Is Las Vegas Safe in January 2026?

Nearly every major hotel on the Las Vegas Strip charges mandatory "resort fees" or "destination fees" of $35–55 per night that are not included in the advertised room rate shown on booking sites. On some properties the resort fee exceeds the advertised room rate itself, meaning a "$1-a-night" promotional room can cost over $50 once fees are added. International visitors are especially vulnerable because US hotel pricing norms differ from most other countries.

How to avoid: Always search for the total all-in nightly rate before booking, and check the hotel's own website for its current resort fee amount. Use aggregators that display total price (not just base rate). Budget an extra $40–55 per night for fees when comparing Las Vegas hotels.

ATMs inside casino floors charge withdrawal fees of $5-$10 per transaction on top of your bank's own foreign or out-of-network fees. Casinos deliberately place these machines prominently and make it inconvenient to leave the floor to find better options.

How to avoid: Withdraw cash before entering the casino at a bank ATM or grocery store. Set a gambling budget in advance and bring only that amount in cash. If you must use an ATM, check the posted fee before confirming the transaction.

Representatives at hotel desks and on the Strip offer free show tickets, buffet credits, or casino chips in exchange for attending a "90-minute" resort presentation. The presentations use high-pressure sales tactics and routinely last 3-5 hours, leaving tourists exhausted and having lost valuable vacation time.

How to avoid: Decline all offers of free gifts that require attending any kind of presentation or tour. The time lost and psychological pressure are never worth the gift. If you are genuinely interested in timeshares, research independently rather than responding to street solicitation.

Showgirls, superheroes, and mascot characters positioned along the Las Vegas Strip pose for photos with tourists and then demand $20–50 per person afterward — never disclosing a price upfront. Some performers work in pairs to physically surround tourists, and a number of incidents involve performers grabbing a tourist's phone and refusing to return it until paid. The behavior is especially aggressive between Planet Hollywood and The LINQ.

How to avoid: Never take a photo with a costumed character without agreeing on the exact price first. If approached aggressively, walk away and do not hand over your phone. A fair tip for a consensual photo is $5–10 total, not per person.

Hotel concierges and kiosk operators in casinos offer show tickets while earning large commissions, steering tourists toward overpriced packages or shows with poor value. Some independent kiosks on the Strip imply hotel affiliation but are purely sales operations.

How to avoid: Book show tickets directly through the venue's official website or the casino box office. Compare prices on official sites before accepting any concierge recommendation. Free concierge services at reputable hotels are generally more trustworthy than street kiosks.