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| - As someone who visits Las Vegas for a few long weekends and a full week each year, I write this review as a visitor from far away, not a local who enjoys a night out.
Thanks to an aunt and uncle who live close by, I was introduced to the Silverton in the late nineties at a time when I had just finished school and didn't have much money to spend. At the Silverton, they showed me how I could view gambling as entertainment and that setting a budget and sticking to it meant I didn't go broke an hour into the night. The Silverton had blackjack for 50 cents a hand and I could play for hours while learning the strategy, enjoying free drinks, getting help from the dealers and meeting nice people from all walks of life . Lowest Blackjack is $5 a hand now, but thanks to the comfort level I built up when it was much cheaper, I know I can play for hours and break-even on most days.
The Silverton has changed a lot since then. It used to be a dump, a place for truckers to stop. They added on to the casino twice over the years and it's no longer a place I'd be embarrased to take my friends . It looks good inside - there's no reason to be ashamed that you are staying here. Circus Cirus and Harrahs are far trashier and junkier than the Silverton.
Long ago I gave up gambling or staying on the Strip except for a night here or there. The odds stink and even if the rooms are cheap, $7 for a latte each morning quickly erodes whatever you are saving on the room.
I look for the following in a casino: Close to other casinos, and close to the strip as it's fun to head down there and people watch. Good music. Late-night food options. Good odds and low limits. Good players club. Friendly customers and staff. Variety of games. Sports book with big screens and seating. Place to hide, meaning sometimes it's good to find a comfy chair and browse the web. Coffee that isn't crap and won't break the bank - I drink a lot of espresso drinks each day. Free drinks when playing, and cheap options when not. Nice pool which isn't crowded. Quiet rooms which have nice furnishings and elbow room.
The Silverton has all of that list except the rooms, which are woefully out of date. If you can get past the rooms, which will probably be redone soon, it's perfect. However, in their current state, I can't recommend staying there if you are put off by 15-year old furinshings such as an old-school TV and heating and A/C beneath the window. They are clean, but they don't stand up to most of the other properties in Las Vegas. Think Orleans, but half the size.
Here's why I love this place:
1. Starbucks which isn't over-priced.
2. Good cash back at the Player Club with multiplier point days and monthly promotions for free crap.
3. Super-friendly staff who have been working there for many years and don't take you for granted.
4. Brand-spanking new Sports Book with AMAZING TV's.
5. Lots of places to hide, including some with TV's, so that if there's a game on I want to watch, I can do so with quiet and comfort. I like to visit LV during March Madness, but I also like to root quietly for my team and focus on the game.
6. Burger place which is open till 11 or later, plus 24/7 coffee shop serving decent food.
7. The steak house here is very reasonably priced and it's genuinely good.
8. Plenty of parking, valet or self-park, it's quick to come and go.
9. Takes 1 minute to get from room to casino cause there's no huge tower of rooms.
10. Small, but nice pool with seating options everywhere and options for drinks and food.
11. Great landscaping. Excellent use of native and desert friendly plants, trees and flowers.
12. Lots of games, denominations, and good odds.
13. Few drunk 20's wandering around.
14. Free rooms once you've established yourself as someone who likes to play.
15. Diverse music, from top 40 to country to indie rock.
16. Cool interior - they put some thought into how it looks, and even if it's not your thing, it's far more visually appealing than it's neighbor the South Point which has as much class as a Wal-Mart.
17. The blast of humidity from the waterfalls near Bass Pro Shops.
18. Mexican place with VP games at the bar. Free chips and salsa are yum if you can stomach putting fingers in mouth after touching germ-laden VP machine.
The Silverton is not a "resort" as they claim, but it's an awesome alternative to the strip and the nicer off-strip resorts. It's quieter, more personable and everything is reasonably priced. If they could just speed up the room renovation I'd be in heaven, but they'd probably start selling out the place, so maybe I should just count my blessings and admit that I don't spend much time in the room anyway and come to the conclusion that for me, the Silverton is perfect.
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