MGM Grand Las Vegas Review
If you’ve never stayed at MGM Grand before, let me prepare you for one thing.
It’s absolutely massive.
I don’t mean “Vegas big.” I mean the kind of big where you genuinely start questioning whether the hallway in front of you is real or if you’re looking at mirrors.
When my wife Nikki, my sister Sam, and I checked in for our four-night stay in May 2026, the three of us actually stood there debating whether the hallway really kept going. Different carpet. Different ceiling. It looked like it couldn’t possibly continue.
It did.
That pretty much sums up MGM Grand.
Everything here is bigger than you expect.
The casino.
The pool complex.
The walk to your room.
Even trying to find your elevator after a few cocktails.
But here’s the question everyone actually wants answered:
Is MGM Grand worth staying at?
After spending four nights there on a comp stay through MGM Rewards, here’s my honest review.
Quick Verdict
Overall Grade: A-
Best For:
- Couples
- Bachelor and bachelorette trips
- Friends traveling together
- Gamblers
- Anyone who loves resort pools
Skip It If:
- You’re looking for a quiet boutique hotel.
- You hate walking.
- You’re traveling mainly for a kid-focused vacation.
Would I Stay Again?
Absolutely.
In fact, I’d probably stay there again just for the lazy river.
Why I Chose MGM Grand
This trip happened in May 2026.
It was me, my wife Nikki, and my sister Sam.
The room itself was completely comped through MGM Rewards, so we booked a standard room with two queen beds and packed our bags.
The biggest reason we chose MGM Grand wasn’t actually the casino.
It was the pool.
Nikki had heard how incredible the pool complex was, and I’d been wanting to float around the lazy river with one of those frozen Dole Whip drinks for what felt like forever.
Mission accepted.
Checking In
After landing in Las Vegas, we grabbed an Uber from the airport and headed straight to MGM Grand.
I’d been inside the property plenty of times before, so walking through the casino wasn’t anything new.
Checking in, however, was.
We got there around 11:30 in the morning, which is way earlier than normal check-in.
Instead of paying the $50 early check-in fee, I decided to try the famous $20 trick.
Since we showed up around 11:30 in the morning, I really didn’t feel like paying another $50 just to get into a room early. So naturally, I tried the $20 trick at check-in. I wasn’t really looking for some massive suite upgrade this time. I just wanted them to get me into a room without charging me an early check-in fee.
I slid the twenty across with my ID and politely asked if there was any way to get into our room early.
It worked.
Did I get some incredible Strip-view suite?
Not even close.
Our view was… let’s just call it industrial. We could kind of see the Hard Rock Cafe sign, but that was about the only thing worth looking at.
Still, I got exactly what I wanted.
We walked straight to our room instead of sitting around the lobby for hours waiting.
For me, that was worth way more than having a prettier window.
First Impressions
I’ve visited MGM Grand several times before, but staying there gave me a completely different appreciation for just how enormous this resort really is.
Walking toward the elevators was one thing.
Walking to the room was another.
Our hallway seemed to stretch forever.
Sam, Nikki, and I honestly couldn’t tell if the hallway actually kept going or if we were looking at some kind of optical illusion.
Nope.
It just kept going.
It’s hard to explain until you’re standing there yourself.
MGM Grand doesn’t feel like one hotel.
It feels like someone built a small city and decided to call it a resort.
The Room
We stayed in one of MGM Grand’s updated two-queen rooms, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised.
The room looked modern.
Everything felt clean.
Nothing felt worn out.
For a property this large, I expected something a little more dated, but the renovation really made a difference.
The two queen beds were comfortable, the bathroom looked fresh, and everything was spotless when we arrived.
One thing that really surprised me was the shower.
Usually, when you’re staying in a resort with thousands of rooms, you expect weak water pressure.
Not here.
The shower pressure was excellent the entire trip.
Another thing I appreciated was how quiet the room was.
Considering we were staying in one of the busiest resorts in Las Vegas, I expected to hear elevators, people, doors slamming, or casino noise throughout the night.
Instead, it was surprisingly peaceful.
Honestly, the biggest battle inside the room wasn’t outside noise.
It was Nikki.
My wife has one hotel superpower.
She somehow turns every hotel room into the Arctic.
I’m not kidding.
My sister and I spent four days complaining that it felt like we were sleeping inside a freezer while Nikki slept perfectly happy under blankets.
If you’re wondering whether the air conditioning works at MGM Grand…
Trust me.
It works.
The TV setup was another pleasant surprise.
There were plenty of channels, free movies to watch, and since Sam spent more time relaxing in the room than Nikki and I did, she got plenty of use out of it while we were downstairs gambling or wandering around the resort.
For us, though, the room served exactly the purpose we wanted.
A clean place to sleep.
A place to take a quick power nap before heading back downstairs.
A place to recharge for another round of Vegas.
The only real disappointment was the view.
Looking out over industrial rooftops isn’t exactly the Vegas skyline most people picture.
If I stayed here again, I’d definitely try for a better view.
Still, I’d take an updated room with a lousy view over an outdated room with a great one any day.
The Pool Complex: The Real Reason to Stay at MGM Grand
If you ask me what makes MGM Grand different from a lot of other hotels on the Strip, my answer is simple.
The pool.
Actually… pools.
Calling it “a pool” doesn’t really do it justice because MGM Grand has an entire pool complex. Multiple pools, bars, waterfalls, cabanas, plenty of seating, and of course, the famous lazy river.
Pictures don’t really prepare you for how big it is.
MGM Grand calls the entire area its Grand Pool Complex, with multiple pools and the lazy river spread across the resort’s outdoor pool area.
When I walked through the gates for the first time, my reaction was basically, “Holy shit.”
It was clean, organized, and somehow felt like its own resort inside the resort.
It absolutely lived up to the hype.
I’ve stayed at Flamingo Las Vegas too, and while Flamingo has a fun pool with more of a party atmosphere, I’d take MGM Grand’s pool complex pretty easily. The lazy river alone puts MGM Grand on another level for me.
My Lazy River Mission
I’ll admit it.
The lazy river was the entire reason I wanted to stay at MGM Grand.
Nikki was excited about the whole pool complex.
Me?
I wanted to grab a frozen Dole Whip, climb into a raft, and spend an afternoon floating around without thinking about anything.
Mission accomplished.
We started our morning hanging out at the adults-only 21+ pool while we waited for the lazy river to open.
As soon as it did, we moved over and spent the rest of our pool time floating around.
There’s just something about drifting through the water with a frozen drink in your hand that makes you completely forget you’re standing in the middle of one of the busiest cities in America.
Vegas has plenty of great pools.
The lazy river is what makes MGM Grand special.
Get There Early
If you’re anything like Nikki, you’ll be at the pool before most people finish breakfast.
Thankfully, she’s the planner between the two of us.
Because we got there early, finding chairs was easy.
The pool area wasn’t crowded at all when it first opened.
About an hour later?
Completely different story.
By the time the lazy river was open for a while, the place was packed.
If getting a good chair matters to you, don’t sleep in.
Double Down Mac Money-Saving Tip
The rental price was around $60.
Instead, walk over to the nearby ABC Store and buy an inflatable float for about five bucks.
That’s exactly what I did.
I politely asked the employees at the raft rental station if they’d fill it with air for me. They did, so I tipped them ten bucks for helping me out.
Even after the tip, Nikki and I had both of our floats ready to go for around twenty dollars total.
If we’d rented them from the pool?
We would’ve spent well over a hundred dollars.
That’s money I’d much rather gamble with.
I Even Broke My Pool Record
I’ll be honest.
I’m not really a “sit at the pool all day” kind of guy.
Give me a blackjack table and I’m happy.
Normally I last about an hour before I start wondering what’s happening inside the casino.
This trip, I made it two whole hours.
Personal record.
Nikki, on the other hand, would’ve happily stayed there every single day.
In fact, she pretty much did.
While I was wandering back toward the casino, she kept going back to the pool throughout the trip.
If your vacation revolves around great pool days, you’re going to love MGM Grand.
The Casino
Walking into the casino gave me the exact same feeling as walking into the hotel.
How does this place keep going?
Every time I thought I’d reached the end, there was another bank of slot machines, another bar, another restaurant, another gaming area.
It’s one of the few casinos where you can spend hours wandering around and still stumble across machines you somehow missed earlier.
Blackjack
I eventually found a $15 blackjack table.
The downside?
It was 6:5 blackjack.
I’d much rather play 3:2 whenever I can, but sometimes in Vegas you work with what you’ve got.
If you’re going to play blackjack in Vegas, learning perfect blackjack strategy before you sit down is one of the easiest ways to avoid giving the casino an even bigger advantage. It won’t magically make a 6:5 table good, but at least you’ll know you’re making the right decisions with the cards you’re dealt.
The table itself ended up being a lot of fun.
I played with a couple guys from Los Angeles who were celebrating one of their birthdays.
Nobody really crushed it.
Nobody got crushed either.
It turned into one of those fun social blackjack sessions where you’re laughing, cheering each other on, and having a good time even if the cards aren’t exactly cooperating.
Sometimes that’s enough.
Slots
Even though blackjack is my favorite game, I actually spent more time playing slots during this trip.
There are just so many machines to choose from.
For whatever reason, I kept finding myself back at Firecracker.
That machine had me hooked.
I wasn’t hitting life-changing jackpots or anything, but it seemed like every time I sat down, I’d trigger another bonus and win enough money to keep me interested.
A hundred dollars here.
A couple hundred there.
Nothing huge.
Just enough to keep the trip fun.
Sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for.
Cocktail Service
Even though blackjack is my favorite game, I actually spent more time playing slots during this trip.
There are just so many machines to choose from.
For whatever reason, I kept finding myself back at Firecracker.
That machine had me hooked.
I wasn’t hitting life-changing jackpots or anything, but it seemed like every time I sat down, I’d trigger another bonus and win enough money to keep me interested.
A hundred dollars here.
A couple hundred there.
Nothing huge.
Just enough to keep the trip fun.
Sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for.
Smoke
One thing that surprised me was the smoke.
Or more accurately…
The lack of it.
For such a busy casino, I never really noticed it feeling overly smoky.
If smoke bothers you, MGM Grand felt much cleaner than a lot of older casinos I’ve visited.
A Break-Even Trip Is Still a Great Trip
I didn’t leave MGM Grand with some incredible gambling story.
No hand pays.
No giant jackpots.
No massive blackjack comeback.
Honestly?
I pretty much broke even.
I won around a hundred bucks on Huff N’ Puff.
Firecracker kept feeding me enough small bonuses to stay entertained.
Blackjack was mostly a wash.
Sometimes Vegas doesn’t have to end with some crazy story.
Sometimes breaking even while spending four days eating good food, floating around a lazy river, wandering casinos, and making memories with your family is about as good as it gets.
I’ll happily take that kind of trip every time.
MGM Rewards
One of the reasons I keep coming back to MGM properties is the rewards program.
I’m not some high roller with a personal casino host calling me every week.
That’s not my level.
But I do earn enough play to consistently get comped rooms, FreePlay, and food and beverage offers.
For the average gambler, that’s where MGM Rewards really shines.
You don’t have to be betting black chips every hand to start seeing real value.
If you pay attention to the offers in the app and give MGM consistent play, those comps can add up surprisingly fast.
Restaurants and Food
One thing you’ll never have to worry about at MGM Grand is finding something to eat.
The resort has multiple food courts, sit-down restaurants, quick-service options, bars, and snack shops spread throughout the property. Honestly, there are so many places to eat that I didn’t even come close to trying them all.
TAP Sports Bar
If I had to recommend one restaurant inside MGM Grand, it’d be TAP Sports Bar.
The service was great.
The food was exactly what I wanted after a long day walking the Strip.
The prices were still Vegas prices, but they didn’t feel outrageous considering where you are.
I’d eat there again without thinking twice.
Bonanno’s Pizza
I have a confession.
I ate Bonanno’s Pizza almost every day.
Sometimes twice in one day.
Is it expensive?
Absolutely.
Is it worth it?
Also yes.
There’s something about grabbing a couple slices after a long gambling session that just hits different. Every time I walked by, I found another excuse to stop.
Skip Tacos & Rita’s
Not every meal was a winner.
I tried Tacos & Rita’s once and honestly…
It was terrible.
Vegas has way too many great places to eat for me to recommend spending your money there.
My Ongoing Battle With Häagen-Dazs
The biggest disappointment of the trip wasn’t losing money.
It wasn’t the room view.
It was Häagen-Dazs.
Two nights in a row I tried getting a milkshake.
Night one?
The credit card machine was down.
Fair enough.
Night two?
I got there about ten minutes before closing and they told me they’d already cleaned the milkshake machine for the night.
At that point I gave up, walked over to Johnny Rockets, and grabbed a shake there instead.
It was good.
I’m still convinced the Häagen-Dazs shake would’ve been better, though.
Maybe next trip.
Starbucks Every Morning
Every morning started exactly the same way.
Coffee.
Luckily, Starbucks was practically right outside the elevator bank we used.
Even better, the line was never bad.
Maybe we were just early enough to beat the crowds, but compared to some Vegas Starbucks locations where you’ll wait forever, this one was surprisingly quick.
Location
One thing I love about MGM Grand is where it’s located.
I’ve always preferred the south end of the Strip.
From MGM Grand, I walked to New York-New York, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, and even over to ride the New York-New York roller coaster.
Everything felt close enough that I never really needed transportation.
When I wanted to head farther north, I simply used the free tram that connects Park MGM, Aria, and Bellagio.
That ended up being one of my favorite afternoons.
My sister had never seen the Bellagio fountains before, so we took the tram over.
The first time I ever saw those fountains, my reaction was basically, “Holy shit. This is incredible.”
Sam’s reaction?
“Yeah… that’s cool.”
She liked them.
I loved them.
Sometimes first Vegas trips just hit people differently.
I Skipped the Monorail
Originally, I thought I’d use the Las Vegas Monorail during the trip.
Then I looked at the price.
Even with one of my MyVegas rewards coupons, it was more expensive than I expected.
Once I realized almost everything I wanted to do was within walking distance or just a quick Uber ride away, I decided to skip it completely.
Honestly, I never missed it.
You Will Get Lost
There’s one warning I have to give anyone staying here.
You’re probably going to get lost.
I never felt trapped because everything I wanted was nearby.
Confused?
Absolutely.
One night after a few cocktails, I spent way too long trying to find my hotel elevators.
I somehow managed to walk past the same live dealer gaming area three different times before finally stopping and asking myself…
“What the hell am I doing?”
Eventually I found my way.
But if you have one too many drinks, don’t be surprised if MGM Grand turns into a maze.
What I Loved
- The incredible pool complex
- The lazy river
- Clean, updated rooms
- Surprisingly quiet at night
- Excellent shower pressure
- Huge casino with endless slot choices
- Great location on the south Strip
- Easy MGM Rewards comps
- Plenty of restaurants
- Bonanno’s Pizza
- Starbucks close to the elevator
What I Didn’t Love
- The industrial room view
- 6:5 blackjack tables
- Long walks everywhere
- Tacos & Rita’s
- Häagen-Dazs crushing my milkshake dreams two nights in a row
Who Should Stay at MGM Grand?
I think MGM Grand is one of the best resorts in Las Vegas for:
- Couples
- Bachelor and bachelorette parties
- Friends’ trips
- Gamblers
- Anyone planning to spend serious time at the pool
If you’re traveling with younger kids?
I’d probably look elsewhere.
Sure, there’s the pool and a few attractions, but overall MGM Grand feels like it was designed for adults.
Even in the lazy river, I found myself wishing there were a few fewer kids splashing around while I was trying to float peacefully with my Dole Whip.
It wasn’t a huge deal.
Just something to keep in mind if you’re looking for a more relaxing pool experience.
Final Verdict
Grade: A-
MGM Grand isn’t perfect.
You’ll walk farther than you thought possible.
You’ll probably get turned around at least once.
If you end the night with a few cocktails, don’t be surprised if you accidentally circle the casino looking for your elevator.
But those are small complaints compared to everything this resort gets right.
The updated rooms are comfortable and surprisingly quiet.
The casino has enough games to keep any gambler entertained.
The restaurant selection gives you plenty of options.
The south Strip location makes exploring Las Vegas easy.
And then there’s the pool.
If you ask me what makes MGM Grand worth booking, that’s the answer.
The lazy river alone lived up to every bit of the hype I’d heard before arriving.
Would I stay here again?
Absolutely.
In fact, next time I already know exactly what I’m doing.
I’m buying another cheap float from the ABC Store, grabbing a frozen Dole Whip, and spending another afternoon drifting around one of the best pool complexes in Las Vegas.
Sometimes the best Vegas memories aren’t about winning jackpots.
Sometimes they’re just about floating down a lazy river with the people you came to Vegas with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MGM Grand a good place to stay in Las Vegas?
Yes. I gave MGM Grand an A- because it offers updated rooms, one of the best pool complexes in Las Vegas, a massive casino, plenty of restaurants, and a great location on the south end of the Strip. If you don’t mind walking, it’s an excellent value, especially if you can book a comp room or a discounted rate through MGM Rewards.
Is the MGM Grand lazy river worth it?
Absolutely. The lazy river was one of the main reasons I booked MGM Grand, and it completely lived up to the hype. Floating around with a frozen Dole Whip drink was one of my favorite memories from the trip. If you’re choosing MGM Grand because of the pool, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Are the rooms at MGM Grand updated?
The room I stayed in was recently updated and felt modern, clean, and comfortable. The bathroom was spotless, the shower had surprisingly strong water pressure, and the room was much quieter than I expected for a resort of this size.
Is MGM Grand good for gambling?
Yes. MGM Grand has one of the largest casino floors in Las Vegas with hundreds of slot machines and plenty of table games. I spent most of my time playing slots and blackjack and had a fun break-even trip. While I found a $15 6:5 blackjack table, serious blackjack players should always look for the best rules before sitting down.
Is MGM Grand good for families?
It depends. Families can enjoy the pool complex and lazy river, but overall I think MGM Grand is better suited for couples, groups of friends, bachelor or bachelorette parties, and gamblers. If your trip is centered around kid-friendly activities, there are better options on the Strip.
Is MGM Grand in a good location?
Yes. I love staying on the south end of the Strip because it’s easy to walk to New York-New York, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, and other nearby attractions. The free tram connecting Park MGM, Aria, and Bellagio also makes exploring the Strip even easier.
What’s the best way to save money at the MGM Grand pool?
Skip the expensive inner tube rentals. I bought an inflatable float at the nearby ABC Store for about $5 and had it inflated at the pool after leaving a tip. It saved a significant amount of money compared to renting tubes at the pool.
Would I stay at MGM Grand again?
Without hesitation. Between the fantastic pool complex, comfortable rooms, huge casino, great restaurant options, and convenient location, MGM Grand is a resort I’d happily book again on a future Las Vegas trip.
