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. 

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!

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

(Psst! I earn a bit of extra money if you book your stay through my link… but there’s no additional cost for you! )

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 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API