Mandalay Bay vs Luxor: Is the Upgrade Next Door Worth It?

Mandalay Bay vs Luxor is the south Strip’s classic upgrade question: the two MGM resorts are next-door neighbors on the same free tram, both less than half a mile from Allegiant Stadium, but Mandalay Bay adds an 11-acre beach, 550-square-foot rooms with a soaking tub and a deeper restaurant list. Luxor counters with a $45 resort fee instead of $50 (plus tax, as of October 2026), a budget price level and an indoor walk to Mandalay Bay’s restaurants. Our Mandalay Bay review and Luxor Las Vegas review cover each hotel in depth.

	Mandalay Bay	Luxor
Location	South Strip	South Strip
Price level	Upscale	Budget
Best for	Families, pool lovers, stadium-goers	Budget travelers, stadium-goers, gamers
Pool	Mandalay Bay Beach: wave pool, lazy river and sand beach, plus 21+ Moorea Beach Club	Oasis Pool: two large pools with cabanas
Casino	Yes	Yes
Resort fee	$50 + tax per night	$45 + tax per night
Parking	Self-parking $20/day for hotel guests; valet $40/day	Self-parking $20/day for hotel guests; valet $40/day
Check-in / out	3 PM / 11 AM	3 PM / 11 AM
Rates	Check Mandalay Bay Rates	Check Luxor Rates

Location: next-door neighbors at the south end

Mandalay Bay, at 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., is the Strip’s southern anchor, sharing its campus with W Las Vegas, Four Seasons, the Michelob ULTRA Arena and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Luxor, at 3900, sits between Mandalay Bay and Excalibur: a 30-story pyramid with two hotel towers beside it.

Is Luxor connected to Mandalay Bay? Yes, twice over. You can walk indoors through The Shoppes at Mandalay Place: Mandalay Bay’s casino-level map points “TO LUXOR,” and Luxor’s map sends you up an escalator to its Atrium Level and the shops. And the free Mandalay Bay Tram links Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur. Mandalay Bay’s and Luxor’s pages list it daily from 10 a.m. to midnight, while Excalibur’s page shows 8 a.m. starts on weekdays, so plan on 10 a.m. Our guide to connected hotels in Las Vegas maps every link on the Strip.

How far apart are they? Close enough that it hardly matters: Wikipedia describes Mandalay Place as a 310-foot skybridge between the two. Neither hotel publishes a walking time, and you’ll add the walk across each casino.

Which is closer to Allegiant Stadium? No official source says. MGM’s Fan District page puts both less than half a mile from the stadium on foot. The stadium’s own 2021 transportation announcement called the 0.3-mile Hacienda Bridge a 10- to 15-minute walk from its east side to the gate, so add the walk from either hotel to the bridge. Our guide to hotels near Allegiant Stadium has the game-day details.

For the rest of the Strip, both are a trek: the nearest Monorail station is at MGM Grand, and MGM puts T-Mobile Arena 0.8 mile (15 to 20 minutes) from Luxor and 1.1 miles (20 to 25 minutes, partly by tram) from Mandalay Bay.

Rooms: Mandalay Bay is roomier

Room type	Size	Beds	Notes
Mandalay Bay: Resort King / Two Queen	550 sq ft	1 king / 2 queens	Soaking tub and separate shower; up to 3 (king) or 4
Mandalay Bay: Elite King Suite	683 sq ft	1 king plus a pull-out sofa	Up to 4 guests
Mandalay Bay: Panoramic Two Bedroom Suite	1,450 sq ft	2 kings, or 2 queens plus 1 king	Up to 6 (queen version)
Luxor: Pyramid King / Two Queen	420 sq ft	1 king / 2 queens	Slanted pyramid windows; shower, no tub listed
Luxor: Tower Premier King / Two Queen	449 sq ft	1 king / 2 queens	Separate shower; no tub listed
Luxor: Pyramid Corner Suite	590 sq ft	1 king / 2 queens	Sitting room and soaking tub

Mandalay Bay’s standard room is 130 square feet bigger than a Luxor Pyramid room (550 − 420) and 101 bigger than a Tower Premier (550 − 449). Its bathrooms have stone surfaces, a glass-enclosed shower, a soaking tub and twin vanities. MGM calls the rooms “newly remodeled” without giving a date. There’s a stocked minibar, but coffee and water cost extra, and guests complain about minibar sensor charges.

Luxor’s rooms are smaller and simpler. Pyramid rooms line the building’s sloping walls and list an oversized shower; the Tower Premier King adds a 50-inch TV and a separate shower. Luxor’s FAQ says standard rooms have no refrigerator (rentals are $25 a night, and small fridges are free for medical needs) and lists bathtubs in Pyramid Deluxe rooms among the things it doesn’t offer. Guests describe some pyramid rooms as dated and stuffy, with windows that don’t open, and we found no announced 2026 room renovation.

Both require you to be 21 to check in. Extra guests beyond two cost $40 plus tax a night at Mandalay Bay and $35 at Luxor, which also rents cots for $30 plus tax. Choosing between Luxor’s two buildings? Our Luxor review compares Pyramid and Tower rooms.

Pools: Mandalay Bay Beach is in another league

	Mandalay Bay	Luxor
Layout	11 acres: real-sand beach, wave pool, lazy river, lagoons	North Pool (capacity 577) and South Pool (538)
Hours listed Oct. 9, 2026	Beach, wave pool, West Lagoon and lazy river 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; East Lagoon Friday to Sunday	9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the pool page; the FAQ says 7 p.m.
Rentals	107 poolside units, shared with Moorea	19 cabanas
Adults only	Moorea Beach Club and Tailgate Beach Club, both 21+	Temptation Sundays on hiatus until 2027

Mandalay Bay Beach is the clearest difference between these hotels. The wave pool requires swimmers to be 48 inches tall, the beach was “open to all ages for the season” in October, and the FAQ frames it as a summer attraction; no 2026–27 winter schedule has been published. Check the Mandalay Bay Beach page before a cool-weather trip.

Luxor’s south pool is new: it was rebuilt and reopened to hotel guests around July 4, 2026, per casinos.com, and the FAQ now says the pool “is not currently under construction.” It also says there are no seasonal closures, though the pool page already shows shorter fall hours.

Can Luxor guests use the Mandalay Bay pool? Don’t count on it. Mandalay Bay’s FAQ says a limited number of day passes are offered to non-registered guests, depending on availability, while W Las Vegas’s FAQ describes the beach as being for registered guests. Luxor guests did get overflow access during the rebuild, but that was a construction-period arrangement. Adults have an easier option in Tailgate Beach Club, where general admission has been free except during special events. If a lazy river is non-negotiable, book Mandalay Bay; our ranking of Las Vegas hotels with pools has more options.

Dining

Mandalay Bay leans on chef-driven rooms: Michael Mina’s Orla and StripSteak, Wolfgang Puck’s CARAMA, Border Grill with a patio over the beach, Libertine Social and KUMI, plus Bourbon Steak in the adjoining Four Seasons. Vinyl Room, which replaced the Foundation Room, held its grand opening on Aug. 8, 2026, and offers a membership option. Seabreeze Cafe, the late-night Noodle Shop and Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar cover casual meals.

Luxor’s list is short: TENDER steakhouse + lounge (dinner Wednesday to Sunday), Diablo’s Cantina, Public House and Pyramid Cafe for breakfast and lunch. The Buffet at Luxor appears to have closed, since its page has redirected to the dining directory since July 2025.

The walkway evens things out. Mandalay Place, between the two, adds Hussong’s Cantina, Wahlburgers and Ri Ra Irish Pub, so Luxor guests can eat at Mandalay Bay without a car or a long walk.

Casino

Neither casino is smoke-free. Mandalay Bay lists “near 1,000 slot and video poker machines,” blackjack, craps, roulette and a BetMGM Sportsbook, with designated smoking areas throughout the casino and bars. Its casino page still describes a poker room, but the dedicated poker page returned an error in early October 2026, so poker players should call ahead.

Luxor’s casino covers about 104,000 square feet by MGM’s annual-report count, with a BetMGM Sportsbook, and smoking is permitted throughout the casino floor and at stand-alone bars. Rooms at both are non-smoking. If smoke is a deal-breaker, W Las Vegas and Four Seasons on the Mandalay Bay campus are non-gaming and smoke-free.

Entertainment and nightlife

Mandalay Bay has the bigger calendar, as listed on Oct. 9, 2026:

• Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil: no children under 5.
• Shark Reef Aquarium: more than 2,000 animals, open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Michelob ULTRA Arena: home of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, with Don Omar (Oct. 30), Nick Cannon’s Wild ‘N Out Live (Nov. 14) and Tesla (March 5, 2027) on the schedule.
• After dark: Tailgate Beach Club, Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce, 1923 Prohibition Bar, House of Blues and Vinyl Room. Skyfall Lounge is closed for a remodel.

Luxor leans toward shows and exhibitions: Blue Man Group nightly, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, Bodies… The Exhibition, Discovering King Tut’s Tomb, PLAY Playground and the adult revue FANTASY. Carrot Top is listed again from Oct. 19 after a late-September hospitalization, so confirm before buying tickets.

Resort fees and parking

Mandalay Bay’s resort fee is $50 plus tax and Luxor’s is $45 plus tax (as of October 2026). With the Strip’s 13.38% room tax, that’s about $56.69 against $51.02 ($50 × 13.38% = $6.69; $45 × 13.38% = $6.02), a gap of $5.67 a night ($56.69 − $51.02). Both cover Wi-Fi, calls, boarding-pass printing, digital newspapers and the fitness center for guests 18 and over; only Mandalay Bay’s adds Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. MGM Rewards Gold members and above can have either fee waived on eligible direct bookings.

Parking is identical: registered guests pay $20 per 24 hours to self-park and $40 for valet, and visitors pay $20 Monday through Thursday and $25 Friday through Sunday. That puts a driver’s fixed cost at $76.69 a night at Mandalay Bay ($56.69 + $20) and $71.02 at Luxor ($51.02 + $20) before the room rate. Two details:

• Stadium nights: MGM sells Prepaid Reserved Event Parking for Allegiant Stadium events at Mandalay Bay, W Las Vegas and Excalibur, not Luxor.
• EV charging: valet-only at both, $15 per vehicle.

Self-parking is free for MGM Rewards Pearl members and above, and a guest’s 24-hour charge covers the same parking type at every MGM Las Vegas resort. More in our guides to Las Vegas resort fees and Las Vegas parking fees.

Price positioning

We rate Mandalay Bay upscale and Luxor budget, and that’s where most of the difference sits: the resort fee gap is only $5 plus tax, so the real gap is the room rate. Mandalay Bay’s premium buys 101 to 130 more square feet, a soaking tub and the beach. Luxor’s lower rate still gets you the same tram, the same stadium walk and Mandalay Bay’s restaurants a short walk away. Rates vary by day of the week, events and season, so price both for your exact dates.

Which is better for couples?

Mandalay Bay. The bigger room with a soaking tub and twin vanities, the 21+ Moorea and Tailgate pool clubs in season, and dinner at Orla or StripSteak before Michael Jackson ONE make an easy weekend without leaving the campus. Luxor works for couples on a budget who’d rather spend on shows: Blue Man Group and FANTASY are in the building, and Mandalay Bay’s restaurants are across the walkway.

Which is better for families?

Mandalay Bay, when the pool is open. The beach, lazy river and lagoons are open to all ages for the season, Shark Reef fills the hottest hours, and the Panoramic Two Bedroom Suite sleeps six. Its FAQ notes that under-21s can’t be in the gaming area and that there’s no childcare.

Luxor suits older kids and tighter budgets. Blue Man Group requires tickets from age 4, the Titanic and King Tut exhibitions are on site, Bodies admits under-18s with an adult, and PLAY Playground is open to ages 13 and up until 7 p.m. The extra-guest charge is $5 lower, and the beach, if you can get a day pass, is a walk away. Our family hotels in Las Vegas guide compares more options.

Which is better for nightlife?

Mandalay Bay. Tailgate Beach Club runs into the evening most days it’s open, and Forty Deuce, House of Blues, 1923 Prohibition Bar and arena concerts round out the night. Luxor’s after-dark options are PLAY Playground, which turns 21+ after 7 p.m., FANTASY and Blue Man Group. From either, the free tram stops at midnight, and the Monorail starts at MGM Grand.

Which is better for first-time visitors?

Neither is ideal if you want to be in the middle of the Strip; both sit at the far south end. If you’re set on this end, pick Mandalay Bay when the pool or a stadium event is the point, and Luxor when you want a landmark at a budget price and plan to spend your money elsewhere. If the center Strip matters more, our MGM Grand vs Mandalay Bay comparison weighs the beach against a Monorail station.

What about W Las Vegas, Four Seasons or Excalibur?

W Las Vegas, the former Delano, is a non-gaming, smoke-free suite hotel on the Mandalay Bay campus, with suites from 725 square feet, its own WET Deck pool, access to Mandalay Bay Beach and the same $50 fee plus tax. Four Seasons, on five dedicated floors of the complex with its own entrance, is the luxury step: non-gaming, AAA Five Diamond since 1999 and Forbes Four-Star, with beach access too.

Excalibur is the cheaper third stop on the tram, with the same $45 fee as Luxor, 352-square-foot standard rooms and four pools with a water slide. Our Luxor vs Excalibur comparison covers that matchup.

Which should you book?

Choose Mandalay Bay if the pool is the point, you want the bigger room and bathroom, or you’re driving to a Raiders game and want prepaid event parking. Families in pool season and couples should start here.

Choose Luxor if you’d rather spend less on the room and more on the trip. You get the same tram, the same stadium walk and an indoor path to Mandalay Bay’s restaurants, at a $45 fee, as long as you can live with a smaller, older room.

Weighing other resorts too? Our best hotels in Las Vegas ranking puts both in context.

FAQ

Is Mandalay Bay or Luxor better?

Mandalay Bay is the better hotel, with 550-square-foot rooms, a soaking tub and an 11-acre beach with a wave pool and lazy river. Luxor is the better value, with a $45 resort fee instead of $50 (plus tax, as of October 2026), the same free tram and an indoor walk to Mandalay Bay’s restaurants.

Is Luxor connected to Mandalay Bay?

Yes. An indoor walkway through The Shoppes at Mandalay Place links the two, and the free Mandalay Bay Tram stops at both and at Excalibur, daily from 10 a.m. to midnight per Mandalay Bay’s and Luxor’s pages. Neither hotel publishes a walking time between them.

Is Luxor or Mandalay Bay closer to Allegiant Stadium?

Neither has an official edge. MGM’s Fan District page puts both less than half a mile from the stadium on foot. Drivers should note that MGM’s prepaid event parking is sold at Mandalay Bay, W Las Vegas and Excalibur, not Luxor.

Can Luxor guests use the Mandalay Bay pool?

Not reliably. Mandalay Bay’s FAQ says a limited number of day passes may be offered to non-registered guests, depending on availability, and W Las Vegas’s FAQ says the beach is for registered guests. If the beach matters, book Mandalay Bay, W Las Vegas or Four Seasons.