MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

Rooms and decor

Picture a towering emerald-green glass building at the south end of the Strip with a giant golden lion guarding the entrance — that's MGM Grand, one of the most recognisable hotels in Las Vegas. It has been open since 1993 and once held the title of the largest hotel in the world, with roughly 5,000 rooms and suites spread across the main tower and connected buildings. After renovation, the rooms lean understated and contemporary, with soft neutral tones set against wood and good fabrics, large comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms with the basics covered, and many rooms that open onto the glittering Strip skyline at night. Guests who want more privacy and a higher level of service can find the Skylofts and The Mansion VIP zones tucked inside the same complex. Overall the rooms feel like a roomy, easygoing mega-resort, well suited to anyone who wants plenty of space in the middle of the Vegas buzz.

Food and amenities

If this hotel has a beating heart, it's the everything-under-one-roof mega-resort idea taken all the way — walk in and you hit a giant casino that stretches as far as the eye can see, packed with countless game tables and slots. The highlight reviewers never stop mentioning is the tropical Grand Pool complex of over 26,000 square metres, with 4 pools, a lazy river for floating on a tube, waterfalls, bridges and wide sunbathing areas with cabanas — a real haven for sun-lovers and families in summer. On the food side it goes all out with 15+ restaurants in many styles, from chef Tom Colicchio's steakhouse serving fine cuts in a smart setting, to fine dining, a food court and casual late-night spots. But what really makes people stay here is the entertainment — the legendary KÀ by Cirque du Soleil plays in a purpose-built in-house theatre with a giant moving stage that rotates and tilts, plus the Grand Garden Arena that has hosted world-famous concerts and championship boxing countless times, and the Hakkasan nightclub that brings in big-name DJs every weekend. There's a full spa and fitness centre too. Wake up to a swim, eat through the day, catch a show in the evening, dance late — all in one building.

Location and getting there

Location is another of this place's strong cards. MGM Grand sits on the south end of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard, at the junction with Tropicana Avenue, one of the busiest intersections in Vegas. Pedestrian bridges cross the road to the surrounding hotels so you never risk crossing a big street on foot. Opposite is New York-New York, with its roller coaster and mock New York skyline, and a little further along the Strip you reach Park MGM, the The Park promenade and the T-Mobile Arena, the big venue that hosts concerts and NHL hockey. Most convenient of all, there's a Las Vegas Monorail station inside MGM Grand itself, running straight toward the Convention Center and other mid-Strip hotels without battling the crowds on the sidewalk. The airport, Harry Reid (LAS), is very close — about a 10-minute drive. In short, if you want to base yourself at the south Strip within walking distance of major venues and famous hotels, with easy airport access, this location nails it.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — the first thing that comes up most is the sheer size of the building. With around 5,000 rooms and a giant casino, walking from your room to the lobby, pool, restaurants or the Strip exit can take time and legwork, and some reviewers complain it's a tiring trek to get anywhere. Build in extra time when you leave your room and wear comfortable shoes. The second is hidden costs: there's a nightly resort fee and a parking charge added on top of the room rate you see at booking, which makes the final total higher than expected, so always check the fee details before you confirm. Also worth knowing — with the huge number of guests, peak times or big events mean long check-in, lift and restaurant lines, and the casino is loud with cigarette smoke, Vegas-style. Some rooms that have gone many rounds of renovation get flagged in reviews as looking dated next to newer neighbouring resorts. If you're a light sleeper, ask for a high floor or a side that doesn't face the main road.

Our take

After our team read through hundreds of real reviews, MGM Grand is the hotel that sells the grand scale of a mega-resort, the everything-under-one-roof convenience and a major roster of entertainment, and does it with confidence. If your idea of the trip is waking up to float a tube around the lazy river in a tropical pool complex, trying your luck in a giant casino by day, eating a Tom Colicchio steak in the evening followed by KÀ by Cirque du Soleil, then closing the night dancing at Hakkasan without ever stepping outside the building, this is about as well-matched as it gets. But if you're after a small, walkable, quiet boutique hotel, or a brand-new resort where everything looks fresh, the enormous size and constant bustle here may not be the answer. Overall we give it 8.0/10 — best for families, groups of friends and concert travelers who want full-tilt Vegas with every flavour covered in one place, no car needed.