This low-key home away from home checked all our boxes
Fridge and Freezer: Yes
Stroller-Friendly: Yes
Overall Child-Friendly: Yes
Time Spent: 5 nights
When you envision a trip to Las Vegas, several famous hotels might come to mind. The Desert Rose Resort, located near MGM Grand, probably isn’t one of them. This unassuming option might not be famous or fancy, but it did cover our most important f-words: family and friendly! Our family of three stayed there with our 10-month-old daughter on a trip with extended family in May of 2023. For us, the Desert Rose was affordable on a budget, and it offered amenities that accommodated our unique needs with a baby in Las Vegas. For that reason, I’m listing it at #4 in my ranking of baby-friendly attractions in Las Vegas.
In Vegas, it’s tricky to find a hotel that accommodates families who pump to keep baby fed. For us, the most elusive amenity was a full-size refrigerator with a freezer. My husband and I searched high and low, and our options were limited. But the freezer wasn’t optional. We needed it to re-freeze our icepack, so we could carry breastmilk at a safe temperature throughout our trip. In the future, it would be great to see more hotels providing this essential amenity for pumping families. During our trip, the Desert Rose Resort was the solution, with the freezer we needed and several other helpful features.
For starters, parking was very simple. There was no fee when we visited in May of 2023, and there were always plenty of spots near the walkway to our room. From there, we found that our suite was clean and pleasant. The layout was like a small apartment: both practical and comfortable. The fridge and freezer were located in a full kitchen, which made it relatively easy to keep our daughter fed. We stuck our Medela ice pack in the freezer daily, so we could explore with multiple bottles on hand at a time.
Back at the hotel, we used the stove and dishes that were provided to prepare additional meals, since our daughter was well into her journey exploring a limited selection of solid foods. “Messy” and “picky” are two very apt keywords to describe this journey. For that reason, we appreciated the flexibility to cook meals we knew she would like, and we especially appreciated the dishwasher when clean-up time came around. Beyond the kitchen, we made use of the small dining table, couch, end table, and coffee table, where I set up my pumping station.
One of our favorite features at the Desert Rose was the family-friendly pool. Our daughter took her first “swim” there, and I enjoyed the hot tub. We also enjoyed our quiet, poolside breakfasts on site. The same waiter helped us throughout our stay and always made sure my breakfast burrito had no meat.
The bottom line: Compared with other resorts, the Desert Rose has less of the flashy, Vegas appeal that you might expect. But if you can let that go, it’s the perfect refuge for families with young children after a busy day navigating the Strip.