Main Street Station Hotel Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Downtown/Fremont Street, Las Vegas, Nevada

The Berlin urinal

Main Street Station molds itself into an archetype of the old American West, incorporating Victorian-era railcars and a collection of 20th-century antiques throughout the hotel, such as a snooker table once owned by Winston Churchill and a large chunk of the Berlin Wall in the men's room (where they've mounted urinals). On the exterior, old-style signs with Western lettering advertise the exciting but not-so-authentic "20x Crap Odds." The lobby, casino, and buffet boast vaulted ceilings, huge gold chandeliers, stained-glass windows, and antique slot machines.

But there's no pool, no fine dining, no fitness center -- nothing that one might expect of a typical Vegas hotel. Beyond the cultural artifacts and inexpensive breakfast buffet, there's not much draw to the hotel. Still, most guests -- largely seniors, long-married couples, and Pacific islanders (a result of the Vacations - Hawaii travel desk in the lobby) -- are plenty satisfied by the clean rooms and no-frills casino.

View on a Larger Map

Located in the smaller, older, and more pedestrian-friendly Downtown Vegas, Main Street Station is slightly removed from the area's main attraction, the Fremont Street Experience, a nightly light and music show. This isn't necessarily a bad thing: The rooms are generally quieter, and you're still within close walking distance of the Golden Nugget, whose casino and restaurants are the nicest in Downtown.

In addition, there's a skywalk that connects Main Street Station to the California Hotel across the street. But there isn't much over there that can't be found at Main Street Station.

It's about a 20-minute, $25 cab ride to McCarran International Airport from Main Street Station.

The Deluxe Queen Room

Unlike the more over-the-top Vegas-style theme decorations at many hotels, the rooms at Main Street are a bit more sedate -- mostly muted greens and browns. Aside from the occasional marking on the wall, the rooms are generally well maintained and the furnishings are free of significant wear.

• standard rooms measure 400 square feet, which is about the norm in Vegas (larger, 642-square-foot suites with separate living areas are also available)
• Bedsheets are nothing fancy, but they're smooth and fairly comfortable.
• Flat-screen TVs
• Clock radios
• Miniridge available upon request
• Wi-Fi
• Bathrooms are split between the sink area and the toilet and shower area
• Ecossentials bath products

An antique pipe organ

Guests can use the pool at Main Street's sister hotel, the California, which connects to Main Street Station via a skywalk.

The casino

Though smaller than most casinos on the Strip, the 28,000-square-foot Main Street casino still comes with 800 video poker and slot machines, plus the standard table games. There's no sports book and no poker room, but the casino does advertize better odds on the craps tables.

The hotel supplies cribs and rollaway beds at no additional charge, but there's no pool on site. Children won't find much to occupy them on the property beyond some displays of old-time slot machines in the lobby. In fact, for some guests, the near absence of children is the hotel's best asset.

Aside from a few markings on the walls in my room, I found nothing to complain about regarding cleanliness at Main Street Station.

Vast quantities of bacon

• Garden Court Buffet
• Triple 7, the sports bar, boasts its own beers, brewed in casks that are visible from the restaurant floor.
• For more variety, walk over to the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street, which has multiple fine-dining options. In addition, Hugo's Cellar at the Four Queens is a Downtown dining institution.