Boulder Station Casino is not in the heart of Vegas, no matter what the public relations department has to say. One of the many far-flung Station casinos (also including the more popular Sunset Station and the better located Santa Fe Station) in town, Boulder Station has become well known as the foremost stomping grounds for locals. Much in the same working class vein of Sam’s Town, Boulder Station is also known for its no-frills attitude and décor, its cheap buffets and undervalued rooms. Of course, when you venture this far from the strip or downtown, the low prices are the biggest selling point. Though Boulder Station is comfortable enough, likable enough – it’s a bit bland, even by Vegas standards.
Of the many off strip Las Vegas casinos, Boulder Station
has historically had one of the hardest times enticing
guests, which is why it has made its name as the foremost
local hangout. You won’t find the same people you
would at the Monte Carlo
or Caesar’s Palace
or even the Gold Coast. Retirees
and working class joes congregate here nightly, along
with a small cadre of out-of-towners looking for an inexpensive
place to lay their heads.
The rooms are clean, medium sized and not without their charm – but anyone looking for a glitzy whirlwind of a Vegas vacation will be sorely disappointed at the Boulder Station Casino. In fact, there is very little within the hotel that even signifies that you are in the gambling capital of the world – if not for the constant jangling of slot machines and hustling waitresses, you could be at pretty much any casino in the country.
But being rough around the edges is a trademark of many
off strip Las Vegas casinos – and it’s not
like you’re that far removed from the action. Only
four blocks east of the Stratosphere
on the north end of the
strip, you can use your feet and be near the action
within minutes. Just because it is mainly a casino for
locals doesn’t mean that the Boulder Station Casino
should be overlooked as a decent value for exploring the
sights of Las Vegas. Even if its interior has nothing
more than the utilitarian to offer, if you consider the
majority of the off strip Las Vegas casinos, the allure
of the Boulder Station grows, as it is one of the closest
to the main section of the city. Plus, it doesn’t
put on the airs that many of its neighbors do –
it doesn’t try to be the flashiest, or the most
exciting, or the most family-friendly, or whatever niche
markets other hotels try to target. The Boulder Station
Casino is the Vegas equivalent of “what you see
is what you get,” and for many it’s a refreshing
change. And if you ever get restless and want to return
to the city you see in the movies or on the postcards,
the Las Vegas strip is just seconds away.
