This review is for the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, specifically, which I stay in for 10 nights from 1-10 April 2026.
I was close to reviewing as 1 star, so if i had the option this would be a 1.5 star review. As 1 star felt too mean.
Firstly the positives. Close to the airport, a half decent swimming pool/beach complex, great staff, very friendly and helpful from the porters to the desk staff up to the managers. It was clean, tidy, comfortable rooms with a decent ish view, albeit ours was out the back of a car park, but still. The room was cool with good air con and the bathroom was spacious and well equipped. However, the beds we not massive, we had two doubles for a family of three, which felt a little small for two adults. For a 5* hotel i would have expected at least kingsize if not Emperor beds.
Now, on to the negatives, of which there are many.
Starting with the room, we are no stranger to minibars, but when they are touch sensitive and record whatever moves, it's a little much. Not a problem if you ignore the fridge, but they have a display of goodies out on the counter like coffee, pringles etc, which are also touch sensitive. So if you have a curious child, they can touch the items and cost you a fortune. which coincidentally, $10 for a small coffee? Is shameful. I would get a $50 motel 8 and get free coffee all day. You should be ashamed of yourself. You cant even grab your own coffee as all the restaurants charge at least $10 for a coffee. plus, if you want to remove the stuff from the fridge and put your own stuff in it, they charge you $25!!! just for an empty fridge. Disgusting. I get they dont want you in the room and want you gambling, but this was crazy.
The casino itself felt quiet, for what should have been a busy Easter weekend, it was dead. despite there being a kids volleyball tournament in the hotel, the tables were bare, the poker was 12 seats only, the machines were barely a quarter used. Being at the end of the strip, there is no through traffic like at other casios, so if you want a good atmosphere try New York, Bellagio or any of the other mid-strip casinos. Even Luxor and Circus Circus had a better vibe.
The pool was good and our main reason for booking Mandalay, but the rules and regs about using the wave pool, which is not really a true wave pool with one wave once a minute, takes all the fun out of it. The lifeguards use their whistles entirely too often, breaking the scerenity and peace. I appreciate they have to keep people safe, but they were far too zealous. Oh yeah, get there early asap, as the sunbeds go quickly, & it's rammed
There was nothing for kids to do other than a crazy golf course. Other casinos have thought about this and added a kid friendly, themed area with arcade machines, but in the mandalay there is nothing. with a 12 year old we had to gamble one at a time while the other was up at teh room with the child, so there was no family fun. At least NY NY and Excalibur had these communal places to play and take a break together. Speaking of which, there are hardly any chairs anywhere in teh hotel at all to sit down. Again i understand the need to keep making people play, but seriosuly no seats anywhere to talk as a family and enjoy a coffee?
The restaurants were hugely overpriced with breakfast costing at least $22 for eggs, bacon and potatoes and that was the lower end Citizen restaurant. A steak would cost $100 and that is not a great steak. Far better to go to Outback down the road for better service and a better choice of great steaks. The only other affordable restaurant was the Blues lounge, which had a decent vibe with good food, but it felt a little rushed to get you out, even though it was only half occupied.
Budget for about $70 for breakfast for three people. Same for lunch and about $120 for dinner. Basically for three people for 10 nights cost us easily $2,500. And we're not even drinkers.
Definitely take a travel kettle for teh room with UHT milk, creamer and your own tea/coffee. Plus, ask them to remove the snacks from the top counter if you have young kids, they are a menace.
The onsite shops were a complete waste of time, a snack shop charging $30 for sun cream you can get in CVS for $10 down the road and $10 for Fuji water. Disgusting. A few clothing shops with no one in them felt like a waste and some Bob Marley thing, which we're still not sure if it was a restaurant or an experience, but it never seemed open, so a complete waste of real estate.
Despite being the closest hotel to the airport, which is kind of annoying with the constant airplanes over the pool, they dont offer a free or paid for shuttle service.
In summary, the whole Mandalay vibe felt like arrogance. "We've got you now, so we're going to milk you for everything you've got". Yes it was a nice hotel, but there were far nicer hotels with more to do for families, & singles, like Bellagio, Paris, Venetian
