Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall — Hotel in Whitney

UPDATE: This property popped up on my Google account again and I realized that I rated it several years ago; however, I never provided any verbiage to support my rating - I figured now is the best time to do so. Unfortunately, I've never stayed in this property's hotel, but I have visited several times (easily over 10 visits).

I'll start by saying that this property is ok (3 stars). My initial rating of this property was 4 stars - it just doesn't have the same feeling/vibe for me as it did several years ago. My family and I have visited this property on several occasions; whether with other family members visiting Las Vegas, or during our stay at the Sam's Town KOA next to the hotel/casino, or, whenever we happen to be in the area (either solo or all together). We live in the far Northwest part of Las Vegas so visiting this property on a frequent basis is limited, compared to our visits with other properties in the valley. And to be honest, I'm not really ecstatic about exposing my family around this area of town for a long duration, especially at night.

The property itself offers some remarkable entertainment/activities for the entire family. Between the bowling alley, theaters, arcade, and the Mystic Falls Park, people of all ages can truly come enjoy their stay on this property. The food court isn't my go-to place in this city; however, for visiting families, this place is suitable. We did end up trying the Angry Butcher Steakhouse and had a great time. I also enjoy how this property has Dunkin' Donuts (DD) - I prefer it more than Starbucks. After all, "America Runs on Dunkin'."

Recently, as on 5 Dec 2023, I stopped in to grab a bite to eat from DD since I was in the area. Whenever I received my food, I figured I'd eat while playing at a video poker machine right outside of DD. I didn't get the slot tech's name but she approached me and said that it was company's policy that I couldn't eat at the machines. Now perhaps it is the company's policy but no one has ever approached me while eating and playing at the same time (either Boyd or Station properties across the valley). I don't do it often, but I have been doing this once in a great while since 2014. Also, that slot tech working that section could've been more friendlier/respectable about it instead of treating me like some sort of street rat. Who knows, maybe she thought I was someone loitering the property...considering the area, I could see that. Regardless, that little incident left a bad taste in my mouth and if it is indeed company policy, then I would suggest that all Boyd properties remain consistent in upholding/enforcing that policy. Otherwise, it just confuses people and/or makes them annoyed.

The décor in this building is decent, although it could use a bit of an upgrade/remodel. When you look at a lot of the "locals" casinos across this city, a lot of them have been remodeling here and there, so it would be nice if this property enhanced its look to even out the playing field. Aside from my recent experience, I still recommend this...

SERVICE & TRANSITIONS -- 👍 Awesome Butter smooth checkin process; professional, efficient & down to earth. The (jungle) theme is something circus & public spaces were fantastic: impeccably clean, immersive, & an expert use of color psychology -- the best of all BOYD gaming locations IMO. MVP employees: Brittany

ROOM (Deluxe King) -- 👍 https://youtu.be/iPKU8Sn9cww Pictures online are lifeless & uninspired... But in-person: vibrant, clean, & comfortably contemporary! Very impressed by house keeping performing deep cleanings during the work week👏. Our view was great for the extra light, but obstructed by bird poop & bugs 🫤. Windows simply aren't washed regularly enough. The dedicated workspace was perfect for work & extra tabletop space.

BED -- 👍 great Linens & mattress were in peak condition. Pillow build was spectacular. This was some of my best sleep in Las Vegas.

BATH -- 👍 great Huge tub, huge vanity, & powerful water pressure! This should be the baseline for Vegas hotel shower plumbing IMO. Cons: Towels were extremely rough & worn...

TV/ENT./ACTIVITIES -- 👍 Good This TV was abhorrent.. everything from the programming, to the remote. It's a fragile & draconian TV solution. But there's plenty to do in this family-friendly megaplex of a casino thx to: A movie theatre, swimming pool, bowling alley, & slots galore!

WI-FI & CELL RECEPTION -- 👎 bad Verizon service was super strong - Full bars 5G-uw!! WiFi was the status quo Boyd gaming configuration: weak, unencrypted, & overpriced. --Performance-- Video streaming - Good Online gaming - great Video chatting - great --Nerd Stats-- 2-5 Mbps download 4-18 Mbps upload 0% packet loss 14 ms latency 3 ms jitter

FOOD & DRINK -- 👍 great Not DoorDash friendly (very difficult in fact). Food courts offer a modest variety of convenience: Subway, McDonald's, Dunkin donuts, etc. Food service was much more personable here than at the Gold Coast casino. in-room: ❌ microwave ✅ mini-fridge (small) ❌ coffee ❌ tea ❌ wet-bar ❌ mini-bar

NOISE -- 👎 Awful Thin walls, "Your worst nightmare, thin". We could hear bed frames moving, TVs, & conversations (talking-volume) in other units.

LOCATION -- 👍 I felt safe, in general & as a minority here. Walmart across the street + other shopping centers in walking distance. Valet parking is not managed well; so chaotic and congested at random times. Tighten up!

RECOMMENDATION & RATING Final price: $113.58/night Was it worth it: yes Best part: food & drink The first Boyd Gaming hotel I actually felt comfortable in, slept like a baby, & wanted to book again. Despite repulsive WiFi performance. Please tip the house keepers, they go above & beyond!

4.5/5...

Sam’s Town has been a solid stay—clean facilities, a spotless room, and room service that actually exists (which is more than I can say for some places). It’s also a great middle ground: close enough to the Strip without the chaos, but far enough that you won’t wake up to a guy in a half-zipped Elvis jumpsuit yelling about blackjack.

Now, about the elevators. Specifically, the back right-side one near the exterior wall, which has ascended to Floor 5 and refuses to leave. I don’t know what’s happening on the 5th floor, but whatever it is, I bet it’s real nice. Maybe there’s a secret VIP lounge. Maybe the elevator is just living its best life up there, sipping a cocktail and refusing to engage with our peasant struggles. Meanwhile, the one working back elevator has become a Vegas-style Hunger Games. You wait, you strategize, and just when you think you’ve won—bam. Full. Every. Single. Time.

I have now spent so much time waiting for an elevator I've entered a state of deep existential reflection. Should I have chosen a different career? Did I leave the stove on? Would it be faster to just climb the exterior of the building like a stressed-out Spider-Man? Does that window open? I even wrote this review.

At this point, the stairs seemed like the best option. If only I could find them. I spent two full days wandering the hotel like an NPC with ADHD. Even the staff had no idea where the stairs were. When I finally did locate them, I was greeted by a cardboard sign duct-taped to the wall, casually pointing toward the casino like it was made by a lost hotel guest who gave up and left clues for the rest of us. Next to it? A fire extinguisher zip-tied into place, an "Exit" sign above a door that doesn’t lead out, and enough conflicting signage to make me question if I was trespassing. The whole scene had the energy of a place you weren’t supposed to find.

Then, when I finally reached the bottom, I pushed open the final door… only to be met with a giant "EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY" sign. You know, one of those signs that makes you pause and seriously reconsider whether you're about to set off an alarm and get tackled by security. But by that point, I was committed. So I did what any reasonable person would do—I took a deep breath, stepped through… and hoped for the best.

If they can get that rogue elevator back on speaking terms with the lower floors, this would be an easy five-star stay. Until then, bring a survival pack, befriend your fellow elevator-waiting comrades, and maybe slip the Floor 5 elevator a note asking what the hell is going...