Las Vegas ain’t what it used to be.
Talk to anyone who’s spent a significant amount of time on the Strip, and they’ll tell you that the Las Vegas of today is a shallow imitation of what it used to be. As reported by Slate, there are several key indicators that show interest in Vegas is declining. Hotel bookings are down, and foreign tourism from key countries like Canada has largely disappeared.
In response, it seems that Las Vegas hotels are doing all that they can to try to get people to stay while turning a profit. From 2015 to 2025, prices at Las Vegas hotels increased by almost 70%, per The Street. At the same time, some hotels began offering deals of up to half off to try to coax people back into the city.
But what does one get if they actually book a hotel on the Strip? Depending on the hotel, they could be in for disappointment, as one user on TikTok recently revealed.
What’s Wrong With This Las Vegas Hotel?
In a video with over 37,000 views, TikTok user @sincitybornandraised claims he recently spoke with an employee of the hotel Circus Circus. He says that this employee has been there “at least 20 years.”
“This person…was telling me that the Circus Circus is on its last leg,” the TikToker states. “It’s a tough place to work at now. … There’s no money being invested in any materials, things that they need to be able to do the job. They have issues across the board.”
According to the TikToker, the employee, who works as a porter, claims that deliveries are frequently stolen. He also stated that the hotel has become popular with sex workers due to its low prices.
“Security knows this, management knows this, but it’s business, so they let it happen,” the TikToker summarizes.
What Else Is Wrong With This Hotel?
Continuing on, the TikToker says that the employee told him there were potential security issues. This is due to the hotel’s apparent lack of security.
Not only that, but he claims that the hotel is “falling apart.”
“Things are being held up with tape and stuff like that,” the TikToker shares.
He further shares that, in his view, significant work must be done in order to remedy the issues with the hotel.
“Someone else can invest money in that, or just level it and do something completely brand new on that plot of land,” the TikToker says. “I’m sure it’ll be a nice change for that area of the strip, but something needs to be done, because from what this guy says, it’s getting pretty bad over there.”
Is This True?
While there’s no verification that Circus Circus is “on its last legs,” the complaints allegedly made by the porter line up with a lot of internet discussion about the hotel.
Although many internet users are complimentary of the hotel’s steakhouse, most say that the hotel is not of particularly high quality.
Some had largely minor complaints.
“Circus circus was easily the most run down casino I went to. It feels old and it’s visibly old lol,” wrote a Reddit user. “If you’re just crashing there for a night or two, probably not that bad – if you’re making a trip of it I’d stay elsewhere.”
Others were more severe in their criticism.
“Old, dirty, outdated, rundown, clientele similar to local meth lab, bed bugs, bad location,” declared another Reddit user. While the hotel has historically had bedbugs, there is no evidence that bedbugs are a present issue.
On Yelp, the hotel has an average of 2.1 out of 5 stars. Reviewers complain about dated, unclean interiors and a perception of dangerous clientele.
@sincitybornandraised #lasvegas #lasvegastiktok #vegas #casino #storytime
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Commenters Have Las Vegas Thoughts
In the comments section, many users agreed that Circus Circus had a poor reputation. However, some also said that issues like these are present in many Las Vegas hotels.
“Circus Circus been ‘closing down’ since I moved to Nevada in 2017,” wrote a user.
“Last time I was there the faucet water in the room came out black,” recalled another.
“It used to be a good place for families, but it was 20 years ago. Time for an investor to revamp that end,” shared a third. “Vegas is no longer affordable. Sad.”
“Unfortunately vegas is corporate now,” declared a further TikToker. “The good ol days are gone.”
BroBible reached out to the TikToker and Circus Circus via email.