Margaritaville Resort Casino

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first heard about a Margaritaville resort in Bossier City, I was a bit skeptical. I mean, Louisiana casino towns aren’t exactly screaming “tropical paradise,” you know? But after spending a few nights at this place on Margaritaville Way (and yes, that’s actually the street name), I get it now. They’ve managed to create this weird but wonderful bubble of Key West vibes right across the Red River from Shreveport, and it actually works.

The whole property feels like someone took Jimmy Buffett’s back catalog and turned it into a resort – but in a good way, not in that cheesy theme park way you might expect. Walking through the casino floor, you’ll hear that signature steel drum music mixing with the ding of slot machines, and somehow it doesn’t feel forced. The rooms are solid four-star quality with these fun tropical touches that don’t go overboard – think tasteful palm prints and ocean blues rather than plastic flamingos everywhere. I stayed on the river side and honestly, watching the sunset over the Red River from my balcony was pretty spectacular. The beds are comfortable too, which matters more than people think when you’re trying to recover from a night at the tables.

What really surprised me was how well they’ve integrated the whole experience. The LandShark Bar & Grill downstairs serves actually decent food – their fish tacos aren’t just casino food trying to be fancy, they’re legitimately good. And the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar lives up to its name; I found myself there way too many evenings watching Saints games with locals who clearly consider this their regular spot. The casino itself is smaller than some of the Vegas-style places you’ll find in other Louisiana towns, but that’s kind of refreshing – you can actually find your way around without getting lost for an hour. They’ve got a nice mix of slots and table games, and the dealers are friendly without being overly chatty.

Parking is free and easy, which anyone who’s dealt with downtown casino parking will appreciate. The staff genuinely seems to embrace the whole “chill out” philosophy – check-in was smooth, housekeeping was thorough but not intrusive, and nobody’s trying to hustle you into timeshare presentations or expensive spa packages. It gets busy on weekends, especially during football season when LSU or Saints fans roll through, but even then it doesn’t feel chaotic. If you’re coming from out of state, you’re literally five minutes from I-20, and the Shreveport airport is maybe twenty minutes away. Plus, if you want to explore beyond the resort, Bossier’s got some decent local spots – though honestly, once you settle into that Margaritaville mindset with a drink in hand, you might not feel like wandering far.