The Hotel El Rancho Vegas was renowned for its guest rooms, which sprawled over 66 acres of what is now prime Strip frontage.  When the El Rancho opened, of course, the land was nearly worthless, so the low density guest accommodations made sense.

The Hotel El Rancho would have been dwarfed by a moderately-sized Strip casino of today.  It opened with 63 rooms, had 144 in 1947, and only 220 rooms at its demise in 1960.  The rooms were not in a single building, Motel 6 style, but rather in groupings of bungalows and cottages (69 of them by 1960).  

If you got lost, you could call from the road for directions.

Guest Register Card

If you stayed at the El Rancho Vegas, you would have had your pick of several room styles.  The most basic were the simple double and twin bed rooms, which had very few frills.  A step up, you might find the bungalows, which were detached and semi-detached dwellings.  At the top end stood the "super-deluxe accommodations," which were basically small houses for as many as ten guests. 

Many guests, including celebrities like comedian Joe E. Lewis, made the El Rancho Vegas their home, receiving mail there and, for all intents and purposes, living there.  Showgirls and other casino employees also lived on property.

The Honeymoon Suite

Another bed

you usually got it.