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 90 Notable Nights

#21 El Cortez in Las Vegas

5/31/2014

4 Comments

 

​Stop 3 on TX-to-CA Road Trip
​
​
This hotel was quite a change from the night before in Arizona. In order to enjoy a little contrast from our stay in peaceful Winslow, Don and I chose to spend the night in lively old Downtown Vegas. 
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We were pretty excited to find El Cortez, with its retro neon sign! You can tell it's an original, since I don't think they have neon announcing coffee shops anymore!
Classic!
​

El Cortez is the oldest, continuously running casino in Vegas! It opened in 1941, with 59 rooms.
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Besides a bit of a façade update in 1954, the Spanish Colonial Revival building has remained pretty much the same.  You just don't expect a casino hotel to have shutters and flower filled window boxes!

​Past Characters
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​Back in the day, t
he hotel was owned by Bugsy Siegel and some other organized crime figures. You can't look at the place today, without picturing the Rat Pack, or maybe even Elvis. 
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Even though El Cortez has grown a bit by adding newer buildings, it still attracts a local and milder crowd, not wanting to mess with big, crowded casinos. In 1963  Las Vegas legend, Jackie Gaughan bought the place. If our trip had started one month earlier we might have bumped into him.  Evidently until his death (this past March) Mr. Gaughan (age 93) was living in an El Cortez penthouse and enjoying the casino daily.

​Blurry Casino
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​This is how a casino looks if you've been drinking a while, or your eyes are irritated by smoke. ​
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Actually, I just took the photo too fast. I wasn't sure about casino rules and didn't want to make anyone mad. I took the photo from halfway up the stairs to the second floor, where the "Vintage Rooms" were. This is the original building, so there were no elevators to the older rooms. ​

​Vintage Rooms
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​We reserved a vintage room for the true experience. They were located right above the original casino. ​
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There's been a little updating, but not much... which is totally fine. It was just a quick walk up one flight, to room 2273. I'm sure the original door didn't have a non-smoking sign, or a peep hole, or braille writing!

A Suite for $20!
​
​We were upgraded for no charge, to a vintage suite. There really wasn't too much vintage about it. In fact I would have preferred 1940's furniture, over the 1980's look.
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But I was not about to be picky. This suite was TWENTY DOLLARS! I had seen a few reviews that mentioned casino noise, or even smoke seeping into the vintage rooms. But there must have been a quieter, less smoky crowd down below.  No complaints from us.
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Don is posing, to show the spacious entry. We really did have a lot of room to spread out. We kept the drapes closed, however. No view with this room. Just a roof and more building.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was clean and tidy and just a little bit dated.
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​I haven't had a tub with a sliding glass door, in a long time. You don't often get hotel robes, with 20-dollar rooms! That was a plus! But there was no time for robe-lounging. We had places to go and things to see.

Big Gamblers?
​
​No. Las Vegas doesn't make a lot of money off Don and me. We took the 5 -dollar gambling cards (that we received as hotel guests) and embarrassed ourselves with our gambling ignorance. ​
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I had to flag down a black suited attendant about 3 times to ask silly questions about using  the 25-cent slot machine! After a few minutes we were ready to step out to the neon lights of Downtown Vegas!

​The Signs!

Well, the signs weren't quite lit yet, but they were colorful anyway!
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It's been 34 years since I traveled through Las Vegas. I only vaguely remembered the downtown area, on Freemont. The signs were still fun!  They have some new neon, thrown in with the old favorites.

​The Freemont Street Experience
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​We wandered down Freemont Street from the hotel and enjoyed a little of the "afternoon life".
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The Golden Nugget was a familiar sight.

The Mermaids Casino?

The colorful Mermaids building was not a familiar sight. I had a hard time figuring it all out, since the street is now covered with a mall-like canopy. It all seemed confusing to my brain.
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We wandered and enjoyed the colorful scene until about 5:30. Then the walkways began to fill with some odd characters. Men in thongs and tutus here, a topless woman with a cape, there. We decided to move on and enjoy "nightlife" elsewhere.

​Night!

​Nothing better than returning in a taxi, after enjoying rum cocktails at Frankie's Tiki Room and being greeted by all the neon surrounding El Cortez!
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El Cortez is not under a canopy, so as I stood beside our hotel, it felt more like the authentic Las Vegas I remember!

​After our tiki drink outing, we stayed put and had a late dinner at the Cortez Cafe. Dinner was quite decent and so was our sleep, in our surprisingly quiet room! 

What was most notable?
​
​
Price and Convenience! The room with all the meal & gambling coupons was $19.00 plus tax. That boggles my mind because it really was a comfy stay, even if we didn't make much use of all the nearby gambling and nightlife options.
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The retro-ness is what I'll fondly remember. I love, love, love the look of the charming building, with the turquoise neon signs. And I do appreciate a casino that still has penny coin slot machines!
4 Comments
Koby Goldstein link
10/1/2024 07:10:29 pm

What a delightful read! Your experience at El Cortez captures the charm of old-school Vegas perfectly. The retro vibe, along with the history of the hotel, adds so much character to your stay. It’s impressive that you snagged a vintage suite for such a low price! I love how you highlighted both the nostalgic aspects and the fun of exploring downtown. Your insights on the local atmosphere and unique features of El Cortez make me want to visit! Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Beth
10/2/2024 12:24:08 pm

Thanks so much, Koby!
I really wonder what El Cortez is like now in 2024. Our visit was in 2014, so there could be so many changes.
I'm glad you enjoyed the write up. I re-read after all this time and now I'm eager to go back!
Beth

Reply
Atomic Golf link
1/17/2025 05:47:02 pm

What a fantastic write-up on the El Cortez! I love how you’ve captured the history and charm of this classic Las Vegas hotel. It’s such an iconic spot that often gets overlooked in favor of the newer resorts, but its old-school Vegas vibe and rich history make it truly special. Your description of the hotel’s vintage feel really brings it to life.

As a local, I can definitely appreciate how the El Cortez retains that nostalgic Las Vegas energy, while still offering modern amenities. It’s a great place for those looking to experience a different side of the city.

Thanks for sharing this gem of a review—El Cortez definitely deserves more love!

Reply
Top Golf link
1/27/2025 07:22:30 pm

Such a great post! El Cortez has such a rich history, and I love how you highlighted its charm and the classic Vegas feel. It’s a reminder that even in a city known for its ever-changing skyline, places like El Cortez keep that vintage Vegas vibe alive. It really adds to the authenticity of the city.

As a local and owner of Atomic Golf here in Vegas, I always enjoy seeing people appreciate the more historic side of the city. If you’re ever back in town, I’d love for you to stop by and check us out—we’ve got a unique Vegas experience that blends fun and entertainment. Thanks for sharing this nostalgic gem!

Reply



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    Ninety Notable

    ​       Nights


    My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains.    

    I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth.  Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years.

    ​The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures.  I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding!

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  • Homepage
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