What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas — but nothing stays the same there. Or so it seems, as competition for its 42.5 million-plus annual visitors inspires hotels to keep upping the ante with upgrades, new amenities, dining options, entertainment and such. Here are some recent developments.
This winter, Radisson launched the Treasure Island – TI Hotel & Casino, A Radisson Hotel, the company’s first property on the Strip. Radisson Rewards members can redeem points for stays when booking the nearly 3,000-room property and experience exclusive benefits during their visit.
TI is in the process of renovating all guestrooms this year. The property is home to a 95,000-square-foot casino, a spa and salon, fitness center, poolside cabanas and cocktails, along with 18 upscale and casual restaurants, bars and lounges that provide 24-hour room service. Among the restaurant offerings is the newly added Golden Circle Sports Bar, featuring an LED video wall, gourmet comfort foods and craft beers on tap. “Mystère,” the classic show by Cirque du Soleil, performs exclusively at the hotel.
The recently renovated 30,500 square feet of meeting space at the hotel is equipped to host weddings, conferences, events and large affairs for up to 1,200 attendees. Among the 20 separate event spaces are grand ballrooms, intimate meeting rooms, an outdoor pool area and a chapel.
Also on the Strip, the Wynn Las Vegas reopened its Golf Club in October after nearly a two-year closure. It has a new, 18-hole championship Tom Fazio course with an entirely new topography from the first tee to the last hole. Guests staying at the hotel (with a confirmed reservation) can book tee times up to 90 days in advance; non-guests can make reservations up to 30 days in advance.
Wynn Las Vegas also recently renovated its 44-room spa and announced a new partnership with Thomas Keller, whose new concept will take over the space previously occupied by The Country Club and is expected to open in the fall of 2020.
Speaking of new dining concepts: Live entertainment, surprise performances and a coveted location overlooking the Bellagio Fountains are the main draws of The Mayfair Supper Club, which opened December 31 at Bellagio Resort & Casino. A highlight is a multi-act production by No Ceilings Entertainment — immersive, full-scale productions on stage and throughout the restaurant that make guests feel the show all around them.
The entertainment changes throughout the evening and the week to deliver new experiences for guests each time they visit. Then there’s Mayfair After Dark (Friday-Saturday from 11 p.m. – 3 a.m.), a dance party with live music, and Jazz Sundays with The Mayfair’s band and vocalists performing original versions from the Great American Songbook, perfectly paired with the restaurant’s contemporary take on American classic cuisine.
The new space draws inspiration from the glamour of old Las Vegas and Hollywood and The Mayfair’s waterfront locale. There’s a bar, for example, with a sea-green Murano glass canopy, coral-inspired wall lights, scalloped-edge banquettes, and a ceramic shell wall. The restaurant’s menu includes a contemporary take on American classic cuisine.
For clients who may prefer the natural splendor of Nevada to the glitz and glow of The Strip, Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa near Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area recently completed a renovation of more than 700 deluxe king and deluxe double queen rooms and 55 Signature Suites; the latter range up to 2,065 square feet. New amenities include 65-inch high definition TVs, RFID room key technology, and expanded Wi-Fi coverage, as well as a pull-out sleeper sofa available in its Signature Suites.
Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa recently completed a major room renovation.
On the entertainment front, the hit off-Broadway show “Friends! The Musical Parody” opened at Paris Las Vegas’s Anthony Cools Showroom on March 9. Advise interested clients to book ASAP; the wildly fan-favorite show is selling out fast.
Paris Las Vegas completed a $90 million property-wide renovation just last year. Included in the revamp are new Charlemagne Suites. Positioned at the end of the hotel’s wings, they afford multiple views, including the Eiffel Tower replica (most other suites at the resort only have a single view).
Looking ahead, Witkoff is targeting a late 2022 opening for its new, 3,719-room Drew Las Vegas and the multi-billion-dollar Resorts World Las Vegas is expected to open in summer 2021. The latter will include three Hilton premium brands:, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, LXR and Conrad.
Cool Pools
Well ahead of the March launch of Pool Season in Las Vegas, The Venetian Resort unveiled its redesigned pool deck in the fall of 2019. Set within The Venetian hotel tower, the new pool deck takes design cues from the Italian Riviera, including sculptural art pieces and quaint gardens. The addition of 10 premium poolside cabanas provide over-the-top amenities, some of which have their own private plunge pools.
The Venetian now offers four large pools (three of them infinity-edge), in-pool ledge loungers and daybeds in the center of the pools. Of the 10 pool cabanas, six are standard and four are of the plunge variety; all of which, however, include a 75-inch HDTV, air conditioning, a private restroom, built-in charging stations, a bar and stocked refrigerator, a safe, Wi-Fi and personal cabana host. The Plunge Pools cabanas also offer retractable shade, a private shower, a second 75-inch HDTV by the plunge pool and additional seating. Cabanas can be booked any time, but it’s recommended to reserve in advance, especially over the weekends.
“Friends! The Musical Parody” is now playing at Paris Las Vegas. // Photo By Gabe Ginsberg
Wet Republic Ultra Pool at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino is unveiling a multimillion-dollar revamp that includes additional plunge pools, a redesigned and expanded artist performance area, elevated cabanas and bungalows, furniture upgrades, and immersive technology new to the Las Vegas dayclub scene. Wet Republic and Liquid Pool Lounge at ARIA Resort & Casino has jump-started summer with parties played by popular DJs such as Calvin Harris, Tiësto, Zedd, Steve Aoki, Martin Garrix, among others.
The new Las Vegas Party Pass from the Hakkasan Group provides unlimited access to some of the city’s best parties and world-renowned artists at one price. With the pass, guests can party hop at Omnia Nightclub inside Caesars Palace, and Hakkasan Nightclub and MGM Grand’s Wet Republic Ultra Pool, including entry to more than 10 events spanning each Thursday through Sunday. Passes start at $99.