Watch this Before Staying at Excalibur Las Vegas
In this four‑night travel vlog, Josh, Rachael, and their companions share a detailed review of the Excalibur hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. They stayed in a renovated king‑suite obtained via a gambling comp and discuss the check‑in experience (self‑service app, long lines), room layout and amenities (1.5 baths, soaking tub, steam‑shower, wet bar, fridge, king bed, sitting area, two TVs, ample storage, but uneven lighting and some non‑functioning outlets). They note that the renovation is a “refresh” rather than a full remodel, with dated temperature controls, limited blackout curtains, and occasional musty hallway odor. Noise from the nearby airport is audible. The casino floor is smaller, with limited drink service and newer games pushed to higher‑end resorts, though the layout is easy to navigate and there are several new bars with happy‑hour deals. Dining options are budget‑friendly, ranging from a food court to Buca di Beppo, Dick’s Last Resort, and a reasonably priced buffet with an all‑you‑can‑drink package. Coffee is plentiful across the property. The pool was closed, but guests can use Mandalay Bay’s pool via a free tram. Nightlife includes several themed bars, a tiki lounge, and family‑focused entertainment like Dick’s karaoke and the Fun Dungeon arcade. The venue’s medieval theming remains a highlight. They praise the convenient rideshare pickup area but criticize inconsistent housekeeping. Location is advantageous: direct tram access to Luxor and Mandalay Bay, proximity to New York‑New York, MGM Grand, and a future baseball stadium. Transportation to the airport is inexpensive. Overall, they deem Excalibur a solid budget option on the Strip, not luxury but acceptable for most travelers. The video includes a sponsor segment for Fora, a travel‑advisor platform.
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Hey everybody, I'm Josh.
And I'm Rachael.
And we just stayed in the Excalibur, and if you look at anyone's reviews, you're gonna see people who are saying it stinks, it's dirty, and they'll never want to do it again.
True.
But we just spent 4 nights here, and we're gonna tell you some of the good things, but also some of the bad that you can expect if you decide to stay at Excalibur.
Let's go!
All right, so like I said, we just spent 4 nights here at the Excalibur. We were in a renovated suite room, which I know some people are probably going to say you should have stayed in the cheapest, dirtiest possible one, but the truth is you get to choose where you go.
Yeah.
And we got an option to be in a renovated suite, so we did it. This is on a gambling comp stay. This is not because we are making a video. But instead, because we lose too much money at the casino.
We prepay.
We do prepay. We did check into our renovated king suite on a late Friday night.
Yes.
Got in about midnight. There is a check-in process issue that a lot of people will talk about. There's very few staff at the front desk and there's a lot of self-check-in.
Yes.
For us, we checked in on the app and we got our key card down there without any issue. There was a sizable line at midnight.
Yeah, there really was. And even yesterday at noon. So yeah, we've seen the line be very long both times a day.
But we luckily have not needed to use it. If you can use the app or use any email or whatever to get yourself into your room, I would recommend it.
Agreed.
In our room, I enjoyed it.
I did too. It was very spacious.
Now I will say one thing about those complaints. I noticed a musty smell in the hallway.
Mm-hmm.
The moment we got off the elevator, I was already a little bit leery, but the moment that we did get into our room, I did not notice that smell.
I didn't either, but I— there is a unique smell and I wouldn't say it's a pleasant smell.
Excalibur is an older hotel and it is on the more budget-friendly side.
Yes.
So if you're comparing this to a Bellagio or a Wynn, it's hard to. But in this room, there is 1.5 baths, including a large soaking tub, A very nice shower that basically acts as a steam shower because it's sealed all the way up to the ceiling.
Yeah.
There is a wet bar. There is a fridge.
There's also 2 sinks in the bathroom, a nice-sized king bed, and then behind us, I don't know if you can really see it, but there's a nice sitting area. Couch, um, coffee table, and a desk space area including 2 large TVs.
And we're sitting at a dining room table.
Yeah.
So if you want to bring your food up here, you're good. There was plenty of stuff other than lighting and electrical outlets.
Yes, lighting and plugins. That was hard to find.
Yeah, with their updates, I don't know that they worked on either of those. There are very dark parts of this room, and also when you're plugging your phone in, the one by the bedside did not work on Rachael's side, so it got plugged in in the bathroom.
Yeah, and I would say when you talk renovated, it's not like stripped clean and renovated. It's a refresh. I would say a refresh is probably a more accurate description of what they've done in these rooms.
Yeah, and I would say that it's probably a little hit and miss as far as the deep cleaning piece of it. Like your vents, you're probably still going to be seeing a little bit of cruddies. Yeah, and even around like your sprinkler heads and stuff, we're not doing too much with that. So we try not to look too much at it. It's just easier on our life. Yep.
Oh, I do want to say one other thing about the room is there was so much storage. The bedside tables had 2 drawers each that were super deep.
Yeah.
One of them did have the safe, but then there was also a storage unit in the living room area that had great storage and then a big closet as well. I will say though, they did not provide very many hangers. I think there was 4. Granted, we could have called down and asked for more, but it just wasn't worth it for us. So if you're planning on hanging a lot, you may have to ask more hangers.
And we did see that the furniture that is in the renovated rooms at least did come over from MGM Grand, who just went through a renovation as well. So it's coming from the mid-tier property down to the lower-tier property, so that's nice. And I didn't notice like any dings or any scuffs even. Like, it was, it was well maintained.
Oh, this, this to me is very interesting. This is where I also say it's a refresh and not a complete remodel of these rooms. is the temperature controls are easily from the 1970s. It is so long ago and they are so dated, but they work. It was cold in here.
The AC works better than probably any hotel room we've been in in Las Vegas.
Yes, hands down. And then the one downside we found is because we were, our windows faced east, the blackout curtains really didn't black out. They actually woke us up one morning. We were not expecting the brightness to come through so bright.
And we are very close to the airport, So there's kind of a constant hum of airplanes taking off and landing.
You can definitely hear that. Yes.
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All right, the casino floor is one of the things that in the past I would always say was one of my favorite things, and this time I was a little bit let down. The casino floor is not— it's not a large one, which is— which is part of the reason why I liked it before. But I don't know, it just— the vibe was off this time. Yeah, there was not a lot of drink service. The gaming selection—
I would say there was no drink service.
Almost no drink service. I think, I think I might have got like 1 or 2 drinks.
Yeah.
In several hours of play. But yeah, the game selection was not the greatest. Again, when you're at this lower level, they're kind of putting all their new games over at Cosmo, Bellagio, Aria. Even Park MGM has like a couple of the new games. So that was a little bit of a letdown. But the nice thing about that is we are very close And you're actually connected on the interior to Luxor, or you can go across the bridge to New York-New York, which is what we did.
Yep.
After we got bored.
Yeah, easily. But I would say I really like the layout of the casino floor because they've redone and added a couple of new bars, and it really has given— and maybe that's why the drink service is lacking, is because they're so easy to get to bars.
Maybe.
I don't know, but it is easy to navigate And easy to find your way around.
And they do have table games, but they've also really embraced the stadium-style gaming. Whether you like that or not, they have a lot of it here. They— I did see a sign for $5 blackjack. We did not see it though.
We didn't, but I didn't look that hard either.
That's true. But if you want $5 blackjack, it is posted that they have it here at the Excalibur, which is very hard to find.
Yes.
Dining options. This is one of the areas where we would probably put it as a downgrade, but it is good for people on a budget or with children.
Yes.
There is a sizable food court which has everything from Cinnabon to burgers to Chinese food. There's Krispy Kreme. I think there was like a hot dog stand. Yeah, uh, so there's a lot of different things you can get there. The highest-end restaurant you're probably gonna get is Buca di Beppo, which is a chain Italian restaurant. There is also TAP Sports Bar, which is on the casino floor, which We've been to before.
Yeah.
And it was good.
And there's always Dick's Last Resort.
If you want to get— There is Dick's Last Resort.
I don't know, criticize the entire time you're eating. They still have a buffet and the pricing seemed very reasonable including an all-you-can-drink package for like $19.99.
Yes, bottomless mimosas for $20 at the Excalibur.
Yes.
How can you go wrong? It is only a breakfast and lunch one though. I believe it was like 7 to 2.
Oh, okay. I didn't notice that.
Yeah. And down in the Fun Dungeon, there is an Orange Julius/Dairy Queen if you gotta get that.
I do want to say I'm gonna give Excalibur some kudos here. They have many places to get coffee.
Yes.
At the bottom of each of the resort towers— well, one's the Royal Tower, one's the Resort Tower— there was a coffee spot. There's a Starbucks. There's another coffee spot upstairs in the food court.
I think another Roasted Bean. There were 3 Roasted Beans.
3 Roasted Beans and a Starbucks. And it was fast. I got service in the morning with a line and it didn't take us long at all.
Yeah, lots of coffee options. We did see quite a few families and maybe that's parents just need their coffee ASAP. But it works. Excalibur does have a pool. Unfortunately, it was closed when we were here. But one thing that was really cool, and I did look out there, it is kind of a bit It's a bit of a concrete jungle. Yeah, it's a lot of concrete space. Yeah, uh, but there is a pool if you need it. It looks like there is a— it looks like there is a slide according to the map, but because it is closed during wintertime, you get to go to Mandalay Bay, which we feel like is one of the best pools in Las Vegas. And so being able to get that at a budget price is pretty great.
Yeah, that was pretty, uh— they had the sign right there by the entrance to the pool as well So it wasn't something you were even confused about. It was pretty noticeable.
Yeah. Now they do have a gym here. We did not go this time. Instead, we ran on the Vegas Strip for the 10K, which was really cool. But there is a gym, and if I can find pictures of it, I will put them up right now so that you can see.
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As far as nightlife goes, Rachael already alluded to it. There are some new bars.
There are.
And there's a lot of them for such a small space.
And they offer happy hours throughout the week.
Yes.
We noticed that on a big sign. It was great.
There, there is bar top gaming at all of them as well. So there is the Lobby Bar, there is the Sherwood Forest Bar, There is a bar right by the sportsbook, which is just a smaller section. And then there's 2 new ones. The Center Bar, which I really did like.
Yeah.
It gave like a bit of life to that center of the casino, which you kind of have to work off of. It's like a— almost like a tire where you have spokes and everything comes off that Center Bar. I don't know if they're trying to go for a little bit of a New York, New York vibe. It wasn't quite there, but They do have drinks. It's a cool area. And then the other new one is the Tiki Lounge.
Yeah, that was really cute.
I like that. Which also had bar tap. We were surprised by that. And you can get free drinks but not the tiki drinks.
Yeah, not the specialty cocktails. They have a very good happy hour deal.
I believe it's like half price their drinks.
Yes.
And you're talking cocktails there starting at $18. So half price that, that's a good deal.
I will also say Dick's has karaoke. And Dick's does seem to be a happening place at night also. So if you want to wear those big pointy hats and have bad words written about you on them. Overall vibe. In the past, I've always felt like it was a very fun vibe. This time it felt more— much more family-focused.
Yeah, there must have been a cheer competition or some kind of sporting event going on as well because I saw Kids in uniforms and then I saw them in cheer costumes or cheer outfits. So I know that there was a lot of families here. As you mentioned, when we were getting coffee, we saw a lot of them there. So I did notice that. Of course, with the Fun Dungeon here as well, that may be why they're picking this.
Yes.
I remember years ago I brought kids here. So I understand the piece of that. I think the vibe on the floor, it was a little more, especially late at night, got a little more what I would call Sure. It was a little bit not as comforting to go play. But there was a lot of security walking around as well. So that's kind of neat. The piece I don't like about Excalibur's vibe is walking in. For— there's 2 main reasons. I don't like the ramps all around the entire property. Everywhere you go, ramp, ramp, ramp. But also, I don't like the Thunder from Down Under guys. Off to the side.
Just constantly hitting on chicks.
They're so constant. It's so annoying.
Yeah, back to the ramps real quick. There is a walk— a moving walkway normally, but the moving walkway was— it looked walled off.
Yeah.
And it did not look like it was under construction. So I don't know if they're just shutting that down, but those ramps are going to be a constant thing now, which is unfortunate. But yeah, the Thunder Down Under guys are— they get a little They're obnoxious.
Let's just put it that way.
I think they're obnoxious.
I agree.
Back to the overall vibe, I do really appreciate and like the amount of theming that is still up. Because in a world where it seems like everything is becoming just the same modern luxury look, Excalibur still has a lot of castle-looking things, which I think is cool. And I think it's one of those nostalgia things that Takes me back to what made me enjoy Vegas initially is it wasn't just a bunch of Hiltons.
Yep, it is over-the-top theming and it from the outside all the way to the inside.
Yes.
It is there.
Talking about Thunder Down Under, there are shows available including Thunder Down Under. So you don't have to just get groped by the guys at the lobby. You can go to their show.
And that you're also gonna have to tip.
Yeah, probably. There is also Australian Bee Gees, Matt King Comedy Magician. I haven't been to that one. And then Tournament of Kings, which we have been to, did enjoy it quite a bit. Yeah, um, the food is not going to be the greatest, but it is probably one of the best cheap dinner shows you can get in all of Las Vegas.
And speaking of theming, I mean, it fits right in. It was really a cool thing. We did it for the holiday season a few years ago and really enjoyed it.
Yeah, um, and back to that The Fun Dungeon, if we didn't already say it, it's an arcade. It's not as dirty as it sounds. But there's lots of different games down there for the kids to be able to win prizes and also just play games.
One of the pieces here at Excalibur that I really liked, I didn't know was ever a problem at other resorts until we started doing these videos, is the rideshare pickup area is very easy and very accessible.
Very convenient.
Yeah, it's not You're not going down into a basement trying to find it. You're not headed to the parking garage on the 3rd floor trying to figure out where you're headed. It's in a very reasonable location and easy to access from the casino floor.
I will say a negative, and it's something that we had read about, was housekeeping. They just didn't show up one day. There was no note. There was no idea as to why, but they just didn't come in. Unfortunately, some of the reviews talking about cleanliness and housekeeping They're not wrong. They seem like they're right. Yeah, hopefully that's not an issue for you, but if it is, this might not be the spot for you.
Yep.
Um, as far as location goes, we are on the South Strip, so you, you do have direct access to Luxor and Mandalay Bay through a tram, which is free. You can also go straight across the street to New York-New York and then MGM Grand and Park MGM real close by. There's gonna be a baseball stadium which is currently being built Right across the street.
Currently under construction.
Yeah, and that is going to be pretty cool, I think, for this area.
I think so too, and it's going to offer quite the views. Even from our room, we could see the construction going on.
Now, as far as getting waters, sodas, whatever that's not at the sundry stores and marked up really expensive, there is a gas station. I believe it's an AM/PM. It is across the street, which there's stoplights that can get you across the street, but there is not a bridge. That is the closest one. Otherwise, you're gonna have to walk, I don't know, maybe half a mile or so to get past MGM Grand or Park MGM, which it's a little inconvenient, but it's not bad.
Yeah, I would say another perk of the location is if you're traveling from the airport, it is on the cheaper end of getting to the airport via taxi. So it was like $21. Yeah, so pretty cheap to get here.
So overall, our stay was good. Yeah, it's not the best. But if you're coming and staying at Excalibur, you should just realize it is a budget hotel for the Las Vegas Strip. But I felt like it was a good stay. It's not the highest end.
No. Would we stay here every time?
No.
But would we hesitate to come back? No.
No. Well, I think if Excalibur's rooms were in almost any other city, we'd probably be just fine.
Yeah.
But the fact that we get to Stay at Wynn and Venetian and Bellagio and Cosmo. It's it's a that is hard competition to compare yourselves to.
Yeah.
But I think overall I had a good stay.
I agree.
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