Las Vegas has been a popular tourist destination for nearly a century. In fact, some of the original Vegas hotels still stand today. But what are the oldest hotels in Las Vegas? I decided to do some research to find out.
After looking through some online records, I was able to find out which hotel in Las Vegas is the oldest, along with a few others built in the same era. So, without further ado, these are Las Vegas’ most historic hotels.
Oldest Hotels in Las Vegas
12. Four Queens
Four Queens is one of the oldest hotels in Vegas. Construction on this property began in 1964 and was completed in mid-1966. The hotel originally opened with 115 rooms but 210 more were added during a 1968 renovation.
The Four Queens casino was named after the owner’s four daughters. Today, the casino is a bit dated compared to other hotels on Fremont Street, but it offers some really good deals. If you’re looking to stay at a resort in downtown Las Vegas, Four Queens isn’t a bad option.
- Opening Year: June 2, 1966
- Location: 202 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV
11. Caesars Palace
Although it’s considered a modern property with a ton of excellent amenities, Caesars Palace is actually one of the oldest hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. The construction of Caesars Palace started in 1962 and took 4 years to complete.
The hotel has undergone many renovations over the years, which has contributed to its longevity. Caesars remains one of the most popular properties in Vegas today, in part due to its addition of multiple towers, the Forum Shops Mall, and The Colosseum theater. The resort’s location in the center of the Strip is a huge benefit as well.
- Opening Year: August 5, 1966
- Location: 3570 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
10. Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino
The Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino is another old hotel in downtown Vegas. It originally opened in 1964 as a pinball and slot-machine parlor called Honest John’s. The small casino was then renamed the Lucky Lady in 1968, before undergoing a number of renovations leading up to 2013.
In 2013 the Lucky Lady underwent a massive $100 million renovation and rebranded, changing its name to the Downtown Grand. To date, the hotel remains relatively modern and is a great place to stay on Fremont Street.
- Opening Year: 1964
- Location: 206 N 3rd St, Las Vegas, NV
9. Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino
The Planet Hollywood Hotel itself isn’t old, but the site on which it was built has some history. The first casino built on the site was the Tallyho Hotel in 1962, which was quickly sold to Kings Crown Inns of America and changed its name to King’s Crown Tallyho.
Then in 1966 the hotel changed ownership again and was renamed The Aladdin until 1998 when it was demolished and rebuilt. In 2007, the new Aladdin Hotel was given its current name Planet Hollywood. Today, Planet Hollywood is one of the top budget hotels on the Strip, with its main attraction being the Miracle Mile Shops.
- Opening Year: 1962
- Location: 3667 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
8. The LINQ Hotel + Experience
The LINQ is another old hotel on the Vegas Strip. The property was originally built in 1959 under the name Flamingo Capri and was more of a motel than a hotel. After several ownership changes and renovations, the hotel was renamed Imperial Palace in 1979.
The hotel was then sold and rebranded as the Quad in 2012. After two short years, the hotel was renamed again to The LINQ in order to match the name of the newly built LINQ Promenade. There have been more renovations made since then to make The LINQ the modern Vegas hotel it is today.
- Opening Year: 1959
- Location: 3535 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
7. Tropicana Las Vegas
The Tropicana is a historic hotel found on the southern end of Las Vegas Boulevard. Although this Las Vegas hotel has retained the same name throughout its history, the property has changed hands many times since its opening in 1957.
The hotel has had many renovations since, keeping its amenities up to date and adding new resort towers. Today, Tropicana Las Vegas is owned and operated by Penn National Gaming, which is a subsidiary of DoubleTree by Hilton.
- Opening Year: April 4, 1957
- Location: 3801 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV
6. Fremont Hotel & Casino
The Fremont Hotel & Casino is a historic hotel found in downtown Las Vegas. The hotel opened in 1956 as one of the first high-rise hotels in the city. The property was purchased by Boyd Gaming in 1985, and they still own the hotel today.
This is an older hotel that hasn’t had many recent renovations, so the rooms are on the smaller side. There is also no fitness center, spa, or pool at the Fremont Hotel, although you’re given access to the pool at California Hotel across the street.
- Opening Year: May 18, 1956
- Location: 200 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV
5. SAHARA Las Vegas
The SAHARA is a luxury hotel on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip. SAHARA Las Vegas was originally opened in 1952 with a North African theme. The hotel and casino were pretty successful initially, however, they fell out of favor over the years.
SAHARA eventually went through massive renovations and rebranded as SLS Las Vegas in 2014, but the name change was short-lived. The hotel underwent renovations again in 2019 when they changed the hotel’s name back to SAHARA.
- Opening Year: October 7, 1952
- Location: 2535 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
4. Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
The Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is the oldest hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. As the first hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard, the Flamingo was an extremely innovative property. It was one of the original casinos to get rid of clocks and windows so that gamblers would play for longer periods of time.
The hotel was originally operated by the famous mobster Bugsy Siegel, but it’s now a part of Caesar Entertainment. Today, the hotel rooms at the Flamingo Las Vegas are a bit dated, but it’s still an excellent budget option if you’re looking to stay on the Strip. It’s also a great hotel if you’re taking your family on vacation since there’s a real flamingo exhibit behind the hotel.
- Opening Year: December 26, 1946
- Location: 3555 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
3. Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
The Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino is another hotel that opened in 1946. It was opened on Fremont Street, which was the original Las Vegas Strip. At the time, it was one of the biggest casinos in the world.
Although the Golden Nugget isn’t as flashy as some of the hotels on the Vegas Strip today, it’s still among the best on Fremont Street. The hotel competes with Circa as the best hotel in the downtown district of Las Vegas.
- Opening Year: August 30, 1946
- Location: 129 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV
2. El Cortez Hotel and Casino
The El Cortez Hotel and Casino is the second oldest hotel in Vegas. Although it’s the second oldest, El Cortez claims the title of longest continuously operating hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The hotel has changed hands, remodeled, and added sections many times over its storied history.
For an older hotel, El Cortez has modern hotel rooms. Although a bit smaller, each room is updated with top-notch amenities. The hotel also gets great reviews for its vintage player-friendly casino floor.
- Opening Year: November 7, 1941
- Location: 600 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV, United States
1. Golden Gate Hotel & Casino
The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is the oldest hotel in Las Vegas. Opening in 1906, it was the first hotel in Las Vegas to have a casino, and it survive several gambling bans in the city (although it was temporarily closed). The Golden Gate didn’t receive its current name until 1955. Before that, the hotel went by Hotel Nevada and Sal Sagev (Sal Sagev is Las Vegas spelled backward).
The Golden Gate was one of the hotels that put Las Vegas on the map. Plus, it was the first place to offer the iconic Las Vegas shrimp cocktail. After 100 years, the hotel is still standing today (although it’s understandably a bit dated).
- Opening Year: January 13, 1906
- Location: 1 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, Nevada
Most Historic Old Hotels in Vegas
It’s debatable which hotels are the most historic in Las Vegas. I would argue that the Golden Gate is the most historic hotel in Vegas since it’s the oldest. But the Flamingo can also be considered a historic resort since it was the first hotel built on the modern Las Vegas Strip.
