Las Vegas
Downtown Las Vegas and Fremont Street hotels: where to stay in old Las Vegas
Fremont Street under its LED canopy, casinos from the 1940s and rates well below the Strip. The downtown hotels Picolo recommends.
10 November 20265 min read
Picolo Editorial
In short: downtown Las Vegas and Fremont Street hotels
Best downtown hotel: Circa Resort & Casino, adults only, with six pools and the Stadium Swim screen. Guests on Hotels.com rate it 9.4.
On Fremont Street under the canopy: the D Las Vegas and Four Queens, the classic casino hotels in the middle of the action.
A block off Fremont: Downtown Grand, quieter, with free parking and a rooftop pool.
No resort fee downtown: Four Queens.
Last checked: 10 November 2026.
Downtown is where Las Vegas started, and it still looks like it. Fremont Street runs under a canopy of LED screens for five blocks, and the casinos date from the 1940s and 1950s. The rooms cost a fraction of what they do on the Strip. It is louder, older and more fun than the Strip after dark, and the Strip is a 15-minute drive south when you want it.
Downtown has far fewer hotels than the Strip, and the four below are the ones we recommend, with ratings and facts from Hotels.com checked on 10 November 2026.
The hotels on Fremont Street
Circa Resort & Casino, 8 Fremont Street
Circa opened in October 2020 at the west end of Fremont Street, the first new downtown resort in 40 years. It is for adults only: nobody under 21 stays here. The rooftop pool deck, Stadium Swim, has six pools facing a 143-foot screen that shows sports all day. The Legacy Club bar on the 60th floor has the best view downtown. More than 5,700 guests on Hotels.com rate it 9.4. Pets are not allowed.
the D Las Vegas, 301 Fremont St
The D is in the middle of the Fremont Street Experience, with the canopy outside the door and a rooftop pool. The casino runs over two floors, with the vintage slot machines upstairs. It is the hotel for people who came downtown for Fremont Street and want to fall into bed afterwards. More than 7,700 guests on Hotels.com rate it 8.6. Pets are not allowed.
Four Queens Hotel and Casino, 202 Fremont St
Four Queens has stood on the corner of Fremont and Casino Center Boulevard since 1966, and it is the one downtown casino hotel that charges no resort fee. The rooms are plain and the casino is small and friendly, and Hugo's Cellar in the basement is the old-school steakhouse downtown. Nearly 7,500 guests on Hotels.com rate it 8.6. Parking is a few dollars a day.
A block off Fremont Street
Downtown Grand Las Vegas, 206 North 3rd Street
Downtown Grand is a block north of the canopy. That is far enough for a quiet room at two in the morning, and close enough that Fremont Street is three minutes on foot. It has a rooftop pool, free self-parking, which is rare downtown, and one dog up to 50 pounds is allowed in pet-friendly rooms. Nearly 10,000 guests on Hotels.com rate it 8.6.
The other downtown names
The Golden Nugget with its shark-tank pool, the Plaza at the head of Fremont Street, El Cortez from 1941 and the Golden Gate from 1906 are the landmarks of downtown. All four are worth a walk-through, and they are the places to check if the four hotels above are full.
What Picolo chooses
What Picolo chooses: Circa for a weekend downtown without children, Downtown Grand for a quieter night and free parking, and Four Queens for the lowest total cost.
Why: Circa is the only downtown hotel rated above 9 on Hotels.com and the only one with a pool deck that competes with the Strip. Downtown Grand is a block from the noise with free parking. Four Queens charges no resort fee.
The trade-off: Circa takes no guests under 21, so families stay elsewhere. The D and Four Queens are older buildings with small rooms, and Fremont Street is loud until late. Downtown Grand's pool is small.
Getting around downtown
Downtown is compact: everything in this guide is within five blocks. The Fremont Street Experience runs from Main Street to Las Vegas Boulevard, and the newer bars and restaurants are east of the canopy around Fremont East and Carson Avenue. The Strip is about four miles south, a 15-minute drive, or 30 minutes on the Deuce bus, which runs around the clock along Las Vegas Boulevard. Harry Reid International Airport is eight miles and 20 to 25 minutes by car. Parking downtown is cheaper than on the Strip, and Downtown Grand parks you free.
For the city as a whole, area by area, read Where to stay in Las Vegas.
Our recommendation
Circa: our first choice downtown
Circa is Picolo's first choice for a stay downtown. Stadium Swim, the rooftop pool deck with six pools and a 143-foot screen, is the best pool in downtown Las Vegas. The Legacy Club on the 60th floor has the view, and the rooms are the newest on Fremont Street. It is for guests 21 and over only. More than 5,700 guests on Hotels.com rate it 9.4.
Frequently asked questions about downtown Las Vegas hotels
What is the best hotel in downtown Las Vegas?
Picolo's pick is Circa Resort & Casino at the west end of Fremont Street, rated 9.4 on Hotels.com by more than 5,700 guests. It has the Stadium Swim pool deck and the Legacy Club bar. It is for adults only. For families, Downtown Grand a block off Fremont is the pick, with free parking and a rooftop pool.
Is it better to stay downtown or on the Strip in Las Vegas?
Downtown is cheaper, more compact and older in character, with Fremont Street as the center. The Strip has the big shows, the pools and the restaurants, at higher rates. For a first visit, most people choose the Strip; for a second, or for a weekend of old Las Vegas, downtown. The two are a 15-minute drive apart.
Is downtown Las Vegas safe to stay in?
Fremont Street under the canopy and the hotels on it are patrolled and busy until late, and the blocks covered in this guide are safe for visitors. The streets north and east of the canopy get quieter and rougher after dark, so take a taxi rather than walk if you go beyond Fremont East at night.
Which downtown Las Vegas hotels have no resort fee?
Four Queens Hotel and Casino on Fremont Street listed no resort fee on Hotels.com on 10 November 2026. Circa, the D and Downtown Grand all charge one, though downtown resort fees are lower than on the Strip. Check the Fees section of the listing before you book.
Can you stay at Circa with children?
No. Circa Resort & Casino is for guests 21 and over, including at the pool and in the rooms. Families should book Downtown Grand, a block north of Fremont Street, which takes children and has a rooftop pool, or stay on the Strip.
How far is downtown Las Vegas from the Strip?
About four miles. The drive from Fremont Street to Bellagio takes 15 minutes outside rush hour. The Deuce bus runs the length of Las Vegas Boulevard between the two around the clock and takes about 30 minutes. The airport is eight miles from downtown, 20 to 25 minutes by car.
What is there to do on Fremont Street?
The Fremont Street Experience is a five-block pedestrian street under an LED canopy, with live music on three stages and the old casinos open to the street. The SlotZilla zip line runs the length of the canopy. East of the canopy, Fremont East has the bars and restaurants locals use. Most of it is free.
Sources
Hotel facts, ratings and review counts come from Hotels.com, checked on 10 November 2026, and the hotel photos are from Hotels.com (Expedia Group). Circa's opening and the Stadium Swim details come from Circa Resort & Casino, and the canopy and stage details from the Fremont Street Experience. The picks in "What Picolo chooses" are Picolo's own. Last checked 10 November 2026.
Read more
Enjoy old Las Vegas
Picolo Editorial