Locals Hotel
The Orleans
THE ORLEANS
4500 W. Tropicana Ave.
We still can't figure out what a country show is doing in the Gaughan family's otherwise well-executed tribute to the Crescent City. No matter. Readers like this newfangled take on Gold Coast hospitality, naming The Orleans No. 1 in its first year of eligibility. Arizona Charlie's finished second while last year's winner, the just-revamped Rio, slipped to third.
Our Pick:
BOULDER STATION
4111 Boulder Highway
The Boulder Strip has been booming and Boulder Station is our pick for one-stop casino entertainment. The obvious lure -- could it be gaming? -- can actually take a back seat to good-value dining and a fine first-run movie complex. There's even a place to park the kids when the siren song of the tables beckons.