I recently discovered a fantastic Vegas luxury resort that has everything you need not only for a girl’s or couples’ trip but is a great location for your next family weekend getaway. The Red Rocks Casino Resort and Spa is located just 15-20 minutes from the airport and a short Uber drive from the famous Las Vegas Strip. After a recent stay, I can safely say that the Red Rocks exceeded my expectations and is one of my new favorite recommendations for anyone who wants to get the Vegas feel at an amazing price and away from the Vegas crowds. Check out my review of Red Rocks Casino Resort and Spa, and why I think it should be on the top of your list for your next Vegas Trip.
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Location:
The most important thing to note is that Red Rocks is located 11 miles for the famous Las Vegas Strip. This is not what you see in all the Instagram pictures of Vegas, where you can walk from one giant themed casino to another. You come to Red Rocks to get the Vegas experience, but away from the crowds and the hustle and bustle of the strip. However, away from the strip does not mean hard to access. It is located a short 15–20-minute drive from the airport, and you can get there by rental car, Uber, or taxi very easily. Plus, the advantage of Red Rocks is it is close to the Red Rocks National Conservation Area. Every morning we woke up to see the beautiful Red Rock Hills in the distance and went on the 13-mile scenic drive in the park.
Property:
Red Rocks Casino Resort is everything you expect. It is a compact resort complex with a casino with all the games, a fantastic pool complex with awesome private cabanas,
When you enter the resort, you enter at the lobby, which a modern design. There are plenty of desks to check you in, and a bar right in the lobby if you want to get a drink right away. After checking in and getting your key, you head to the left where there is an elevator to the towers with the almost 800 hotel rooms. One key piece to note, is that there are only two elevator banks in the tower, one at the start of the tower, and one in the middle that goes to the pool area. If you have a room at the other end of the floor, it can be quite a hike from the elevator bank by the lobby to your room.
If you go up the stairs, there is a convenient Starbucks, then you enter the Casino area. There are sit-down restaurants and lounges that line the casino, as well as entrances to the pool area. There is also an entrance to the spa.
Casino:
It is not a Vegas Hotel if you do not have a casino attached. Red Rocks is no different. With over 118,000 feet of casino space, it has all the games you would want. There are roulette tables, blackjack, craps, poker at all different minimums, from $10 up to $25 minimums. There are 2,800 slot machines from penny slots up to more elaborate ones. And exciting enough, there is even a way to play these table games from a computer or with a real dealer.
Red Rocks is part of Station Casinos line, and like all Casinos, it has a VIP Players Club. A friend of mine who goes to casinos regularly let me know that before you gamble, you should sign up for the VIP Players Club. In this case, you were entered to win up to $500 of free slot play. I get $5 free slot play but turned into $72 in winnings! Note, if you book a room at Red Rocks, you will be automatically signed up, but your credit expires within 24 hours of check-in. The attendants at the VIP Players desk can reinstate it if you miss the window.
Pool Area:
The pool area is literally the reason we booked the Red Rocks Resort. The pool deck is literally 3 acres with pools of different sizes, a fountain in the middle of the main pool, loungers, day beds (covered and uncovered), and 19 private cabanas, and a bar with food, drinks, and gaming. It is important to note that you are not allowed to bring outside food or drinks (except food from the hotel establishments). However, the Sand Bar has food and drinks, and servers all around the pool area to take your order and bring your order right to you.
The pool area is great and very family-friendly, but if you are looking for something more adult, there is a private 21+ and 18+ pool area with its own set of private cabanas. You can only enter that area if you are renting a cabana in that area for the day. Cabanas are reasonable during non-peak times ranging from $150 on a weekday to $400 for a signature cabana on the weekend. However, on a holiday weekend, the rates can get as high as $700 for a day rental. You can call the concierge, even before your visit, to reserve a cabana for during your stay. Especially if going during a holiday weekend, make sure to book in advance. A cabana rental comes with a few bottles of water and soft drinks in the fridge, a fruit plate, a pastry basket, and some candy. It is for a max of 6 people, and you have a cabana host who will serve your needs all day long. You can order food from the Sand Bar, and the cabanas have bottle service as well. We got a bottle of Tito’s Vodka and a few mixers to drink the rainbow during our day in the 18+ cabana.
If you choose not to do a cabana, there are more affordable daybed rental options. And there are also free lounge chairs. Just note that at 9am, people rush down to get the loungers in the shade, so expect to join the rush if you want shade.
Restaurants:
As expected with a major resort, there are a plethora of food options available. There are several fantastic sit-down options to eat including a steakhouse (T-Bones Chophouse), Italian (Osteria Fiorella) and even Sushi (Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill). I ate a phenomenal brunch at Lucky Penny where we ate some classics like Eggs Benedict and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. All the restaurants have a full bar and offer cocktails, wines, and beer.
The Sandbar Grille is the restaurant that services the entire pool area. There you can expect your standard sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers such as an excellent Mediterranean platter, and nachos. We found the most economical for drinks for a large group was to get a pitcher. Our drink of choice was Long Island Ice Teas.
There are also several bars and lounges around the casino including the Onyx Bar with signature cocktails, and the Flying Pig Lounge with more of a Southern feel. Plus, like all Vegas casinos, if you are on the floor gambling, waitresses will bring you free drinks of your choosing.
For more economical options, there is a large food court with pizza, sandwiches, fast food and even ice cream. On top of that the resort has two Starbucks, which was our go-to breakfast every morning. And if all else fails, there is 24-hour room service, you can get food delivered directly to your room at any time of day.
Other Amenities:
Valet Parking: Free valet parking for guests was a huge plus. And there was always someone there to quickly get us our car.
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi was free all over the resort and throughout the common areas. You need to log back into it every 24 hours.
Spa: There was a full spa on-site at the Red Rocks Resort. We did the manicure/pedicure service and found it to be a great experience. The spa chairs were clean, the service was high-end, and the polish lasted much longer than my normal home standard manicure experience. Prices were higher as you would expect from an onsite spa but could be charged to the room.
Rooms:
We booked two Luxury Two Queens Rooms, and the rooms were some of the nicest I have stayed in Vegas. Incredibly large, the rooms hold two queen beds, a sitting sofa (or chairs) by the window with a view of the red rocks in the distance, a desk, a large closet, and plenty of dresser and drawer space. The sheets and the comforter were incredibly soft as you would expect in a luxury resort, and pillows were plentiful and comfortable. Maybe it was the lack of kids, but I slept like a baby every night. However, after spending a week in a smallish hotel room in San Diego, I can safely say these rooms, the smallest at Red Rocks, are plenty for a family of four with two small or tween sized children.
The rooms of course have a stocked minibar and stacks in the room. However, the minibar has sensors to detect when something has been moved and will charge the room. You will not be able to move around things in the minibar to stash your personal items. If you need a mini-fridge, they do have one for rent for $15 a day. The rental is free if you have medication that needs to be refrigerated).
My favorite feature of the room however was the bathroom. It was huge! There was a sink area with two sinks, a large mirror, and a lit-up makeup mirror. There is also a toilet with a sliding door (so multiple people can be in the bathroom at once). There is a large standing shower with a rain showerhead, and luxurious toiletry products to use. The towels are fluffy and oversized, which is the best. I am a larger girl, and I could wrap the towel around. That is how I know that the towel is a good size. But my favorite part is the soaking bathtub. I love a good bath, but standard bathtubs are fairly small. This soaking bathtub allowed you to get your whole body in the tub and underwater. I enjoyed a nice 20-minute bubble bath in the soaking tub, and I think it is the best bath I have had since my 40th birthday in Bali.
Staff:
One of the most amazing parts of any good resort is the staff, and the staff at the Red Rocks was no exception. The concierge was able to help us reserve a cabana on a holiday weekend, and even put us on a waitlist for one the next day when we liked the experience so much, we wanted to repeat it. We ended up passing on it when an availability did come up but appreciated the quick response.
In particular, we just had an amazing service poolside. Asten was our first server and she set our trip off on the right foot. She was also great suggesting drinks and food, bringing us service in a timely manner, and just plain excited to see a girl’s trip together and helped suggest activities to make our stay even better. The next day our cabana host Lindsey and her helper Michelle always made sure our energy was up and happy, and worked magic making the seven rainbow-colored drinks. All answered our ridiculous questions including how tipping and taxation worked in Nevada, what kind of training they receive, and why the male servers cannot be shirtless (in case you are wondering, it is a health code violation). We loved our servers, and they made the trip that much more amazing.
Conclusion:
Should you stay: ABSOLUTELY!
If you are looking to enjoy the luxurious Vegas experience, but away from the hustle and bustle of the strip, and a lower cost, then the Red Rocks Casino Resort and Spa is the place to go. This is perfect for all sorts, for the family who wants to get away for the weekend, for a girl’s or boy’s trip, or to celebrate a milestone or a weekend away with your partner. There is something for everyone here. You can get luxurious rooms, excellent service, an amazing pool experience, top quality food and drinks, and awesome gambling, all you would expect from Vegas. But you get all this at a fraction of the cost because you are a little further away from the strip. If casino hopping is not in your plans for the weekend, then do yourself a favor and book a room at the Red Rocks Casino and Spa. It is a perfect place to get the Vegas luxury feel without spending all your money at the strip. (Spend it at the gambling tables instead 🤣)
