My family and I are currently staying at Sam's Town while spending the Thanksgiving holiday with my in-laws who live about 2 miles away. We checked in last Sunday night (November 18) and are checking out this coming Sunday (November 25). My mother, wife, 2 toddlers, and I are staying in 2 connecting rooms on the 6th floor (one king and two queen beds). I am no stranger to Las Vegas hotels. I am an experienced gambler and I frequently visit my in-laws (sometimes up to a month or so in duration). When entering Sam's via the main entrance by valet parking, we were greeted with the familiar casino-smoky smell, but nothing too atrocious. I was very surprised to notice the strong smell of smoke in the hallway leading to our room, and though the air quality in the room is better, there is still a persistent smell of smoke in the rooms. Once you open your room door, the strong smell of smoke is unmistakable. I have not experienced this issue with many Strip hotels, so perhaps the air quality filtration at Sam's is broken or subpar. When brushing our teeth in the bathroom, we noticed a "sewer/toilet" smell when turning on the bathroom sink even though none of us had actually used the toilet yet to account for that kind of smell. The pillows are quite firm, which actually gave me a neck/headache the first two nights so far. The bedding/comforter is quite thin, so if you appreciate a cooler room with heavier blankets (similar to Hilton properties), you will be disappointed. Bathroom amenities are budget/basic but acceptable. Most hotel staff has been courteous, with one surprisingly rude hotel maid being the exception. In particular, the valet attendants have always been friendly, fast, and helpful. I have enjoyed playing table games at Sam's in the past (I haven't had the chance to play this trip yet due to family activities), and we have been to the movie theaters, bowling alley, and buffet many times. Sam's appeals strongly to locals, but to be honest, I am not very thrilled with our stay in the hotel. I am slightly dreading our upcoming stay in December for the Christmas/New Year's holiday season, but really, there are not many acceptable alternatives in the immediate area and we prefer to stay as close as possible to my in-laws (who live in the Stallion Mountain community).