Courtyard Las Vegas Henderson/Green Valley

Located in Henderson, the second largest city in Nevada, this Courtyard by Marriott is 15 to 20 minutes from the Strip, the densely packed three-and-a-half-mile-long stretch of hotel-casinos in the heart of Las Vegas. Though close to a local casino with its own microbrewery, the hotel is within walking distance to virtually no other nightlife. A variety of chain restaurants, however, are within walking distance such as an Olive Garden, Joe's Crab Shack, Outback Steakhouse, TGI Friday's, and Blueberry Hill Restaurant and Lounge.Up until about a decade ago, the area surrounding Las Vegas' towering guest room buildings and miniature icons of Western and Egyptian civilization was just a stretch of red desert land. But the development of luxury resorts as distant as 40 minutes from the Strip has extended the area of Vegas fun minus the constant crowds. Never mind the suburban sprawl -- and in some cases a major beltway -- or the lack of in-hotel theater performances. Here, there's natural drama, like the desert oasis of Lake Las Vegas. Often, gaming takes a backseat.- 15-minute drive (or $25 taxi) to McCarran International Airport; free hotel shuttle service to and from the airport at the top of the hour and bottom of the hour, respectively, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• 15 to 20 minute drive (or $30 taxi) to the casinos, performances, incredible restaurants, nightclubs, and designer shopping on the Strip; free hotel shuttle service to and from the Strip four times per day (10 a.m., 1, 7, and 10 p.m. with pick-up scheduled 15 minutes past each hour)
• 10-minute drive to Sunset Station, which offers gambling, bowling, a cinema, live entertainment, and a variety of restaurants
• Less than a five-minute drive to Wild Horse Golf Course
• Free on-site parking
• 20-minute drive to the Las Vegas Convention Center

• Queen Rooms, the base-level room type, has just enough space for a queen-size bed and a work desk, but little else (331 square feet); the King Rooms and Two Double Rooms (370 square feet) also include a sofa bed.
• One-bedroom Suites start at 545 square feet and offer a king-size bed, a separate living space, a conference room, and two flat-screen TVs.
• Free Wi-Fi and wired Internet
• Older, flat-panel (not flat-screen) TVs
• Coffeemaker, mini-fridge and microwave in all rooms
• Small, outdoor patio areas or balconies with some rooms
• Great beds: pillow-top mattress; down pillows
• No smoking rooms available