Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Hotel Rating: 4.0 Pearls

The Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada

There's a lot to like about the 52-story Elara, which opened in December of 2009 as the PH Towers. But you get the feeling that the hotel is trying to be too many things at once: a family-friendly luxury tower, sleek and modern, bright and kitschy.

Reasonable rates and well-equipped rooms make Elara a popular choice for all types of visitors to Vegas, but it can't be everything to everyone. Families will like the kitchens, washer-dryer units, no smoking policy, but they might not like the lack of an on-site restaurant. Gamblers might miss a casino on-site, and partiers will probably not like the fact that room service is not available through the night. All in all, though, most guests will come away happy -- especially those who upgrade to the big one- and two-bedroom suites, which are some of Vegas' most luxurious for the price.

The location is another minor drawback. Elara isn't a luxury tower removed from the excess of the Strip, like the Trump, and it's not a true Strip hotel -- it's something in between. The entrance to the hotel is actually buried inside the massive Miracle Mile mall; I had to ask directions to find it. Guests will have to trek five to 10 minutes through the mall to reach the Strip. At least you'll be staying within skipping distance of Miracle Mile's 15 restaurants and 170 shops, and the party scene at the Planet Hollywood Resort.

The decor, likewise, feels like a compromise between two extremes: It's part modern, "new Vegas" luxury, and part Vegas kitsch. But the merger works out fairly well: The hotel is sleek but still distinctly Vegas, with bright red accents, busy fabrics, and Hollywood-themed photos on the walls.

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The Strip, a densely packed three-and-a-half mile long stretch of hotel-casinos on Las Vegas Boulevard, is Las Vegas' main artery and tourist center. Elara advertises itself as right on the Strip, but you'll have to walk through the massive (and somewhat difficult to navigate) Miracle Mile mall to reach the hotel entrance. But it's only a minor inconvenience: Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and Paris Las Vegas are right next door, and the hotel is within easy walking distance of Bally's, Flamingo Las Vegas, the Bellagio, and Caesars Palace.

• Every major hotel has a taxi stand where visitors can catch cabs at any time of day or night. Taxi lines are the only legal place to get a cab in Las Vegas (no hailing for a ride from the Strip).
• $5-$10 cab ride to most hotels on the Strip -- the most convenient option, and often the least expensive if you're traveling with at least one other person
• 10- to 15-minute, $15 cab ride to McCarran International Airport (don't let your driver take the freeway -- the ride can cost up to twice as much)
• The free City Center tram stops at the Crystals shopping center (connected to the Aria Hotel), the Monte Carlo, and the Bellagio.
• The Deuce double-decker bus runs up and down the strip 24/7 and costs $3 to ride
• The Las Vegas Monorail stops at MGM Grand, Bally's/Paris, Flamingo/Caesars Palace, Harrah's/Imperial Palace, the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Hilton, and the Sahara. A single-ride ticket is $5; a one-day pass is $13.

• Beautiful pool area (although a bit small given the size of the hotel) with palm trees, 32 cabanas on two separate stories, a full bar, and poolside service. The number of cabanas indicates that this has the potential to turn into a party scene, but young ones are certainly permitted and the music isn't loud.
• Fitness center
• Meeting and convention facilities
• 24-hour concierge
• Free valet and self-parking (although valet spots can fill up, and timeshare owners get priority)
• Room service is not 24-hours

• Poolside Bar & Grill open on weekends
• Lobby Bar with tapas and a pool view
• Easy access to the restaurants at Planet Hollywood
• 15 restaurants in the Miracle Mile shopping complex attached to the hotel