Dirty & Damaged: My Stay at Flamingo Las Vegas

Key Points:

• Flamingo’s “Flamingo Room” was renovated in 2018, and the work hasn’t held up well. Mine was beat up & dirty.

• Flamingo Rooms start at around $80/nt after fees, and, based on my room, aren’t worth it.

• The property is in the midst of a “rolling renovation” project touching various aspects of the resort experience.

Ranking among the cheapest on the Strip, rooms at Flamingo start at under $75/nt after fees, and the property has been slowly reinventing itself with a new pool scene, fresh food & beverage concepts, and room refreshes.

A slew of upcoming projects were recently announced, including a new hotel lobby, a reimagining of Bugsy’s Bar, and the addition of Category 10, a country music bar by Luke Combs.

Unrenovated “Fab Rooms” are the cheapest option, but I upgraded to a more recently refreshed “Flamingo Room”, which looked good at first glance, but ended up as one of the least inspiring rooms I’ve had in Vegas.

Room, Cost & Check-In

My Flamingo Room was complimentary thanks to my gambling activity in the Caesars Rewards loyalty program. I was still on the hook for the resort fee + tax, totaling $50.96 for the night.

This room type starts at around $80/nt after fees, about $5 more than the base, unrenovated “Fab” rooms.

Check-in at Flamingo is a consistent nightmare. Lines are always long, and my success rate with the self-check-in kiosks hovers around 50%.

Excitedly, Flamingo recently announced that the lobby will be renovated (rendering below). Hopefully, they ditch the kiosks!

My Flamingo Room

Current state, Flamingo’s main floor elevator lobby is nothing special.

It was very much the lobby of a low-end hotel.

Fortunately, this part of the resort is getting touched in the near future, and I LOVE the look.

Now, imagine checking in at that new desk, stepping into that beautiful new main level elevator lobby pictured above, only to have this greet you on your floor…

Nothing’s been announced… but I hope similar upgrades are planned for the hotel floors to match the grandeur of the main level.

My first impression of the room’s aesthetic was strong, even though the thermostat was set to “off” in the middle of the summer, making it hot af.

Not sure if that’s standard at Flamingo, or a one-off… but I didn’t love it.

Flamingo rooms are 350 square feet, and I thought the layout & room decor were on point. Let’s take a look:

A popular amenity, you’ll be happy to know there’s an empty fridge.

A big fan of illuminated mirrors, I liked the look of the bathroom (until I looked closer, that is..), although the half-glass partitions that let water get all over the floor drive me nuts.

My favorite aspect of the room was the wall art and decor, which paid homage to the resort’s history.

Despite my low floor, the Strip-view was pretty cool to take in as well.

The idea behind this room is spectacular. If properly maintained and clean, I’d argue this is one of the best budget-friendly hotel rooms on the Strip.

But that wasn’t the case.

What’s Not To Like?

When I review hotels, I don’t just share the good; I aim to give the whole story so that you can make a more informed decision.

While this room was fashionable from a distance, it was one of the most beat-up, dirtiest hotels I’ve stayed in (and I’ve stayed darn near everywhere).

I’ll just shut my yap and let the pictures do the talking.

There are more pictures like these. So so so many wall scuffs, scrapes, and gouges. This room is the definition of “great concept, poor execution”.

This room could be an excellent, affordable option if it weren’t maintained like a youth hostel.

Flamingo Resort Experience

GoPool

Flamingo recently spent $20M to bulldoze their former GoPool, which I loved, to create this new incarnation.

It’s still loud on the music front, and there’s minimal seating available, so line up in the morning like it’s Black Friday, or be prepared to stand in the pool.

I ordered a large tequila sunrise, knew it would hurt my finances, but was shocked when the pre-tip total came to $50.

The pool seemed smaller than the old version. There are smaller pools surrounding this main one, but they’re reserved for folks who rented cabanas.

Uniquely, Flamingo’s pool is open to the public. Access is free for anyone 21+.

Food & Drink

Flamingo is in the process of overhauling its dining lineup, recently adding Pinky’s by Vanderpump, Havana 1957, and Gordon Ramsay Burger, and is building out Category 10 by Luke Combs in the former Margaritaville space.

Since my stay, Carlos’ n’ Charlie’s has also closed to make room for… more slots. Boo.

On this occasion, I wanted to save a few bucks and stopped into the food hall for a chicken sandwich and fries at Wingzone, which cost $21.90 before tax & tip… and didn’t include a drink.

So much for saving money, lol.

The Count Room Speakeasy, an offshoot of Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse, is one of my favorite aspects of the resort.

The lounge is elegant, and the drink prices are elevated (as you’d expect from a venue like this).

That said, it’s totally worth stopping by from 8-11pm on Friday or Saturday nights to see “The Moonshiners”, a free lounge act that had me mesmerized.

They perform modern hits in a prohibition-era style. It’s amazing. We had planned to stay for 1 drink… and ended up staying for 5.

Wildlife Habitat

Although it smells like death, the outdoor Flamingo Habitat is a chill place to walk off your gambling losses, stocked with a flock of Chilean flamingos, various types of fowl (birds), turtles, and some oddball fish varieties.

The Verdict on Flamingo

My Flamingo Room at Flamingo was a spectacular concept. If clean and in decent condition, it’s one of the best budget friendly rooms on the Strip.

That wasn’t the case. This room was a disaster. It was disgusting.

Obviously, my experience is anecdotal. It could be a fluke. But I think it’s fair to expect more.

Related Las Vegas Hotel Reviews (better budget options IMO):

STRAT Elevate Room Review

Luxor Tower Premier Room Review

Mandalay Bay Room Review

See my Flamingo Hotel Review on YouTube: