And while the Sahara has lacks a showroom like Caesar’s 4000-seat Colosseum, or an enormous 1.8 million square foot conference/tradeshow facility at Mandalay Bay, the hotel is a good fit for both leisure and business travelers. Mandalay Bay, number #11 on the list, has 3209 rooms, twice as many as Sahara.īut from a business point of view, fewer rooms mean less rooms to fill. The largest is the MGM Grand, with over 5000 rooms. This is substantial by most measures, but not in Las Vegas, where it doesn’t even make the top 10. Much of that has to do with a $150 million upgrade by its current ownership, which purchased Sahara and reclaimed its name from the SLS (the less said about that disco incarnation, the better) four years ago.
The Sahara hardly looks its age, with lots of light, marble finishes, an updated pool and cabana area, and nicely renovated rooms. Easy access and a hard day’s night of sleep have a value all their own. But coming from the airport, crews pass at least 50 hotels, including all the resorts on the South Strip. For example, the Sahara puts up about 100 airline pilots and crew per night. It’s easy to get in or out of the hotel by car, taxi, rideshare or Monorail.
