MGM Grand Las Vegas Review: Is This South Strip Mega-Resort Right for You?

MGM Grand is MGM Resorts’ south-Strip mega-resort: a 6.5-acre pool complex with a lazy river, KÀ by Cirque du Soleil, an on-site arena and the southern end of the Las Vegas Monorail, with 6,488 rooms and suites by MGM’s count, including the 1,728 suites at The Signature next door. The short answer from this MGM Grand Las Vegas review: it’s a strong mid-range base for shows, events and pool days, and its main-tower rooms are freshly remodeled, but the sheer size costs you time on foot. Plan on a resort fee of $50 per night plus tax (as of October 2026).

Location

MGM Grand sits at 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, on the south Strip at the corner of Tropicana Avenue. A pedestrian bridge over Las Vegas Boulevard leads to New York-New York, and from there The Park takes you to T-Mobile Arena; MGM and the arena both put the walk at about 10 minutes. Topgolf is next door, and The Signature connects indoors through The District, the resort’s dining and entertainment corridor.

The Las Vegas Monorail starts here, at MGM Grand Station on the property. Trains run every 4 to 8 minutes to Horseshoe & Paris, Flamingo & Caesars Palace, Harrah’s & The LINQ, the Convention Center, Westgate and SAHARA, and a single ride costs $5.75 online (as of October 2026). That makes it an easy base for Las Vegas without a car.

Rideshare pickup is at the Rideshare Lounge on the ground floor of the self-parking garage. There’s no airport shuttle, but the hotel is in the south-Strip taxi zone: a $22.25 flat fare from the airport (as of October 2026), plus $3 by card.

Expect construction nearby: the A’s ballpark is rising across Tropicana Avenue for 2028, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported overnight lane restrictions on Las Vegas Boulevard south of Tropicana through January 2027. For Raiders games, see our hotels near Allegiant Stadium.

Rooms: main tower, Studio Tower or a suite

The main tower’s $300 million remodel of 3,969 rooms and suites ran from December 2024 to November 2025 and added 111 suites, according to the Review-Journal. Studio Tower rooms (the former West Wing) were renovated in 2022. MGM’s official sizes:

Room type	Size	What to know
Studio King (Studio Tower)	350 sq ft	One king; two guests max
MGM King / MGM Two Queen	446 sq ft	Remodeled main-tower rooms, also sold with Strip views
Restore MGM King / Two Queen	446 sq ft	Wellness rooms with purified air and aromatherapy
Executive King / Two Queen Suite	675 sq ft	Up to four guests
MGM Terrace Suite	1,300 sq ft	Two stories with an 800-sq-ft terrace
SKYLOFTS	1,400 to 6,000 sq ft	Lofts with a 24-hour butler; Forbes Five-Star

Book the main tower for most trips. The MGM King and Two Queen rooms are 96 square feet bigger than a Studio King, the MGM King page lists a 55-inch TV, mini fridge and marble bath, and guests frequently praise the renovated rooms as spacious and modern. Book the Studio Tower only if it’s clearly cheaper for your dates and you’re a couple. MGM’s current room list doesn’t use the Stay Well name you may see on other sites; its wellness rooms are called Restore.

Families of four should price the Executive Suites against The Signature’s 550-square-foot Deluxe Suite with a kitchenette and sofa bed; most rooms take up to four, with a $40-plus-tax charge for each guest beyond two, per MGM’s FAQ. Guests mention there’s no in-room coffee maker, and you must be 21 to check in.

Pools

The Grand Pool Complex covers 6.5 acres with four pools, three whirlpools, waterfalls and a lazy river. It’s open to guests of any MGM Resorts hotel, seating is free for hotel guests when available, and rentals run from daybed pods for two to cabanas for 10. Food and drinks from the six bars and the Cabana Grill carry an 18% automatic gratuity.

Hours are seasonal. On Oct. 4, 2026, MGM listed the complex open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and the lazy river 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the Splash Pool and Private Reserve closed for the season. The pool page allows only circular tubes while the FAQ welcomes personal rafts and floaties, so ask before you pack one.

Palm Tree Beach Club, a DJ dayclub run with TAO Group, replaced Wet Republic in summer 2025; its top-level Beach Villas have private dipping pools, and in fall 2026 it opened Wednesday through Saturday until 5 p.m. MGM doesn’t state its age policy, so check before bringing teens. For more lazy rivers, see our guide to Las Vegas hotels with pools.

Restaurants and bars

The dining lineup is a real strength, and reviewers single out the range, from the food court to Joel Robuchon:

• Joel Robuchon: French fine dining, dinner Tuesday to Saturday; Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star.
• L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon: French counter dining, dinner Thursday to Monday; Forbes Four-Star.
• Craftsteak and Hakkasan Restaurant: Tom Colicchio’s steakhouse and a Cantonese dining room, both Forbes Recommended.
• Morimoto Las Vegas, Luchini and Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House: Japanese (reimagined in 2026), Italian-American with the Chez Bippy cocktail bar, and Creole and Cajun seafood.
• Casual: the Jonas family’s Nellie’s Southern Kitchen, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, Grand Wok Noodle Bar, late slices at Bonanno’s New York Pizzeria and a food court.

TAP Sports Bar has 60 HD TVs, Bonus Round is a 21+ arcade bar, and Hakkasan Nightclub is on site. Don’t plan around a buffet: the MGM Grand Buffet’s official page began redirecting in September 2026.

Casino and entertainment

The casino covers about 144,000 square feet, with a BetMGM Sportsbook and a poker room, one of eight left on the Strip as of March 2026, according to the Review-Journal. Smoking is allowed on the casino floor, and guests mention the smell.

Entertainment is the main reason to stay. As listed by MGM in October 2026:

• KÀ by Cirque du Soleil: the resident Cirque show; children under 3 aren’t admitted.
• Jabbawockeez: an all-ages dance show, dark Tuesdays.
• Now You See Me Live: the illusion show’s U.S. premiere at the MGM Grand Theater, Oct. 15, 2026, to Jan. 5, 2027 (ages 5+). David Copperfield no longer appears on MGM Grand’s entertainment list.
• Comedy: Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club nightly (18+), plus Tape Face (all ages) and Steve Falcon’s Comedy Hypnosis Hour.
• MGM Grand Garden Arena: concerts, fights and award shows; the fall 2026 calendar includes the Jonas Brothers and the Latin Grammy Awards.
• Attractions: The FRIENDS Experience, Zero Latency free-roam VR and Topgolf next door, whose 21+ third level has two pools and a swim-up bar.

Amenities

• Grand Spa & Salon: 30 treatment rooms, saunas and whirlpools for guests 18+, with a 20% service charge; the fitness center opens 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Dogs: dog-friendly rooms and an outdoor dog park; up to two dogs (combined under 100 pounds) at $100 per dog per night plus tax.
• Convenience: mobile check-in and check-out in the MGM Rewards app, free luggage storage and REVIV’s IV wellness studio.

Resort fee and parking

The resort fee is $50 per night plus tax (as of October 2026), about $56.69 with tax according to the Review-Journal, which reported the rise to $50 on Dec. 4, 2024. It covers Wi-Fi; local, long-distance and toll-free calls; Paramount+ with SHOWTIME; boarding-pass printing; digital newspapers and magazines; and the fitness center for guests 18+. MGM Rewards Gold members and above have it waived on up to two direct bookings per trip.

Registered guests pay $20 a day to self-park, any day of the week, and valet is $40 per 24 hours (as of October 2026). Visitors pay $20 Monday through Thursday and $25 Friday through Sunday, and rates may be higher during special events. Self-parking is free for MGM Rewards Pearl members and above and MGM Rewards Mastercard holders, valet is free from Gold up (subject to availability), and the garage’s EV chargers are free.

If you drive, that’s $56.69 in fee and tax plus $20 for parking before the room rate. Check MGM’s parking page before you go, and compare with our guides to Las Vegas resort fees and hotel parking fees.

MGM Grand vs The Signature at MGM Grand

The Signature is a separate MGM-run hotel of 1,728 suites in three towers on Harmon Avenue, connected to MGM Grand indoors through The District. MGM calls it “a quiet place right off the Las Vegas Strip.”

	MGM Grand	The Signature
Casino	Yes	None (non-gaming)
Smoking	Allowed on the casino floor	Entirely non-smoking
Entry-level room	MGM King or Two Queen, 446 sq ft	Deluxe Suite, 550 sq ft, with kitchenette and whirlpool tub
Balconies	Terrace Suite	Many suites
Pools	Grand Pool Complex	Three private tower pools, plus the Grand Pool Complex
Parking	Self-park $20 a day for guests	Valet only, free for one car
Pets	Dogs allowed, for a fee	No pets (service dogs excepted)
Walk to T-Mobile Arena	About 10 minutes (MGM)	About 12 minutes (MGM)

Choose The Signature for space, a kitchen and quiet. Suites include a coffee maker, microwave and refrigerator, one-bedroom suites have full kitchens, and guests praise the clean suites and casino-free calm. The trade-offs: no room service, decor some guests call dated, slow valet at busy times and a long walk on moving walkways to MGM Grand. Some suites are rented by individual condo owners on third-party sites, so make sure you’re booking the MGM-run hotel.

Choose MGM Grand for the shows, restaurants and nightlife under one roof, or if you’re bringing a dog. More smoke-free picks are in our guide to non-smoking hotels in Las Vegas.

MGM Grand vs Park MGM

They’re different hotels. Park MGM, the former Monte Carlo, has about 2,700 rooms and sits past New York-New York on the far side of The Park, and its casino has been smoke-free since it reopened in September 2020. It has Eataly, the Dolby Live theater and the southern stop of the free Aria Express tram to ARIA and Bellagio, but no Monorail station. Both charge $50 plus tax. Pick Park MGM for the smoke-free casino; pick MGM Grand for the lazy river, the Monorail and more resident shows.

Who should stay here

• Show and event fans: KÀ, Jabbawockeez, comedy and an arena on site, with T-Mobile Arena about 10 minutes away.
• Pool lovers who want a lazy river.
• Car-free travelers riding the Monorail to the center Strip and the Convention Center.
• Families with older kids: all-ages shows, Topgolf and the pools; see our family hotels in Las Vegas.
• Dog owners: up to two dogs per room, plus an outdoor dog park.

Who should choose another hotel

• Smoke-sensitive travelers and non-gamblers: The Signature has no casino, and Park MGM’s casino is smoke-free.
• Anyone who hates long walks: guests mention the distances inside this property.
• Raiders fans: MGM puts Mandalay Bay, Luxor and W Las Vegas less than half a mile from Allegiant Stadium on foot.
• Travelers who expect daily housekeeping: some guests say rooms weren’t serviced unless they asked.

Pros and cons

Nearby attractions

• T-Mobile Arena and The Park: about 10 minutes on foot via the New York-New York bridge.
• New York-New York: The Big Apple Coaster (riders must be 54 inches tall) and Hershey’s Chocolate World.
• Park MGM: Eataly and concert residencies at Dolby Live.

Alternatives nearby

Compare MGM Grand with The Signature for a non-gaming suite, New York-New York for a cheaper room right by T-Mobile Arena, and Park MGM for a smoke-free casino.

Is MGM Grand worth it?

Yes, if you’ll use it. MGM Grand earns its resort fee when shows, arena events, the pools or the Monorail are part of the plan, and the remodeled rooms are a solid reason on their own. If you mostly want a quiet place to sleep, The Signature does that better for the same fee.

Prices vary according to travel dates and availability, so add the fee, tax and parking before comparing with our best hotels in Las Vegas or our guide to where to stay in Las Vegas.

FAQ

Is MGM Grand a good hotel?

Yes, for entertainment and pool trips. Its main-tower rooms were remodeled in 2024 and 2025, the pool complex has a lazy river, and KÀ, Jabbawockeez and an arena are on site. The downsides are scale and extras: guests mention long walks, casino smoke, add-on charges and housekeeping lapses.

Does MGM Grand have a lazy river, and is the pool open year-round?

Yes, there’s a lazy river, but hours change with the season. On Oct. 4, 2026, MGM listed the lazy river open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the complex 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the Splash Pool and Private Reserve already closed for the season. Check current hours before a fall or winter trip.

How much is the MGM Grand resort fee?

The resort fee is $50 per night plus tax (as of October 2026), about $56.69 with tax according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It covers Wi-Fi, calls, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and the fitness center, among other things. MGM Rewards Gold members and above have it waived on up to two direct bookings per trip.

How much is parking at MGM Grand for hotel guests?

Self-parking is $20 a day for registered guests, with no weekend surcharge, and valet is $40 per 24 hours (as of October 2026). Self-parking is free for MGM Rewards Pearl members and above and MGM Rewards Mastercard holders. Visitors pay $20 Monday through Thursday and $25 Friday through Sunday, and rates may rise during special events.

Is MGM Grand smoke-free?

No. Rooms are non-smoking, but smoking is allowed on the casino floor, and guests mention cigarette smoke. For a smoke-free stay, The Signature next door has no casino and is entirely non-smoking, and Park MGM has a smoke-free casino.