Great views and thrill rides for adrenaline junkies (Stratosphere Tower)

Member Name: flodombey

Product:	Stratosphere Tower
Date:	29/01/09 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Views, good value hotel rooms

Disadvantages: At the end of the strip away from the action

I stayed at the Stratosphere Tower Hotel a couple of years ago and have visited the tower again on subsequent trips to Vegas. You just cant beat the views of the strip that you get from the top of the tower and if you are an adrenaline junkie then you absolutely have to check out the rides up there.

As someone who isnt too fond of heights I was a little nervy on my first trip up the tower but as that time we were residents in the hotel we had free passes to go up, if you arent residents the prices are as follows:

TOWER TICKETS
Adult - $13.95
Child - $8.00
Senior - $10.00
Hotel Guest - $10.00
Nevada Resident - $10.00

RIDE TICKETS
Big Shot -$13.00
xScream - $12.00
Insanity - $12.00

You can also buy a ticket which includes tower entry and all the rides for $33.95 so if you are brave (or crazy) enough to want to do all three this works out as pretty good value.

The height didnt bother me as much as I thought it would once we were up there, the views are so cool that you forget to notice unless you stand right at the very edge, they have made it so inside the viewing platform at the top the windows lean out, this means you can stand at the edge and look directly down at the street hundreds of feet below.

I am far too chicken to have gone on the rides so cant tell you what they are like but from the platform restaurant which we ate in you get a wonderful view of the people who are crazy enough to try them, so much fear on their faces, its quite funny. The Big Shot ride actually dangles over the edge in front of the restaurant windows, the restaurant rotates so at some point you will get a cracking view of people being terrified for fun.

The Top of the World restaurant itself is worth a visit if only for the views at sunset. We had our wedding anniversary meal in there and it was well worth it. Watching the sun go down over the strip and the Nevada dessert beyond is magical. The food was pretty good too although it comes at a premium price and you do need to book. It has its own website where menus can be found and its worth planning in advance if you know you are going to be in Vegas any time soon.

When we stayed in the hotel we were impressed with the size of the room and the views it had, this is around the 3 star mark but in Vegas terms that makes it probably about a 4 star here, the room was well furnished, massive and quiet. Because the Stratosphere is right at the end of the strip a lot of the rooms have views looking straight down it so ask for a higher floor if you want to try and ensure fabulous views from your room.

Definitely worth a visit if you are in town and a good option for mid range hotel rooms if you dont mind being away from the central strip.

Summary: Worth a visit if only for the views and the rides