MGM Resorts made headlines when it announced that Park MGM would reopen in 2020 as the very first smoke-free hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel underwent a major renovation in 2018 and was rebranded from the former Monte Carlo, where I had previously stayed a year earlier.
When I made the decision to visit Las Vegas in October, I decided to stay at the updated Park MGM. During a pandemic, it seemed like a smoke-free environment would be quite a bit safer!
Room Rates & Reservations
Accessible guest rooms can be reserved via the Park MGM website. I enjoy a bit of gambling when I am in Las Vegas and receive complimentary room offers, which is what I used on this trip. If you aren’t interested in wagering money in the casino, you can still score free nights at Park MGM through the MyVEGAS game.
Standard room rates vary according to demand and the season, but midweek rates start from about $49. Weekend rates are higher and can at times approach or even exceed $200 per night. Remember that with proper planning and a bit of flexibility, deals can be found.
Note that all rates are subject to a resort fee of $39 per night plus tax. The Park MGM resort fee includes property-wide high-speed internet access (public spaces and in-room), unlimited local and toll-free calls, airline boarding pass printing and fitness center access for guests 18+. Disabled guests may be able to have resort fees waived on account of accessibility barriers at the property, which are described below, but there is no guarantee.
Wheelchair Accessible Hotel Room
My guest room was located on the 22nd floor, number 22-108. Prior to the hotel’s renovation and name change, I had reviewed Monte Carlo room 10-108. The overall design and layout hasn’t changed much, though the room did get an updated bathroom described later in this article.
The room had a king size bed and was spacious enough to move about in using my power wheelchair.
The bed had a comfortable, semi-firm mattress. Measured from the floor to the top of the mattress, it was 23 inches tall. The mattress sat atop a platform base, with a solid block foundation beginning 6 inches inward from the platform edge. Although there was clear floor space underneath the bed (7 inches height), it extended only 6 inches inward. This would not accommodate most patient transfer hoists.
A wall-mounted television was located across from the bed, in addition to a full-length mirror. There was a table (30 inches tall, 27 inches of clearance) and two chairs in front of the window, which looked toward the ARIA Hotel & Casino. The room had a connecting door to another room.
Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom
When I made the Park MGM booking, I was excited to see the room’s updated ADA bathroom because the Monte Carlo had some accessibility barriers.
Visually, the bathroom is beautiful. The red accent wall and red tile in the shower really makes the space pleasing to the eyes.
Accessibility wise, the toilet checked out. Grab bars were affixed to the adjacent walls in the appropriate locations (35 inches above the floor) and there was space to park my wheelchair alongside the toilet for a safe, lateral transfer. The toilet seat was at a height of 17.5 inches.
The sink, located directly across from the toilet, had a counter height of 34 inches, with 27 inches of clear space underneath. Unfortunately, the sink and toilet were a bit too close together, making it difficult to maneuver my wheelchair into the space. As a result, I used the sink by parking my wheelchair sideways.
Although the one-piece shower stalls from the former Monte Carlo were ripped out, accessibility issues persist with Park MGM’s roll-in showers. The wall-mounted, folding shower seat mandated by the ADA measured 18 inches high and was installed in the appropriate location, but the handheld shower spray unit was affixed out-of-reach on the opposite side wall. As a result, I had to request a portable shower chair, which was not stable and caused me quite a bit of distress. The grab bars were 35 inches high.
The new roll-in showers at Park MGM do not comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, which is a missed opportunity in a smoke-free hotel that should appeal to disabled travelers.
Accessibility in the Park MGM Casino
The first thing I noticed upon entering the casino was the cleanliness of the air. Even with the most powerful ventilation systems, the smoke-filled air of casinos is often “heavy” and difficult to breathe for extended periods of time. With Park MGM’s entirely smoke-free atmosphere, being on the casino floor felt no different than my hotel room.
Accessibility in the casino is very good, with moveable chairs at most slot machines. Although moving the chairs is a task (they’re heavy!), staff is available to assist. Park MGM features a video poker bar, and I was delighted to find multiple positions that had been lowered for wheelchair users and people of shorter stature.
Like every other casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Park MGM’s casino floor is carpeted, a reality that is sure to frustrate manual wheelchair users.
Restaurants & Dining
Park MGM is home to a number of high-quality restaurants, with enough variety to suit just about every taste.
I enjoyed breakfast each morning at Primrose, with its French-inspired menu and traditional American dishes like steak and eggs (my favorite!). Other restaurants include La La Noodle, Bavette’s Steakhouse and the ultra-fast Side Betty Grill. Also onsite is Eataly, a marketplace with more than a dozen authentic Italian eateries. It’s delicious!
Wheelchair Accessibility at the Park Theater
In 2018, I attended a Ricky Martin concert at the Park Theater, located inside the Park MGM resort.
Our ADA accessible seats were in section 301 of the Park Theater, to the right of the stage. Although we would have preferred to sit in the center, the view was still good and it was easy to access our seats. The ADA section was adaptable, with moveable folding chairs to make space for wheelchairs.
Location & Transportation
Park MGM is situated on the Las Vegas Strip, which means it is close to many public transportation options. The popular bus route, known as “The Deuce,” operates along the Strip and connects the hotel with other popular spots. Park MGM is connected to the ARIA Hotel & Casino and to the ARIA Express Tram, a free monorail offering service to Bellagio, Vdara and The Shops at Crystals.
Wheelchair accessible taxis can be ordered on demand, and the typical wait is around 15-20 minutes, if not sooner. You can read more in my article on Las Vegas wheelchair taxis.
Final Thoughts
When selecting accommodation, we each have different priorities. If your number one priority is a smoke-free environment, Park MGM is where it’s at. But, if you’re like me and an ADA compliant roll-in shower is your top concern, you’ll want to look elsewhere. Although I like the hotel’s location, its restaurants and casino, there are a lot of Vegas hotels that are much more wheelchair-friendly (check out Bellagio, New York-New York and the Las Vegas Marriott).
