Vegas, of course!! While the City of Sin may not be for everyone, Mr S and I love the opportunity for partying, fun, shopping and eating lots of food. And gambling? Well we’ll have a flutter, but neither of us are particularly into it and we’d prefer to spend our time in Vegas doing other things. So I’d like to present my guide to Vegas, minus any recommendations for where to gamble! In my previous blog, I gave you a little tour of the Encore and the Wynn so this post represents my recommendations outside those hotels and also where to avoid!There’s something for everyone in Vegas, whether it’s high-end Michelin dining, a cool hot spot, a quick burger or an all-you-can-eat buffet, you can please your most fussy friends. Here are my choices for places to dine:
Be sure to try the Sashimi Pizza topped with truffle oil (top left); it’s fabulous Asian comfort food.The Eiffel Tower Restaurant at The Paris Hotel
Now, I know what you’re thinking…’Oh, Angie surely that’s tacky…and haven’t you eaten at the real Eiffel Tower?’ Yes I have, but I assure you, dining at the Eiffel Tower in Vegas in incredibly romantic. Ok I concede it’s not as romantic as the real Paris, but with fine French food and views over the Bellagio fountains it’s really rather special. Decor inside the restaurant and in the Paris hotel is a little dated but ignore the retro vibe… and enjoy the great view with you loved one.
Michelin-starred miX at the Mandalay Bay Hotel is my top choice for dining with a view in Vegas. We loved it so much when we first went to Vegas three years ago, that we had to revisit it on our honeymoon.
It’s the perfect place to view the entire Vegas strip and the vast landscape of neon.
The poached egg with a chorizo condiment (top left) was a posh version of egg and dippy soldiers and probably one of the best things we had while we were away…we even asked for more dippy soldiers…[EDIT: MiX is now closed]
Finally, a restaurant with a view to avoid is Top of the World at the Stratosphere. The hotel itself is pretty shabby, though great if you’re looking for thrill rides!! The restaurant is 800 feet above the strip and the view is good but the interior is very retro and it rotates 360 degrees which can make you feel a little queasy!
Very conveniently situated in the shopping centre at the Palazzo, Sushi Samba serves great food with a fabulously lively atmosphere. When we were there, Brazil were playing a world cup game so the South American fusion restaurant was particularly lively.
I love this restaurant in the Bellagio for the perfect daytime view of the fountains served with a side of Mediterranean comfort food.
Hard core shopping calls for an array of tapas and a huge jug of Sangria, Julian Serrano at the Aria is the place to have it!
Check out the dish on the top right, the molecular raspberry tuna skewer for something a bit more adventurous.I mentioned in an earlier post that when I’m away I try not to go to places that I could go to in London. Well, I didn’t really stick to that, I visited Sushi Samba twice and Nobu twice! Oh well, the thing is when you know somewhere is good, it’s just a no brainer! Despite these intentions, Mr S and I had always planned to visit Hakkasan at the MGM Grand, we love the London restaurants and were keen to try the Vegas night club version.
There are so many weird and wonderful hotels in Vegas, some are gorgeous and glamorous, some have had their day and are starting to look shabby, while others are to be seriously avoided altogether! Here are a selection of my favourites, aside from the Encore and the Wynn, and why I think they’re worth visiting.
One of the most luxurious hotels in Las Vegas, Bellagio was inspired by Lake Como in Italy. The hotel houses one of the most iconic features of Vegas, an eight acre lake with dancing fountains synchronised to different pieces of music.
On entering Bellagio you a greeted by a totally out-of-this world, and slightly crazy conservatory housing botanical gardens.
Everything at Bellagio exudes luxury, the shops are high-end designer fabulous, the 65,000 square foot spa has a comprehensive selection of indulgent treatments and the Mediterranean-style pool is simply beautiful. I already mentioned Yellowtail and Olives for dining but I’d also love to try Picasso, the fine dining restaurant where you can enjoy French food while admiring the great artist’s masterpieces.
If you’re in the party mood, head to Bellagio’s super club, Bank. The ginormous club is uber opulent with gold accents and glittering gems suspended from the ceiling.
The Venetian and it’s sister hotel, The Palazzo, are probably the most epic that I’ve ever encountered in Vegas. With over 7,000 rooms in the combined adjoining hotels, they make up the second biggest hotel in the world.
Venice, Italy is the inspiration for the hotel so obviously there is a canal running through it!
A great choice for a family friendly hotel in Vegas is the Mandalay Bay, the pool is an enormous eleven acres big and includes a 1.6 million gallon wave pool with a sandy beach and lazy river. When we first visited three years ago we checked out the Aquarium and shark reef which is a great distraction for children.
Mr S and I went to ONE while on our honeymoon, and though it is totally fabulous, strangely the two of the Cirque de Soleil shows I’ve seen in London at the Royal Albert Hall have been better. But I love the music of the king of pop so it was great to dance away to the tunes while watching the fabulous feats performed on stage.
For a total luxury and break from the casinos, The Four Seasons, Vegas is adjacent to the Mandalay Bay. The all-suite, THEhotel, soon to be rebranded as The Delano, also operates as part of the Mandalay Bay hotel. The complex really allows for the best of both worlds, and with 24 restaurants in this awesome trio of hotels, you really can’t go wrong!
