The Vegas Nice List: Resorts That Actually Earn Your Money

The resorts that earn your business, and why some still get it spectacularly wrong. Part 1 of 3.

Welcome to Part 1 of our exclusive 3-part paid Vegas series: the Nice, the Naughty, and the middle-of-the-road. Hell, if the fat man in red can do lists for presents, then it’s good enough for me to help guide you where to stay. So if you’ve ever spent hard-earned money in this city and left frustrated, this guide is for you.

I feel somewhere along the way, Vegas stopped competing for your loyalty.

Now, it’s busy testing how much bullshit you’ll tolerate before walking out.

But that doesn’t mean everywhere is broken. There are still places, a shrinking but precious few, where the hotel earns you. Where service isn’t an afterthought, where people still care enough to notice personal details, and where you’re not just another wallet.

That’s the focus of this list: the Nice hotels. The ones I’ve stayed at, returned to, and continue to recommend, not because they’re perfect, but because they still get it.

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Why This Matters (More Than Just “Nice Hotels”)

I spent most of my career in customer retention and business turnaround, helping companies rebuild by putting the customer first. For me, CX (customer experience) isn’t a buzzword; it’s a guiding principle.

Living half my life in Vegas (part local, part tourist) gives me a rare vantage point. I’ve stayed in strip penthouses, downtown dives, and everything in between. I’ve waited in lines at Aria, flagged down valet staff at Mandalay Bay, and yes, called for help when something as dumb as luggage tags from Houston made me look like an idiot.

I don’t do sponsored stays. No one is handing me “special treatment.” My only agenda: help damn people avoid shitty experiences. Because nothing is worse than stashing cash, building hype, then getting punched in the face by poorly run hotels when you’re supposed to be relaxing, and true, this is my take 100%, and it’s based on what my expectations would be if I were running the damn place.

So here’s where Vegas still wins, and what to lean into if you want a stay that doesn’t feel like a hostage negotiation at check-in.