Circa Resort & Casino
Why do you want to book? Even though Vegas is known as the city of records, it seems like it was missing a few things, like Nevada’s longest bar, the world’s biggest sportsbook, and a huge pool area with a 40-foot-high screen for watching professional sports. Circa has stepped in to make up for it.
Set the scene It has been a fear for years that Downtown Las Vegas will become more expensive. The Fremont Street Experience is still being fixed up and expanded, the Mob Museum’s programs change all the time, and the Arts District is getting fixed up. It’s come a long way. But there hadn’t been a new hotel built here in 40 years until Circa opened in October 2020. That’s a great ode to all the fun and weird things about Downtown. The tall, streamlined tower became a symbol right away, and the place has become known as a temple of fun for adults only. People who like sports are the main audience for its Stadium Swim pool complex, which has a pool, lounge chairs, a sports bar, and cabins all facing a huge 40-foot-high HD TV that always has a big game on. The fact that the pools are always heated to between 78 and 94 degrees is a big plus. This may sound strange in a place where it’s usually over 100 degrees, but it’s really important. As cold as ice, hotel pools in Las Vegas can be. The same hard-partying sports fans love the three-story sportsbook that looks like an amphitheater and has stadium chairs and private boxes where people can watch the 78-million-pixel screen. Circa is a tribute to Downtown’s golden age, even though it has a lot of high-tech features. There are a lot of old-school touches, like Vegas Vickie, the 25-foot-tall reclining neon cowgirl that used to be in the Glitter Gulch casino and now greets guests just past the lobby. There are also some fancy touches on the 60th floor rooftop Legacy Club, which has a case of 500 gold bars whose value you can see changing on a ticker above them.
The story of Derek Stevens, who built and owns Circa. He has been betting on Downtown since early 2008, when he and his brother Greg bought The Golden Gate and then Fitzgerald’s, which he fixed up and turned into The D. The business owner of a car parts factory from Michigan bought the Las Vegas 51s baseball team, built the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, and then went big with Circa. People were visiting this part of Downtown to look at the Viva Vision light show over Fremont Street and to spit out Slotzilla, the slot machine-themed zipline that goes over it all. But Circa brings in a new group of people. This group of wealthy people is here to have fun, bet real money, and pay for some of the best new restaurants in town.
The rooms The basic rooms at Circa are king rooms that are set up in a variety of ways to suit the needs of couples, groups, and individuals. That is, no one looks down on people who are traveling with a group and need a pull-out couch, like in the “flex king” room. There is a modern mid-century feel to the rooms, with lots of dark chocolate brown, white, and navy colors. The rooms are very useful and not too fancy. The suites, which are 822 to 1,612 square feet, are the best choice if you want to have fun in your room. Picture a full wet bar with a fridge and black quartz eating tables. There are different views from the rooms, but we enjoy the one that looks out over Stadium Swim the most.
What to eat and drink Not only did Circa put in the required Las Vegas steakhouse, but they also put in a pan-Asian restaurant that pays homage to both the Midwest and Las Vegas, a great (but pricey) market, and some other good restaurants. When Chef Barry Dakake left the Palms, Barry’s Downtown Prime Steakhouse moved in. This venue has a sexy space with an artificial tree lighting up one room, lots of booths, and a private dining room surrounded by wine racks for more intimate eating. Some of the best dishes are the braised beef short ribs with harissa, the surf and turf made with filet medallions, Maine lobster, and truffle aioli, and the 40-ounce tomahawk steaks. Dakake only buys from farms that treat animals well and don’t serve foie. It’s a great place for meat eaters, but they also have a great veggie menu. Don’t miss Dan Coughlin’s pan-Asian restaurant, 8 East. His Le Thai has been a Downtown favorite for years (he learned to cook from his Thai mother and is a bit of a cooking star around these parts). The owner of the famous Michigan restaurant Zingerman’s also opened Saginaw’s restaurant, which is another great place to eat. Its Royal Flush Reuben isn’t cheap, but it’s enough to feed two people (or four).
The neighborhood or area Downtown Fremont Street is like that crazy old lady in your neighborhood who always has red lipstick on her teeth and you can’t help but love her for it. It was the first Vegas before the Strip’s multibillion-dollar production values, and it will be hard to bring it up to the same level as the Strip today, with all of its high-tech tourism attractions. Circa, on the other hand, is doing just that while staying true to the neighborhood’s strong party vibe. The door is right on the Fremont Street Experience and sparkles like it did in the 1960s and 1970s. While this resort has plenty to keep you busy for days, it’s also very close to the 18b Arts District, which has cool dive bars, galleries, and places to watch insanely large groups of people. You might not even get to the Strip because you have so much to do.
The service The service here is friendly and easy to get to, but it’s also very good. Like other great concierge teams in Las Vegas, they can set up tee times, remind you of games, give you ideas for things to do in the area, and help you get event tickets. People in Las Vegas know a lot of people, and they do.
Family-friendly: Circa is the only hotel-casino in Las Vegas that only lets people 21 and older in. That is, this is not a place that families would want to go.
Ability to access Circa is completely accessible, with ramps to get to the pool, wheelchair-accessible restaurants, van parking, accessible meeting rooms, a business center, and an accessible exercise center.
Is there anything else to say? You should go to Stadium Swim at least once a night. During the day, it’s a real party—the pool and movie scene make me think of a cruise ship. But at night, one of the most romantic things you can do is sit in a rooftop pool and look out at all the old Vegas landmarks. This is true even if you didn’t live in Downtown during its heyday.