What’s to Love in Las Vegas? Plenty!
Another hotel and casino not to be missed is The Venetian and its sister hotel The Palazzo. Besides their own casinos, restaurants and shops, hotels both offer beautifully decorated and spacious rooms. At The Palazzo, which offers 3,066 suites, is a bit smaller and more intimate than The Venetian. Rooms range in size from 720 to 8,000 square feet, again affordable rates for groups are available. You may also want to book at massage at the Canyon Ranch SpaClub on the fourth floor.
The MGM Grand is another magnificent casino with its own convention center. It is home to a remarkable collection of guest rooms, suites and lofts with views of the surrounding mountains and the Las Vegas skyline. This magnificent property has undergone a $160 million room remodel of its 3,570 guest rooms and 642 suites in the hotel’s main tower. For intimate groups, The Signature is an additional wing in the hotel offering additional amenities and more spacious rooms. By the way, Lady Gaga opens Jan. 25 at the MGM Grand for “The Born this way Ball” world tour.
The Bellagio underwent a $70 million redesign of its main tower guest rooms last year, and is currently remodeling 928 rooms and suites in its Spa Tower. That renovation will cover 819 rooms and 109 suites. This hotel offers a great location, a beautiful casino, terrific restaurant choices and gorgeous rooms at affordable rates. Like every hotel on the strip, the Bellagio is within walking distance to all the major attractions.
Shopping, Restaurants and Entertainment
Vegas is also a shopping paradise with 140 stores at Las Vegas Premium Outlets downtown. Crystals at City Center, a 500,000-square-foot retail and dining district, is one of Vegass premier shopping experiences. A mall called Fashion Show is located on the strip in addition to the many shops throughout all of the hotels and casinos.
Invigorate yourself by savoring enticing celebrity chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and Todd English. Since Vegas has become the culinary Mecca west of the Mississippi, I would be remiss not to note some major restaurant openings. Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill opened Dec. 31, 2012, at Caesar’s Palace as the celebrated chef’s first Vegas eatery, a bit of the East End to Sin City. Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, head judge of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” is also planning a new restaurant at The Mirage in the summer of 2013.