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STRAT’s Elevate Rooms are LEGIT – What $83.84 Got Me!


Key Points:

  • STRAT suffers from a less-than-ideal location on the north end of the Strip.

  • There are ample dining options, unique attractions, and even cheap transportation that quell concerns.

  • My renovated “Elevate” Room cost $83.84 and was IMPRESSIVE.

Located on the north reaches of the Las Vegas Strip, STRAT (formerly known as Stratosphere) wrapped up a $100 million renovation project that touched the gaming floor, exterior of the casino, and 574 hotel rooms in 2020 which they rebranded as their “Elevate Series”.

Previous renovation work had touched over 400 “Elite” and “Grand” rooms.

STRAT has always been a great place to visit, as the SkyPod Observation deck and rides are a great value, but I had yet to stay in the hotel.

STRAT Las Vegas Exterior
STRAT’s Observation deck costs $20-$30 (depending on the day).

I reserved a renovated Elevate room in STRAT’s Vegas Tower, which cost $83.84 after taxes and fees for my one-night stay.

Check-In Experience

As always, I attempted to duck interacting with a human by leveraging STRAT’s self-check-in kiosks but was told by the machine that I’d need to visit the front desk to get my room key for some reason.

Lame.

Vegas hotels really need to figure out how to make these work more than 50%-ish of the time.

A bank of self-check in kiosks.

Fortunately, the line was short, the agent was awesome, and I was en route to STRAT’s Vegas Tower in no time.

Hotel registration desk at STRAT with a small line.

It was obvious on the approach to the room that this tower had received recent renovation work.

The elevator lobbies and hallways were clean, modern, and well-lit.

The hotel was already exceeding expectations, and I had yet to make it to the room.

A hotel hallway, with fresh carpeting, great lighting, and in great condition.

STRAT’s Elevate Room

That modern, trendy, and genuinely nice vibe spilled into my “Elevate” room.

To be blunt: I was taken aback by how nice this room was.

Suddenly, I was feeling guilty for using STRAT as the punch line in far too many jokes over the years.

A wide angle shot of the room, which has blue carpeting, a blue accent on the king bed, lighting flanking the bed, and a light behind the headboard.

What made the most immediate impression was how STRAT used lighting in the room.

The headboard had built-in lighting, and the end tables even had motion-activated lighting underneath which is handy when dark.

Classy touches at a budget property.

A closeup of the headboard, which has decorative illumination behind it.
An bedside end table with a motion activated light underneath it.

Even the closet, which was home to an iron and ironing board, had a light that clicked on upon opening it.

An open closet with an ironing board and hangers with a light that clicked on when open.

There was a bench at the end of the bed, and the TV had a modern channel guide, which made channel surfing a breeze.

The king bed with a bench at the end of it.
A TV mounted on a bare wall across from the foot of the bed.

On either side of the bed were pop-up chargers equipped with traditional and USB ports.

A bedside pop up charger with 1 outlet and USB A charge ports.

Next to the work desk was a coffee maker with complimentary pods, and underneath the desk was an empty mini-fridge – Both coveted amenities.

A workdesk with a rolly chair. Above it is a piece of wall art that says "Soar, Rise, Elevate, fly".
A sliding shelf above the workdesk that has a Keurig coffee machine and complimentary pods on it.
An open mini fridge.

The artwork in the room was both illuminated and uplifting.

This piece in particular spoke to me, inspiring me to visit the ATM to fight my way back on the casino floor.

Wall art with decorative words printed on it.

I was ready to “Soar, Fly, Elevate, and Rise”.

Anyway. I got cleaned out on the craps table. Oops.

The other piece of art, I believe, was encouraging me to hit the fitness center… but, I’m scrawny and don’t lift… so I skipped it.

A piece of wall art that says "LIFT".

The bathroom was small. Challenging for a taller guy, but polished.

The single sink vanity was topped by an illuminated mirror and was stylish enough.

A single sink vanity topped by an illuminated mirror.

I especially like the aesthetic of the shower, with the blue tile work, although I don’t love the “half glass” setups that allow water to splash everywhere.

A shower with a half glass divider and blue accent wall across from the faucet.

Bath Products were provided by H2O Therapy.

Bath products on a shelf. in the shower.

Before moving on, I want to highlight how impressed I was with this room. I expected STRAT’s recently renovated product to be fine. I didn’t expect it to be this polished.

What’s Not to Like?

When I review hotels, I don’t only share the good. I give you everything you need to make a more informed decision (cleanliness issues, damage, etc.).

This room was immaculate.

I had to work hard to find a few light scuffs on the work desk and about 3 crumbs in a bathroom corner.

A couple faint scuffs atop the work desk.
Some crumbs in the corner in the bathroom.

What I assume to be the original A/C unit survived the renovation process, and it was a little loud and rattly. I appreciated the white noise, but some may take issue with it.

An old A/C Unit.

The window was covered with a big decorative sticker that allowed some natural light in but didn’t allow me to see out.

Even if the view was subpar, I’d prefer that to a covered window.

The room's window, which has a blurry, partially translucent sticker over it preventing me from seeing out.

The biggest concern about staying at STRAT is the resort’s location relative to the Strip and Fremont Street, as neither is comfortably walkable.

The neighborhood also isn’t one you want to spend much time milling about in…. It’s a rough crowd out there.

That said, you could hoof it to Sahara (a sub 15-minute walk) to catch the monorail to the Strip if you wanted to.

A Las Vegas Monorail tram on the elevated track coming into the station.
The Monorail

Resort Experience

A FREE Shuttle

While STRAT’s location is a bit of a downer, the FREE Downtown Loop Shuttle stops here and can bring you to and from Fremont Street and several other spots in between like the Pawn Stars Pawn Shop and the Arts District for nothing – Just bring a few bucks to tip!

A small red bus parked at STRAT.
Can’t beat a free ride downtown!

STRAT’s Casino

Like my room, STRAT’s gaming floor was also a recipient of renovation work and almost felt elegant.

I dug this abstract sculpture thing that really tied the room together and the ceiling decor was cool too.

A twisty sculpture near the entrance to the casino.
STRAT's casino floor with slot machines at the bottom and decorative lighting above.

In addition to the typical assortment of slot games, STRAT was dealing $10 blackjack and crapless craps, which is a rung cheaper than casinos mid-Strip.

The sportsbook also looked like a great spot to catch a game.

STRAT's sportsbook, which features a crisp, long, videoboard.

Dining Lineup

Considering STRAT isn’t near other resorts, ample dining options are important – Fortunately, there’s a good assortment of options with numerous culinary influences that include:

PT’s, a sports bar specializing in “American Pub Fare”, was unfortunately closed when I desperately needed wings and/or a burger to refuel. An affordable option, most meals ring up at a sub $25 price point.

Exterior of PT's

Chee Asian Kitchen, which prices *most* entrees in the $20-$40 range.

Exterior of Chi

McAll’s Heartland Grill is a steakhouse, that offers most steak and prime rib options at a sub $50 price point.

Exterior of McCall's

I settled on the STRAT Cafe for lunch and snagged a French dip, which carried a menu price of $21… and honestly, just wasn’t good.

Exterior of STRAT Cafe.

The bread was stale, the meat was luke-warm at best, and it just tasted “cheap” for lack of a better term.

Whatever. I got calories out of the deal.

A french dip sandwich on a plate alonside fries and a cup of Au Jus.

Top of The World is located in the SkyPod 800 ft above the Strip and is an ideal date night destination.

View of the Las Vegas Strip from STRAT's 107 Skylounge
The view from up there isn’t terrible either (photo from a few years back).

There are also a few quicker options like a Pizzaria, McDonald’s, and a Starbucks.

STRAT’s Pool Scene

Strat’s “Swim & Social” Pool is perched on the rooftop in the shadow of the hotel tower and SkyPod and is a pretty cool scene.

Pool at STRAT with some built in shade tarps above the edges of the pool.

The pool is big, sunny, and upbeat, and I appreciated how they built in a few shade canopies so that folks seeking reprieve from the sun could do so.

I visited later in the afternoon, but there were more than enough loungers to handle the crowds.

Another angle of STRAT's pool.

Atomic Golf

Atomic Golf is reachable from STRAT via a climate-controlled hallway and is an attraction similar to Topgolf.

The exterior of Atomic Golf with STRAT's skypod towering overhead behind it.
Atmoic Golf's Range photographed from above.
Seen from STRAT’s SkyPod observation deck.

There, you’ll be able to play intuitive and social golf games that are fun for folks of all skill and experience levels.

An atrium with seating on the main level looking up at two separate video walls broadcasitng sports.
Sun is shining on the hitting bays, blasting the golfers that step out to hit a ball.

It’s a great concept, I visited on a hot July afternoon and found the range visually unappealing during the day and HOT AF. The range is also pointed west, so the sun bears down on golfers in the afternoon/evening.

That gray turf does come to life at night though with cosmic lighting effects – It’s an evening destination.

A rendering view of the range at night, which is illuminated.
Credit: LG Business Solutions & Atomic Golf

Observation Deck & Rides

My favorite attraction at STRAT is their SkyPod Observation Deck and rides, both are worthy of your time, even if you’re not staying at the resort.

Looking up at STRAT's SkyPod from the ground outside the resort.
Going up!

You can buy an Observation Deck ticket in advance on STRAT’s website for $20-$30 depending on the day, but I snagged my most recent mid-week ticket on Vegas.com for $15.

Individual thrill ride passes, and even an “all you can ride” pass can be added onto your observation deck ticket for next to nothing – and they’re so fun.

Big Shot shoots you straight up 160 feet (to reach an elevation of 1,081 ft) at speeds of 45 MPH.

Big Shot shooting riders up the tower atop STRAT's observation deck.
Big Shot

X-Scream is like a teeter-totter that dangles you 27 feet off the tower’s edge at heights of 866 feet from the ground.

XScream tilting riders out over the edge of the tower.
X-Scream

If you’re insane enough, you can jump off of the SkyPod in a controlled free fall from 829 feet, reaching speeds of 40 MPH on your decent to the target below.

The Observation Deck experience has 2 parts, which are indoors and out.

The indoor portion has seating, large tablets that help you understand what you’re looking at out there on the skyline, a bar, 108 Drinks, that offers a 2-for-1 happy hour from 3–7pm Mon-Thurs, and even a restaurant with grab and go fare like sandwiches, snacks, and drinks.

Angled windows with a view of Las Vegas below in STRATs indoor observation deck
The indoor portion of the observation deck.
My fingers playing with a large tablet that shows a satallite image of what is on the horizon.

The indoor portion of the experience is great because it’s climate-controlled and allows for a 360-degree view of Las Vegas, meaning you can see both the Strip and Fremont Street.

The Outdoor portion of the experience only extends about 50% of the way around the tower, but serves up some great views of the Strip to the south.

This view = Worth. Every Penny.

a View of the Strip from STRAT's Observation Deck.

I’ve done this multiple times and it has yet to get old. Do it.

Photo Opps

Although the neighborhood is a bit sketch, you should probably hop outside to grab a souvenir photo of the new-ish Gateway Arch, which has a more compelling look at night.

A decorative gateway arch stands over Las Vegas blvd. with the base of STRAT's tower to the left.

And don’t forget about the showgirls, which has unfortunately been defaced a bit… and I’m pretty sure a rough dude was pooping behind the “G” in Las Vegas.

A photo opporutnity wiht 2 showgirls in the background and faux dice and chipstacks in the foreground.
Why we can’t have nice things.

The Verdict: Is an Elevate Room at STRAT Worth the Money?

STRAT. Apologies for being unfamiliar with your hotel game.

I don’t know what I expected coming in, but my renovated “Elevate” room was impressive.

I easily got my $83.84 worth, and I’ll be back.

My room wasn’t the only impressive part of the property though.

Golden Entertainment has done a great job with the casino floor and broader resort. It just feels nice – The kind of place you want to hang out.

Dining options on site are ample and the free Downtown Loop Shuttle and inexpensive Deuce Bus could be a great option for overcoming STRAT’s less than ideal location on a budget.

I can’t speak to their cheapest room product which has yet to be renovated, but if you’ve been on the fence about staying at STRAT and can get over the location, spend a few extra bucks to book an Elevate room – They’re fantastic.

Want a better look? Check out my video review of STRAT on YouTube:

Related Hotel Room Reviews:

NYNY Soho King Review (also renovated!)

Ultra Hip Room at Planet Hollywood

Blanca King Room at Sahara

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