If you're looking for a Vegas vacation without the crowds or fuss of the Strip, the Green Valley Ranch is still one of the best in the area for both low-key families and high-rolling gamblers seeking a little Vegas-style thrill. 'They go to the Palms or Hooters for that.' 'But not many bachelor parties,' a hotel manager told us. A weekend during the high season might see as many as two or three weddings (the ceremony usually occurs on the open terrace), plenty of anniversary celebrations, and honeymooner getaways. Large groups and conference-goers often dominate the property. And although it is just 15 to 20 minutes from the Strip, it feels worlds away, thanks to its Mediterranean-style buildings, extravagant Old World-inspired interiors, long skinny pine shrubs pointing to the Nevada sky, and gorgeous sand-bottom pool with a disappearing edge waterfall and a bridge that spans its length. The property's A-lister days appear to have passed, but Green Valley is still an impressive, full-service resort. In 2004, the Discovery Channel used the resort as the setting of a reality TV series, 'American Casino.' Today, however, it mostly attracts more couples and conference attendees - and a steady stream of locals - than celebrities. When the Green Valley Ranch first opened in 2001, it was a see-and-be-seen scene, with Bill Clinton lounging by the pool and George Clooney hanging out at the bar.
