12 Of The World's 20 Largest Hotels All Belong To This One Western State In America

Once a lost town in the middle of the Nevada desert, Las Vegas is now one of the weirdest, wildest, and funnest cities in the United States. More than a real place, it feels like a giant amusement park whose sole purpose is to indulge and overwhelm every sense with non-stop stimulation. It's really no wonder that this Nevada tourist destination is home to 12 of the world's 20 largest hotels. After all, everything here is larger than life and sprinkled with a heavy dose of exaggeration. It's more shocking that the top spot is taken by Malaysia's First World Hotel, which has a Guinness World Record for its 7,351 rooms — an honestly flabbergasting number.

Sin City doesn't lag behind too much, taking second and third place with the Venetian Resort (which has over 7,000 rooms), and the MGM Grand Las Vegas (with 5,005 rooms), respectively. The other 10 Vegas resorts included (with their global ranking and number of rooms) are: Wynn Las Vegas (No. 7, 4,750 rooms); Luxor Las Vegas (No. 9, 4,400 rooms); Mandalay Bay (No. 10, 4,326 rooms); Aria Resort (No. 12, 4,002 rooms); Excalibur Hotel (No. 14, 4,000 rooms); the Bellagio (No. 15, 3,933 rooms); Circus Circus Las Vegas (No. 16, 3,800 rooms); Fontainebleau Las Vegas (No. 17, 3,644 rooms); Resorts World Las Vegas (No. 19, 3,506 rooms); and Caesars Palace (No. 20, 3,500 rooms). Other cities on the list include Mecca in Saudi Arabia; Macao, China; Moscow and Sochi, Russia; Pattaya, Thailand; and Tokyo, Japan. 

Because many hotels are right on the Strip and have giant pools, world-class dining, and great entertainment, it can be difficult to choose where to stay in Las Vegas. Still, a few properties manage to stand out. The Venetian is an obvious choice, given its global reputation. Though it's a bit cheesy to pretend that you're in Venice when you're clearly not, people like its kitschy atmosphere and enjoy the fun gondola rides around the property. There is also something special about staying at the largest hotel in the United States, and the second largest in the world. 

Made up of three hotels within one giant property, Resorts World Las Vegas is perfect for those who want the full Vegas experience in a single location. The property was opened in 2021 and was built from the ground up rather than as an update to an existing building, so the complex is modern and tends to stay away from its neighbors' themed hotel model. The LEED-certified property also uses newer technologies to create incredible sustainability initiatives like running on 100% renewable energy, having a food waste reduction program, and lowering its energy and water consumption by 30%. Another worthy stay is the Bellagio, which boasts a beautiful Dale Chihuly installation, a seasonally changing in-house botanical garden, and O by Cirque du Soleil, one of the best-rated shows in Las Vegas. Plus, the hotel has a gigantic chocolate fountain — need we say more?