Key Points:
- Renovated rooms at Fremont Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas start in the mid-$60s after fees.
- Starting at just 240 SF, these are some of the smallest rooms in Las Vegas.
- Location is tough to beat, and I was impressed by how polished the room was despite the noise pollution.
Fremont, one of 3 Boyd Gaming properties downtown, has undergone quite the makeover in recent years.
The casino floor has a fresh, new look. The former Paradise Buffet space is now a food hall, and rooms in the hotel tower have been renovated and look sharp.
As a history nerd, I dig the property’s legacy, which began in 1956 when it opened as the tallest building in the state.
I recently logged into my Boyd Rewards account and saw that I had a complimentary room offer, so I decided to take one of those new rooms for a spin.
Room, Cost, & Check-In
Despite traveling alone, I booked a Deluxe 2 Double Bed Room.
Why? Great question.
The King room only offers 240 SF, while the 2-bed variant has a handful more at 288 SF, which is still tiny, but as a 6′ 4″ dude, I’ll take it.
My room was complimentary, thanks to my play in the Boyd Rewards program. Notably, Boyd properties also waive the resort fee on comped rooms, so this room was legitimately free. Refreshing.
These rooms start in the mid-$60s.
I skipped the kiosks on this occasion to request a quieter room in person. Unfortunately, Fremont doesn’t give the option to book a guaranteed quiet (…or quieter) room online, so you’ll be rolling the dice.
She “did her best”, which I inferred correctly to mean I was fu*ked.
Fremont Deluxe Room Review
Conveniently, the hotel elevators are right behind the registration desk, and the approach was legitimately nice.
A minor detail, but vending machines on your hotel floor are a nice touch that can save a long walk for a small snack or mixer.
Despite being tiny, this room is really sharp-looking and makes a great first impression. The furnishings, finishes, backlit headboard, and new TV combine to give the room a modern vibe.
I’m a sucker for backlit headboards, and I really liked the art & accent wall, even though the art was quite basic.
Not sure if people actually read in Vegas, but there are reading lights built into the headboard.
The TV was mounted above a compact work desk and had a sharp picture & on-screen guide.
An empty mini-fridge was a nice touch, but the absence of in-room coffee was a bummer.
The bathroom is humorously small, but again, sharp.
I was alone, so the lack of space was no biggie, but I’d struggle with the setup if my wife was here taking 2 hours to “get ready”… Whatever the hell that even means.
She legit looks the same after the hours-long process as she did going in. No idea why we’re pissing away so much time.
Fortunately, she doesn’t read my stuff anymore.
Back to the bathroom.
They were working with one of the smallest footprints I’ve seen, and did a nice job with the space they had, but OOF. She’s tight.
Size aside, I really like the look of it.
Bath products were provided in wall-mounted dispensers.
What’s Not to Like?
When I review hotels, I aim to share the whole story, not just the good, so you can make a more informed decision.
We’ve covered the room size. It’s small. One of the smallest. We don’t need to beat that horse any longer. It’s already dead.
Next up: Noise.
Remember how the front desk “did her best” on a quiet room? This was my view. Ominous.
To put my room’s position relative to Fremont Street in context, here is a photo of it from across the street. My room was in the area circled in yellow.
I may be wrong, but this room, which faces Fremont Street and an entertainment stage across the street, HAS to be one of the loudest rooms at the resort.
My first taste of the room was during the day, and noise levels were manageable. That changed at 10 pm, when the volume was ratcheted up about 300 notches.
This is the kind of noise you can feel. The kind of noise that earplugs don’t help with. The kind of noise that your A/C unit can’t cover up.
Aside from those two major red flags, my Deluxe Room was in spectacular condition.
A rarity, the room had zero cleanliness issues, and this chipped/cracked door frame was the only real maintenance blemish.
Fremont Resort Experience
The rooms aren’t the only thing that got spruced up. The gaming floor received an overhaul; they opened a new food hall, and Tony Roma’s is out, making way for a new concept.
The Casino
The gaming floor looks great, and they were dealing $10 Roll To Win (hybrid) craps, $11 forced-side-bet 6:5 blackjack (gross), and $25 3:2 blackjack & pai gow.
The fresh sportsbook is great. I vividly recall how depressing it was before the renovation.
It was the kind of place where rough men with long, greasy hair came to bet on horses, taking notes with pencils in a book or on a sheet of paper as a cigarette dangled from the corner of their mouth.
Now the “bros” hang out there with their trendy haircuts, yelling “LET’S GO!” while slapping each other’s hands.
Not sure what’s worse, tbh.
At least I’m not scared to make eye contact now, I suppose.
Food & Drink
Fremont, Main Street Station, and The California have been known for offering a screamin’ beer deal for years, but the price has recently crept up to $5 for a bottle or 16oz draft.
Still not terrible, but not as great.
Filament is one of the bars where the $5 beers are available. They have a fun lighting theme, and it’s where, according to them, “drinking is always a bright idea”.
Get it?!
I love a good play on words.
Lanai Express is a quick-serve restaurant that sells everything from Chinese food and oxtail soup to hot dogs and sandwiches.
What’s the old saying? “Jack of all trades, master at none” or something?
I recently ordered the $13.99 Chinese Combo, which lets you choose two items served over rice or noodles. It was soggy/squishy, but a lot of food.
They also famously serve one of the cheapest shrimp cocktails in Vegas at $3.99. It isn’t great. But it’s an option.
The new food hall is home to options such as Dunkin’, 3rd Street Grill, Huey Magoo’s, Fremont Pizza Company, and Steak ‘n Shake.
At Fremont Pizza Company, you can get a slice and a fountain drink for $9.99. It was good, but I prefer Pizza Rock, which is about 17 strides away at Downtown Grand.
The hottest deal at the moment is the $5.99 single steakburger combo at Steak ‘n Shake, which includes a burger, fries, and a small drink.
Tony Roma’s, home to a popular prime rib special that’ll live on in many of our hearts, closed recently to make way for the Neon Fork.
Excited to give her a shot.
Pool Options
Unfortunately, Fremont doesn’t have a pool.
Guests are invited to use the pool at The California for free, or you can pay a cover to access Circa’s Stadium Swim or The Tank at Golden Nugget.
The Verdict on Fremont’s Renovated Rooms
Fremont’s new rooms have a polished, modern look. They’re legitimately nice.
There are two major deterrents that’ll prevent me from booking Fremont again, though.
The first is the room’s size. Sub-300 SF is tough for a tall person traveling alone, much less a double-occupancy situation. I can make the size work, but I’d rather not.
More importantly, the inability to guarantee yourself a quiet room puts Fremont firmly on my personal “Do not book list”.
I wish every downtown resort would monetize quiet as Golden Nugget does with their “Tranquility Rooms” or 4 Queens with their rooms “Guaranteed to face away from Fremont Street.
I’d happily shell out a few bucks to ensure I can sleep. I like gambling… but not on sleep.
Undoubtedly, there will be a handful of folks that shout “WhO SleePS On FREmOnT StREet ANyWaY, NErd!”
- Hurtful.
- I do.
- You are the target market. If you don’t mind the size, book this room. You’ll love it.
I’d love to know your experiences at Fremont Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Drop ’em in the comments!
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.