I've never stayed at the hotel -- and don't suspect I ever will with all the other options around -- so I can only talk about the casino. It's a surprisingly large space that somehow seems small to me from the outside. (Probably because this once grand hotel is now one of the smaller spots around. Not a criticism though -- at least they've so far resisted the urge to build bland rectangular additions to their themed central hotel. But I digress...) It's also bright and lively inside, and the prices at the tables and machines are often lower here than at most of the nearby hotels. It's definitely ageing, but it's doing so relatively well. So why the 2? Personal preference. The Excalibur is a bit 'too' fantasy-ish for me compared to the other hotels. I loved it as a kid, but as an adult there's a Disney-ish vibe here that clashes with the Sin City vibe and my brain just can't take it.