Our staycation at the Westin Lake Las Vegas

The view from our room at the Westin Lake Las Vegas

To be honest, the Westin Lake Las Vegas wasn’t really on my radar until recently. Sure, I’m a certified hotel nerd who can tell you about almost every hotel in Vegas. (Wondering how much a room at the Red Rock is going for on a given night? There’s a good chance I’ve recently checked the rates and can tell you!) However, Lake Las Vegas wasn’t an area that we’d visited since moving to town in November. Besides…when it comes to Vegas hotels, the big, flashy casino/resort accomodations on the Strip often get the most attention.

Luckily, I had the opportunity to become more familiar with this hotel and the Lake Las Vegas area in general. When an invite to a media event turned into a complimentary one-night stay at the Westin, I eagerly scheduled our quick Vegas staycation and prepared myself for drinks by the pool, s’mores by the lake, and a glimpse of that strange juxtaposition of lake and desert.

Don’t expect over-the-top glitz like you’d find on the Strip. Lake Las Vegas may be a thirty-minute drive from Las Vegas Blvd, but it feels like it’s worlds away. The hotel, and the surrounding community, seem very serene. And when you’re travelling with kids to Sin City, serene can be a good thing.

Here’s the breakdown of our stay at the Westin Lake Las Vegas:

First Impressions:

I love the way the resort looks as you drive onto the property. Tall palm trees, the dark beige building against bright blue sky…it’s lovely. Once inside, we noticed the Moroccan theme, which follows guests through their entire experience.

Beautiful and serene

And while we’re talking about first impressions, have you noticed that Westin hotels smell absolutely outstanding? How do they do it? We’ve stayed at Westin hotels several times, and that smell always reminds me of past trips and pleasant memories. (I can’t be the only person who has noticed that heavenly aroma!)

The Room:

We stayed in an alcove suite, which consisted of a sitting room with a convertable sofa and (you guessed it!) an alcove area that housed the bed and two night stands. The extra space in the alcove suite is great for families, although I wish there was more separation between the bedroom and the sitting area.

The alcove suite

The room also had a balcony, although it was very narrow. It provided just enough room for one person to stand. This actually makes sense since this is Las Vegas; sitting on a balcony in the sweltering heat when you could be poolside would be utter madness.

*verytinybalcony*

Overall, we were happy with the room: clean, spacious, and comfortable.

The Pools:

The Westin Lake Las Vegas offers guests two large pools and a water slide, not to mention lake activities like kayaking. The pools were clean and appeared to be well-maintained. My five-year-old daughter enjoyed the water slide, although it certainly wasn’t the fastest we’d ever been on. A man-made beach by the lake offered the perfect place for roasting marshmallows after dark, and an evening movie by the pool was a nice way to end our day.

Fun on Lake Las Vegas

The Westin Lake Las Vegas is a good kid-friendly option for those visiting from out-of-town and for Las Vegans looking to get away for a short staycation. With its location right on the lake, this hotel offers guests more than just a comfortable bed. This is a great hotel choice for those who want a relaxing Vegas experience.

Note: I received a complimentary one night stay, but we paid for our own food and activities. All opinions are my own. I was not asked by the Westin Lake Las Vegas to write this post.