I thought I had seen it all living in San Francisco. I have gotten to the point where nothing surprises me anymore and even the strangest behavior I encounter barely registers a blip on my conscience radar anymore.
And then I went to Vegas…
Going to Las Vegas has become an annual sojourn, as it's a quick flight away (unless I fly Southwest, which has really bad on-time stats).
Going to Las Vegas has become an annual sojourn, as it's a quick flight away (unless I fly Southwest, which has really bad on-time stats).
Being on the Las Vegas Strip is like returning to college
campus for homecoming weekend. It’s like
being somewhere on perpetual spring break. Las Vegas is host to 24 hour parties where the
lights never go out and there is no last call.
People barely able to stand on their two feet seem to be intravenously
attached to colorful open containers, somewhat reminiscent of a glass yard from
a pub. People walk up and down the strip
with real glassware in their hands, filled with cocktails. Everyone seems to be in an altered state,
grinning from ear to ear, exhibiting loud, slurred speech. They’re feeling a lot
better now than they will the next morning.
I have never seen such mass public drunken debauchery outside of a
college campus setting. Boy I wish I
were in my 20’s still, I would be tripping along with them. It isn't apparent to me why any parent would ever bring young children here.
The modern part of the strip reminds me of Disney’s Epcot Center
World Showcase. Within a few blocks you can visit New York, Egypt Pyramids,
Paris Eiffel Tower, Venice Canals, Roman Forum, and Seattle Space Needle. You can see volcanos erupt and immense
fountain shows orchestrated to music. You can ride the tallest ferris wheel.
Money changes hands fast and it seems that there isn’t
anything you can’t do here if you can afford it.
There are no limits.
There are no rules.
Everything is BIG. Extreme. Over the top.
There are rollercoasters on roofs.
There are indoor ziplines.
There are coed naked pool clubs.
There are indoor amusement parks.
You can race your ultimate dream car on a track (ie,
Lamborghini, Porsche).
You can dine in world class restaurants owned by celebrity
chefs and enjoy the best of entertainment seven days a week.
Public smoking bans are not welcome here.
Vdara
I should join their PR department. I wrote a review for an online booking site for the Vdara, and guests wrote to thank me for the review which helped in their decision to stay there.
Vdara is a 100% non-smoking facility. None. Nowhere. No-how. There is no casino here either.
Vdara is smack dab in the middle of the strip and yet you may not even notice it’s there. It is located in City Center, next door to the Aria, near the Crystals, and connected via a breezeway to the rear of the Bellagio. You can’t access the strip directly from the Vdara. You must go through the Aria/Crystals or the Bellagio to get to the strip.
There is no riff-raff here. There are no drunken teenagers running through the halls. There are no drunken adults running through the halls for that matter. It is absolute paradise for anyone who wants to be in the middle of it all, have access to all that the strip has to offer, and yet be an entire universe away.
Vdara has a nice pool with personal day beds and personal cabanas for rent, and a café offering poolside delivery to your lounge chair.
The kitchen contains a refrigerator (filled with free bottles of water), a microwave and stove. The dining room has a glass table with chairs, and ice bucket and cork opener.
Head into the living room which contains two couches, a desk, glass coffee tables and wide screen television. There is a wall that divides the living room from the bedroom. Against the wall in the bedroom is another wide screen television, sleek reading lights with just a pinpoint of light (so you don’t disturb your partner), and the very comfortable and inviting beds have neckrolls!
The bathroom has a very large vanity that spans almost the entire length of the room, plenty of room for two to get ready at the same time. There is both a stand up shower and a sunken Jacuzzi tub. The room feels very spacious.
Then there are the KILLER VIEWS from your suite. Ask for a room facing the Bellagio and Eiffel
Tower. You will have an entire wall of
ceiling to floor windows providing an unobstructed view of the strip (try to
get a room on a high floor). You can see
the Rio, Bellagio pools, Bellagio Fountains, Eiffel Tower without leaving your
room. Another interesting part of the décor are the blinds that you open and close by pressing a button on the wall. There is an inner shade in which you can block the neon light out, or the outer shade which will allow you to sleep basked in the light of the strip at night. There is also a button you can press that changes a light on the outside of your door facing the hall, that lets the staff whether you need housekeeping or don’t wish to be disturbed. The housecleaning staff is thorough and kind.
Alas there are a few minor things I would change about the
Vdara. There are no coffee makers in the
rooms (not sure why, and why you are forced to patronize the lounge Starbucks
along with all the other hotel guests in line in front of you), and there isn’t
a stellar restaurant on site. There is a
cute market café where you can buy quick salads, wine, cheeses, salames,
crackers, snacks, and actually picnic in your room, but you have to request
room service to bring you silverware unless you remember to pick up plastic
utensils at the market. You can also
dine at the market café and order hot, made to order meals (breakfast, lunch
and dinner), but it isn’t open very late (at least by Vegas standards). But the food is good here.
The other quirky thing worth mentioning is the Vdara
elevator. You step into it and it is so
relaxing! It is illuminated in blue
light and the interior design of it is almost reminiscent of standing in a
waterfall. Look up at the ceiling. It is a beautiful space and New Age music soothes you as you ascend to your room. My favorite part of the elevator is the sexy female
voice that announces “Lobby” when you reach the ground floor. It makes me chuckle every time I take the
elevator down!
Aria
The Aria has some fantastic dining options. Lemongrass offers standard but delicious Thai
dishes, such as Pad Thai, Chicken Curry and noodle dishes. The interior and ambiance are a compliment to
the wonderful food here. Blossom offers
Chinese fare also in a beautiful space.
I have heard that Sage is good and I will try it on my next visit. Cirque de Soleil’s Zarkana, at the Aria, features
clowns, trapeze artists, rope walkers, jugglers, fire, great music and a nail
biting experience. My next stay in March will involve a combined stay of both Aria and Vdara. I can't go to Vegas and not stay at Vdara (it would feel like cheating), but I would like to be able to access the other pools Aria has to offer and also try their spa.
Aria and Vdara share the same circular entrance. To reach the strip from Aria, you must exit through the Crystals. You can also take the sky tram to Bellagio and the Mirage from Crystals.
I am a bit of nut for Food Network and Bravo celebrity chefs. You will find a lot of them here. My favorite celebrity chef restaurant is Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. There is a great bartender here, and great food. However, your heart may skip a beat when the check arrives. Great steaks and burgers at Todd English's Pub (between Aria/Crystals).
For me, a casino is a casino, a slot machine is a slot machine, blackjack is blackjack and poker is poker. I lose money in all of them so it doesn’t make much difference to me. Personally, I enjoy the ambience of the casinos at Caesar’s Palace, Paris, Aria and Bellagio best.
What Happens in Vegas is nothing short of spectacular and I
anxiously anticipate my next visit in March.
Events &
Tickets
Stay
Vdara
Paris
https://www.caesars.com/paris-las-vegas
Aria
Dine
http://www.Aria.com (Lemongrass, Blossom, Sage)
Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill (Caesar’s Palace)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.