uniquely, Planet Hollywood's pool features the FlowRider, which costs $34.99 per person and lets you surf a stream of water (it's not running in this picture).
Miracle Mile Shops
Home to affordable food, drink, and shows, the Miracle Mile Shops are the best part of staying at Planet Hollywood.
ABC Stores (plural!) are steps from your hotel elevator, so you can stock your room with cheap drinks & snacks.
On the food front, Blondies offers a $5.99 weekday breakfast deal that isn't huge, but it's decent for the price.
Blondies also offers a $20 AYCD deal from 3-6 pm Monday-Friday.
La Salsa Cantina offers a similar breakfast deal, for $6.99 during the week and $9.99 on weekends.
Rosa Mexicano sells an $8 breakfast that consists of a sandwich, hash brown brick, and unlimited coffee.
I was surprised to see Flights advertising breakfast starting at $7.99, lunch at $8.99, and dinner at $9.99.
I'll have to swing in to check it out, as it seems like a new development.
Ketchup has one of the better burger basket deals on the Strip. This girthy bastard and the fries it came with cost $5.99 from 10am-3pm Monday - Friday.
You can add a draft Bud Light for just $3.
Earl of Sandwich is a favorite of many, and I finally got around to eating there this trip.
Breakfast sandwiches start at $9.99, but I went with the $10.99 Italian. Not huge, but quite tasty.
In addition to food & drink, the Miracle Mile Shops' V and Saxe Theaters host a slew of affordable shows, including mentalism, burlesque, tributes, and comedy.
I thought V The Ultimate Variety Show was unreal cool, and tickets are affordable at $30-$40. The theater isn't fancy, but I was legitimately concerned for the safety of several acts.
Well worth the money.
Casino
I love the look of Planet Hollywood's casino, especially from the second-level perch near Strip House.
They were dealing $15 craps, $20 3 Card Poker, and $25 6:5 blackjack and pai gow poker.
The draw for low rollers, though, is their stadium configuration, which offers roulette, blackjack, and craps at a $5 minimum.
Notably, an actual shooter comes up to the table when it's their turn to shoot, and their betting screen is mirrored on the screen by the table.
It's affordable, and darn close to the real thing.
They also have my late grandma's favorite slot machine, Enchanted Unicorn. The only Strip casino I've seen it in.
Ultra Hip Patio Room Verdict
Planet Hollywood's hotel product is getting a bit long in the tooth, a decade-plus removed from its last renovation, but it remains a solid option for the price.
It's one of the better budget-friendly hotels on the Strip, in a great location, with the Miracle Mile shops as a huge asset.
The Ultra Hip Patio Room and slightly larger Cabana Room are a unique offering, and a great option for pool people.
One of the biggest benefits is being able to stock your room with cheap food & drink to enjoy on your patio vs. being forced to buy it poolside at an inflated price.
What I appreciated most was the price point. I paid a hair over $150 for a night, and the Patio Room is commonly available for under $175/nt mid-week.
Nothing about it will "wow" you, but it's a good value.
I’m a former software salesman turned Vegas aficionado. While the craps table is my preferred habitat, I pull myself away to explore new attractions, shows, restaurants, and outdoor activities around Las Vegas with the intent of sharing my experiences.
Ultimately, I just want to help folks plan a better trip and save a few bucks in the process.
