Rates in Vegas are MUCH higher on weekends. And every major hotel and many minor ones have resort fees.

I go there every month and stay at Orleans. It's about a mile from the strip, the rooms are not opulent but quite acceptable. I sort of distinguish hotels by "Would I take a woman there?" as in I don't want to take a girl to a crappy place that screams "He's cheap." Orleans is in the "I'd take a woman there" category. They have more-than-ample free parking, a 24-hour food court, and the other restaurants are reasonably priced.

IMO everything on the strip - rooms, restaurants, and especially parking - have become ridiculously expensive.

Try Hotwire also. Unlike most places where you get a "3-star hotel in the Beltline North area", Hotwire will usually give you a message "Book soon, the last person got The Gold Coast." You pretty much know what you're getting.

If you decide to stay at Orleans, it's possible that you can sign up for their players card online and then get a (small) discount on the rooms for having a players card.