Where to stay in Las Vegas

Cosmopolitan Hotel

What's so special

This is the newest and hottest hotel on the Strip right now, attracting high rollers, 'fashionistas' and celebrities for a pampering. It is a luxurious hotel offering all the gambling one would expect in Vegas.

How they rate it

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"While the Cosmo doesn't break the casino hotel archetype, its cutting-edge contemporary dcor (notice the digital new-media art collection on the walls), mixed with retro touches like champagne- pink chandeliers, works," says Sara Benson in The Daily Telegraph. The rooms were originally designed as condominiums so they are "not only more spacious, but also have little niceties such as kitchenettes that you won't find at many other hotels". Opt for a terrace suite for a private, wrap-around patio with impressive city views.

The menu

With 13 restaurants serving everything from sushi to burgers, you'll be spoilt for choice without even stepping out of the front door. For classic French dining, try Comme a, or visit the Wicked Spoon for a quick snack between card games.

The cost

Double rooms cost from $140 per night. For more information, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com, or call 00 1 702 698 7000.

The Golden Nugget

What's so special

The Golden Nugget is one of Las Vegas's oldest hotels. When it opened in 1946 it was the world's largest casino. While it may have lost that crown now, it is still a prime example of the glitzy glamour that made Vegas so popular in the mid-20th century.

How they rate it

This is "still the swankiest place to gamble downtown", says Anna Stothard in The Guardian. It's the place to go if you're looking for "old-Vegas ambience, but with the scale and luxury associated with modern Vegas". Take a break from the roulette table for a dip in the lagoon-like swimming pool that "circles a three-storey shark tank, with a water slide running right through it". And be sure to go and see the hotel's namesake, "the largest single golden nugget in the world, a boxing-glove shaped rock weighing 61lb 11oz". When booking, ask for one of the Rush Tower rooms as they are the most comfortable and afford great views of the strip.

The menu

There are nine eateries to choose from here, including an in-house Starbucks. For something special, try the seafood and steak restaurant, Chart House, which features a 75,000-gallon tropical fish tank.

The cost

A Rush Tower King Room costs from $79. See www.goldennugget.com, or call 00 1 702 385 7111.

The best travel websites you've never heard of

Whether you're looking for bargain flights, last-minute hotel deals, or a novel way to do your bit for charity while on holiday, these little-known websites can help, says Laura Goodman in The Sunday Times Travel Magazine.

Best for flights: Momondo (Momondo.com) collates flights from 700 other flight-finding websites that's twice as many as most of the site's competitors. "It gives consistently low prices, particularly on long-haul," says Goodman.

Best for planning: "If you're the type who usually ends up lugging a portly file of holiday documents with you, you'll adore this site." You send Tripit (Tripit.com) all your emails confirming flights, car hire and hotels, and it turns it all into "one brilliant online dossier, including maps, driving directions, weather forecasts and status of flights". Just don't forget to bring your passport.

Best for places to stay: Tablet Hotels (Tablethotels.co.uk) is a hotel-booking website that offers handy extras, such as Top Ten' lists so you can see which destinations are most popular, or, if you're not committed to one specific destination, click on last-minute deals' to snap up a bargain.

Best for charities: Stuff Your Rucksack (Stuffyourrucksack.com) is an "ingeniously simple way to do your bit for good causes abroad". You just use the interactive map to locate charities at your holiday destination. You can then find out what items they require it could be anything from toothbrushes to graph paper and fill your suitcase accordingly.