10 Hotels to Avoid in Las Vegas in 2026 (And Why Guests Keep Complaining)

I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve booked hotels on the Strip and each one leaves me with an important lesson. The advertised online prices are never the actual final prices. What you think is a $39 deal can easily cost $90 with a resort fee, parking, and a convenience charge you never asked for. 

If you’re specifically hunting for cheap hotels to avoid in Las Vegas, pay close attention to entries 1, 2, 6, and 7 below — these are the budget properties where the gap between advertised price and final cost tends to be the widest. These continuously appear in hotels to avoid in Las Vegas Reddit threads, BBB reports, and the reviews from travelers who really wished they had booked elsewhere.

While some of these hotels are unsafe, the majority of these hotels really are just poor value, and bad location, and probably bad luck. Here are my notes for you before you swipe your card.

Here’s our breakdown of the best hotels to avoid in Las Vegas based on recurring patterns in guest complaints, fee structures, and recent review trends. If you’re searching for the top 10 worst hotels in Las Vegas by guest complaint volume, this list is ranked using recent review data rather than outdated reputation.

1. Circus Circus Hotel & Casino

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.9 / 5 (Based on 60,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: $35 to $70 per night

Circus Circus is one of the cheaper hotel options on the Strip, though it carries a resort fee of around $36 on top of the room rate. Guests frequently report weak A/C and outdated rooms, and some travelers have noted staff conducting unsolicited wellness checks during their stay. Timeshare pitches at check-in are also a common complaint across recent reviews. If you do book here, stick to the main tower rather than the motel-style buildings on the property, which tend to draw the most complaints.

2. OYO Hotel and Casino

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.4 / 5 (Based on 20,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: $14 to $30 per night

OYO’s location near MGM Grand positions it just off the Strip. However, there are reports of malfunctioning elevators and guests stuck on upper floors. “Adding an obnoxious $50 resort fee, recurring bed bug reports that put it among the worst hotels in Las Vegas for bed bugs, and a suspicious smoking fee, it is clear that this hotel is not a one-time offender. The only way I would recommend this hotel is if you are traveling on the light side and staying on the ground floor.

3. Rio Hotel and Casino

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.8 / 5 (Based on 47,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: Hovers around $40 per night

Rio Hotel and Casino is a 20 to 25 minute walk to the Strip. While room prices hover around a bargain $40 a night, the resort fee adds another $45 to $50. With this great price comes an obnoxious timeshare representative pestering you in the lobby and a smoking fee reported to reach $500 with guests claiming they do not smoke. If you decide to stay, ask for a room that has been recently renovated and make sure you keep those receipts.

4. Excalibur Hotel and Casino

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 4.1 / 5 (Based on 85,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: $40 to $80 per night

Excalibur is one of MGM’s older properties, and the rooms show it. The pyramid-style towers have notoriously slow elevators and dated interiors that haven’t kept pace with MGM’s other renovated Strip properties. That said, its location right in the middle of the Strip with direct tram access is genuinely convenient — which is exactly why so many guests book it despite the recurring complaints. If you want a central location with modern, updated rooms, you’ll likely be happier choosing a different hotel on this list of alternatives below.

5. The Strat

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 4.0 / 5 (Based on 40,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: $40 to $50 per night

All the way at the North end of the strip, The Strat is a 25 to 30 minute walk from the center of the Las Vegas action. You’ll find plenty of disputed smoking charges as some guests report hair dryers and humidifiers trigger $700-$800 charges, instead of cigarette smoking. The views from the observation tower are beautiful and worth seeing, but I would advise booking the tower experience and staying at a different hotel.

6. Arizona Charlie’s Decatur

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.7 / 5 (Based on 6,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: $20 to $50 per night

About a 15 minute drive from the strip, Arizona Charlie’s Decatur is an off strip local’s casino. It’s one of the hotels to avoid in Las Vegas as rooms are cheap and there are no sneaky resort fees. However, reports show there is inconsistent housekeeping, and there is peeling paint and a strong smoke smell in the non-smoking rooms. If you’re just in need of a cheap bed for the night, the location is great, but there is nothing special or the strip in sight.

7. Arizona Charlie’s Boulder

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.6 / 5 (Based on 5,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: $17 to $40 per night

Sister hotel to Decatur’s Arizona Charlie’s, this location is even farther from the strip at about a 15-20 minute drive from Fremont Street. Rooms are even cheaper at $17-$40 and there is 24 hour bingo. Here, you will find the same local, quiet, and low-vibe casino as well as poor house-keeping, broken AC, and dirty carpets. If you plan on avoiding the tourist crowds, this location is perfect, but looks to be poor as well.

8. Silver Sevens Hotel and Casino

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.6 / 5 (Based on 6,000+ reviews)

Baseline Room Rate: $35 to $60 per night

Located a ten minute drive from the Strip and touching the UNLV area, the former Terrible’s, now Silver Sevens, offers budget rooms starting from $35–60 a night. At that price point, it’s a genuinely decent budget pick if you don’t mind being off the Strip. Having a car or relying on rideshare makes the hotel a far more viable option — without one, the distance becomes a real inconvenience for getting to the main attractions.

9. Motel 6 Las Vegas Properties

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.5 / 5 (Average combined rating across local branches)

Baseline Room Rate: $40 to $70 per night

Motel 6 has a number of Las Vegas locations with hotels on Boulder Highway and near the airport. By design, these hotels are bare bones and leave a lot to be desired with thin walls. For a place to rest for a night, sure. For a multi-night stay, you will beg to stay somewhere else.

10. Siegel Select Properties

Google Reviews Rating: ⭐ 3.1 / 5 (Average combined rating across extended-stay branches)

Baseline Room Rate: Typically averages $50 to $70 per night (based on weekly package breakdowns)

Siegel Select targets the extended-stay crowd with enticing weekly rates. But, with long term residents like permanent tenants, the atmosphere shifts from hotel to apartment complex. If you are looking for an extended stay in Las Vegas, this is a good option. However, if you are looking for the traditional, short stay Las Vegas experience, this is not the location for you.

Red Flags That Usually Signal a Bad Vegas Hotel

Most Vegas hotel disasters are predictable. The trick is knowing what to check before you click Book Now. These are the warning signs experienced Vegas visitors look for first.

Resort Fee Gap

If the advertised room rate is $39 but the final nightly cost jumps to $90 or more after fees, you’re looking at a hotel that relies heavily on price baiting. Always compare the total price shown on the checkout page, not the headline rate.

Recent Complaints

Ignore reviews from six months ago. Filter reviews to the last 30 days and look for repeating complaints. If multiple guests mention dirty rooms, broken amenities, or slow service within the same month, that is a stronger signal than the overall rating.

Tower Confusion

Many Vegas properties have multiple towers, and not all rooms are equal. Guests often book based on renovated room photos only to discover they’ve been placed in an older section of the hotel. Check exactly which tower and room type you’re reserving.

Parking Charges

If you’re traveling solo, make sure you check the free parking as it’s becoming less common in Las Vegas. A cheap room can quickly become expensive when parking fees are added every night. This matters even more if you’re planning to rent a car.

Convention Crowds

Before booking, check the city’s convention calendar. A hotel can look perfect on paper but become a nightmare during a major trade show, with longer lines, crowded elevators, and inflated prices.

Strip Distance

Do not trust the phrase “minutes from the Strip.” Open Google Maps and check the walking route yourself. A property can appear close on a map but still require a long walk through parking lots, bridges, and busy intersections.

Renovation Age

Hotels that proudly advertise renovations usually mention the year. If you cannot find any renovation information, there is a good chance the rooms have not been updated recently.

Guest Photos

Spend two minutes looking at traveler photos instead of promotional images. Guest photos reveal what the average room actually looks like, especially bathrooms, hallways, carpets, and common areas.

Fee Surprises

Resort fees are not the only extras. Some properties add parking fees, early check-in charges, luggage storage fees, and other costs that rarely appear in advertisements.

Location Tradeoff

A room that saves you $25 per night may cost you far more in rideshare expenses throughout your trip. Sometimes paying slightly more for a central location ends up being the cheaper choice overall.

Non-Refundable Booking Traps: Many of the cheapest-looking Vegas hotel deals come from third-party booking sites rather than the hotel directly, and these often carry strict non-refundable terms buried below the price. A room that looks like a bargain can become a costly mistake if your plans change and you discover too late that cancellation isn’t an option. Before booking, check whether the rate is refundable, and if it isn’t, weigh the savings against the risk. Booking directly through the hotel’s own website is often only a few dollars more and typically comes with far more flexible cancellation terms.

The Resort Fee Trap Most Vegas Visitors Miss

Las Vegas hotel deals can look unbelievably cheap. You might see a room advertised for only $50 a night and think you found the perfect bargain. But many visitors discover an expensive surprise during checkout — the resort fee.

A resort fee is an extra charge added to your hotel bill every day. Many hotels use it for things like Wi-Fi, gym access, pool access, or other services. The problem is that travelers often notice it too late. The first price shown in ads or search results may not include this extra cost.

A room that looks cheap at first can suddenly become much more expensive after taxes and fees are added. Over several nights, those extra charges can add a significant amount to your travel budget.

Checklist Before Booking Any Vegas Hotel

Before clicking the booking button, spend a few seconds checking these details:

• Look at the total price, not only the room rate.
• Search for any listed resort fees.
• Multiply the fee by the number of nights you are staying.
• Compare the final prices of different hotels.
• Check what the fee actually includes.

Many travelers focus only on the lowest advertised price. Spending just 30 extra seconds checking the details can save money and prevent unpleasant surprises during your Vegas trip.

Where to Stay Instead in Las Vegas

If you want to avoid surprise costs and stay at some of the safest hotels in Las Vegas, consider looking beyond the flashy hotel deals on the Strip. Some off-Strip hotels and smaller properties can offer better overall value with fewer hidden fees. Downtown Las Vegas is also a popular option because many hotels there have lower prices while still giving visitors easy access to entertainment, restaurants, and casinos. The best choice is not always the cheapest room at first glance. Focus on the total cost, location, and included services. A smart booking choice can save money and make your Vegas trip more enjoyable.

Once your accommodation is sorted, it’s worth planning a few activities beyond the casino floor — our piece on SpeedVegas as one of the unique things to do in Las Vegas covers one of the more memorable options.

“Check out our guide to the most amazing places to visit without a passport in 2026 if Vegas has you craving more domestic adventure.”

Final Words

“That’s all you need to know about hotels to avoid in Las Vegas in 2026. If you only remember the 5 worst hotels in Las Vegas from this list, focus on OYO, Rio, Arizona Charlie’s Boulder, Siegel Select, and the motel-style towers at Circus Circus — these consistently show the steepest gap between price and guest experience.

From the sticky carpets to high rates and out of order AC, there’s a lot you must avoid. And the consistent drop in rating shows that these hotels should not be in your list. For more on planning your trip, explore our complete guide to outdoor activities in Las Vegas covering everything beyond the Strip.

People Also Ask