This hip resort, located half an hour from the Strip, boasts an impressive pool, notable spa, multiplex movie theater, and 72-lane bowling alley. Especially popular among families, this desert oasis offers some Vegas glamour -- but the glitz is set amid the natural glories of Red Rock Canyon, not neon and asphalt.

Tasteful but staid, this suburban Las Vegas property draws golfers (the area offers seven fine public courses), business conventioneers, wedding parties, locals hitting the casino, and a smattering of families. With its excellent spa, waterfall pool, and servicable restaurants, the JW Marriott is a tried-and-true, if unexciting, off-the-Strip resort.

A sleek, eco-minded alternative to the grandiose resorts, the element (with its intentional, lower-case "e" for style) is a great pick in the quiet suburb of Summerlin, near Red Rock Canyon -- free high-quality breakfast, free happy-hour drinks on weekdays, and 123 stylish rooms, each with a full kitchen or a small kitchenette area without a stove.

This bland, suburban Courtyard is showing its age -- old, tube TVs in the guest rooms -- but it's still a comfortable, more affordable alternative to the luxury resorts in Summerlin, and it's just a 15- to 25-minute drive from great golf courses, familiar franchise restaurants, and hiking and biking trails in stunning Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.