Insider’s Guide to Planet Hollywood Las Vegas: Tips and Tricks

Planet Hollywood might just be the best bang for your buck hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.

It’s located perfectly mid-Strip, the rooms feel modern and fresh, there’s a great selection of reasonably priced restaurants and bars on site and room rates are reasonable.

I recently stayed 4 nights at Planet Hollywood and wanted to share a few insights (and surprising things that made my Vegas trip so much better) about what you should know before staying here.

Being one of the most popular mid-tier hotel choices, here are a few tips and tricks that will be helpful to know if you’re considering booking a stay at Planet Hollywood.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase I may make a small commission. I only share information about things I know, love and trust!

What I Like About Planet Hollywood

My top 3 reasons I would book a stay again at Planet Hollywood are:

It’s location
All rooms have mini-fridges
Affordable food options

The hotel is centrally located on the Strip, across from the Cosmopolitan and the Bellagio – two of the most fun hotels to peruse in Las Vegas.

⭐Good to know: you’ve got easy access to both sides of the Strip immediately out the front steps of Planet Hollywood. There’s a crosswalk to cross the Strip, and no need to have to use one of the elevated Pedestrian bridges to cross the street (hint – less walking!)

The casino itself isn’t massive and after a couple of laps, you’ll have it all mapped out.

This is something to consider if you have limited time or if you’re a first-timer.

Some of the big hotel casinos like Caesar’s Palace or MGM Grand have massive casino floors and it takes forever to get to your hotel room.

Also, the casino floor plays trendy, upbeat music which is always a fun vibe.

Planet Hollywood is attached to the Miracle Mile Shops, a circular mall with great shopping, restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

There’s also an ABC store inside the mall so you can stock up on all the essentials like snacks and drinks for the cheapest prices.

How to Find the Best Prices

I recommend shopping around for prices, as sometimes third-party sites do have better deals!

But here are the 4 places I would personally check prices on (third party & direct):

See prices for Planet Hollywood on Expedia

View rates for Planet Hollywood on Booking

Check prices on Plannin Travel

Book Planet Hollywood direct here

What I Don’t Like About Planet Hollywood

The pools don’t really have a wow factor here.

There are two of them though – one quieter, family friendly pool and another pool that’s adults-only (21+).

😲 Inside tip: If you are leaning toward staying at Planet Hollywood but the pool situation is holding you back, you can still use the pool at the Flamingo! As long as you’re a guest at a Caesars property, this is allowed.

Check-in Tips for Staying at Planet Hollywood

We booked this hotel from an amazing deal we found on Plannin.

It worked out to be about 20% cheaper than booking direct or with Expedia or Booking.

If you arrive on a weekend, the check-in process can be a little lengthy – they’ve switched to mostly self-serve kiosks that never seem to work.

Try and hold out for checking-in with someone from the front desk if you can.

If you’re only staying for a couple of nights, it’s worth checking-in a couple hours earlier and paying the fee. You’ll save so much time in line.

If you do end up having to wait in line, there’s a small shop just to your left where you can purchase a beverage to enjoy while you wait in line!

There’s also an Enterprise rental car desk right in the lobby. If you’re planning to rent a car for a day or two, this is really convenient.

Room Upgrades Tips

Yes, you can still attempt the $20 ‘sandwich trick’ to get upgraded to a nicer room.

The most important thing to know is that you don’t actually need to be sneaky about offering money when you ask for an upgrade.

All front desk staff need to display tips that they receive (remember, there are cameras everywhere), so you don’t have to hide your cash between your credit card and ID.

When you’re checking in, be polite and courteous and ask if there’s any chance for a room upgrade.

If they say yes, hand them your $20 or $50 tip. If they say no, just say thank you and keep your money (you can also still give it to them and they may be able to find you some other comps).

If you don’t happen to get an upgrade, check back with the staff the next morning after 11am when departing guests have checked out for the day.

You can mention that there were no upgrades available when you checked in and wanted to know if anything has since opened up.

If you’re willing to change rooms, often you can get a better room this way.

Tips and Tricks for Staying at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino Las Vegas

Room Tour

All the rooms are recently renovated and feel fresh and modern. There are also a lot of rooms with views of the Bellagio Fountains!

What I love is that these rooms are considered to be some of the most spacious compared to all the other mid-tier hotels, coming in at about 430 square feet for the smallest rooms.

Also, all the bathrooms have actual bathtubs, and some even come with an incredible view!

Honestly, I think rooms with bathtubs are so underrated in Las Vegas.

After all the walking, you’ll be so happy to have the option to soak in the tub.

Resort Fees

The daily resort fee is $49.95 + taxes which are $6.68 for a total of $56.63 USD.

The resort fee is required to be paid, unless at the end of the your stay you can get your casino host to comp your resort fees based on how much you gambled.

Resort fees give you:

High speed WiFi for two devices per room per day
Fitness Center access for for two daily
Unlimited local calls
Pool access

Planet Hollywood Hotel Room Tips

The ABC Store is your best friend!

Since you’ll have a fridge in your room you can stock up on drinks and snacks that need to be refrigerated.

There are 2 ABC stores located in the Miracle Mile Shops that have great prices on all kinds of liquor, snacks and more.

Secret Starbucks

There are a couple of Starbucks locations located within Planet Hollywood, but they are always busy! In the mornings, expect to wait at least 20 minutes in line.

However, if you’re down with walking an extra 3 minutes, there’s a secret Starbucks that is much less busy. Just head out of the casino to the south end of the Miracle Mile shops, and walk around towards the Elara Hotel.

There’s a Starbucks there and I found it to be much less busy in the mornings.

But, if you just want a good cup of coffee and don’t care about where it comes from, head to The Coffee Bean shop, also located in the Miracle Mile shops.

This spot has great coffee and is never busy.

Pet Friendly Rooms

Dogs are allowed at Planet Hollywood as part of the Caesars PetStay program and there’s lots of pet-friendly rooms to choose from.

This hotel allows two dogs per room up to 50 pounds each, and the fee is $75 per day.

Part of this fee includes dishes, a dog mat, some waste bags and doggy treats.

Located close to the pet-friendly rooms is a pet relief station that’s fenced in and poop bags and a trash can are provided.

Pool Information

There are two pools at Planet Hollywood, a family friendly pool, an adults-only pool and two hot tubs.

The pools are located on a large concrete deck with loungers, daybeds, cabanas and lawn games.

At the adult only pool, there’s also a bar which serves cocktails and other drinks. On weekends there’s usually live DJ entertainment as well.

And you can bring your own pool floaties!

You’ll also be able to access the FlowRider, a free-standing wave so you can practice your surfing!

This comes at an extra cost though, around $30 for a half hour or you can buy an all-day pass.

There are a limited number of free loungers, so if it’s a nice day out, I recommend going to snag a spot as soon as the pool opens.

To save your spot, place your towels on the loungers and secure them with these flamingo towel clips.

If it’s your first time in Vegas, be prepared for expensive pool drinks. I’m talking $20 (or more per drink).

Casino Information and Tips

I enjoy the sleek look of the casino, and it’s nice that it’s not too big. My favorite part is the music, it’s always upbeat and fun.

Of course, it’s got all the classic table games, slot machines and a sportsbook.

The casino is easy to navigate because it essentially wraps around in a circle, surrounding the Glass Bar.

In the middle of the casino, there’s the brand new Glass Bar which reminds me of a chill version of the chandelier bar at the Cosmopolitan hotel.

Onsite Dining

There are a ton of dining options at Planet Hollywood, which is one of the most popular reasons for booking.

There are several sit-down restaurants, including:

StripHouse
PF Changs
Cafe Hollywood
Gordon Ramsay Burger
Yoyo’s Mexican
Rosa Mexicano

As well as some fast food options:

Pin up Pizza
Earl of Sandwich (great sandwiches at low prices)

And of course, there are dozens of food options within the Miracle Mile mall itself, many of which are extremely affordable.

My favorites are:

La Salsa Cantina
Blondies
Ocean One

Each of these have very affordable menu items, including breakfast for 7 dollars.

Things to Do Near the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas

Honestly, I love staying at Planet Hollywood. The central location provides easy access to so many of the most popular things to do.

It’s situated smack dab in the middle of the most popular area of the Strip.

Bellagio Fountains

You are directly across the street from the Bellagio Fountains, so this is something you’ll likely want to watch several times on your trip.

Cabo Wabo is one of my favorite patios to watch the Bellagio Fountains from (they have a great afternoon happy hour).

Paris Hotel

You’re a 3 minute walk from Mon Ami Gabi, one of the best patios to have brunch!

Ole Red

This is a fun new country bar which features 4 levels, including a rooftop bar!

There’s live music everyday from open to close. It’s about a 7 minute walk away!

ARTE Museum

Across the Street at the Aria Hotel is the new ARTE Museum. This is one of the coolest things you can do during the daytime.

It’s a very immersive light and art show and exhibit and highly interactive. This is a fantastic way to spend a couple of hours.

Linq Promenade

You’re not far from the Linq Promenade for a variety of choices for restaurants, bars and fun shops.

I recommend the frozen Bailey’s from O’Sheas, over-the-top candy martinis at I Love Sugar and happy hour at Flour & Barley for $10 pizzas and $5 draft.

The Ice Bar and zipline are some fun attractions at the Linq.

High Roller Observation Wheel

The observation pods are spacious and move slowly, so if you’re afraid of heights, you won’t feel anxious at all (trust me, I hate heights)!

Prices vary depending on time of day, but no matter what, I recommend buying your tickets online in advance to skip the lineups.

If it’s a clear day, you’ll be able to see the mountains in the distance and enjoy the views at a cheaper rate.

It’s definitely worth the price of admission for an evening ride with all the sparkling lights. I recommend going with the happy hour tickets, meaning you get an open bar the entire ride.

The High Roller is wheelchair accessible and takes about 30 minutes.

Buy tickets online in advance and you won’t have to wait.

Top Golf

While it’s not really walking distance, Top Golf is only a 5 minute drive away, just behind the hotel and a little south.

It’s super fun, even if you don’t golf!

Piano Bar at Harrah’s

A 12 minute walk from Planet Hollywood will get you to the Piano Bar at Harrah’s – one of the most entertaining shows in town.

Whether it’s the twin sisters playing or Big Elvis, it’s always a fun time. Plus they take song requests!