By Nellie Day
The view of the Riviera from Las Vegas Boulevard
Built in 1955, the Riviera is one of the oldest casinos on the
Las Vegas Strip. Since then, it's been dominated by casinos that continue to outdo each other, leaving the Riviera in the dust. Its biggest claim to fame was a performance starring famous female impersonators that closed in 2009. Since then, the casino has been trying to regain an identity of its own. Due to its decrease in popularity, however, the Riviera typically boasts low room rates and great last-minute deals.
Wows and Woes
Wows: The Crazy Girls Topless Revue is quite popular with tourists, and the discounted room rates make the Riviera a great destination for budget or last-minute travelers.
Woes: The Riviera is pretty run down, and it's not near the center of the Strip, making it difficult to get to and hard to justify the trip.
Insider Tips
If you like the feel of older Vegas or the discounts that come with some of the smaller Strip properties, you'll enjoy the Riviera. It's away from all the action and raucous, and its low prices ensure that you won't break your bank. While there, you may want to visit other nearby properties, including Circus Circus, Sahara and Stratosphere. You can also take the monorail from the Sahara to other locations on the Strip.
Author's Most Memorable Moment
I visited the Riviera recently after having not seen it for more than a few years. I was surprised to see how run down and empty it was. The resort was in such poor condition, in fact, that I'm amazed it's still in existence. I hope that it can pull itself out of disrepair soon, but if not, I suspect it will meet with the same fate as the Hacienda, Frontier and Stardust.
Bottom Line
The Riviera is low-key, inexpensive and not the most up-to-date property on the Strip. If this isn't OK with you, you probably don't want to stay here.
About the Author:
Nellie Day is a freelance writer based out of Hermosa Beach, CA. She has her Master's degree in broadcast journalism from USC, and Bachelors' degrees in English and sociology from UC Irvine. Ms. Day's work can regularly be seen on newsstands, where her specialties include weddings, pets, real estate, electronics, product reviews, business, architecture and design, Southern California, food and wine, and travel and tourism.
Photo Credits:
commons.wikimedia.org; mrak75
