I recently spent one night at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. New York-New York is part of the MGM Resorts portfolio, which include brands like Aria, Bellagio and MGM Grand (which is right across the street). My stay allowed me to have a taste of New York City, with all the glittering lights and slot machines of Las Vegas. Best of all, the property was extremely wheelchair accessible, including in my wonderful 28th floor room.
I had the pleasure of staying for free, thanks to a MyVEGAS Rewards redemption, but still had to pay the resort fee of $33.90. For one night on the Las Vegas Strip, in the heart of the action, that was a great deal! Room rates for standard rooms that night were hovering around $100-$120 in the two weeks leading up to my stay late last month.
Reservation & Check-in
As I outlined last month in my blog post titled How I Earned Free Las Vegas Comps From A Facebook Game, I was able to secure a free night at the resort. I made my reservation via telephone, and reserved a standard room with a king size bed and roll-in shower.
I arrived at noon to check-in, and was thankfully given an exception – Check-in is normally not possible before 3 p.m. This is true of many hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, so I would keep that in mind when planning your travel itinerary. I paid the resort fee, and was given the key to room #2826.
Wheelchair Accessible Room #2826
One of my favorite accessibility features in my room was actually on the door itself. A bar had been placed along the bottom of the door, which protected it from scratches when colliding with my wheelchair. It is often difficult not to hit hotel room doors when trying to get through in my power wheelchair – this “door guard” protected it from scuffs that are often caused by my front caster wheels.
My favorite part of every hotel room is the bed, and this king size bedded not disappoint! The mattress was plush, but still supportive, and the linens were soft and comfortable.
Nightstands on either side of the bed offered access to light and power through the bright lamps. I was able to safely charge my power wheelchair through the built-in power outlet in the lamp. I used the power port located in the lamp on the other side of the bed to charge my mobile phone.
On the wall opposite the bed is a beautiful flat screen television, situated atop a chest of drawers and between two armoire-like cabinets, with plenty of space for hanging clothing. A safe, iron and ironing board can be found inside the cabinet.
To the right of the bed was this nice desk area, which served as a great place to set-up my laptop and check e-mail. The lamp here was also outfitted with a built-in power outlet.
To the bathroom! The sink was wonderfully accessible, with plenty of room to roll my power wheelchair underneath the countertop. The provided hair dryer hung on the wall and was easily within reach, though I never had to use it.
The bathroom’s toilet was also easily accessible. Grab bars surrounded the toilet on the walls behind and to the left. There was plenty of space to the right of the toilet for my wheelchair, allowing for a transfer that was both safe and smooth. Two toilet paper rolls were easily within reach, and I didn’t have to perform acrobatic stunts to access them.
The roll-in shower was also very nice, and featured a wonderful bench that folded down from the wall. When I arrived in the room, the handheld shower nozzle was set at its highest height, but could be adjusted and lowered so that it was within easy reach. A grab bar placed along the far wall added some security and comfort.
The towel racks between the sink and shower were set a bit high on the wall, but my long arms allowed me to reach easily. For most people, I suspect this will not be a problem. There is also plenty of space for towels on the sink countertop, so guests could ask that housekeeping place them there during a stay.
The image above focuses on the room’s interior hallway, that leads from the bed area to the room’s main door and bathroom. The bathroom door slides open and closed with very little effort – a great feature in an accessible room. The main door features an accessible peephole and was pretty easy to open inward.
I had a very nice view of the Las Vegas Strip, the hotel’s roller coaster, and the Las Vegas Airport from my room’s window. The MGM Grand hotel & casino is right across the street, and was accessible from a pedestrian bridge that connects the two hotels.
Casino, Restaurants & Attractions
There was certainly a lot more to the New York-New York Hotel & Casino than you will find at most other hotels – but hey, this is Vegas after all!
The Casino games are a lot of fun, but I recommend that you play smart. If you’re into slot machines, check out a great TravelZork article on maximizing your slot machine gameplay. Personally, I am more interested in video poker, blackjack and roulette – games where the house edge is smallest.
New York-New York is also filled with restaurants and bars. Everything is “expensive,” but there are options at many price levels – from the $6 slice of New York-style pizza to the $100 dinner at a classier restaurant. Spend a little time on the slots and the cocktail servers will offer you complimentary alcohol, which can save you a lot of money. Video poker is probably the best bet if you want to drink for free and limit your gambling losses.
The hotel also has a roller coaster. I wanted to ride it, but was not eligible due to my leg amputations. Their policy is that you must have at least one foot to ride. Bummer!
Location & Transportation
The image above is a map of the Las Vegas Strip and Monorail network. The New York-New York Hotel & Casino is labeled as #10 on the map.
The Las Vegas Monorail connects many of the most popular MGM Resorts on the Strip. The nearest monorail stop is right across the street at MGM Grand. It will take 10-15 minutes to walk or roll from the hotel to the monorail station behind MGM Grand.
City bus service is available right in front of New York-New York on Tropicana Avenue. This stop is served by bus routes 201 and the WAX (Westcliff & Airport Express). The WAX bus offers service to McCarran International Airport.
The Deuce and SDX (Strip & Downtown Express) buses stop across Las Vegas Boulevard, in front of MGM Grand. To access these buses, use the pedestrian bridge that connects New York-New York to MGM Grand. An elevator will take you down to the street.
Final Thoughts
My stay at New York-New York was both comfortable and enjoyable. Even without the free night earned through the myVEGAS Rewards Facebook game, I would still rate this hotel as a very good value. You get all of the accessibility and Vegas flair of staying directly on the Strip, without the higher costs of properties like Aria and Bellagio.
Be sure to sign up for the MLife Rewards card, as you’ll earn points from your purchases and gambling, which can be used towards future comps or free gameplay. As I always say, never pass up an opportunity to earn points or miles! If you have stayed at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, be sure to share your experience in the comments below!
