While prices on the Strip continue to climb, downtown Las Vegas still has great deals for budget travelers.

These hotels are older, and they’re not exactly as glamorous as the megaresorts on the Strip, but if you’d rather spend your Vegas budget on gambling and fun rather than a place to sleep, they are just the ticket.

Of the downtown options, these hotels will give you the best value for your buck.

• Binion’s -- If you’re simply looking for a cheap place to rest your head, and you don’t mind a slightly dive-y hotel, Binion’s is the place. Here, you’ll get a basic older room with a small bathroom, which may sometimes be less than perfectly clean and may show signs of wear and tear. But room rates can often be found for $39 or less a night and the hotel sits right along the Fremont Street Experience. It also has the highly rated Binion’s Ranch Steakhouse as part of its dining options, as well as a small rooftop pool and sundeck area. (Average Rates: $50-$80)

• Fitzgeralds -- Located on Fremont Street, one block from the eastern end of the Fremont Street Experience, this hotel often gets overlooked. It shouldn’t be though, because it offers moderate-sized clean rooms with friendly service at budget-friendly rates. Even on the busier weekends, rates rarely rise above $100, which is rare in Vegas. The only real drawbacks are slow elevators, which sound creaky if weighed down too much, and some rooms have an exterior hallway (motel-style), but otherwise, this is a good choice for budget travelers downtown. (Average Rates: $49-$69)

• Four Queens -- This hotel is in the midst of a renovation, but in the meantime, it offers clean rooms at rates as low as $29. It is located at the center of the Fremont Experience, making it a good central hotel for downtown exploration. Rooms are a bit on the small size, as this is an older hotel, but it is one of the nicer hotels along Fremont Street. If you luck into a renovated room, expect some luxuries like 32” flat panel TVs and in-room coffeemakers. Also worth checking out are the Canyon Club, which regularly pulls in national music acts, and the Chicago Brewing Company, which is often voted as having some of the best in-house microbrews and pizzas in the city. (Average Rates: $40-$75)

• Golden Nugget -- One of the nicest hotels downtown, the Golden Nugget sits in the center of the Fremont Street Experience. It recently underwent a $170 million renovation that included updated rooms, a nightclub, a new sushi restaurant and a pool area that holds a new aquarium with live sharks. A new $150 million additional tower will give the hotel 500 more rooms by 2009. Rooms here are also among the most expensive of the downtown hotels, but you can still find rooms most weeknights for $69 or so. It’s also the only AAA Four-Diamond property downtown, with service to match. (Average Rates: $69-$99)

• Main Street Station-- This hotel is located about two blocks north of the western end of the Fremont Experience, and offers clean rooms in an older hotel that is decorated in dark hardwoods and crystal chandeliers. Think early Vegas elegance. It also is home to the Triple 7 Brewpub, an award-winning eatery where they brew their own beers. It’s worth a visit to just to have one of their microbrews and a bite to eat. Rooms can pick up noise from the nearby train tracks and I-15, but they are clean and very nice for the price. Book during slower periods for rooms as low as $30 a night. (Average Rates: $40-$75)

As you can see, downtown Las Vegas offers good deals for budget travelers to the city. Transportation to the Strip is easy and plentiful, such as taxis, public buses and the new Arrow shuttle system, and there is an air of what Vegas used to be in its heyday.

Have you stayed at any of these properties? Let us know what you thought of them in our discussion boards.

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