Hilton Grand Vacations Club Elara Center Strip Las Vegas [In-Depth Review]

I visited Hilton Grand Vacations Club Elara Center Strip Las Vegas for 3 nights in May with my husband. We stayed at the hotel using a timeshare vacation package from Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) and attended a presentation during our visit.

Elara was a fabulous place to stay in Vegas. It had everything we wanted: an excellent location with tons of food and attractions within walking distance, comfy digs, a great view, a kitchen, and even a jetted tub and a washer/dryer. We loved how calm it was while still close to the action.

Let’s explore the highlights of the property and why we liked it so much.

Location

Hilton Grand Vacations Club Elara Center Strip Las Vegas is located at 80 East Harmon Avenue, just off South Las Vegas Boulevard — the Las Vegas Strip. It’s technically off-Strip, but it didn’t feel like it because it was a short air-conditioned walk through the Miracle Mile Shops to the Strip.

Location was a huge factor in choosing Elara for our stay in Las Vegas. With our HGV timeshare presentation package, our other options included Tropicana, Hilton Grand Vacations on the Las Vegas Strip, Hilton Grand Vacations Club Paradise Las Vegas, or Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. But none of those have the prime mid-Strip location Elara does.

From Elara, we were right next door to Planet Hollywood and basically across the street from Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan, Aria, and Park MGM. We often walked through Paris Las Vegas to get back to the hotel. Staying mid-Strip, we hardly needed rideshares, and it was a relief to leave Las Vegas without a huge Lyft/Uber bill as I’ve done before!

Elara is connected to Planet Hollywood, so we had a casino nearby — but not too close.

But as close as Elara was to the center of the action, it was far back off the Strip enough that it was quiet and felt private. There was no smoky casino to wade through before getting to our room, the pool was calm, and parking was just a block off the Strip.

Located within the Miracle Mile Shops, we hardly had to walk in the heat and sun to get to and from the hotel — and we had plenty of options for food and entertainment along the way.

Bottom Line:

Elara’s location was perfect for us, and we walked almost everywhere we wanted to go.

Booking

I booked Elara on an HGV timeshare package I purchased for $198 — though I had to pay extra to upgrade.

First, I was transferred to HGV’s sales line after I called to book Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton using a Free Night Reward I had. I was offered a vacation package to check out HGV’s timeshare offerings. I used that same card to purchase the package, and the bonus points earned were reflected in my statement as “Hilton Portfolio of Brands.”

I had 13 months to use my package before it expired. I put it off until about a week before the expiration to book my dates — less than a month before we were ready to travel. HGV sent me many reminders via email about nailing down travel dates, which was helpful. I was allowed to travel a few weeks after expiration because I booked the dates before the package expired.

Choosing my dates online, I didn’t get to chat about my hotel preferences with an HGV agent on the phone. And I learned that booking so close to our travel dates limited our options. Next time, I’ll call rather than book online because an agent with access to availability data could help me adjust my dates to get into my preferred property. I’d also book my dates earlier for better availability.

I was auto-booked into the Tropicana. I think we would have liked to stay there, as I often enjoy hotels with a little history. But recent reviews aren’t great, and the location was farther down the Strip than I preferred.

The price of the Tropicana was particularly insulting. I’d paid $198 for my “vacation package,” and when I got booked into the Tropicana, the nightly rates hovered around $49 to $69 for the dates of my stay. For a 3-night stay at the Tropicana, I might as well have skipped the timeshare presentation and paid cash!

I decided the Tropicana was not for us and set about trying to get in at Elara. I called a few times, each time unable to book Elara, but told to call back another day and try again as availability changed.

Paid Upgrade

On my final call, the agent told me there wouldn’t likely be an opening at the Elara for a regular room in my timeshare package. However, they told me I could get in at Elara if I booked an upgraded room for $75 per night.

I was right to call obsessively and go ahead with the upgrade to get in at Elara because it was nearly perfect. 

I didn’t love paying more to get into the hotel we wanted, considering I’d already paid for the package and would give up 2 hours of my trip to attend a timeshare presentation. But I reasoned we’d save at least $75 per day in transportation and food costs because of Elara’s location and in-room kitchen.

All in, I paid about $450 plus taxes and fees to stay at Elara for 3 nights. While prices fluctuate greatly with demand, a night went for about $235 during our stay, plus the $25 per night resort fee. For 3 nights, that’s about $780 before taxes and fees. I received a savings of about $330 for attending the timeshare presentation — not bad.

Hot Tip:

Since our stay at Elara, I again called to book a hotel stay using another Free Night Reward — and after booking, was again transferred to HGV and offered a timeshare vacation package, which I accepted. You can attend an HGV timeshare presentation every 12 months.

Checking In

We arrived at Elara not long after the 4 p.m. check-in time. The line was just 1 deep, so we checked in quickly. There were priority lines for various levels of HGV status, but the regular line was no sweat.

Our check-in agent got us our keys, Wi-Fi access, and a parking pass, gave us directions to the elevators, and we were on our way.

Between the check-in desk and elevators were HGV sales desks. As we headed to the elevators with bags in tow, we were stopped by a sales agent who insisted we needed to get our “free gift for staying.” We quickly figured out it was an attempt to get us to sign up for a timeshare presentation, and she dropped us like a hot potato once I explained we already had a meeting booked.

Hot Tip:

Elara’s check-in time is 4 p.m., and checkout time is 10 a.m. I requested a later checkout via the text concierge so we could enjoy more pool time on our last day, but they couldn’t accommodate us. They offered to hold our bags and give us access to showers, though!

Elite Benefits

My Hilton Honors Diamond status doesn’t matter at HGV properties, so no free upgrades or perks. But the $25 per night resort fee was waived on our timeshare presentation stay.

The resort fee included:

• Internet access
• Domestic long-distance calls (30 minutes per day max)
• DVD Now rentals of unlimited movies
• 2 Starbucks coffees or 2 16-ounce bottles of water per day
• Toll-free/local calls

While I didn’t have to pay the resort fee, I wasn’t informed of any perks other than Wi-Fi at check-in. It’s not clear if these were available to me or not. I would have used those Starbucks drinks!

Hot Tip:

Don’t make the same mistake I did. Check the website for what’s included in your resort fee before you visit, and ask how you can take advantage of these perks at check-in.

The Lobby

Elara’s lobby was spacious, with a back wall lined with windows and a pool view. There were a few ways to enter Elara’s lobby — Miracle Mile Shops, parking, or coming up the escalators from the valet and rideshare.

Entering from the mall, there was a Starbucks to the right, a pool view straight ahead, and then as we turned left toward check-in, we passed the market, lobby bar, and dining tables.

The lobby was basically a long, wide hallway until we got to check-in where it opened up as a larger room.

Immediately to the right of check-in was a double-sided group of desks for HGV. I’m not sure if these desks offer extra services for HGV “owners” or just sales, but we gave them a wide berth following our interaction with the salesperson when we checked in.

Past check-in and the HGV desks were the escalators and elevators. The escalators went up to additional floors and down to the valet area.

A security guard was stationed at the elevator entrance at all times, where we had to present and scan our room key each time for entry. I appreciated this security measure.

There was an entry door from the mall right next to Elara’s elevators, so we could walk through the mall or lobby. The elevators were always speedy and available. I was impressed by how little time it took to get to the 21st floor.

Amenities

Elara felt very resort-like, offering a vast pool with cabanas. But it’s unlike many other Las Vegas properties, offering a calm, sophisticated vibe without a smoky casino or party atmosphere. We liked being able to enjoy the Strip and come back to a quiet home base.

Pool

Elara’s pool was huge, with 2 stories, ample loungers, cabanas, and a pool bar. We had no trouble finding a couple of loungers in the shade, and additional loungers were set in the pool. The entire pool was pretty shallow, so it was family friendly.

The towel service attendant greeted us as we entered the pool area. We had to tap our room key for entry and to get towels.

The Elara pool opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 8 p.m. No late nights in the pool, though there was a bar.

Elara’s pool had a couple of hot tubs. There was 1 on the first floor and another on the second floor. Cabanas and daybeds were available on both stories.

Elara had ample cabanas and daybeds available for rent. The cabanas had a couch, tables, towels, a minifridge, and a TV.

There were at least 3 restrooms in the pool area, including upstairs. Water fountains were abundant, too.

Hot Tip:

If you want to dine at Elara, the pool bar is your best bet, offering not just drinks but food, including breakfast, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, and kids’ meals.

DVD Rental and Vending

In the lobby, right near the pool entrance, were a few DVD rental kiosks. These rentals were included in the resort fee — though I never saw anyone using them.

Las Vegas has many quirky vending machines, from cakes to LEGOs. This sunglasses vending machine was a first for me, but makes total sense in sunny Las Vegas — and it was right next to the pool.

Fitness Center

In writing this review, I was surprised to find out Elara had a fitness center. It wasn’t mentioned at check-in, and I must have missed any signs leading to it. I’m guessing it was on one of the lower floors accessed by the escalator, because we never went up there. But between walking the Strip, swimming, hiking, and kayaking, we didn’t need the fitness center, anyway!

Market

Near the mall entrance was a small market, mainly consisting of snacks and drinks, including alcohol. There were also refrigerated items. This was kind of a weird space, and it looked like there used to be something larger behind it — maybe a more extensive market or former dining area.

Parking

Parking for Elara was within the Miracle Mile Shops and Planet Hollywood parking garage, which required a quick walk through the mall to get to the lobby.

We only needed to park for about an hour at Elara because we’d only rented a car for the first day and just needed to check in and drop bags before returning it. We didn’t have to pay anything for our short time in the garage.

Self-parking was available for $18 per day — or free for less than an hour — and valet was $30. EV charging stations were available.

Down the escalators from the lobby was the valet entrance. Valet was much more conveniently located by comparison — no parking garage elevators or walks through the mall required.

Valet was also where we were dropped off and picked up for rideshares. At major Las Vegas attractions, including hotels, rideshares typically do dropoffs and pickups separate from the areas for cabs and valet. Rideshare and valet had the same entrance at Elara, but it was just a few steps away.

We dropped bags at the bell desk on our last day and had 2 valets helping us as soon as we arrived at the desk. It was just a couple of bags, but their response was friendly and swift.

Hot Tip:

We didn’t have to pay to check bags at Elara, but tips were appreciated.

The Room

There was a lot to love about Elara, but the best part was our room. We were wowed from the start, walking into floor-to-ceiling windows covered by a projector screen. The screen automatically raised as we opened the door, revealing the windows and a view of the Las Vegas Strip.

I was already excited walking in the door, but this little performance calling attention to the Strip view added to the experience. This only happened once during our stay, so I’m guessing it’s part of the room’s programming when guests arrive. We appreciated it!

This is not the room that comes standard on HGV timeshare presentation stays. The Studio 1 King available on those stays has a smaller kitchenette and bathroom with much less space and fewer amenities.

The upgraded room we stayed in, a 1 Bedroom King Suite With Sofabed, had a separate living room with an extensive kitchen, a jetted tub, and additional features in the bathroom — including a washer/dryer. I considered the $75 per night upgrade well worth it for a great room.

As much as we liked our room, it wasn’t the nicest in the hotel. There were 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom suites, including corner and upgraded Grand suites with styling touches such as black appliances and gold-accented furniture. Accessible suites were available in 1- or 2-bedroom sizes.

We loved how spacious and comfortable the room was.

At the door, we had a switch panel controlling lights and room status — a digital do not disturb sign. No pesky wall hangers, just a light we could switch on and off to indicate whether we’d like housekeeping or preferred not to be bothered.

Bedroom

Almost as large as the living room, the bedroom at Elara had enough room for a King-size bed and a jetted tub.

We slept well in Las Vegas! The bed was so comfortable, and we had a Strip view from the bed. Our nightlight was the Paris Las Vegas Eiffel Tower. What a treat!

I liked the nightstands with drawers and a charging station for our devices.

The second nightstand didn’t have a charging station, but it did have outlets and a phone.

The bedroom also had a chair and ottoman for reading or enjoying the view.

The dresser drawers were plenty large, and there were outlets available in the lamp. A DVD player was on the dresser for those DVD Now rentals downstairs. The light switches controlled the window shades here, too.

I was initially put off by the in-room jetted tub and felt like this enormous tiled fixture was a little weird to have in the bedroom rather than the bathroom next door. It was right next to the bed and bordered by carpet. It was surrounded by mirrors, and I got music video vibes.

But I liked it, as it was so relaxing to soak in after a long day of kayaking and walking the Strip. I could have used a step stool to get in a little easier, though!

There was a closet in the bedroom across from the tub. It included a safe, which we found easy to operate, but it was too small for devices much larger than a tablet.

Bathroom

The bathroom at Elara was large for a hotel, with a long counter and cabinets featuring a washer/dryer, and separate enclosures for the toilet and shower.

When we arrived at Elara, we came straight from hiking the desert at Valley of Fire State Park. I was surprised and thrilled to see the washer/dryer so we could wash our hiking clothes and shoes. We found laundry detergent in a kitchen drawer along with dishwasher pods.

We washed more clothes before going home, so we didn’t have to carry back any smoky Vegas laundry. This would be a killer feature for traveling with kids to Las Vegas! We could have packed fewer clothes if I’d known about the washer/dryer before we arrived.

Another TV and wall-mounted Crabtree & Evelyn lotion were in the bathroom.

The toilet was separated by a frosted glass door. This was the only place we found a trash can in the bedroom and bathroom.

The shower enclosure was next to the toilet enclosure, again with frosted glass. It featured a rainfall showerhead, a large inset shelf, and a small bench. The water temperature and pressure were always perfect, and the drain worked fine.

The shower featured more Crabtree & Evelyn amenities, with shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel all mounted on the wall.

Living Room

The living room featured a large sofa bed with lit cabinets, a TV, a chair, and a table. In between the living room and kitchen were a closet and a foyer table.

The living room featured a large, very comfortable sofabed. Had we been traveling with kids, they could have used this area to sleep.

Right behind the sofa was a long cabinet with additional storage and plenty of space to set down drinks and snacks.

With the push of a button, these windows were covered with a projector screen and lit up by the projector near the front door.

The projector was right next to the kitchen. My husband loved this feature and usually put something on both the projector and bedroom TV while we got ready.

We could use the smaller wall-attached TV when we preferred a smaller screen or wanted to see both the view and the TV.

This side table was a convenient landing spot for miscellany when we walked in the door.

This closet in the living room had extra bedding and an ironing board. There was more space to hang clothes if we needed it.

This very serious-looking door led us to the bedroom. We could access the bedroom from either this door or through the bathroom.

Kitchen

After the location, the kitchen was a big part of why we paid to upgrade to get in at the Elara. Part of wanting the kitchen was convenience, and the other part was savings. It was so nice to be able to eat breakfast without heading down to deal with people and menus first thing.

Cheap eats aren’t plentiful in Las Vegas, so it was a huge benefit for us to grab some groceries and make meals in our room. I only planned on breakfasts and Bloody Marys, figuring we’d be on the go for other meals.

It was so convenient having an eat-in kitchen with a dining table. The full-size refrigerator offered more than enough room, and the cabinets had ample storage for pantry items. There was also a dishwasher, sink, microwave, stovetop, coffee maker, toaster, and tea kettle. Everything but an oven! There was yet another TV in the dining area.

The drawers and cabinets were stocked with utensils, other cooking tools, a trash can, and soap for the dishwasher and washer/dryer.

We were happy to have a tea kettle in the room, as that’s how we made our coffee. We don’t often see these in hotel rooms — or toasters, for that matter. The coffee maker didn’t have a pot, and I thought that was a mistake and informed the front desk when we checked out. They told me the coffee maker doesn’t use a pot and is single-serve, so you just put your cup there.

We loved having a stovetop in the room to make a hot breakfast each day.

We found a few pots and pans in the drawers, though we only needed the frying pan.

There were plenty of glasses for our needs, whether drinking wine, cocktails, or ice water.

We always had plenty of coffee cups, bowls, and plates with service for 4.

Tongs, a can opener, and even a potato peeler were ready to use in the kitchen.

The View

I enjoyed the view from our room. Whether in the living room or bedroom, we had a pretty good view of the Las Vegas Strip. Most notably, we could see the Paris Las Vegas Eiffel Tower, Planet Hollywood, and Caesars Palace. It was especially great at night, with all of the Las Vegas lights, and at sunrise.

But while it looked great from the Paris angle, the other way mainly was a parking lot view — though we could see the mountains.

Food and Beverage

Elara had 3 choices of dining onsite in addition to the grab-and-go market in the lobby hallway.

Lobby Bar

The lobby bar overlooking the pool was open Monday through Tuesday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. It offered drinks, including cocktails, beer, and wine.

Pool Bar

The seasonal poolside bar and grill had drinks, including frozen cocktails and a full food menu. Breakfast, pizzas, salads, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, and a kids’ menu were available. This bar was open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., though it’s closed when the pool is closed for the season (from about mid-May to mid-September).

Starbucks

Located in the lobby near the shopping mall entrance, Starbucks had all the usual coffee and tea drinks along with breakfasts, sandwiches, pastries, and snacks. Starbucks was open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Service

We appreciated the service we got at Elara. Our interactions with staff, from check-in to grabbing our checked bags at the valet station, were pleasant. We felt like everything was handled efficiently, and the hotel was well-run.

The only drawback was avoiding what our kayaking tour guide called the “body snatchers,” the timeshare staff milling around the lobby to lure us into signing up for an HGV presentation.

Restaurants Nearby

Located within the Miracle Mile Shops, we had several dining options steps from Elara’s doors. There were mall staples, including Chipotle, Subway, and Wetzel’s. I was excited to find Earl of Sandwich, a sandwich chain I like but can’t find at home in Texas anymore. Bars included Cabo Wabo Cantina and Tipsy Robot, a cocktail bar with drinks mixed and served by robots. Even seafood was on the menu, with lobster rolls from Lobster Me and the Ocean One Bar & Grille that had a great lunch special with lines out the door every time we passed it.

Attractions

The Bakkt Theater offered magic, comedy, and burlesque shows within the Miracle Mile Shops.

We found it easy to venture well beyond Elara and the Miracle Mile Shops, exploring much of the Strip on foot. Elara’s location was especially convenient to Bellagio, just a 6-minute walk away, where we picked up a shuttle to kayak on Lake Mead and drove past the Hoover Dam.

Final Thoughts

Hilton Grand Vacations Club Elara Center Strip Las Vegas was an excellent crash pad for the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding areas. We were so comfortable in our suite and enjoyed the amenities, from the in-room kitchen to the jetted tub. The washer/dryer was a welcome surprise. The pool was refreshing and relaxing, and we loved being close to the Miracle Mile Shops and many spots we wanted to hit on the Strip. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay at Elara again, and I’d consider a room like the one we stayed in for family travel, too.