We always visit the El everytime we are in town. It is no more dangerous than staying on the strip. The one time we stayed there the room was clean and the water was hot as the other person has already expressed. There are enought cops per block in this section of Fremont street to make it a safe place to play and the walk up to the rest of the casinos will be uneventful. They are starting to spiffy up the place so I say go and enjoy and maybe you will have a few sea stories for yourself.