Thank goodness for purse hooks…
Family Restrooms: Unsure
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: Unsure
Stroller-Friendly: Somewhat
Overall Child-Friendly: Somewhat
Time Spent: 2-3 hours
Picture a pair of wide-open shutters looking out on winding, cobblestone streets. In the distance, you see cafes and famous wonders like the Moulin Rouge, the Sacre Coeur, and the Chat Noir. Ok, well, that’s actually a memory of Montmartre with my husband, years before our 10-month-old daughter was born. But our visit to Paris Las Vegas last May really did conjure that amazing adventure from six years prior. To me, it felt like Disney meets Paris: a combination of two mismatched destinations that I love.
It’s also a combination that creates a fairly family-friendly environment outside the casino floor. The downside? We had trouble locating family-friendly amenities, like a public lactation space or family restroom. For this reason, it ranks at #11 in my ranking of baby-friendly locations in Las Vegas.
Our family of three passed through Paris Las Vegas before joining my extended family for dinner at Alexxa’s, located within the resort. This kept us there for a while. In order to follow my pumping schedule, I resorted to a tactic that I’ve reluctantly used only when necessary: pumping in a bathroom stall. We couldn’t find a private place for me to pump, and I wasn’t yet brave enough to pump along the restroom sinks.
Just a day or two later, I gave the sink method a try. Although it wasn’t very private or easy to keep my nursing cover in place, this tactic felt more comfortable and sanitary. Looking back, I wish I had avoided more bathroom stalls and pumped at the sinks instead.
At Paris, pumping in a stall felt like my best option. When we returned from our trip, I did reach out to inquire about any family restrooms we may have missed. So far, I haven’t heard back. However, my inquiries to other resorts have yielded surprising results. There are family restrooms we failed to find in several locations, and Paris Las Vegas could be one of these spots. If there is one, though, it wasn’t easy for us to find.
As far as the bathroom stalls go, the ones at Paris Las Vegas weren’t the worst I’ve encountered. There was much more elbow room than usual, and, importantly, there was a flat toilet paper dispenser and a purse hook. If you find yourself pumping in a stall, for whatever reason, these details make all the difference. I’ve used the flat dispensers as a spot to set up my portable, Medela Pump in Style pump. It’s also a great spot to set your phone, as you track the time or watch the latest series you’re binging (for me, it was a rewatch of The Magicians). The purse hook is where you’ll hang your pumping bag, providing a hands-free way to carefully sift through supplies without dropping anything on the dirty bathroom floor.
I hope I’ve made it clear that stall pumping isn’t my favorite, but at Paris Las Vegas, I was able to accomplish the task without too much fuss. Twenty minutes later, I changed our daughter’s diaper in a different restroom near the lobby. Not all the restrooms have changing tables, but we didn’t have too much trouble tracking one down.
I’m curious whether Paris Las Vegas has aligned with a relatively new law in Nevada that requires new buildings to have at least one changing table accessible to men and women. There are exceptions, and Paris Las Vegas opened its doors long before the law passed. But I’m encouraged to see Nevada moving in this direction. The changing table we located at Paris was in the women’s restroom, but we didn’t check all the restrooms on site. If anyone tracks down a changing table in a men’s restroom there, please feel free to reach out and let me know. Overall, I hope to see more changes across the Strip to help families access lactation spaces and family restrooms.
At Alexxa’s, we were a bit nervous about setting our stroller aside in the lobby during dinner, but there was no way it would fit near the table. In the end, the arrangement worked out fine. There weren’t many vegetarian options to choose from on the menu, but the appetizers were delicious, and the view from our patio table was spectacular. Our daughter slowly worked on a bottle as we ate and chatted. Throughout the trip, she took most of her bottles on the go in her stroller or with us at restaurants, alongside the solid food we prepared at our hotel, the Desert Rose.
All in all, I wish I could rank Paris Las Vegas higher, because I enjoyed our time there. It was one of my favorite stops. But my ranking is focused on amenities for families and babies, and the overall experience is just one factor. In this case, the lack of adequate pumping space created significant hassle and discomfort. If you’re making a tour of the Strip, I would definitely recommend stopping at Paris Las Vegas. Just be prepared, or face the dreaded stall.
