Review of Binion’s Hotel Apache – A Fresh, Yet Historic Vibe

Key Points:

• Binion’s has renovated their Hotel Apache rooms to offer modern amenities while embracing the hotel’s historic roots.

• Rates at Hotel Apache start at around $44/nt, and Binion’s doesn’t charge a resort fee.

• Despite the room’s shortcomings & cleanliness mishaps, I found it a compelling value and a fun novelty.

History in Vegas can be hard to find.

The moment a structure isn’t generating the ROI that something newer, bigger, or more glitzy can, it usually disappears into a pile of rubble.

Binion’s Hotel Apache has bucked that trend.

The hotel was shut down in 2009 during the Great Recession, and the rooms sat vacant, hidden behind Binion’s iconic neon facade, waiting for their moment.

Fast forward to 2019, Binion’s owner, TLC Casino Enterprises, announced plans to refurbish the hotel and reopen it as an 81-room boutique hotel, complete with vintage 1930’s decor paired with modern amenities.

As a person who celebrates anything and everything historic about Vegas, a stay at Binion’s Hotel Apache was a no-brainer.

Hotel Apache originally opened for business in 1932. To put that in perspective, that’s the same year Amelia Earhart flew solo across the Atlantic, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit its lowest point of the Great Depression, and FDR was elected president.

Many “firsts” were marked by the property over time. Hotel Apache was the first to air-condition its hotel lobby, employ an electric elevator, and carpet the casino floor.

Notable celebrities such as Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, and Lucille Ball all stayed the night. Many claim the hotel is haunted, and the property was even featured on an episode of TLC’s (the channel) Ghost Adventures.

Hotel Apache Room Review

The moment you step out of the elevator into the hotel hall, you can sense the history. It feels and smells historic (in a good way), and I was greeted by a reminder that these rooms are rumored to be haunted.

Navigating the hotel hallways feels like a scene from “The Shining”. It’s awesome.

I also spent way too much time analyzing this Hotel Apache blueprint that was hanging in the hotel corridor.

The room itself has immediate charm. A throwback to another era. Unlike anything else in Las Vegas.

Prior to my first stay, I vividly recall thinking, “Ugh, this is going to suck… but it’s history”, but my attitude immediately shifted upon entering. It’s a good-looking room, albeit bare-bones and basic, which was expected.

They nailed the Laura Ingles Wilder aesthetic without forgetting modern amenities like a Television, A/C, and bedside charging (USB-A & outlet).

The lack of a closet or armoire gave that corner of the room a disheveled look, with the ironing board, luggage rack, iron, and hanger space all sloppily out in the open, but whatevs. The room cost $59.

What I appreciated most were the historic callbacks like the “old-timey” phone and radio. Even the wall art was awesome. A throwback to Vegas of yesteryear.

The Bathroom had a nice look. Especially the tiled floor, but she was a tight fit for a 6′ 4″ dude.

What’s Not to Like?

When I review hotels, I aim to give you the full story, not just the good, so that you can make a more informed decision.

This was a great room for the price, but there were a few items of note:

The window is stained glass and offers no view outside. Man, I’d LOVE a view of Binion’s neon facade… Even if it’s just the back side of it.

The tabletop was damaged, I assume from water, and the walls around it were gouged. Cord management, as you can see in the image below, was also a bit sloppy, as there wasn’t much furniture along the walls to hide them behind.

The walls were pretty scuffed up throughout the room.

My room had a connecting door to another room, with a crack I could easily stick my fingers under. I could see the shadows of people moving around next door through the crack, and hear their conversations almost perfectly.

General cleanliness in the bathroom left a bit to be desired. The floor had plenty of dust/hair accumulation in the corners, the sink drain was crusty, and the floor around the toilet was pretty gross. This was a “shoes on” or “towel on the floor” bathroom.

Lastly, rooms at Binion’s can be loud until early morning, as many are mere feet from the madness of the Fremont Street Experience. I’ve been lucky to receive quiet rooms… but there’s no guarantee.

I can’t think of a worse scenario than a bucket drummer posted up beneath my room. I would lose it.

Whiskey Licker Up has a rotating bar overlooking Fremont Street, but their $21 Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (below) is the real draw. My goodness. Unreal. It’s changed the way I view buffalo chicken sandwiches going forward tbh. This is the standard.

It was juicy, spicy, and despite the fact that I don’t like coleslaw on its own, I have to admit… it made the sandwich.

Vegas history dweebs, like myself, will appreciate how the original petrified wood Mint resort exterior wall has been incorporated into the Whiskey Licker Up space.

In addition to the rotating bar, Whiskey Licker has seating along the open-air windows overlooking Golden Nugget and the Fremont Street pedestrian walkway, which makes for some of the best people watching in Vegas.

At the higher end, Top of Binion’s Steakhouse, which is perched on the 24th floor of the vacant hotel tower, delivers a high-quality experience at a $80-$100 price point.

The Verdict on Binion’s Apache

Binion’s is a budget hotel but positions itself at the higher end of that category. It was a solid room for the price.

While it isn’t Wynn, guests opting for Binion’s don’t expect it to be.

Rooms are recently renovated, well-appointed, inexpensive, and there isn’t a resort fee. I’m going to chalk my recent bathroom floor cleanliness up as a fluke. My previous room was flawlessly clean.

If I had to describe my room in one word, it would be “Cozy”. There’s no real “wow-factor”, but it’s a solid hotel for those who don’t expect bells and whistles and want to save on accommodations.

Location-wise, it doesn’t get better.

Take an elevator (or the stairs!) down to the casino, and you can be on Fremont Street in a couple of minutes.

What I appreciated most, and the reason I stayed here to begin with, is the property’s historic significance. In a city where buildings are imploded every 50 years, this gem has stood the test of time and is worth a visit.

Check out a recent stay of mine, here!

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Golden Gate’s “Original 10” Room

Downtown Grand Superior Room

Plaza Deluxe Room