But there are lots of other lodging options in town from the established chain properties like Marriott and Motel 6 to the independent boutique hotels like Rumor.

Located directly across Harmon Avenue from the Hard Rock Hotel about a mile from Planet Hollywood on The Strip, Rumor is a modern, extreme makeover of what was once a boring, rundown property called St. Tropez.

The look of the place is decidedly, almost aggressively hip - the kind of joint you might expect to see on The Sunset Strip in Hollywood populated with the nearly famous and those that want to be seen with them. It's all sleek lines with vinyl, chainmail, leather, suede, chrome, and fuzzy fabrics thrown together in a mélange of retro-cool. Kicky touches are everywhere - note the pewter pig with the purple bow in the lobby and the chrome Tiki head footstools in the lounge. It's all fun eye-candy but I couldn't help but feel that the whole thing was trying just a little too hard to be stylish.

There are about 150 rooms in two-story motel style buildings clustered around a central courtyard. Each of the rooms is billed as a suite although only some of them are actual multi-room accommodations. The Junior Suites are just one big room with a sitting area, a cushy bed, and a bathroom. Some feature Roman tubs in the sleeping area. All feature flat screen televisions, wireless Internet, in-room movies, safes, iPod radios, robes, and more.

Actual suites with a separate bedroom and bigger party suites are also available, each offering more square footage and more amenities.

The design scheme from the rest of the hotel continues here with white couches and furnishings, vibrant purple throws, and deep chocolate accents along with the chrome, leather, and marble seen elsewhere.

The courtyard pool area is the main attraction at the property. There is lovely landscaping with some sandy beach areas, big palm trees with hammocks strung between them, a heated pool and Jacuzzi, cabanas, day beds, and a big stage for warm weather concerts.

Inside there is a very small restaurant serving eggs, waffles, and pancakes at breakfast, salads and sandwiches at lunch, and tapas style small plates for dinner and late night dining.

There's also a small bar/lounge with a few video poker machines if you are feeling the need for some gambling entertainment but if you want slots or table games or other gaming options you'll have to go elsewhere. As mentioned, the Hard Rock is right across the street.

A couple of other good news/bad news type notes... If you are a pet owner and don't feel like leaving Fido or Fluffy at home, you can bring them here. They charge extra for the privilege but they do have a small dog run area. Bad news is that your pet, and perhaps yourself, may get spooked by the airplane noise. The hotel is located directly under one of the main approaches for McCarran airport and planes come in so low that it feels like you can reach up and touch them.

If you hadn't figured it out by now, the hotel is geared toward a younger clientele - maybe people who would want to stay at the Hard Rock but can't afford it or just don't want to pay those kinds of rates. Things are definitely cheaper here... you can get weekday rooms for as low as $79 but they also have many dates where things are well in the $150 and up range.

For those kinds of rates you can get a perfectly decent room at one of the B-level Strip hotels. To be honest that would always be my preference but if you are looking for a different kind of Vegas experience, Rumor may be yours.

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