My Personal Favorites

MY PERSONAL CONCLUSIONS

My favorite bus routes are the 201 and the 202, and they may change me from a sleep downtown person to a sleep at Terribles, the Tuscany, The Gold Coast, or on the Boulder Strip person. Harrah's new respect for no resort fees and their consideration of live poker as worthy of room discounts may well make me into a Flamingo person.  This will certainly be what I do for the August trips or at other times when hotel prices are low.  This year (1010) I am doing April with 3 nights at the IP and five at Flamingo and a weekend at Super 8 where there are no resort fees but plenty of resort amenities like free wifi and a guest laudromat.
Usually those 201/202 routes have the two deck buses as well and are regular and uncrowded. The elimination of the DTC close to the downtown area will change one huge advantage downtown has for me, the opportunity to go just about anywhere from the DTC on one cheap residential bus a short walk away.  A day pass with Deuce of Ace will be $7, but my senior day pass will be $2 if I stick with Tropicana and Flamingo.  The three day senior will be a great bargain: unlimited all access for $7.50 but actually I rarely ride the bus for three days in a row.
The 116 that passes Ellis Island will get me to the Fashion show Mall and from there I can go to M for free.
I may not think in terms of buses for my days downtown, but just go for a few days, play a bit of cards with Jackie Gaughn and finish my trip by catching that nice, free El Cortez shuttle to the airport on my last day. I tip that free shuttle driver $5, so it is more expensive than the bus, but it is only a half hour, dependable, and it means I can leave my bags with the El Cortez bellhop and play poker right up to the last minute of my trip.  Besides I like the guy.  The ride is more like a taxi than a paid shuttle.  Often I am alone in the car.
Posts in the shopping thread also suggest that Flamingo has huge opportunities for shopping.  However, I rarely shop in Vegas.
Tropicana and Flamingo are linked by the Gold Coast shuttle to the Orleans.  I love the Gold Coast breakfast. 

More and more I am seeing the Flamingo strip corner as the best location.  When a bus can't get me somewhere, a free shuttle might and the hub seems to be along Flamingo.