Main Street Station has always been one of my favorite hotels in town and one of the nicest in all of Downtown. A renovation of their guest rooms in 2005 along with some general declines at other properties in the area has elevated this gem of a hotel to a new status as my favorite Downtown hotel, period.

It has a turn-of-the-century San Francisco feeling to it with faux stamped-tin ceilings, beautiful stained glass windows, lazy ceiling fans, gas lanterns, and lots of wrought iron decorative trim. From the outside it's very unassuming and come to think of it, that's a great word to use for the entire place. It's not in your face, it's not bright and neon. Instead Main Street Station sort of slips around you like a comfortable coat - it's easy to feel at home here.

It is a very small hotel by Las Vegas standards, which is good or bad depending on your point of view. Good things are that you won't get lost, don't have to battle huge crowds, and can often have a much more peaceful vacation (although why you're coming to Las Vegas for a peaceful vacation, I'll never know). Bad things are that you forgo some of the niceties you get at a large resort like a pool, spa, and on-premises shopping although you can use the pool at neighboring The California hotel and there are a couple of stores over there as well.

The rooms are a bit bigger than most Downtown hotels although certainly not large by Strip standards. A 2005 remodel has turned what were nice but basic accommodations into much more comfortable and stylish affairs with all new furnishings, décor, and bath fixtures. The beds are cozy as are the lounge chairs (complete with a big plushy ottoman), and there's an armoire with a TV (including pay-per-view movies), an iron and board, a safe, a hair dryer, an alarm clock, and data-ports on the phones (no high-speed Internet available).

One cool touch is the use of plantation shutters instead of curtains, giving the look of the room a decidedly unique flair, although they don't shut out as much of the light as those big heavy drapes at other places so if you're looking to sleep until noon and are light-phobic bring a eye mask. Since the hotel is located right next to the freeway and the train tracks, there is some attendant noise but the air conditioning mostly drowns it out and it wasn't anything that kept me awake.

The casino is one of the nicest in town, with more of that lovely turn-of-the-century San Francisco detail, high ceilings, and plenty of room between the machines. They also have a state of the art filtration system that seems to make this casino feel less filled with cigarette smoke than many of the others downtown.

You do have a couple of restaurants choices including the very respectable The Pullman Grille, the lively and inexpensive Triple 7 Brew PubTriple 7 Brew Pub, and the Garden Court Buffet, one of my personal favorites in the entire city. However, for non-gambling entertainment you're going to have to go elsewhere. Luckily, Fremont Street with all its restaurants, casinos, and shows is only a block away.

Prices are another attractive feature The Main Street Station with standard rates starting around $60 although as with everything in Vegas the prices vary wildly - sometimes a little lower and sometimes a lot higher.

It's always exciting when an already good hotel takes steps to be an even better one and with the room upgrades, Main Street Station has become the crown jewel of Downtown Las Vegas.

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