I’m writing this from the confines of my motel room in chilly Las Vegas, Nevada. I’m in town for CES, because I love technology and gadgets, and I love walking around large convention centers and seeing the latest and greatest. Above all, I love doing it drunk. On a Tuesday afternoon. But right now I’m holed up in my favorite place to sleep in Vegas: the luxurious Motel 6 Tropicana — largest of its brand in all of the United States. Sure, the room is tiny; a faint smell of stale cigarettes lingers in the air, and every thirty seconds, my chest rumbles from the sound of a jumbo jet taking off. Really, I could go on and on about the negative qualities of this motel. In comparison to any other place in any other city, it’s a dump.
But we’re not in any other city, we’re in Vegas — the land of $600 hotel rooms; a place with over 130,000 beds in 10-mile radius. So why, you’re probably thinking, do I repeatedly choose to stay in the Motel 6? Good question!
1. Close proximity to the strip. For being an off-strip establishment, the Motel 6 is as close to the strip as you can get without being accosted by flier-snapping porn peddlers. It’s located off the south end, at the corner of Tropicana and Koval, next to the Hooters Casino (conveniently, some might say), and directly across Tropicana from the MGM Grand. In about 5 minutes walk time, I can be across the street, through MGM’s south entrance, and onto the Las Vegas Monorail heading practically anywhere on the strip. Five minutes in the other direction puts me at the corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard.
2. Price. This is one of the strongest qualities the Motel 6 has going for it. For three nights in a double, I’m paying $287.97 USD, or roughly $95 per night. This is during CES, mind you — the largest trade show in Las Vegas, with over 150,000 attendees. During this week, at any other place on the strip, you can expect to pay more per night than I am for three. It’s even cheaper if you’re splitting the room with someone else, as I am. This brings the total cost per person, per night, to under $50. And I didn’t have to book 8 months in advance; these reservations were made in early December. But get this: a quick search of the reservation database reveals that not only are rooms still available this week, they’re cheaper than what I paid last month! Unbeatable. (And I’m on my way down to the desk to get a refund!)
3. Convenience store. One of my favorite things about the Motel 6 is the convenience store located on-site. The Eagle Mini-Mart, open 24/7, is filled with just about anything you’d ever need during your average stay in Vegas. They’ve got beer and liquor, smokes, sunglasses, medicine, toiletries — everything you’d expect to find in your neighborhood 7-11 back home, save for the blinking slot machines in the back corner. It’s priced for convenience, of course, but then again, isn’t everything in Vegas priced for convenience? My first stop upon arriving is at the store to pick up a big box of beer. Then it’s off to the room, where I dump it in the bathroom sink and fill it up with ice from the machine. Anything that doesn’t fit in the sink is placed in the next-best makeshift cooler: the trash can. (Tip: place the included plastic liner in the trash can first!) Classy, I know. After a long, hard night of debauchery, stop back by the Eagle for free coffee (guests only) in the morning.
4. CoCo’s. Directly west of the Motel 6 is CoCo’s, a greasy-spoon, Denny’s-like restaurant open 24/7. Forget the $20-plus buffets on the strip, CoCo’s is cheap, fast, and delicious. There’s absolutely, without a doubt, no better way to sop up a hangover then a tall stack of flapjacks and a side of fries. Plus it’s the only place in Vegas where you can dine with both vacationing families and pimps at the same time. And unlike most places in town, it’s 100% smoke free. Get there early on the weekends, or expect to wait for a table (unless you’re a pimp).
5. No-frills, but clean and safe. If you’re staying at the Motel 6 in Vegas, you have to be in the right frame of mind. I admit, it’s not for everyone — nor is it for every situation. If you’re on your honeymoon, for instance, or trying to impress someone, you’d be better off splurging for something a little more lavish. The Motel 6 doesn’t have butler service or elegant linens. Nor do they have a flat screen television or his-and-her Italian marble baths. If these things are important to you, go elsewhere. But if you need a clean, safe place to lay your weary head, the “6” passes with flying colors.
And sorry to burst your bubble, but they won’t leave the light on for you. You know, the whole global warming thing.
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Motel 6 Las Vegas – Tropicana #67
195 E Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV, 89109
Phone: (702) 798-0728 | Fax: (702) 798-5657
www.motel6.com