rio hotel las vegas is the party hotel - by Kiki

Rio Hotel Las Vegas

Rio Hotel Las Vegas is only 10 minutes from McCarran International Airport but slightly off the Strip on west Flamingo. Being 7 miles from the airport, it's a little further by cab than say the Bellagio or Caesar's Palace which are only slightly over 3 miles from McCarran International Airport. Still, the Rio has a party, carnival type theme running throughout the casino that's perfect if you're looking to party.

A picture taken of the strip hotels from the observation deck at the VooDoo Lounge at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Being off the Strip has its advantages and disadvantages. It's quieter and the hotel is smaller than say the Venetian or Caesar's Palace so it's easier to navigate around. The Rio Hotel Las Vegas offers free shuttle service to Bally's, Harrah's and Caesar's every 20 minutes. Drivers are courteous and friendly. But it's a little far to walk to the Strip and if the shuttles are busy, you'll have to pay for a cab to get to the Strip. If you like to casino hop, you can't just walk back to your room at the Rio for a quick rest.

Every room at the Rio is a suite, some are larger than others. It has over 2,500 suites and most of them have incredible views of the mountains, the "Palms," or the Strip to the east. Everyone I talked to raves about the rooms in the Ipanema Tower. They are clean, conveniently located near the elevators and nicely decorated. They are large and comfortable with sofas and lounge chairs, separate dressing area and refrigerators.

The Rio has over 15 dining options to choose from including restaurants, buffets, lounges and coffee shops. Café Martorano combines fine Italian with a Philly kick. The ambiance is old-school Italian where they play mobster movies and music from the Rat-pack. Gaylord Indian Restaurant always gets great reviews and you can find your favorite Muglai dishes there. The Carnival World Buffet serves over 300 fresh dishes daily and is moderately priced.

The Rio Hotel Las Vegas has a variety of entertainment. Very popular with Las Vegas bachelorette parties is the Chippendales show. 12 handsome hunks tease and please an all women audience with sexy dance moves and theatrics. Meet them afterwards in the Flirt lounge for photos and gift shopping. Penn and Teller have over 30 years experience on Broadway, TV and Vegas with magic and off-the-wall comedy. They will show you how their tricks are done but you're still left scratching your head and wondering how they did it. Tony and Tina's Wedding is a rowdy interactive dinner show in the Calypso room.

For one of the best panoramic views of the city and the Strip, you must go to the 51st floor of the Masquerade Tower to the Voodoo Lounge. Vegas' incredible weather makes it easy to be outside on this double-decker nightclub. You'll find outdoor bars, go-go dancers, flair bartenders, live music or DJs. You can only find this sky high lounge at the Rio Hotel Las Vegas.