IMEX America: Hotels & Where to Stay
13 Oct – 15 Oct 2026 Mandalay Bay Convention Center 13,000 attendees
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- Pay over up to 16 weeks
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- Free cancellation rooms
IMEX America 2026 runs 13-15 October at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the largest trade show in the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry, preceded by Smart Monday, its education day, on 12 October. Around 13,000 participants attend, including thousands of hosted buyers whose stand appointments with destinations, hotel groups, cruise lines and event-tech suppliers are diarised weeks in advance, which makes this the one week the meetings industry books its own travel like its clients do. The smart play in Las Vegas is staying on-property or next door: Mandalay Bay, Delano and Luxor connect to the convention center without stepping outside, and they sell out to exhibitors and buyer groups early, pushing latecomers up the Strip. This page carries live, bookable rates from the venue outward so you can see exactly what proximity costs during show week.
Popular areas for attendees: South Las Vegas Strip · Mandalay Bay / Luxor area · Central Strip.
- Hotels ordered by real distance to Mandalay Bay Convention Center, starting with connected and south-Strip properties
- Live 4-5 star rates for show week across the south and central Strip
- Free-cancellation rates prioritised, since hosted-buyer confirmations and stand plans firm up late
- Instant tax invoice at booking for straightforward agency and corporate expensing
Event at a glance
- Dates
- 13 Oct – 15 Oct 2026
- Venue
- Mandalay Bay Convention Center
- City
- Las Vegas, USA
- Airport
- LAS
- Attendance
- 13,000
Recommended Hotels for Business Travellers
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Stay close to the venue
Hotels ranked by walking distance.
Flexible bookings
Pay Weekly available on free cancellation rooms.
Rates shown for the event window, Mon, Oct 12 → Fri, Oct 16 (arrive the day before, leave the day after) — or choose your own dates above.
Hotel rates near major event venues rise as the dates approach and the closest hotels sell out first. Booking a free-cancellation rate early locks the price with no downside.
On the map
The venue, your hotel options and where to eat — all in one view. Tap the map to explore it full screen.
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- The best hotels within walking distance of the venue
- Where to host clients for dinner near the halls
- How to beat the sold-out fair-week rooms
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Need to expense this trip? Business invoices available at checkout.
Where to eat during IMEX America
CES dinners book out weeks ahead — the good rooms near the Convention Center go first. These are the spots Vegas regulars actually take clients: reserve before you fly, and keep one casual back-up for the nights the schedule slips.
Piero's Italian Cuisine
Italian · old-school Vegas
Convention Center Dr — 5 min walk from LVCC
The CES institution — directly across from the Convention Center, dark booths, osso buco, and half the industry in the room during show week.
Tip: Book weeks ahead for CES week; ask for a booth for client dinners.
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Golden Steer Steakhouse
Steakhouse · since 1958
W Sahara Ave — 6 min drive
Vegas's oldest steakhouse — Sinatra's booth is still there. Tableside Caesar, dry-aged steaks, and the kind of room that closes deals.
Tip: CES week reservations open ~60 days out and vanish — set a reminder.
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Lotus of Siam
Northern Thai
E Flamingo Rd — 10 min drive
Repeatedly called the best Thai restaurant in America — khao soi and crispy duck worth leaving the Strip for, with a deep Riesling list.
Tip: Order the Northern Thai specials, not the standard menu.
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Raku
Japanese izakaya · robata
Chinatown, Spring Mountain Rd — 15 min drive
Where Strip chefs eat after service — charcoal-grilled skewers and house-made tofu until 2am. Perfect for the night the show runs late.
Tip: Open till 2am — ideal for a post-booth-teardown dinner.
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Esther's Kitchen
Italian · pasta & natural wine
Arts District — 12 min drive
The Arts District favourite — house pastas and sourdough that locals queue for. A relaxed team dinner away from convention crowds.
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Joël Robuchon
French fine dining
MGM Grand — 14 min drive
The only three-Michelin-star room in Las Vegas — the deal-closing dinner when the contract is big enough to justify it. Jacket recommended.
Tip: Tasting menus only — plan 3 hours and book the moment your dates lock.
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Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
Steak · Spanish
Sahara Las Vegas — 5 min drive from LVCC
José Andrés does carnivore theatre — wood-fired steaks and Spanish plates minutes from the Convention Center. The impress-a-client room closest to CES.
Tip: Closest fine dining to LVCC — the CES-week table everyone fights for.
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Vesta Coffee Roasters
Specialty coffee · café
Arts District — 12 min drive
Las Vegas's best specialty roaster — proper flat whites and quiet tables for the morning email triage before the halls open.
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Peppermill Fireside Lounge
American diner · 24 hours
Las Vegas Blvd — 4 min drive from LVCC
The neon-lit 1972 institution — open 24 hours, giant breakfasts, and booths that have hosted more informal CES meetings than most suites.
Tip: Open all night — the fallback when the only slot a contact has is 7am.
Open in Google MapsAfter the halls close: Las Vegas
Client dinner, team night out or a free day after IMEX America — bookable experiences in Las Vegas, same account, same checkout.
While you're in Las Vegas
Vegas runs on spectacle — if your fair dates line up, few cities give a client a bigger night out.
Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
A night race straight down the Strip — the hottest corporate-hospitality ticket in the city.
Find ticketsLas Vegas Raiders (NFL)
Home games at Allegiant Stadium — an easy add-on if your trip hits a game weekend.
Find ticketsVegas Golden Knights (NHL)
One of the best live-sport atmospheres in the city, at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip.
Find ticketsSphere & Strip residencies
Marquee residencies and the Sphere give you a headline show most weeks of the year.
Find ticketsFixtures recur each season; exact dates for your fair week are confirmed at ticket search.
Getting there
From Harry Reid International (LAS)
- Mandalay Bay is the closest major Strip resort to the airport, roughly 5-10 minutes by car
- Taxis from the airport to south-Strip resorts typically run about USD 20-30 including fees; rideshares are similar outside surge periods
- Rideshare pickups are from the designated garage zones at Terminals 1 and 3, a short signposted walk from baggage claim
- RTC public buses connect the airport with the Strip cheaply, but with luggage most attendees take the short cab hop
Arriving from Southern California and regional cities
- Las Vegas is a 4-5 hour drive from Los Angeles on I-15; parking at Mandalay Bay is available but fees apply, so check current resort parking policies
- Dozens of daily short-haul flights connect LAS with California, Arizona and Utah cities, often cheaper mid-week
- If you drive, aim to arrive Sunday or early Monday, since I-15 from Southern California jams badly on Friday and Sunday evenings
- There is no passenger rail into Las Vegas at present, so it is air or road
Getting around during IMEX America
Getting to Mandalay Bay Convention Center daily
- If you stay at Mandalay Bay, Delano or Luxor, you can reach the convention center through connected indoor walkways without going outside
- The free Mandalay Bay-Excalibur tram links the south-Strip resorts every few minutes, a real time-saver from Excalibur-area hotels
- From central Strip hotels, rideshares take 10-20 minutes to the Mandalay Bay convention entrance, longer at the 08:30 show-opening peak
- The Las Vegas Monorail runs up the east side of the Strip but ends at MGM Grand, so it only covers part of the journey to Mandalay Bay
Around Las Vegas
- The RTC Deuce bus runs the length of the Strip around the clock and is the cheap fallback when rideshare surge kicks in
- Walking between resorts looks short on the map but blocks are enormous; anything more than two resorts away deserves a ride
- Evening receptions during IMEX cluster in south and central Strip venues; taxi and rideshare queues after big events can be 15-30 minutes
- October in Las Vegas is pleasant, typically mid-20s Celsius by day, so outdoor walks between nearby resorts are comfortable
Visa & entry
Visa-free / visa on arrival
- Citizens of about 40 Visa Waiver Program countries, including the UK, most of the EU, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Singapore, attend with an approved ESTA
- ESTA costs around USD 40 and should be filed at least 72 hours before departure
- Canadians enter visa-free for business events without needing ESTA
eVisa / visa required
- Buyers and exhibitors from India, China, Brazil, South Africa and most other countries need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa with a consular interview
- Interview wait times vary hugely by country; the meetings industry's global footprint means many IMEX attendees must start applications months ahead
- Chinese nationals with 10-year visas must keep EVUS enrolment current
Documents to carry
- Carry your IMEX America registration or hosted-buyer confirmation to evidence the trip's business purpose
- Keep hotel and return-flight details accessible for arrival inspection
- Visa holders should carry their application supporting documents in hand luggage in case of additional questions
US entry rules and fees change, so verify current requirements with the US embassy or official government sources before booking.
First time at IMEX America?
- Fly in by Sunday 11 or Monday 12 October: Smart Monday's education programme and the opening-night events mean the show effectively starts before the show floor opens
- If you are a hosted buyer, your appointment diary is built in advance; research exhibitors early because the strongest stands fill their slots first
- The show floor at Mandalay Bay is vast, so plan each day by aisle section and wear shoes you would trust for 20,000 steps
- Stay connected to the venue if your budget allows; the indoor walk from Mandalay Bay or Delano beats any commute on the Strip
- Hydrate constantly, since desert air plus casino air-conditioning dries you out faster than the temperature suggests
Insider tips from repeat attendees
- Thursday afternoon is the quietest stretch on the show floor and the best time for unscheduled visits to stands that were fully diarised earlier
- The destination pavilion receptions in the late afternoon are open networking gold, and the queues at big national stands vanish after 16:00
- Skip the convention-center concession queues and eat at the Mandalay Bay casino-level quick spots, which are faster at the lunch rush
- Staying at Luxor gets you 70-80 percent of the convenience of Mandalay Bay for materially less money, using the walkway or free tram
IMEX America travel FAQs
Where should I stay for IMEX America?
Mandalay Bay itself, Delano and Luxor are the prime picks because they connect indoors to the convention center, and they sell out to exhibitors and buyer groups first. Beyond those, south-Strip resorts near the free Excalibur tram give the best commute, with central Strip a 10-20 minute rideshare fallback.
How much do hotels cost during IMEX America?
Las Vegas has huge room supply, but IMEX week concentrates demand at the south Strip, so Mandalay Bay and its neighbours price well above normal October midweek and sell out early. Rates drop noticeably as you move up the Strip, at the cost of a daily commute; remember resort fees are added on top of headline rates.
How early should I book hotels for IMEX America?
Book the connected properties three to six months out if you want them, as exhibitor blocks absorb them early. For the wider Strip, one to three months usually suffices, but free-cancellation rates make booking early costless.
Which airport do I fly into for IMEX America?
Harry Reid International (LAS) is the only airport, and Mandalay Bay is the closest major resort to it, roughly 5-10 minutes by taxi or rideshare. There is no meaningful alternative gateway.
What is Smart Monday at IMEX America?
Smart Monday, on 12 October 2026, is IMEX's dedicated education day held before the show floor opens, with professional development sessions for meeting planners including programming powered by MPI. Many buyers treat it as an essential part of the week, so plan travel to arrive by Sunday if you want to attend.
EventEscapes is an independent travel platform and is not affiliated with IMEX America or its organizers. Dates and venues can change — verify with the official event site before booking travel.