The D Casino Hotel Las Vegas

Las Vegas experts know that there’s a big difference between The Strip and Downtown Las Vegas. Though Downtown is only two-and-a-half miles from Las Vegas Boulevard’s glitzy hotels and high-roller casinos, it feels worlds apart. Downtown, also known as “Old Vegas,” is where the city first developed its hotel-casinos in the early 1900s. Downtown is quieter, and more low-key than The Strip, and tends to attract older visitors who are more interested in nickel slots and Keno boards than nightclubs and pool parties. The D, with its come-as-you-are atmosphere and no-frills amenities, seems to epitomize everything visitors love about downtown. Its vintage casino games and nostalgic dining options are aspects that attract repeat visitors year after year, and its affordable nightly rates offer great value for budget-oriented travelers.
The D, like many comparable hotels in Vegas, doesn’t have a formal lobby. Guests enter through the casino, where the check-in desk is situated in the midst of slot machines. The dark, low-ceilinged casino doesn’t make an over-the-top first impression, but that doesn’t seem to stop the throngs of people who pass through during the course of the day. Like most Vegas properties, the smell of cigarettes lingers in the air. As we’ve mentioned, typical D guests are a bit older than The Strip-set, and there's little geared toward families here. Travelers bringing kids to Downtown Las Vegas will likely prefer the nearby Golden Nugget, which has a large pool with a waterslide to keep the little ones entertained.

The D sits between East Carson Ave and Fremont Street, which means it has direct access to downtown’s touristy pedestrian artery. Fremont Street is certainly no Strip, but it does have an endearing kitschy-ness that only roaming magicians and dime-a-dozen caricaturists can provide. At night, the multi-sensory Fremont Street Experience takes place beneath the pedestrian avenue’s massive LED canopy. The D is about a 10- to 15-minute cab ride from the heart of The Strip, and about a 25-minute cab ride from McCarran International Airport. Though on-site parking at The D is free, guests are better off relying on cabs and ride-share services to get around. Uber and Lyft both currently operate in Las Vegas.

Rooms at The D feature contemporary wooden furniture, dark patterned carpets, and bold decor in mostly black and red hues. Bright-red accent walls and bed runners give rooms a dramatic flair, while stock-image artwork of red dice and playing cards (however banal) add a sense of Vegas-style fun. Dressers, desks, and flat-screen TVs come standard, and closets are stocked with electronic safes and ironing equipment. However, there are no coffeemakers and minibars are only available in upper-level suites. Sleek bathrooms offer plenty of counter space and large walk-in showers, alongside Bath and Body Works toiletries and hairdryers. Suites have amped-up decor, like black-and-red houndstooth carpeting, sleek chandeliers, and upgraded L'Occitane toiletries. Some have big living spaces and wet bars with stools. A smokey smell infiltrates some rooms, even those labeled non-smoking, though this is a common problem in Vegas, especially at older properties like The D.

The D has three on-site restaurants: D Grill, Andiamo Steakhouse, and American Coney Island. The D’s owner is a Michigan native, which is why Andiamo and Coney Island, two famed Michigan eateries, now have second homes in Vegas. Andiamo, a clubby upscale steakhouse, is popular with guests and non-guests alike. American Coney Island, a beloved Detroit hot dog joint, serves its famous Dearborn sausages 24/7. The D Grill (open from 8:00 am - 10:00 pm) serves breakfast (all day), lunch, and dinner in a casual setting adjacent to the second-floor casino. On the lobby level, there’s also a small coffee stand that serves Zingerman’s coffee and smoothies.
A few bars are spread across the property.

The D isn’t packed with amenities, but its main allure is a multi-level casino housing the world’s largest Keno board and vintage games. While it’s not as glamorous as the casinos on The Strip, it has an attractive familiarity, thanks in part to the vintage slot machines and table games on the second floor. Keno -- the only-in-Vegas, bingo-lottery hybrid -- is a popular attraction here. The world’s largest Keno board lives on The D’s exterior wall, facing Fremont Street.
The D Las Vegas houses a small outdoor pool, but it's pretty lackluster. Anyone who’s headed to Sin City for the quintessential Vegas pool experience won’t find it here. The hotel charges a daily resort fee (like nearly every hotel in Las Vegas), which covers “extras” like parking, Wi-Fi, and access to the tiny fitness center (an unremarkable room with a few treadmills and weight machines).