The Continental airline terminal in Vegas is in a different terminal from the one we usually go through back to Canada, for example on Westjet. One needs to take a commuter train from the main airport to a beautiful new airport, which is bigger than the Westjet one. Much bigger, and there were very few slot machines uhm which makes me think the slots in the Westjet terminal are for the Canadians who need a last fix to hold them until their next Vegas trip!
I had called the Avenues hostel from the airport in Vegas and fortunately they had a bed in a female dorm and offered to pick me up at the airport in SLC for less than a taxi would charge. As i would be arrived approx 8:30 p.m. I thought that sounded good. As it turned out the flight was delayed nearly an hour and it was touch and go whether the hostel would be able to pick me up, but they did and it turned out fine. The downtown area of SLC is only about 20 minutes from the airport, sorta like Yellowknife hah only in SLC it is all speedway....
The hostel is in a residential area called "The Avenues" and although not a very new place, it was certainly adequate and dorm beds at $20 which included breakfast (cereal, toast, eggs coffee) could not be beat although towels and blankets were each $2 for the stay. My 2 roommates were young women Megan from Anchorage and Laura Wisconsin respectively and they were doing some invasive species work.  Megan and I ended up at the Mormon Temple listening to a free organ recital the next day at noon. I walked a lot around Temple Square (all within a 20 min walk of the hostel) and missionaries were anxious to tour people around and answer questions. I also ate at two diff restaurants connected to Temple Square, very good food and prices and beautiful gardens.   I saw "Joseph Smith The Prophet of the Restoration" movie which was of course pretty biased.... but I learned a lot that day and the next about the Church of Latter Day Saints. The hostel had very little aircon if at all and it was hot as was SLC. I ended up doing laundry in the hostel and stayed down in the little dungeon/cellar, where the machines are, the whole time as it was cooler there! I spent 3 nights at the hostel and then flew to Chicago via Denver.