Silverton Hotel and Casino

The Silverton Hotel and Casino has a rustic, mountain lodge look thanks to huge timbers and exposed-stone pylons supporting a covered car park outside the front entrance. Inside, the atmosphere is at first more Colorado than Vegas, with a woodsy lobby accented by more rough-hewn stone and oversized leather couches opposite the front desk. It's almost as popular with families as it is with couples and groups, and kids are a common sight -- particularly during the large aquarium's mermaid shows and fish feedings. The ever-present casino smoke is well-controlled here, and the action goes 24 hours a day with round-the-clock dining and drinking.  

The hotel is a 10-minute drive south of the three-and-a-half-mile-long stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard lined with hotel-casinos, known as the Strip, but there's very little in the immediate vicinity other than strip malls and gas stations. Plan to take the free, 10-minute shuttle to see any of the action on the Strip. It's a five- to 10-minute drive to the Las Vegas Outlet Mall as well as Town Square, both of which offer a variety of retail shops and restaurants. The Las Vegas Convention Center and McCarran International Airport are both 15-minute drives away.

The hotel has 300 rooms with two choices of decor: Resort rooms have a simple rustic look with unfinished pinewood furnishings, while updated Luxury King rooms offer contemporary furniture in a brown and cream palette. Resort rooms have one king-size or two queen-size beds and sitting areas with small tables and chairs, along with either high-backed leather armchairs or loveseats. Some have older tube-style TVs and they lack coffeemakers, though mini-fridges are available for an extra fee. The bathrooms have average shower/tub combos. The Luxury King rooms have king-size beds, contemporary work desks with ergonomic roller chairs, and flat-screen TVs, along with showers that with rainfall showerheads. Luxury Suites add separate living rooms and whirlpool tubs. The views vary from pool to parking lot. In-room Wi-Fi is included in the resort fee. 

The Silverton offers ample facilities for both adults and kids, most of which are indoors. The casino has more than 1,500 slot machines and 23 table games covering poker, blackjack, craps, and roulette, along with a race and sportsbook. For events, the Veil Pavilion is available for rent when not in use hosting concerts and other regular live entertainment. The courtyard pool is surrounded by a deck featuring a hot tub, loungers, and large round daybeds, along with private cabanas (for an extra fee). There's also a 24-hour fitness center with a dozen cardio machines and some free weights. Parking is free and there's a free daily shuttle to the Strip. Wi-Fi is use of the facilities is included in the resort fee, which is typical of Vegas properties.Six restaurants dot the property, including a steakhouse, a 24-hour grill that serves breakfast all day, and a buffet with show-cooking stations. There's also a pan-Asian noodle joint, an atmospheric Mexican cantina with booths bathed in red light, and a Johnny Rockets, plus a Starbucks. The Mermaid Lounge inside the casino is its own attraction with a huge aquarium filled with 4,000 tropical fish, who look out over a colorful lounge. The aquarium has mermaid shows and fish feedings throughout the day. Flare Bar serves cocktails amid the slots, while Shady Grove Lounge is open 24 hours and has mini bowling lanes inside a converted '50s Airstream trailer.