Palace Station is a renovated locals' casino on West Sahara Avenue, about five minutes by car from the Strip, with budget rates, free parking, a resort-style pool and the well-known Oyster Bar. It is a smart base if you have a car and want to keep costs down.
Palace Station has stood at West Sahara Avenue and Interstate 15 since 1976, making it one of the oldest names in the Station Casinos family. A major renovation completed around 2018, worth about $192 million, rebuilt most of the property: the casino was remodeled throughout, the old railroad theme was removed, rooms were refreshed and a new resort-style pool replaced the old one.
The result is a clean, modern casino hotel at prices well below the Strip. It sits just west of the freeway, so the north and center Strip are about five minutes away by car, and AREA15 with Omega Mart is about a mile east across I-15.
Rooms are simple and comfortable, with updated bathrooms and many windows facing the Strip skyline. Ask for a high floor on the east side if you want that view. The pool deck has cabanas, daybeds, lawn games and a raised bar, and it runs on a seasonal schedule with the fullest hours in summer.
There is a movie theater on site, a large bingo hall and a sportsbook, and the casino draws a loyal local crowd at all hours, which keeps table limits and drink prices more reasonable than on the Strip. Free self-parking sits right next to the hotel entrance, so loading a car for day trips is easy.
The Oyster Bar is the best-known restaurant. It is a small counter where cooks make pan roasts and stews to order, and waits can be long at peak times, so go at odd hours. The Charcoal Room is the steakhouse and Boathouse Asian Eatery covers noodles and dim sum-style plates, with casual counters for quick meals. The trade-offs are the location and the setting. You are next to a freeway in a commercial area, walking to the Strip is not practical, and rideshares at night add up.
If you have a rental car, though, Palace Station is one of the easiest budget bases in the city. Parking is free for everyone, which saves real money compared with the Strip, but a nightly resort fee is usually added to the room rate, so compare total prices rather than headline rates.
Why stay here
- ✓About five minutes by car from the Strip, just west of I-15 on Sahara Avenue, with quick freeway access for day trips
- ✓Fully renovated around 2018 in a project of about $192 million: remodeled casino, refreshed rooms and a new resort-style pool
- ✓The Oyster Bar, a small counter known for made-to-order pan roasts; go at off-peak hours to avoid long waits
- ✓Resort-style pool with cabanas, daybeds, lawn games and a raised bar, on a seasonal schedule with the longest hours in summer
- ✓Movie theater, bingo hall and sportsbook, with table limits, drink prices and promotions aimed at local regulars
- ✓Free self-parking and valet; AREA15 and Omega Mart are about a mile east, and Chinatown restaurants are a short drive south
- ✓Casino with slots, table games and a sportsbook
- ✓Budget rates compared with Strip resorts
Good questions
How far is Palace Station from the Strip?+
About five minutes by car, just west of I-15 on West Sahara Avenue.
Is Palace Station a good budget choice?+
Yes, if you have a car. It offers budget rates, free parking and a resort-style pool.
What is the Oyster Bar?+
A small counter known for made-to-order pan roasts. Go at off-peak hours to avoid long waits.
