Finding luxury accommodations in Las Vegas is as easy as learning your ABC's. Alladin, Bally's, Caesars Palace ... no doubt these names will sound familiar. Located right in the heart of the Strip, they are but a few of the many resort hotels that offer on-site dining, shopping, gaming and theatrical entertainment. The options are vast and choosing the right hotel to suit your particular taste and budget requires careful consideration.

One of the best ways to refine your search is to determine your needs at the outset. Will you be traveling alone, with family members, for business, or is your trip intended to be a romantic getaway? Each of these factors will play a pivotal role in selecting appropriate accommodations. Las Vegas hotels are often designed to service specific vacationing needs. For example, if your goal is to gamble, you'll want to stay on, or at least close to, the Strip. Many of the most celebrated resorts, such as the ones mentioned above, provide the easiest access by having a casino existing within the premises themselves.

Perhaps one of the best known, Harrah's Las Vegas Hotel and Casino houses an 86,664 square-foot casino. Here you'll find 13 varieties of table games, 1,500 slot machines, 300 video poker machines, as well as 24-hour live keno and a full-featured race and sports book. Since the casinos account for the bulk of the hotel's annual revenue, they are created with the goal of luring players to the tables, and keeping them there. Consequently, many of the guest rooms are sparse. Often used primarily for a brief respite from the action, they tend to be lacking in comfort and ambience when compared with other so-called luxury hotels.

Room rates vary considerably. Special offers are abundant however, making a $60 a night stay relatively easy to find. For those unwilling to sacrifice comfort and style, there are plenty of accommodations available, though often come at a hefty price. At the acclaimed MGM Grand, guests may choose between Terrace, Hollywood, Glamour, Premiere, Marquis and Celebrity spa suites, to name but a few. What will you be paying for this kind of upscale experience? Prepare to shell out at least $300 a night.

If you want to reserve your spending for other endeavors, consider opting out of the Las Vegas hotel trap altogether and park your bags at a most cost-efficient motel or campground. While you'll have to forego the full spa treatments, five-star dining, and top notch entertainment and convention facilities that the high-end hotels provide, rooms come in at a much more affordable $40 a night. Alternatively, you can bring your own bed and park it in one of Las Vegas' many campgrounds. This can be an especially attractive option if you're bringing the kids.

Now that you know the basics, you're ready to begin your search, whether it be for a Las Vegas hotel, motel or campground. Remember, Sin City has a reputation for providing patrons with great deals, so if you don't see one advertised, be sure to ask when making a reservation at your chosen destination.

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