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Corinne Claveau, CPA, is a Milesopedia contributor. A passionate points traveler with a focus on North American hospitality, she shares her stay at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, in the middle of a week marked by the ACM Awards and the EDC festival.
It was during a stay in Las Vegas, in the middle of ACM Awards and EDC festival week, that I had the chance to discover the MGM Grand after its recent renovation. I spent several nights there, first in a Queen room, then in a King room, which let me compare the two room configurations offered by the hotel.
In this detailed review, I share my full experience: booking with MGM Rewards points, arrival, rooms, VIP access, pool, gym and spa, casino, entertainment, and the surrounding Strip.
The MGM Grand can be booked with MGM Rewards points, or with Marriott Bonvoy points thanks to the partnership between the two programs.
With more than 6,400 rooms and suites between the main complex and The Signature, it’s one of the largest properties on the Strip, which explains why availability and point rates vary so much depending on the dates.
I personally booked my stay with cash for a room with a king bed. Upon arrival, only queen rooms were available. I was therefore given a room change during my stay, moving to a suite located on a higher floor.
Since the exact point rate depends heavily on the dates and your status level, I’d recommend comparing your options before booking, especially around major events like the ACM Awards or EDC, when demand explodes.
The MGM Grand sits right at the start of the Las Vegas Strip. Exiting through the front, you land directly on the boulevard, within walking distance of several shops and restaurants, including Marshalls and Eataly. That’s a clear advantage over other Strip hotels that are less well positioned for walkable shopping.
Since opening in 1993, the MGM Grand has helped define the Strip experience, and the hotel just completed a $300 million remodel of its main tower.
The lobby remains impressive, with its golden lion statue near the front desk.
Despite a large front desk staff, you almost always run into a line, whether for check-in or a simple question, at any time of day. You need to be patient.
Guests who booked a suite have access to a dedicated check-in area. It’s a bit further along, past the main front desk, located in the main lobby. This gave me direct service without waiting in line.
Throughout the day, you can enjoy a bit of calm and refreshment in the VIP lounge, located right next to the VIP check-in desk. It has a seating area with sofas and armchairs.
Coffee and drinks are offered at all times, and in the morning, you’ll find fruit, small pastries and muffins, perfect before heading out for breakfast, plus a few snacks, like chocolate bars, throughout the day.
One small downside: the lounge isn’t open at all times, so I still had to go to the regular desk or the small convenience store located just before the elevators a few times.
VIP guests can use their room key to access this VIP area, as well as faster access to the highest elevators. Since the rooms are split across three wings, you access them through three elevator zones, each with dedicated floors to spread out guest traffic.
My first night was in a room with two queen beds, one of the renovated room options at the MGM Grand.
Beautiful, clean and spacious, with two very comfortable beds and an equally pleasant sofa in a sitting area. The toilet, separated from the bathroom by a door, along with a double sink and a large shower, are a very nice addition. A small fridge is also available to store your own supplies.
The room:
The room is spacious. You can move around easily between the beds. A nice sitting area completes the room with a dresser and refreshments in a built-in fridge. The bathroom is more modest in size and well separated from the room. The only downside is that it’s located on a lower floor and gets less natural light.
The bathroom:
The bathroom has a long counter with two sinks and very nicely sized mirrors. The shower is smaller, with a curtain and a classic showerhead. There’s an enclosed toilet in the bathroom.
I later managed to get a room with a very large bed. The bathroom was just as generous.
The suite is split into 3 parts: the living area, the bedroom set off by a wall with a large television, and the bathroom.
The suite is spacious compared to other Strip hotel rooms in Las Vegas. The materials are also high quality, and the bed is comfortable.
Note that on higher floors, you may be bothered by regular helicopter flights. But the natural light is better.
The bathroom is even more spacious than the previous one. Understated and modern, in shades of white and black, it’s ideal for couples with its long double-sink counter. There were plenty of towels.
The only “hiccup” was the shower. First question: why such a large shower for a single wall-mounted water outlet? There’s no handheld showerhead and it’s not a true walk-in Italian-style shower. Half the shower is wasted space. Maybe there used to be a bathtub on the other side before the renovation, since removed? Second point: the water pressure was really strong in my room, to the point that I had to stand back so the force of the water wouldn’t hurt my skin.
Like most Las Vegas casinos, the MGM Grand’s casino is smoking. This applies only to the casino floor: the hotel’s rooms remain entirely smoke-free. Park MGM, right across the street, is the only casino hotel on the Strip that’s entirely smoke-free. Ventilation in the MGM Grand’s casino is good, and there were fewer smokers than I feared.
The pool was my favorite part of the stay. The complex spans 6.5 acres, with several pools, whirlpool spas and a 1,000-foot lazy river set in a tropical backdrop. The walkways are lovely, with their trees and palm trees.
I spent a lot of time there, even though not all the pools are always open at the same time and it can get quite crowded.
On the hottest days, it becomes hard to find a free spot, with some guests reserving loungers well in advance, which is a bit annoying.
Opened in 2025 in partnership with Palm Tree Crew, the Palm Tree Beach Club transformed the former space into a 60,000-square-foot area with a saltwater pool and well-known DJs.
From the pool closest to this club, you can hear the music as soon as there’s a show, letting you enjoy the vibe without the crowd, which is quite enjoyable if you like the type of music played there.
Poolside drink service isn’t the best I’ve seen, but the pool’s bars and restaurants are just steps away, so it’s easy to go grab your own.
The gym opens at 7 a.m., is well air-conditioned, has a view of the pool, and offers plenty of cardio and strength equipment. The room is large and you have a good choice of machines. Less so when it comes to floor mats, though.
A spa service is also available for those who want to be pampered, with a Grand Salon for hair and beauty treatments.
With 16,800 seats, the MGM Grand Garden Arena is one of Las Vegas’s major venues, having hosted artists like U2, Madonna and the Rolling Stones.
On site, you’ll also find several attractions:
Quick tip: having dinner at Hakkasan lets you walk straight into the club without waiting in line, a nice two-for-one to keep the evening going.
The MGM Grand plays in the big leagues when it comes to dining, with restaurants from renowned chefs:
From Michelin-starred dining to a quick lunch, there’s something for every type of traveler without ever leaving the hotel.
The MGM Grand has numerous shops and a food court, with plenty of dining choices right inside the hotel.
Parking is easy and spans several floors. You can park near the lobby, but you then have to walk through the restaurants to get there.
My stay coincided with the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards, held on May 17, 2026 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and hosted by Shania Twain, back in Las Vegas after three years in Frisco, Texas.
It was her first time hosting, and Ella Langley dominated the night, taking home Artist-Songwriter of the Year. ACM Awards week kicked off as early as Friday, May 15, with fan events across the city.
At the same time, the Electric Daisy Carnival was taking place, from May 15 to 17, 2026, for its 30th anniversary:
A stay defined by an unbeatable location, a superb pool and freshly renovated rooms. The MGM Grand remains a Strip classic, but a classic that just reinvented itself with its $300 million renovation.
The front desk lines and the VIP lounge not always being open are the only real downsides of an otherwise very enjoyable stay, carried by direct access to the Strip and a pool I could have spent all my time at. I’m giving it a rating of 8 out of 10.
To make the most of a trip like this, check out our comparison of the best credit cards in Canada, our MGM Rewards guide, and our review of the Luxor Hotel & Casino, another property in the MGM collection.
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