California Hotel and Casino

California Hotel and Casino opened in 1974 and started out as an Old-Vegas styled Gold Rush themed hotel. Over the years the decor was modernized (including a 2017 $40-million renovation of guest rooms and the casino). That said, the property preserved elements of its past including original crystal chandeliers and the use of coin-operated slot machines (one of the last in town). There’s definitely something satisfying about the tinny soundtrack of actual coins (not a digital recording) spilling into a winning machine’s coin tray. The hotel is divided between two towers connected by a long skyway with views of downtown Las Vegas and the desert in the distance. California Hotel also incorporates the style of the its main clientele: middle-aged Hawaiians on tours organized by the hotel’s parent company. Hawaiian-themed accents range from Hawaiian-shirt wearing dealers to a Hawaiian restaurant (that serves spam and a locally-famous oxtail soup) to floral hibiscus-patterned carpet. 

California Hotel and Casino’s located in downtown Las Vegas and within easy walking distance to many other casinos and attractions. The biggest draw is the Fremont Street Experience (a five-minute walk), the casino and shop-lined pedestrian promenade full of tourists, buskers, bums, and a ceiling of enormous LED-screen ceiling and adventure-seekers zip-lining overhead. The nearby Mob Museum traces organized crime’s influence and impact on Las Vegas and is a seven-minute walk from the hotel. The nearest pharmacy is an eight-minute stroll away. Nearby restaurant options range from burgers, to Asian, to fast food and are a 10-minute or less walk from the hotel. The Downtown Container Park, a hip outdoor shopping area with restaurants and boutiques and a music venue set inside of stacked shipping containers, is a five-minute drive or 13-minute walk from California Hotel and Casino.

The Las Vegas strip is an 11-minute drive from the hotel, depending on traffic. There’s also a public bus stop right in front of the property, but it’s a 41-minute ride to The Strip.  The iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign is a 15-minute drive from the hotel (depending on traffic). Red Rock National Conservation Area with its gorgeous red walls (some naturally striped like a candy cane) is a 20-minute drive. A bit farther, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead (the country’s largest reservoir) is around a 48-minute drive from the California Hotel. McCarran International Airport is around a 15-minute drive from California Hotel and Casino. 

California Hotel’s rooms were renovated in 2017, and are contemporary with their gray interiors and brass-accented furniture. Rooms have a mix of either one king bed or two queen beds with tall, diamond patterned fabric headboards, and swirly patterned gray and black bed runners. Brass nightstands conveniently include integrated USB outlets in the base. The 50-inch flat-screen TVs with cable and music channels face the bed, but swivel bases mean you can still grab screen time from the rooms' leafy-patterned gray plush armchairs situated near the wood-shuttered windows. Closets are more like nooks that hold irons, ironing boards, and luggage stands. All rooms also have mini-fridges, safes, air-conditioning, and safes big enough to fit laptops. There’s also Wi-Fi, but a fee for access. Bathrooms feature white marble vanities with lots of counter space and glass-doored stand-up showers. They also have bar soap, shower caps, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and hairdryers. 

In 2017, California Hotel and Casino completed a $40-million renovation that included updating its Hawaiian-themed casino. The casino now has table games, coin-operated slot machines (a rarity in Las Vegas), and a sports book. Most of the properties sit-down restaurants and bars are located near the casino. California Noodle House serves Pan-Asian cuisine for dinner seven days a week, and also weekend lunches. Redwood Steakhouse is the hotel’s dinner restaurant with a steak and seafood-heavy menu. Market Street Cafe is open 24 hours and serves diner food and has a salad bar. Aloha Specialties serves a Hawaiian menu that specializes in teriyaki, oxtail, and spam dishes. (California Hotel is one of the country's biggest purchasers of oxtails). On the hotel’s second floor there's an ice-cream shop and other shops including a chocolatier, sundry shop, gift shop, and video arcade. 

The property's freshwater pool is located on the 6th floor and surrounded by lounge chairs, umbrellas, cabanas, and sun beds. For working out, the small gym is stocked with Cybex treadmills, an elliptical machine, stationary bicycle, dumbbells, medicine balls, and a combination weight-training machine. Meeting rooms are available. The hotel concierge can assist in arranging show reservations, dinner reservations, tours, airport transfers, and taxis (although taxis are usually waiting right outside of the hotel). There’s a fee for parking. Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available for fees. A free shuttle connects the hotel to Sam’s Town, it’s sister casino, and The Las Vegas Strip. Other freebies include daily "USA Today" newspapers in the lobby and Wi-Fi in the public areas.