An Honest Review: Staying At The MGM Grand in Las Vegas
My honest MGM Grand Las Vegas review is based on my experience staying at the hotel in 2019. We had a few hiccups at the start of our stay but it all worked out in the end.
My MGM Grand review covers the good, the bad, and the ugly. Staying at MGM Grand in Las Vegas can be AMAZING but there are a few things to know before booking. We made a few mistakes which almost ruined our time in Las Vegas.
But If you know what to expect, and don’t fall into the same traps, you can end up loving your stay at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas!
Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!
What To Look For When Booking Your Las Vegas Hotel
There are SO MANY hotel options in Vegas, no seriously it’s insane! There’s really only one main criteria you want to look for when booking your stay in Vegas and that’s to choose a hotel on the strip. It’ll definitely be cheaper if you book off the strip, but the strip is where you want to be, that’s Vegas baby!
I didn’t care where I was on the strip, as long as I was there. But, some people say you want to be in the middle, so nothing is too much out of reach (the strip is surprisingly really long!).
Choosing which hotel to stay at in Vegas is a big responsibility. On most other vacations, the hotel is merely a place to sleep at night. This isn’t the case in Vegas, it’s all about the hotel here. There are a few reasons you go on a vacation to Las Vegas, and you should choose your hotel based on those priorities. For us, it was more about the pool scene than the casino.
If you’re looking to save some money on your stay, it’s a lot cheaper to stay during the week. So if you’re able to, plan your vacation during the week, prices shoots up over the weekend.
Things To Do In Las Vegas
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Go on a night tour of Las Vegas by bus →
Enjoy happy hour during a 30-minute revolution on the High Roller →
Explore the Grand Canyon & Hoover Dam on a day trip from Vegas →
See more Las Vegas organized tours on Viator.
Why We Chose To Stay At The MGM Grand In Las Vegas?
The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is actually the third largest hotel in the world, but that’s not why we booked it. Our decision was based on the affordable booking rate and the incredible pool. It was the only resort with a lazy river, and I can never say no to a lazy river.
The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is at the end of the strip, so for some people, it won’t ever be an option. We didn’t mind, in fact, I preferred being on the end. It meant I never had to choose which way to go, there was only one option!
The MGM Grand is also where the monorail starts, so you don’t have to worry about making it to the other end of the strip. You can get there within minutes!
Book Your Stay at the MGM Grand Las Vegas
MGM Grand Review
The Reality of Booking At The MGM: There Are 3 Rooms Types
Staying at MGM Grand Las Vegas, there are three room types that you can choose from all at a different nightly rate; the West Wing rooms, the Grand rooms, and the Grand Stay Well rooms. The biggest difference is between the MGM Grand Tower room vs West Wing rooms, it’s like staying in two different hotels.
MGM Grand Tower Room Vs. West Wing
The Grand rooms are in the Grand Towers of the hotel, in the centre of it all. Within the Grand Towers you have two room options: standard rooms and Stay Well rooms which will give you some added perks.
The West Wing, is well, the west wing of the hotel. A few years ago, the MGM acquired the neighbouring hotel which is what they turned into the west wing. They didn’t update or renovate any part of it. We didn’t realize how bad these rooms actually are until we saw them for ourselves. The photographs make it look way better than it does.
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Staying At MGM Grand Las Vegas: Avoid The West Wing At All Costs!
The West Wing of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is not only on the west side of the hotel, but also the West Wing from Beauty and the Beast. You know, the forbidden wing of the Beast’s castle where no one’s allowed to go. It’s the creepy, terrifying wing that hasn’t been looked after in years.
If you aren’t familiar with Beauty and the Beast, it’s also a running joke among MGM employees to compare it to the Shining. You know, that terrifying hallway scene with the twins? I’m not even joking, that’s what it’s like walking down the hallways in the West Wing (I actually think the Shining might be better!).
The West Wing rooms are also in the least convenient location at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. They have their own set of elevators to get to them and then it’s still a walk even from there. You really don’t want to forget anything in your room when you’re going out for the day, it’s not fun going back and forth.
Okay, So The Hallway Is Creepy, But What About the Rooms?
Creepy hallways and your time is one thing, but the room quality is another. I’m sad to report, the room doesn’t have any redeeming qualities. It’s tiny, claustrophobic, and there’s a lack of privacy.
Right when you open the door, you walk straight into the bathroom. I swear, as we were walking down the hallway we couldn’t believe our eyes when someone opened their door and we saw WAY TO MUCH!
It’s obvious that privacy was not their main concern. The sink is right when you walk in and there’s a toilet and shower room each separated by only frosted glass doors. The doors don’t help much though, you can see right through them. Maybe their purpose was to test the bounds of every relationship.
The point is, unless you’re really comfortable with your travel partner, I’d stay away from these rooms at all costs.
After the bathroom area, you walk into what is essentially a glorified box. It’s a dimly lit room, with a bed (or two), nightstands, and a chair.
I think the biggest factor was actually the size of the window. There’s a small window above the bed that gives you minimal light and an even worse view (we saw the back of the building). I never thought twice about the impact that floor to ceiling windows have in my hotel room, but it turns out it makes the world of difference.
My partner and I took a few steps around, saw the bathroom situation, the lack of light, dropped our bags and then walked out. We didn’t know what we were going to do next, but we knew we couldn’t stay in that room any longer.
I know that pictures online tend to make hotel rooms look better than they are, but this was something else. They have a lot of mirrors set up in the room that when photographed give you the illusion that the room is bigger than it is.
Notice the tiny window above the bed?
Never Forget a California Sunset – Digital Print
Staying At MGM Grand Las Vegas: The Grand Stay Well
After seeing the room, we decided there was no way we could stay there for 2 nights. We set a budget and decided to see if it was possible, and how much it would cost to upgrade.
We ended up paying a bit extra but upgraded to the Grand Stay Well room (they didn’t have any Grand rooms left). I imagine the room itself is similar aside from a few perks you get with Stay Well. But I noticed the price difference to upgrade to Stay Well isn’t typically that much (typically a few dollars).
If that’s still the case when you’re booking, I highly recommend upgrading to Stay Well rooms at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The main bonus for us was the location. You don’t realize how far the west wing is until you’re in the Grand Tower and it’s a fraction of the time to get anywhere. Stay Well rooms are also the ones closest to the elevator.
You also get some other perks with your Stay Well package. There’s a separate lobby to check-in (with a MUCH shorter line), the room has purified air and water (Oh-la-la). But for us, the main advantage was the discount at the spa (it’s only $10 for the day!).
We had a late flight home on our last day so the spa saved us big time! Because we had to check out of our room early, the spa gave us a locker for the day and somewhere to shower after sitting by the pool.
The only downside was that the hot tub and sauna are separated by gender in the locker rooms. It would’ve been nice if they had also had co-ed parts. But you could still book a couple’s massage together.
Book Your Stay at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
Did I convince you yet to book your stay in a Stay Well room at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas? See updated room rates on Booking.com.
Just remember to avoid booking those West Wing rooms!
MGM Grand Las Vegas Review: The Other Amenities
As one of the largest hotels worldwide, there’s a long list of extra amenities the hotel offers. You already know about the spa where you can enjoy a hot tub, sauna, or even a massage.
Being in Vegas, they also have one of the largest casinos and pool complexes.
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Tips For Enjoying The MGM Pool Complex
On top of having 4 giant pools to enjoy, there’s also a lazy river. But! Don’t settle to sit at the first pool you see, that’s probably the busiest one. If you aren’t travelling with kids, walk to the back of the complex, there’s an 18+ pool with hardly anyone there and tons of seats!
If you’re interested in enjoying the lazy river, know that it’s not as relaxing as a lazy river should be. It’s packed with people of all ages, but it was still a lot of fun for me.
Buy a tube before you leave and make sure it’s a standard donut shape. At the hotel, they charge $25 for a tube that’s too small for even a child, and for a normal size tube, it’s $50.
We ended up finding some fun pineapples tubes on sale at the hotel so bought them. They refused to fill them up with air at the pool because of the shape. They showed us an entire binder filled with banned floaties, and sadly, the pineapple was included.
Food Options At The MGM Grand Las Vegas
Being the largest hotel there’s no shortage of food options – but it was a challenge to find an affordable option. There’s no hiding it, Vegas is expensive so I put together 5 ways to save money while you’re there! Check it out!
The most reasonable place we found to eat in the hotel was Pieology Pizza (it’s a build your own pizza place). It’s confusing to find because you have to go downstairs, like how you get to the monorail.
For other affordable options, you’re going to have to leave the hotel. We found New York New York across the street had a lot more affordable options.
Nighttime Activities At The MGM Grand In Las Vegas
Staying at MGM Grand Las Vegas you’ll never have to leave the hotel if you don’t want to. The MGM offers more than enough night time activities too. The main attraction is the MMA fighting but they also have a cirque de Soleil show (when we were there it was KÀ).
If neither of those interest you, you can also see a David Copperfield magic show or go to the Hakkasan Night Club.
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Fun Extras At The Hotel MGM Grand Review!
The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is also home to CBS Television City, it’s where they prescreen shows. It’s a fun activity that I’ve never experienced before where you get to watch and rate a potential new TV show!
The screening can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on how long the episode they give you is.
If you’re into CSI, there’s also an interactive exhibition you can go to.
Day Trips From Las Vegas
Need a break from the craziness of Vegas?
Head out on a day trip with Viator to explore the beauty around Las Vegas…
Explore the Grand Canyon on a day trip from Vegas →
Half day trip to the Hoover Dam →
Half day Kayak tour through the Emerald Cove →
See more day trips from Vegas on Viator.
What’s The Difference Between Park MGM & MGM Grand In Las Vegas?
I haven’t stayed at Park MGM in Las Vegas, but it isn’t the same hotel as the MGM Grand. It is no to far though, they’re literally across the street from each other. Park MGM is relatively new, it’s the old Monte Carlo hotel and apparently Park MGM hasn’t really updated the rooms.
If you’re interested in the casino or pool experience in Vegas, you’ll want to book a room at the MGM Grand. Apparently, there’s no comparison between the two.
Book Your Stay At The MGM Grand Today!
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Is the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas not for you? Find other hotels to stay at in Las Vegas.
Travelling to Vegas? Find out my top 5 ways to save money while you’re there because the bill in Vegas can quickly add up!
As always, sharing is caring! Feel free to spread the word about booking a stay at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas so others don’t make the same mistake we did!
Other Hotel Recommendations In Las Vegas
We booked the MGM Grand for our stay in Las Vegas (view rates & availability on Booking.com), but there’s no shortage of hotels in Vegas! Here are some alternative accommodation options I’d also recommend.
For a truly unique stay, book a room at the Venetian Las Vegas Resort. Why not pretend like your in Venice for a few days!? See room rates & availability on Booking.com.
If you want to be truly pampered during your stay, book a room at the Four Seasons Las Vegas. Every room features either a mountain or strip view so you won’t be disappointed! See room rates & availability on Booking.com.
If you’re looking for a hotel just off the Strip but not too far, book the Home2 Suites by Hilton Las Vegas City Center. Perfect for longer stays with a kitchenette, and breakfast is always included! See room rates & availability on Booking.com.
See more accommodation options in Las Vegas on Booking.com.
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Last update on 2026-01-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Stayed there last week, fifth floor tower. Happy with the accommodations but wish I had known ahead of time that they do not have coffee in the rooms. I would have brought my own.
I’m so glad I came across your review. My husband and I just booked a trip for our anniversary in April and had booked the West Wing. I immediately canceled that and booked a Stay Well Grand instead! Great tip about the pool floats for the lazy river, too.
So glad I could help 😀 You won’t regret the change in rooms, the stay well is perfect for celebrating such an occasion! Happy Anniversary! I hope you have a wonderful time!
Thanks for the heads up about the tower vs west wing rooms! Really helpful.
FYI, I think of MGM Grand as more in the center of the Strip since Mandalay, Delano, Four Seasons, Luxor, and Excalibur are all south of there. Mandalay Bay is my favorite of the MGM properties, in part because of their fantastic pool deck (including lazy river, wave pool and sandy beach).
Hi Davey,
Thanks for your comment, and you bring up a good point! I’d love to stay at the Mandalay Bay as well one day for the pool it looks incredible!
Very helpful information – thank you!
Hi Paul,
Thanks so much 😀
Can you please tell me what you did about the tubes for the Lazy River then if you couldn’t use the pineapple ones you bought? You have to rent them for $50 a day? Thanks.
Hi Becky,
We ended up going in the Lazy river without any tube, and still enjoyed ourselves! But you can buy one from the hotel that you know will be allowed, or if you find a regular donut shaped tube and bring that you should be able to use it as well. It just can’t be a funky shape or size.
The Park MGM is 100% smoke free, both the hotel and the casino. It’s also on the other side of the strip, which is quite a bit more convenient to the more affordable food options at New York New York (next door). We’ve stayed at most of the MGM properties in Vegas and prefer New York New York for its price point and location. MGM Grand is just enormous, I’m not surprised to discover it’s the third largest hotel in the world. Great review!
Hi Drew,
Thanks for your comment! You brought up some really good points. I had no idea there was a smoke free casino in Vegas, definitely nice to know as a non smoker! And great to point out the more affordable food options, New York New York is definitely good for that 😀
Really enjoyed this review and found it extremely helpful! I have stayed at MGM Grand since I was a child, but haven’t been in some years and needed a refresher of their offerings. Thanks again!
Hi Raquael,
Thanks so much, glad to hear that!
I have stayed @ MGM for the last 10 years. I have had only one hiccup. Last year in September I was supposed to get a King Spa Suite. Sort of a mini suite, sitting area with a pullout couch, King bed with a desk separating both areas. Bathroom has a shower and spa tub. They found me a room when I checked in except when I got into the room the drawer with the safe was lying on the floor broken. I called down and they put me in a queen stay well room. Which was fine. I prefer the stay well room, it has a hepa filter, I have allergies so the hepa filter really helps. But the staff is great always working to fix a problem. Housekeeping is great always getting your room clean and if you have any requests they try to accommodate you. I felt the sheets didn’t seem clean and told housekeeping. She immediately stripped down the bed and put new sheets,blankets, and pillows. I tipped her as she was so prompt and could have just blown me off, as I was leaving the room to meet my friends for lunch. But you can’t go wrong with the stay well rooms. Shower has a vitamin c infuser in the shower head, aroma therapy boxes,hepa filters, natural light lamp/alarm clock. It’s worth the extras.
Hi Randy,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience at the MGM Grand. I couldn’t agree more about the helpful staff, when we switched from the West Wing to the Grand Tower rooms the staff was EXTREMELY helpful and tried their best to accommodate us with the least amount of added expenses to our stay. The StayWell rooms are also worth the extra cost, that’s where we stayed and loved the pampering plus the discount it gives you on the spa! I’m so glad you enjoyed your stay at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas 😀 😀
I’ve stayed at the MGM Grand 5 times in the last three years. Their MLife rewards program is great for anything in the network and you can get some amazing deals if you gamble. Prior to about September 2020, they were still comping up to 4 nights free with up to a combined $1k or so in resort credits and free play. I can’t eat that much food in 4 days if I try. I ate well every day and night. Morimotos, Craft steak, Emeril’s, Wolfgang Pucks three times. Grand Wok is awesome.
There are better restaurants in Vegas to be sure but unless you’ve got your heart set on Joe’s Stone Crab or some special exhibit or show, why go anywhere other than to the cannabis shops?
Despite the typical Vegas gaudiness, there is no pretentiousness at the MGM. It is all kinds of people. If you like LV with a touch of sleaze, the MGM has you covered. As opposed to Old Las Vegas Fremont Street that is nothing but sleaze with no redeemable qualities.
Everything she said about the rooms is true. Notably absent is the omnipresent waft of weed through those Overlook Hotel-esque hallways. There’s a $500 cleaning charge if you smoke in the rooms. I made the mistake of taking one of those King suites in the tower and was at the end of that Kubrickian hallway. Not fun.
My biggest complaint is that I hit the casino floor at all hours of the night and early morning and constantly get hit up by the prostitutes who wander in with the same sob story. “I got left behind by my friends and need cab fair to get home. Do you know where blah, blah, blah is? I just need $20 to get home.” An Uber down the strip is $20 if you’re tipping. Security shoos them out the front door and 30 minutes later they are coming in the side door.
I’ve never personally empowered the courageous sex worker class with my business but theft by deception sullies the reputation of their proud trade.
Hi Scott,
Thanks for your comment and honest opinion about the MGM Grand!
The MGM Grand is not the last hotel on the Strip. Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay and Delano are at the very south end. The latter two also has a lazy river in their shared pool complex.
Hi Sylvia,
True, not the last, but it is towards the end of the strip. I had no idea they also have lazy rivers though, definitely good to know 😀
Great article. We are coming in a couple of weeks and are staying at MGM. I just changed our room from the West Wing to a Grand King because of your article. Do you know if you arrive before check in time, Will the front desk keep your luggage for you until check in time? Our flight is suppose to land in Las Vegas at 11:18 am so I am sure we will get to MGM before check in time. Also what is the best way to get to and from the airport? A taxi or an uber? Do you know if Taxis are cash only or can they take credit cards? When we leave our flight will be leaving around 6 am so we want to be sure we are at the airport on time.
Hi Amber,
Good decision to make the switch 😛 You’re going to enjoy your trip so much more now! Yes they will take your luggage, we left ours there after check out. And who knows sometimes there might even be a room ready for you to check in early. We actually drove to Vegas so we didn’t need to travel from the airport to the hotel but we did take a taxi from the hotel to the airport when we left, I believe they accept card. If I remember correctly there were a bunch of taxis waiting at the hotel entrance but if you’re worried about transport so early I’m sure you can ask the concierge to schedule you a taxi for that time.
I hope you have an amazing time in Vegas and enjoy staying at the MGM Grand as much as we did!
I just left Vegas Jan 16th 2022. Taxi is flat rate of $20 to MGM, Excalibur & Mandalay Bay zones. My Lyft ride from the same area was $14.
Thanks so much for the up to date info 😀 😀
We just returned from Vegas. The cabs we used had cash or credit/debit. We also had an early flight of 7:30a out of Vegas. We were leaving from downtown so I checked with the registration desk the nite before to see what would be better a cab or urber. We ended up using a cab because it was there and we didn’t have to wait. So check with the desk. As far as taxi cost to the strip hotels they have set prices now. We spent our first 3 nights at the Mirage and the price for a cab was 28.00. You can probably ask the cab attendant how much to the MGM. We never used an Uber. I know that prices with them can be a lot cheaper or they can be more depending on what is going on in Vegas. Their prices can go up alot if there is a big call for their use. Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip.
Thanks Kathy for the great up to date information!
Such great info. Thanks for the honest review! My husband and I are staying 4 nights and have a late flight out so the spa info was most helpful. How big would you say the lockers are? Trying to figure out how much to pack and if there may be other options for us to store our luggage.
That’s so exciting, enjoy! 😀 The lockers are full sized gym lockers I would say. Not enough to fit a suitcase though. You can ask the front desk to store your suitcases for you until you’re ready to leave. I packed a day bag for each of us that I fit into the lockers with our toiletries and a change of clothes for the flight. I hope this helps, feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
This is so useful 🙂 I have never been to Las Vegas, but I’m saving this for the future!
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
I’ve stayed at Paris and the Linq as well as an off the strip hotel, but I’d like to check out some more of the Strip hotels. This is a really good, honest review though. And when booking Vegas that’s what you need
The MGM is definitely a more affordable strip option then (especially if you go during the week). It’s really fun to stay on the strip because you’re right there in the heart of everything that’s Vegas!