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Few destinations in the world embrace the dichotomy
of being kitschy yet classy at the same time like Las Vegas.
by Marina Nicola Public Relations, Las Vegas Convention &
Visitors Authority
When the destination first became a tourist hot spot in the ’30s
and ’40s, Las Vegas’ image mostly consisted of showgirls, bargain
buffets and slot machines. But today, the multi-million dollar
mega-resorts that line the Las Vegas Strip offer something for
everyone including world-class dining, entertainment, retail and spa
amenities.
And if there is any question of Las Vegas having enough activities
to fill a high roller’s agenda, consider this – this is the city
Robin Leach, the legendary purveyor of “champagne wishes and caviar
dreams”, now calls home.
What would Las Vegas be without its myriad resorts? Unique opulence
encapsulates many of the properties. The Bellagio is one of the most
elegant, high-end resorts in the world. The Bellagio is the only Las
Vegas property to receive the AAA Five Diamond Award. Inspired by
the village of Bellagio on the shores of northern Italy’s
magnificent Lake Como, the resort occupies 120 acres fronting the
Las Vegas Strip. The property plans to add 925 new rooms by the end
of 2004. Another property that targets the high-end visitor is the
Ritz-Carlton that debuted last February. The $170 million hotel and
casino opened at Lake Las Vegas, a new 2,605-acre Southern Nevada
community located 17 miles east of the city. A distinctly
Mediterranean ambience is apparent throughout the Ritz-Carlton. In
addition to waterfront views, the architecture and design are
patterned after Europe’s signature towns and villas.
Once visitors are checked into their rooms, it is time to see what
the Strip has to offer, beginning with retail. During the past few
years, the city has been making its way up the catwalk as a
remarkable mix of designers, renowned retailers and boutiques have
made their debuts in Las Vegas, while otherworldly venues provide a
unique shopping experience.
At the Desert Passage at the Aladdin, shoppers are immersed in
exotic marketplaces, while upscale retailers are set against Roman
décor at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The Grand Canal Shoppes
within The Venetian feature cobbled walkways and an authentic
reproduction of Venice’s Grand Canal. At Paris Las Vegas’ Rue De La
Paix, quaint cobblestone streets and winding alleyways lead guests
on a European shopping spree. This autumn, the Fashion Show Mall
will debut phase II of its $1 billion dollar expansion. The venue’s
West Expansion, which premiered in fall 2002, included the Great
Hall, an 80-foot-long retractable fashion show runway. Phase II –
the East Expansion – will feature a 480-foot-long, 128-foot-high
steel structure called the “Cloud.” The Cloud hovers above a 72,000
square-foot plaza fronting the Las Vegas Strip, providing shade to
passers-by during the day and serving as an image-projection surface
at night. Up next for Las Vegas’ retail scene is Mandalay Place, a
new 374,780 square foot mall that will connect Mandalay Bay and the
Luxor via a 570-foot-long retail bridge. Tenants will include
several debuting in Las Vegas for the first time. The mall is
scheduled to open in late October.
When it comes to dining, San Francisco and New York City have long
been considered the nation’s top destinations. But these days, Las
Vegas is one of America’s hottest dining spots. The city now offers
a burgeoning roster of gourmet restaurants. A host of fine dining
magazines –including Bon Appetit, Wine Spectator, Gourmet and
Esquire – has honored Las Vegas for its fantastic fare, while many
individual restaurants have been hailed for their exquisite cuisine.
Two restaurants in particular, Picasso at Bellagio and Renoir at The
Mirage, have earned the Mobil Five-Star rating. Recently, the
editors of Robb Report, a luxury lifestyle magazine, listed Las
Vegas as the best dining destination in the US. The destination was
honoured due to its growing number of celebrity and award-winning
chefs including Emeril Lagasse, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Miliken,
Charlie Palmer, Sirio Maccioni and Wolfgang Puck who is credited for
“pioneering the food revolution” when he opened Spago Las Vegas in
1992.
Wine connoisseurs can also toast the many restaurants that have
received honours for their extensive and exquisite wine lists.
Aureole at Mandalay Bay and Valentino’s at the Venetian were among
95 restaurants worldwide to receive the “Grand Award” in 2002 – Wine
Spectator Magazine’s highest honour. Today, Las Vegas is home to 12
of the 56 US master sommeliers; there are 107 master sommeliers
worldwide. In addition, out of the 10 female sommeliers worldwide,
eight are in Las Vegas.
When prepping for a night on the town, it is important to rejuvenate
not only the mind, but also the body. Las Vegas' spas vary in size
ranging from 3,000 to nearly 65,000 square feet. They offer
atmospheres ranging from the purely tranquil to the exotic, and each
one boasts a distinctive menu of treatments. Spa services offered in
Las Vegas include sport, Shiatsu and Swedish massages to soothe
tired muscles and smooth away kinks; body treatments including
herbal baths, wraps, aromatherapy and reflexology; relaxing
amenities such as steam rooms, saunas and whirlpools; and
full-service salons offering manicures, pedicures, facials and hair
styling. Some resorts offer wellness centers, where professionally
trained personnel offer advice on nutrition and healthy lifestyles,
as well as innovative fitness facilities and equipment such as
virtual reality bicycles and Cybex equipment.
Once the sun sets, there is no shortage of choice for entertainment.
New acts like Blue Man Group, Danny Gans and Rita Rudner have joined
classic signature entertainers such as Siegfried and Roy and the
showgirls of Bally’s “Jubilee!”. The newest performers and
performances to take the Las Vegas stage include Cirque du Soleil’s
latest incarnation, “Zumanity” at the New York-New York Hotel and
Casino; the hit musical “Mamma Mia!,” featuring the music of Abba at
the Mandalay Bay Theater; and Celine Dion’s wildly popular, “A New
Day...” at the Caesars Palace Colosseum. |