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don't have to squat on a bed to eat. Many also have foldout couches; ask. Not as
cushy looking as the lobby, rooms are as plain as unbuttered toast, but clean. My
only piece of advice is to test out the bed before you accept the room. Most are
just fine, but there are a few that are a bit old, so ask to switch rooms if you find
yourself rolling down one side in the middle of the night. Two pools (a regular
and a lap pool), a medium-size casino in a separate building away from the hotel,
and a useable fitness room are also part of the deal. So what is the deal here? Well,
midweek in low season, you're likely to pay between $49 and $59 a night, up to
$129. Busy season will range from $99 midweek up to $159 weekend. For those
disappointed not to be directly on the Strip: It is walkable from here, though it
will take a good ten minutes to reach the back end of Bally's.
$-$$$$ Kitchens are also available at the well-located Hawthorn Suites Red
Desert Rose Resort 5 (5051 Duke Ellington Way; % 702/739-7000; www.
hawthorn.com; AE, DC, MC, V) —it's right behind the Hooter's pool area, within
walking distance of the Strip—making it a good choice for extended stay visitors
and families. A large pool, a fitness room, and a basketball court will also appeal
to the young 'uns. About half the place has been renovated recently, work on the
other half is on the docket but hadn't yet been scheduled when I last visited, so
ask for one of the new rooms when you reserve. They're the same price and the
same size, nothing fancy, but just a bit spiffier. You may also want to ask for rooms
facing away from Hooters, as the latter's pool area can get loud on weekend nights
(there's a bar out there). Rates start at about $80 a night for a one-bedroom, about
$100 a night for a two-bedroom, which I think is fair for a place this shareable
(all rooms are suites with separate seating areas, kitchens, and balconies); rates
include a filling, hot breakfast buffet with eggs, bacon, and the like. Some of the
units are now time-shares, so if you're hooked into that world, see if you can trade
your way in. The neighborhood in the direct vicinity of the hotel is in transition,
with a new luxury apartment building going up, surrounded by older condos.
Though not well lit, it's reasonably safe for those walking back from the Strip at
night (though you should still take the precautions you'd take in any large city).
$$-$$$$ As prices at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel can soar to $450 a night
or more, it's out of the range of most travelers, most of the time. Two neighbor-
ing properties provide a bed and a bit more for those who want to hang with the
well-heeled hipsters but not pay the piper at the Big Guitar. Across Paradise, is the
Comfort Inn (4350 Paradise Rd., near Harmon Ave.; % 800/938-2000 or 866/
847-2001; www.comfortinn.com; AE, DISC, MC, V), which features smallish rooms
that are laden with extras: Each has a useable kitchenette and a very full breakfast
(hard-boiled eggs, waffles, fruits, and cereals) is included in the rate. In the cen-
ter of the property is a tiny pool with a tiny grotto. Phone calls and Web access
are free here. It's a motel, yes, but an unusually comfortable one because of these
add-ons. Prices run $80 to $100; if you're a member of AAA, AARP, or any other
money-saving organization make that known when you're booking. On the Hard
Rock's other side, across Harmon Avenue, the Alexis Resort (375 E. Harmon Ave.,
near Paradise Rd.; % 800/582-2228 or 702/796-3300; www.alexispark.com; AE,
DISC, MC, V) is more of . . . well, a resort. There's no casino, but the pool's larger
than three bathtubs put together (which would describe its grottoed neighbor),
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