Station Casinos aren't known too widely outside of Las Vegas. When most people come to town they only think of staying at the big grand hotels on The Strip and because of that often pay too much for their rooms. Especially when they can get almost everything they can get on The Strip at a place like Texas Station for a lot less money.

Texas is part of the Station chain that includes Sunset, Green Valley Ranch, and Boulder Station plus Fiesta Rancho and Fiesta Henderson among others. They specialize in catering to the "locals" market with small hotels and a ton of entertainment options.

Appropriately enough considering the name, Texas Station is done with a sort of yeehaw down-hominess. Think an upscale Texas cattle ranch. The theme is not as in-your-face as in places like say Caesars Palace, which is good because yeehaw down-hominess can get a little tiring after awhile.

There are only 200 rooms (compared with the thousands per hotel on The Strip) in their six-story "tower" and they are lovely, if simple, affairs. You do get a lot of amenities such as a hair dryer, iron and board, TV with pay-per-view movies, a small refrigerator, high-speed Internet access, and a lot more. The furnishings were clean and well-kept, and the beds were firm yet comfy. It's not a palatial experience but it's a lot better than your average motel.

It's once you come out of your room that you start to realize just how much this hotel has to offer.

The casino is not the largest in town (91,000 square-feet) but its rambling layout makes it seem enormous. They have just about everything you could possibly want in gaming including all the latest slots (from 5 cents to $100), tons of video poker, all the major table games (blackjack, craps, roulette, etc.), a sports book, a poker room, keno, bingo, and more.

Around the edges of the casino are the dining options including Austins, the steakhouse style restaurant we consider to be one of the best of any type of restaurant in town, an Italian place, cafes, an inexpensive buffet, and lots of fast-food style places including Krispy Kreme, Fatburger, and Baja Fresh to name a few.

For entertainment there is a showroom featuring headline acts of all stripes (country, rock, jazz, and more); several lounges with entertainment; a 60-lane bowling center with "rock and roll" bowling on the weekends; a children's arcade; an 18-screen movie theater; a Kid Zone day care center; a wedding chapel; and more.

There is a small pool and jacuzzi but no spa or health club so if you're looking for one of those lounging/pampering getaways go elsewhere.

The hotel is located on Rancho Road, a few miles north and west of The Strip. When I stayed there I was able to reach Downtown in about 10 minutes and Mandalay Bay at the south end of The Strip in about 15. Of course it will all depend on traffic and how fast you drive but those are pretty good benchmarks.

As with all of these neighborhood hotels, the biggest lure is perhaps the cost. Texas Station offers room as low as $39 on the weekdays and $59 on the weekend, although obviously prices go up the busier they are.

It all comes down to alternatives. If the Strip is too crowded or expensive (which it usually is), places like Texas Station are great second choices.

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