“We need something that is on the Strip, so it is close to everything, nice enough for all of us to stay in without worrying, but cheap enough to cover everyone’s budget”.
That was the brief given by our Stag as we sat together over a beer and it was dictated to us that he wanted a hotel centrally located.
Knowing Vegas as I do, some hotels’ prices can fluctuate dues to certain events being in town at any given week or month.
Vegas Strip is quite significant in reality, and the hotels are just as epic in size. One question seemed to be a “must” by our party was, it needs to have a casino. It turns out the whole city is a casino, so no need to worry about that bit!
MGM Resorts owns a fair chunk of the big player hotels. One of their cheaper hotels on the list was Luxor; however, with this being towards one end of the Strip, I thought it might be better located nearer the middle.
After a few emails back and forth among the group, New York New York Hotel & Casino was decided, it was a close run for the price with Circus Circus but, in the end, due to where it is located on the Strip it would be more beneficial to all to stay there.
It worth being mindful to the additional cost of the hotel’s rampant charge of their “resort fees”. They vary from hotel to hotel but can be as much as $52.00 a night.
The stag party arrived from the UK, and we all took a taxi to the hotel which took 20 minutes and isn’t too expensive, around $25.00 between four of you. (uber is also a good option).
If you’re feeling ultra-flush and you would like to arrive at your hotel in style you can always get a limo from the airport. Depending on how many people you have in your party, these start at around $120.00
There are over 2000 rooms of varying grades to choose from in NYNY and nearly 8000 square metres of gaming space. You could even gamble on your room type by selecting an option at check-in where you got allocated whatever was available. Crossing your fingers and hoping that it may be a penthouse suite?!
Behind the statue (which isn’t as big as the real one In New York), some colourful high-rise tower blocks symbolise the New York skyline.
NYNY opened in 1997 and does represent some signs of wear and tear. From the building itself to internal accepts of the rooms and casino floor as well.
Spiralling around the buildings is the red tracked, Big Apple roller coaster. Sadly, this isn’t free for hotel guests and costs around $25 a ticket.
You may hear the occasional scream while walking through the casino floor as the roller coaster enters the building’s interior for a moment before going back outside.
Check-In
The checking-In process is very efficient and quick. There is plenty of staff behind desks flitting about, bell boys sorting baggage and security at most corners. A small queue, a scan of the passport and everyone was ready to rock’ n roll.
After all the guys checked in and dropped their bags off in their rooms, everyone headed to a bar to get some drinks down after a ten-hour flight from London.
The rooms in NYNY are huge, even by US standards! The rooms are perfectly comfortable, with good sized wardrobes and similarly sized bathrooms.
The hotel was renovated in 2006, some rooms are basic compared to others but are perfect for those who don’t spend much time in their rooms.
Down on the main floor and behind the sprawling casino, there are the famous streets of New York, with shops, restaurants and bars to keep everyone well fed and watered. You could have been forgiven for thinking you were outside in New York itself!
There is a selection of eateries with the usual steaks, fish, burgers, and the food is pretty good considering most of it is take away.
Shows
Zumanity by Cirque du Soleil is the big show in the theatre on-site and is an excellent show for those who are aged over 18 due to the sexual nature to its performance.
This show in peak season is top-rated, so if you are in town on the weekend in the summer months, I would recommend booking this a few days in advance.
Bars
There are copious amounts of bars in this casino, and an excellent meeting point is aptly named the ‘Centre Bar’ which is the large circular bar in the centre of the main floor.
It also tended to be a meeting point later in the night for scantily dressed women looking for a room to visit at a chargeable rate each night that we were there. Security would occasionally come and move them along.
The Irish pub, named, Nine Irishman, has live bands every night at 9 PM, and is usually a lot of fun! Up the escalator and to the right, there is Coyote Ugly, which also has live music and is open to late. Great place for groups to go to and let loose.
Casino
Casinos are, of course, the big moneymaker in the home of these casinos. The lights don’t turn off; they are open all night and day. All the usual favourite games are available to play at tables, at varying stakes. Electronic machines galore! A lot of fun to be had here, depending on how lucky you can be?
The casino staff on the tables were very attentive, as were the girls were generally on hand to keep you hydrated while you focus on making your millions (or losing it).
Of course, the hotels try to offer as much as they can, but you will want to get out to see more of Vegas. Travelling around by taxi is really easy, there are bellman on hand to ensure that you don’t wait too long for a cab, or if you want to use Uber/Lyft, these are well signed posted to their pickup locations.
Though if you feel up for it, I would recommend taking a walk along the Strip as well, to absorb the excitement and the entertainment that the Strip offers.
Over the road are Hard Rock Cafe and various other shops and restaurants too. And then Next door to NYNY is the T-Mobile arena where they host the Golden Knights matches.
NYNY Hotel and Casino ticks many boxes for those who are looking for a fun place to stay! It’s reasonably priced most of the year, and it’s in a great location to all of the main attractions too.
Let us know if your experience at New York New York was better or worse. Leave your comments below.