On-Strip, off-Strip, take your pick
I can’t confirm the number of meeting professionals (or visitors generally) who fly into Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and have their minds set on staying off The Strip. What I can confirm is that not considering it is ill-advised. There’s so much more to see and experience, even just 10 minutes from the city’s bread and butter.
Stay and Meet
In 2023, Caesars transformed Horseshoe Las Vegas’ Jubilee Tower into Paris Las Vegas’ (150,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 3,672 guest rooms) Versailles Tower, during which its 756 rooms were renovated. Here I had a view of The Flamingo across the street, The Linq Promenade’s High Roller and Sphere, which greeted me in the morning with a gigantic yellow smiley face.
As you head south of The Strip, another property, MGM Grand (850,000+ sq. ft. of meeting space; 4,212 guest rooms), is undergoing a renovation of its own, redesigning all of its guest rooms, with the first phase of its main tower’s remodeled rooms now available. The new rooms include modernizations like upgraded bathrooms with walk-in showers and blackout drapes. The new sleek design, inspired by the disco era, will also be in its 111 new, larger suites, which have been added to the main tower for a total of 753.
Head even farther south and you’ll end up at M Resort Las Vegas (92,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 390 guest rooms), which features the world’s first and only Raiders-themed restaurant. The property’s guest rooms include four types of suites, like the Loft Suites, which sit on the corners of the property and include nice nooks that are perfect for reading.
In January 2026, M Resort will offer an additional 375 rooms in what will be the East Tower, which will also feature a new restaurant, as well as a new 15,000-square-foot ballroom. Its existing 92,000 sq. ft. of meeting space includes a 1,200-person outdoor pavilion and the Lux event suite on the 16th floor, which provides a nice view of The Strip.
Durango Casino & Resort (25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 200 guest rooms), the newest addition to the Station Casinos portfolio, is also in southern Las Vegas. Although home to high-stakes casino rooms and slot machines as most Vegas properties are, Durango has an identity all of its own, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, which give the hotel an airy feel; decor that hits on all shades of brown, reminiscent of the Las Vegas desert; and memorable F&B options, like the Santa Monica-based Summer House.
Eat
Orla at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is a new Mediterranean restaurant by famed chef Michael Mina. The menu includes items like hummus and pita, Yemenite spiced New York striploin and lemon olive oil semolina cake.
In the last couple of months, Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino became the home to two more restaurants by known names: Gordon Ramsay Burger and Pinky’s by Vanderpump. These additions mark the seventh and third restaurants by Gordon Ramsay and Lisa Vanderpump on The Strip, respectively.
Gordon Ramsay Burger is one of the more price-friendly options from Ramsay, offering classic sandwiches, burgers, appetizers, hot dogs, sweets and more. Although I only had drinks (alcoholic: The Pinky’s Pumptini, and not: Flamingo Pink), the location (and drinks) are worth visiting for the decor alone.
Experience
As if Las Vegas didn’t already offer a load of activities, last year the city introduced a few more opportunities for post-event connection. If your group is in the mood for letting loose, Discoshow at The Linq Las Vegas may be what they need. After dinner at the 70s-themed Diner Ross, groups can head to the show, an hour-long dance party that takes its visitors through the evolution of disco, from the 70s to today.
The competitive socializing options on The Strip continue to grow. Two I had the pleasure of playing were Flight Club Social Darts, a venue that pairs food, cocktails and darts in an old carnival setting at The Shoppes at The Venetian Resort, and Swingers Las Vegas, an English countryside-themed mini golf and arcade venue at Mandalay Bay—both fun-filled ways to end a night on a high note.
This article appears in the March 2025 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
