After spending four nights at Hilton Grand Vacations Club Elara Center Strip Las Vegas, there was a lot to love about this hotel.
The location is fantastic, the rooms are spacious, the pool was wonderful, the views reminded us every morning that we were definitely in Las Vegas, and the staff consistently made us feel welcome.
There were a handful of small maintenance and housekeeping details that kept me from rating our stay higher, but overall, Elara worked incredibly well for the kind of Las Vegas trip we wanted.
And the biggest reason?
The Walkability Is 10/10
If you want to experience Las Vegas without renting a car, this location is hard to beat.
Elara connects directly to the Miracle Mile Shops, giving you easy access to restaurants, shopping and the Strip without having to get in a car every time you want to go somewhere.
Over our four days in Vegas, we walked 51,206 steps!
We walked to restaurants. We wandered through resorts. We explored the Strip. We even walked all the way to Sphere—although I would reconsider that particular adventure when it's 108 degrees outside.
Being able to leave the hotel and simply start exploring was one of my favorite things about staying here.
Walkability: an easy 10/10.
Our Room Was Spacious
For a multi-night stay, having room to spread out makes such a difference. The kitchen gave us the option to keep drinks, snacks and food in the room instead of relying on restaurants for absolutely everything.
And then there were some really fun extras.
The automatic blinds? Loved them.
The projector in the room? Awesome.
The huge bathtub? Also awesome.
These are the kinds of features that make coming back to the room after walking around Las Vegas all day feel a little more luxurious.
And That View!
Our room had views of Sphere, the surrounding mountains and other Las Vegas resorts.
Vegas is obviously known for the Strip, but I loved being able to see the mountains in the distance too.
There's something pretty incredible about looking out your window and seeing the sunrise peek through the mountains.
The Pool Was Excellent
We spent time at the Elara pool during our stay and really enjoyed it.
One of my biggest questions when staying at a resort is always:
Will we actually be able to find a chair?
Because a beautiful resort pool doesn't mean much if finding a lounger requires setting an alarm for sunrise.
Thankfully, we had no problem finding loungers when we went down.
The pool area was a great place to slow down between our adventures, especially considering temperatures reached 108 degrees during our stay.
I Really Appreciated the Security
Elara also did a great job with security.
I felt comfortable coming and going from the property throughout our stay, and that's something I think is worth mentioning—especially at a hotel located in the middle of one of the busiest tourist destinations in the country.
The Staff Deserves a Special Mention
Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful, but I had one slightly unusual request throughout our stay.
I brought work with me.
More specifically, I brought Snail Mail Kits with me.
Orders were still coming in while I was traveling, so each day I had outgoing envelopes that needed to make their way into the mail.
The Elara staff happily took my outgoing mail every day and made sure it was sent.
And here's the part that made me smile:
Every person I handed my envelopes to commented on how lovely they looked.
A Few Things I Would Improve
Our stay wasn't perfect, and there are a few areas where I think Elara could easily improve.
The main areas of our room were clean, but some of the less obvious areas—corners and underneath lights, for example—could have used a dusting.
We also noticed a few maintenance items.
The bathroom door was missing a hook, the magnifying mirror was beginning to pull away from the wall, the shampoo bottle wasn't adhered to the wall like the conditioner, and the USB ports beside our bed weren't working.
Our soap dispenser was also empty when we arrived. We requested a refill, but unfortunately it took about three days before it was brought to us.
These weren't major issues and didn't negatively affect our overall vacation, but taking care of those little details would make an already very comfortable room feel even better maintained.
One Thing I'd Probably Skip Next Time
We ordered food from the hotel bar once during our stay and weren't particularly impressed.
With so many restaurants within walking distance, this is an easy fix:
Next time, we'd simply go out to eat.
And when you're staying somewhere as walkable as Elara, that's really not much of a hardship.
⭐ My Hilton Elara Rating: 7/10
Biggest win: The location and 10/10 walkability.
Unexpected favorite: The automatic blinds, projector and enormous bathtub.
Also loved: The pool, views, spacious room, kitchen, security and friendly staff.
Could improve: A little more attention to detailed cleaning and room maintenance.
Would I stay again?
Yes—and that's ultimately the most important part of any hotel review.
Elara gave us exactly what we needed: a comfortable place to come home to in the middle of Las Vegas, with the Strip waiting right outside our door.
*****************************************************
🌿 This Article Is Proudly Supported By
I believe the internet should be filled with helpful resources—not pages cluttered with pop-ups and distracting ads.
That's why every article on Pen Pal Adventure Book is supported by one carefully chosen small business sponsor.
Each sponsorship is a lifetime placement, allowing readers to discover businesses I genuinely believe add value to this community while helping keep these articles free for everyone.
If you're a small business that shares a love for creativity, travel, nature, handmade goods, or intentional living, I'd love to hear from you.
