Resorts World Las Vegas Review for November 2024

Signalling the rebirth of the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, Resorts World was both much anticipated and a long time in coming. Now over three years old, has it been worth the wait and should you consider it for your next Vegas vacation?

With its 117,000 square foot casino, the huge number of restaurants on offer, its three distinctive hotel brands and best in class entertainment schedule, there is a lot to pick through when delving into the pros and cons of this particular property. 

With all that in mind, I headed there to review it to see exactly what it has to offer.

Tony Cornero founded the Stardust Company in 1954 with a view to building a new resort on the Las Vegas Strip, called the Starlight. The idea was to attract visitors in their masses by charging $5 a day for rooms and giving guests $5 a day for gambling. However, Cornero died in July 1955 before the resort could be completed.

The unfinished project was bought for $10 million by Rella Factor in January 1958 and the space age themed resort, re-named Stardust, eventually opened on 2 July 1958 as the world’s largest hotel with 1065 rooms.

A number of ownership changes occurred during the 1970s, and state investigations identified skimming operations at the property in both 1976 and 1983. In fact, such was its notoriety that its operational history and links to organised crime served as the base for the fictional Tangiers casino in the 1995 film Casino, starring Robert De Niro. 

The Boyd family purchased the property in 1985 and would retain ownership for the remainder of the Stardust’s history, adding a 32-story hotel tower in 1990.

In January 2006, Boyd Gaming announced that it would close and demolish the Stardust to build a new project on the site, and the Stardust officially closed on 1 November of the same year. The plan was to build a $4billion mixed-use development called Echelon Place with a casino, shopping promenade, and several hotels with a total of 5,300 rooms. 

However, in August 2008, Boyd Gaming announced that construction would be halted for up to a year due to economic conditions. It would never restart.

In March 2013 Boyd sold the Echelon site for $350million to the Malaysia-based Genting Group, with some of the unfinished Echelon buildings incorporated into the Resorts World project. Groundbreaking took place in May 2015 and construction began in late 2017. 

Resorts World Las Vegas finally opened in June 2021 and was the first new resort to be completed on the Strip since the Cosmopolitan in 2010. At a cost of $4.3billion it’s the most expensive resort property ever developed in Las Vegas history.    

Location

The Las Vegas strip is four and a half miles long from Mandalay Bay at the south end to the Strat at the north, and Resorts World is located a 30 minute walk from the Strat, next door to Circus Circus.

Whilst 20 years ago this area of the Strip was a hive of activity, it is fair to say that it is a long way from that now. The opening of Resorts World was very much the first step in the revitalisation of the north end of the Strip, which has been further improved by the recent opening of Fontainebleau across the street in December 2023. However, it is far from the finished article as things stand.  

Those that hanker for the excitement of being Strip central should consider Resorts World with caution. Granted there are two properties within easy walking distance in Circus Circus and Fontainebleau, and Encore and Wynn are a 20-minute walk away, but to get anywhere else requires a taxi ride. 

For my stay at Resorts World I opted for two nights, which felt like the perfect length of time. This allowed me to explore the property and its neighbours at my leisure, but by day three I was happy to be relocating to a resort further down the Strip and nearer to the action.

Resorts World Las Vegas has 117,000 square feet of gaming space, housing 1,400 slot machines, 117 table games, and 30 poker tables. It boasts the most luxurious high limit gaming area in Las Vegas and has a dedicated poker room and sportsbook. 

The resort and casino space is beautifully laid out. Walking in from the Strip you will pass through 35,000 square feet of boutique shopping, with nightclubs, bars, and restaurants, until you reach the main casino area which is housed under an eye catching, beautifully lit curved ceiling. 

Slots and table games can be found in the centre of the casino, which is surrounded by further bars and restaurants, and to one side is the ultra-chic high limit gaming area. Also worth checking out is the striking Crystal Bar at the centre of the casino for when you want to take a well-earned break from the gambling.       

Table Games Selection

Table game players have a number of options at Resorts World, with tables on the main casino floor, the Crockfords Casino (high limit), as well as a little-known Sky Casino (also high limit) located next to the Allē Lounge on the 66th floor. 

Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat, and some carnival poker games can easily be found, and Resorts World also has a dedicated poker room, located near the west side of the gaming area, closest to the Hilton hotel tower.

The poker room offers $200 No-Limit Hold‘em tournaments twice daily at 12:05pm and 7:05pm. In addition, there are cash games in No-Limit Hold’em (stakes of $2/5), Pot-Limit Omaha ($1/2) and Mixed Games ($4/8, $6/12 and $8/16).

The main casino area offers the following table games:

Classic table games:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Craps
• Baccarat
• Poker

Variants:

• Three Card Poker
• Pai Gow Poker
• Ultimate Texas Hold’em
• Crazy 4 Poker

The minimum bet required to gamble at Crockfords Casino is $100 and up, based on demand, although a number of games are $200 minimum. The casino offers up to 21 six deck Blackjack tables and one double deck table and the maximum bet is $10,000 a hand. There are also up to 26 Baccarat tables with a maximum bet of $20,000, Single Zero Roulette up to $20,000 and Craps tables up to $5,000. 

The minimum bet required to gamble at Sky Casino is $100 and up, based on demand, with maximums in line with the Crockfords Casino. 

Slots Selection

When I visited Resorts World for the first time in 2021, I was overawed with everything new on offer, and as a result was somewhat overwhelmed. I left with a feeling that everything was vast, including the slot selection.

However, having returned to the property a number of times since, this time to stay, after a few hours of play I came to realise that whilst decent, the slot selection is not as exhaustive as I had initially thought. Don’t get me wrong, 1,400 slot machines is still a great selection, and comparable to many of the best online casinos, but if you compare it to Durango’s 2,300 it puts it into perspective a little. 

I gambled on slots in Resorts World throughout the two days of my stay and very much enjoyed myself. I managed to find all the new games I enjoy - Dragon Link, Buffalo Link, Huff N’ More Puff, Piggy Banking, Double Top Dollar and even a new game I enjoyed that I had not seen before, Jackpot Blast. I even won a little money. However, after two days I felt I had exhausted the casino and was ready to move elsewhere.

My rating for the slot selection at Resorts World would be a solid three stars. Modern games are plentiful, although some games are only featured singularly which can lead to players waiting behind you for the game to become free. There is also a lack of too many older three-reel games. 

Waitress Service

My experience with waitress service at brand new casinos is more miss than hit. For whatever reason, they just don’t seem to place as much importance to this element of the gaming experience as the older properties do. Thankfully, during my stay at least, Resorts World successfully bucked this trend.

Now, the waitress service in Crockfords Casino has always been top notch. This has a lot to do with the fact it has its own bar and lounge, so the waitresses never leave the high limit area and provide drinks service exclusively to those players. 

My experience on the main casino floor started off slowly but improved significantly once I found a friendly waitress on her rounds at the Buffalo Link slots area. A $5 tip for the first drink resulted in her returning on a regular basis and, as I was winning, I maintained that $5 tip throughout the evening. It is safe to say I didn’t go thirsty. 

Whilst some may think $5 is a large tip, I feel it is worth the investment, particularly when gambling in the newer properties. The regular bar prices are astronomical so $5 only equates to around one third of the price for a bottle of beer and usually guarantees excellent waitress service for the entire evening.

Bar-Top Gaming

As with almost all Las Vegas casinos, bar-top gaming is available at Resorts World, and the best place to do this is at the stunning Crystal Bar in the centre of the main casino floor. 

The Crystal Bar is one of the most eye-catching casino bars in Las Vegas, and you could do far worse than while away a few hours playing some bar-top games whilst taking advantage of the complimentary drinks on offer.

Bar-top games are limited to Video Poker, Blackjack, and some older slots, but it can be a fun experience. I’d especially recommend it for solo travellers who may enjoy the social interaction between themselves, the bar staff, and other players that is often the norm.

Sportsbook

Resorts World offers a unique sportsbook experience in that it is located inside the 15,000 square foot DawgHouse Saloon and combines sports betting with live entertainment and bar food, all in one location. 

The main sportsbook area offers around 100 seats, however there are hundreds more throughout the saloon with enough TVs to ensure you will never miss a second of your favourite sport.

DawgHouse Saloon & Sportsbook is open from 7:00am to 1:00am Sunday through Thursday, and 7:00am to 2:00am Friday and Saturday.  

High Limit Gaming at Resorts World Las Vegas

In my opinion, the high limit gaming area in Resorts World, otherwise known as Crockfords Casino & Lounge, is by far the best and most luxurious high limit area I’ve ever been in.

The layout of the Crockfords Casino is open plan and is exceptionally large. There are a multitude of games on offer – slots, Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette and Craps. Many slot machines in the centre of the casino are housed in their own pod, with mounted TV so you can follow your favourite game as you are playing. The gaming chairs and lounge area are exceptionally comfortable and the drinks service unrivalled.

Slot machines located in Crockfords include Dragon Link (with $1 million Grand jackpot), Lightning Link, Huff N’ More Puff, All Aboard, and Top Dollar. Minimum bets on many machines start at $5 ($25 for the $1 million Dragon Link) and table minimums start at $100, although many are $200.

If you are a high limit player you will not find a better gaming space in the whole of Las Vegas.       

In addition to Crockfords Casino, there is a little-known high limit table game area on the 66th floor next to the Allē Lounge called Sky Casino. The limits in Sky Casino are similar to those found at Crockfords. 

Cash and Payment Options

Whilst almost all establishments have moved away from cash transactions in recent years, the casino industry has been slow to adapt. However, Resorts World is the first casino in Las Vegas to offer cashless gaming to all holders of its player’s card.

Initially you sign up to a GamingPlay account at the Cashier Cage which is linked to your players card via the Resorts World app. This can then be funded via payment from a debit or credit card, online banking or PayPal.

To play a slot machine you simply press the Cardless Play button on the machine you have chosen, scan the QR code and transfer the funds from your account. Once finished, simply tap cash out on the app and the funds are deposited back into your account.

For tables you select Play Table Games on the app, choose your buy-in amount, let the dealer scan the QR code on your phone and they hand over the chips. When you have finished, simply hand the chips back to the dealer and they will credit your account.

Of course, the use of cash is permitted, and the vast majority of gambling is still completed using cash, but it is certainly interesting to experience what is surely the future for gambling in Las Vegas.         

Should you decide to gamble with cash it is important to bring enough to play at the level you are planning to. Whilst ATM services are available, these attract fees and whilst withdrawals over your daily ATM limit are also offered these also come with fees, often running to $100 or more.    

Resorts World Las Vegas includes a 59-story hotel tower, housing three distinct Hilton- affiliated hotel brands, namely Crockfords, Conrad and Hilton itself. It is also the largest Hilton hotel property in the world with 3,506 rooms.

Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World has the largest offering at 1,678 rooms, Conrad Las Vegas has 1,496 rooms and the remaining 332 rooms make up the high-end Crockfords Las Vegas. Each hotel within Resorts World has its own lobby. 

I booked a Hilton Deluxe King, which is the entry level room type at Resorts World. At 400 square feet it wasn’t huge but very well appointed and everything you would expect from a basic room at a higher end property. 

My only gripe was with just how dirty the windows were, along with the fact that most of the window space was covered by grills that housed the LED lighting on the outside of the hotel tower. I had paid extra for a Strip view room and the view was less than perfect. However, that issue aside, I was more than happy with the overall accommodation. The room was exceptionally clean with a very comfortable bed, and the bathroom immaculate with a large walk-in shower.  

Of course, you don’t have to stay in a basic Hilton room. Conrad offers Premium Rooms at 550 square feet as well as a number of different suites, right up to a two-bedroom Presidential Suite at 3,000 square feet.    

If you are looking for high end accommodation, then Crockfords is your go to. Crockfords offers Superior Rooms at 550 square feet right up to a four-bedroom Presidential Suite at 4,500 square feet. 

Ultimately, you can’t really go too far wrong with any of the room types at Resorts World. Your choice simply comes down to preference and price point. All rooms are relatively new as the resort only opened in 2021, and for me the Hilton Deluxe King was more than sufficient to suit my needs. 

Next time, however, I may request a room that isn’t in the section of the hotel tower that has the external LED lights right outside the window!    

Bars

Resorts World has one of the best selection of bars that you will find in Las Vegas, with literally something for everyone. Particularly recommended are:

Allē Lounge On 66 

As the name suggests this upscale lounge can be found on the 66th floor and offers sunning panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip. The lounge specialises in fine spirits and cocktails and offers light food options as well. The lounge is open 5:00pm to 2:00am Sunday through Thursday and 5:00pm until late Friday and Saturday. Live entertainment is provided at 9:00pm Thursday to Sunday and table reservations are required. 

This lounge is worth a visit and has great views, although I prefer the views at both the Skyfall Lounge at Delano and Ghostbar at Palms.

Crystal Bar

Crystal Bar is one of the most eye-catching centre bars in Las Vegas, only eclipsed by the Bleau Bar at Fontainebleau. Right at the heart of the casino floor, it specialises in cocktails and curated spirits and is the perfect spot to take a break from the gaming. The cascading crystals hanging from the ceiling definitely add to the feeling of glamour as you sip your favourite beverage.

Other bar options at Resorts World include:

• Baccarat Bar: Located in Crockfords Club
• Bimini Bar: Located on the west side of the pool complex
• Conrad Lobby Bar
• Crockfords Lobby Bar
• Redtail: Enjoy a drink while playing arcade games!
• Crossroads Lounge: Vegan restaurant with bar
• Eight Cigar Lounge: Cigars and fine whiskeys
• Fat Tuesday
• Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge: Vintage champagne, cocktails and wines 
• Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge: A modern take on the classic Tiki Bar concept
• Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den: Speakeasy with mixology program
• High Limit Bar: Located in Crockfords Casino
• VIP Pool Bar: Located by the Athena Infinity Ultra Pool
• Jalisco Underground: Cocktails inspired by Mexican flavours  

Restaurants

Resorts World offers an incredible selection of fine and casual dining options, along with a food court specialising in street food, called Famous Foods.

Fine dining options include:

• Aqua: Seafood and caviar 
• Bar Zazu: European inspired cuisine 
• Brezza: Modern Italian fare
• Carversteak: Modern steakhouse
• Copper Sun: Inner-Mongolian cuisine
• Crossroads: Vegan Italian/Mediterranean fine dining
• Fuhu: Asian cuisine
• Genting Palace: Authentic Chinese 
• Kusa Nori: Japanese cuisine
• Viva: Mexican food
• Wally’s: Restaurant and wine bar

Casual Dining options include:

• Agave Bar & Grill: Poolside dining
• Dawn House Saloon: Pub grub 
• Junior’s: Renowned New York restaurant
• Lady M: Luxury cakes
• Mulberry Street Pizza
• Redtail: Burgers, wraps, salads and snacks
• Sun’s Out Buns Out: Comfort food with eggs
• The Co-Op: Gourmet sandwiches and salads

During my stay I ate at Junior’s which was a new experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed their BBQ Baby Back Ribs. I understand they are well known for their cheesecakes, which were all on display and looked delicious. However I was too full to give one a try. It’s definitely on the list for next time!

There was one area I was disappointed in and that was Famous Foods. This section should be a bustling area with around 20 outlets serving a wide variety of street food, but throughout my stay most of the outlets were closed. I understand that this is not a one-off and even during Formula 1 weekend it was the same. With a limited choice I opted for Blood Brothers (Texas BBQ) which was served to me cold, resulting in me and many other diners sending their food back for this reason.

It is worth noting that Famous Foods uses a cashless system where everything is ordered via debit/credit card or room charge. I found this to be somewhat frustrating, as armed with a wad of notes from my gambling exploits, I was unable to pay for my meal in the same way. But I guess that’s progress for you!

Shows and Entertainment

Resorts World is big on entertainment. Their 5,000-capacity concert venue, the Resorts World Theater, currently hosts a residency by Carrie Underwood and has previously hosted Celine Dion, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, Michael Buble and David Blaine. In short, it is always worth checking the listings prior to a trip.

In addition to the Resorts World Theater, Zouk is one of the most popular nightclubs on the Las Vegas Strip and offers a roster of DJs and artists including RL Grime, Illenium, Duke Dumont and Cash Cash.

Ayu Dayclub, an outdoor pool venue, also offers a similar roster of DJs to Zouk. 

Resorts World Las Vegas Pool

As you would expect from a flagship Vegas property, the pool complex at Resorts World is impressive. Boasting five different pool experiences to choose from and spanning 5.5 acres, the set-up is up there with the very best the city has to offer.  

The pool deck is accessed from the 5th floor of the hotel tower, with the main pool area curving around the hotel lined with loungers available to hotel guests on a first come, first served basis.       

Particularly recommended is the Athena Infinity Ultra Pool which is 21+ and located at the back of the pool deck. The pool itself is relatively small but it has a luxurious feel to it, with its own private bar and stunning views of the Las Vegas Strip. 

There is no requirement to purchase a cabana, daybed or chair to enter this area, and any adult can use the pool for free. However all other options are chargeable, with the chairs alone being $150 per day.  

Other pool options include the bar side Bimini Pool, featuring a game of oversized chess, a Family Pool designed with children in mind, and a Cabana Pool which is reserved for Crockfords guests.      

Spa

Resorts World's Awana Spa claims to be 'the first of its kind.' It has immersive facilities and 'approachable wellness'. I'm not really sure what that means exactly, but they are adamant it 'promotes a transformative and holistic experience.'

Awana Spa has treatments from both Europe and the Far East, with a scented sauna treatment based upon steam being pushed towards you via rhythmical towel movements is certainly quite unusual. 

You can even book a Fountain of Youth experience, which is a three-hour pass that allows guests to take in everything the Spa has to offer. 

Resorts World is the only property in Las Vegas owned by the Malaysian based Genting Group, and offers its own rewards programme called Genting Rewards.

Genting Rewards offers a number of benefits depending on your tier status, and unsurprisingly the higher the tier, the better the benefits:

• Royal (0 – 2,999 Base Points) Invited offers
• Elite (3,000 – 74,999 Base Points) Free parking
• Prime (75,000 – 249,999 Base Points) 10% point boost on slots and $250 dining credit
• Monarch (250,000 – 999,999 Base Points) 25% point boost on slots, $350 dining credit and $350 airfare reimbursement
• Imperial (1,000,000+ Base Points) 40% point boost on slots, free valet parking, $500 dining credit and $500 airfare reimbursement

To sign up you need to be at least 21 years of age and have some photographic ID. Simply go along to the Genting Rewards desk/Cashier Cage at the west end of the casino or self-enrol at the Genting Rewards kiosk on the casino floor. 

Once registered, simply inset the card into any slot machine or hand it to a dealer when you play at a table game so that your play can be tracked.

Should you join Genting Rewards?

Despite being a slots player for many years, I always resisted joining the various rewards programmes as I felt I ‘casino hopped’ far too often to make it worth my while.

However, despite being a late adopter, I now realise how short sighted I was and use players cards religiously wherever I gamble. 

Ultimately reward programmes are designed to lure you back to a property and Genting Rewards is no exception. My advice would be to sign up for the card, then use it each time you play. Avoid chasing tier status and just see what offers come your way.

There is no doubt that the opening of Resorts World signalled a new era for the north end of the Strip, and in a few years I think you will experience a vibrant, fully realised vision for that area of town. However, despite the recent opening of Fontainebleau across the street, we are not at that point yet and staying at Resorts World you still feel somewhat on the periphery of the main Vegas action. 

I enjoyed my two-night stay at Resorts World but by day three I was ready to move. I thought the casino was pretty good overall although I tired of it after a few sessions. My room was very nice, and grills and dirty windows aside everything I would expect from a basic room at an upscale resort. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the Allē Lounge On 66 and the Crystal Bar on the main casino floor, although there are better view and centre bars elsewhere on the Strip.  

Food options are plentiful, but Famous Foods was a real disappointment and the cashless system in place caused a few frustrations.

The pool area is superb, though, and up there with the best the city has to offer.

Overall, I would describe Resorts World as ‘very nice’. But ‘very nice’ didn’t result in me jumping on my computer to book a return trip as soon as I got home. I think what is lacking is a bit of soul and a wow factor, which was something I searched hard for but couldn’t really find.