las vegas strip

Las Vegas To Get A Nobu Hotel

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Celebrity Design

Actor Robert De Niro, chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Tom Jenkin, President, Western Division of Caesar's Entertainment are posed above to celebrate the announcement that Caesars Palace Las Vegas will be creating the world's first Nobu Hotel at the Ceasar's Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. The Nobu Hotel will take over the existing Centurion Tower which will be renovated and redecorated and a 9,500-square-foot Nobu Restaurant and Lounge will open at the base of the tower. There is already an existing Nobu over at the Hard Rock Hotel. The hotel tower will have 180 guest rooms, 16 suites and a penthouse all of which will have an elegant minimalist Japanese makeover similar to the style of existing Nobu restaurants. No date has been given for the the opening of the hotel.

Tags: caesars palace, las vegas, las vegas strip, nobu, nobu matsuhisa, robert de niro, robert deniro

Bellagio Celebrates Chinese New Year With Garden Exhibit

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

February 3 marks Chinese New Year. This year is the Year of the Rabbit and Las Vegas' Bellagio hotel is getting in on the celebration. Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens has been turned into a serene sanctuary guided by the ancient practice of Feng Shui that is on display now through March 5.

The centerpiece of this exhibit is a 35-foot Chinese junk boat with a 38-foot mast inspired by traditional 15th century fishing vessels. The boat was created using teak, mahogany and cedar by Daniels Wood Land, Inc. – which is best known for building full-scale replicas of The Black Pearl for Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie franchise. The boat is surrounded by a zig-zag bridge and leads to a wing-tipped Ming Dynasty-styled gazebo.

A 12-foot rabbit with a coat comprised of more than 4,500 live sedge plants, watches over eight babies at play within a forest of bamboo trees and Taihu rocks. An 18-foot-tall Chinese God of Prosperity is found amidst gold leafed I-Ching coins and is flanked by two Ming Dynasty-styled dings, ancestral vessels that protect against bad fortunes. There are also seven replica Terracotta Warriors, covered in crushed walnuts and ground carrot seeds, accompanied by a horse-drawn carriage. The original Terracotta Army was buried with the First Emperor Qin in 210-209 BC in the Shaanxi Province and later discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers digging a well. Oversized red silk Chinese lanterns throughout the Conservatory add to the auspicious nature of the exhibit.

The rabbit serves as a symbol of fortune and longevity. Those born in the Year of the Rabbit tend to be lucky, articulate and ambitious.

Tags: bellagio, bellagio hotel and casino, Chinese New Year, Las Vegas, las vegas strip, year of the rabbit

Chef Hubert Keller Opens New Las Vegas Restaurant, Fleur At Mandalay Bay

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Chef Hubert Keller charmed audiences when he appeared in the first Top Chef Masters competition in 2009. The chef behind the Fleur de Lys restaurant in San Francisco and also the Fleur de Lys restaurant at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas has rebranded that second restaurant as simply Fleur by Hubert Keller.

The revamped restaurant now focuses on gourmet small plates inspired by Keller's travels to Spain, Italy, North Africa, South America, Asia, and his homeland of France. "At Fleur by Hubert Keller I'm taking guests on a journey to different countries through small plates that are really well prepared, with great flavor," says Keller. "My new restaurant features several different moods and dining experiences. Guests can watch sports and enjoy a beer in our circular center bar, take in the hotel action from our patio dining, sip cocktails in the lounge, enjoy an elegant dinner in our main room or have an exclusive meal or celebration within our semi-private cabana dining spaces."

Keller's small plates are displayed in a way to highlight the presentation and flavors: Kushi oysters are topped with margarita sorbet and orange purée are served on an illuminated block of dry ice ; maple glazed pork ribs are hidden beneath a smoke-filled glass dome that when lifted and the Wagyu "Lava Rock" is served with tender slices of wagyu beef and cooked to guests' preference on a sizzling hot lava rock, then drizzled with wasabi-lime sauce. Keller pays homage to his appearance on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters"with his competition-winning "In The Shower" Mac & Cheese made with lobster and brunoise vegetables.

Gallery: Fleur at Mandalay Bay

Kushi Oysters with margarita sorbet and orange pur�e

Crab & Avocado Sphere with watermelon gazpacho

Artichoke Barigoule with asparagus, baby carrots and basil

Tags: hubert keller, las vegas restaurants, las vegas strip, mandalay bay

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RetroSpecs Opens At The Cosmopolitan

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Shopping

The lavish new Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas opened recently and with it a bunch of new shops including Retrospecs, a shop which provides exclusive one-of-a-kind eyewear both new and vintage. The retailer, which has its flagship store in West Hollywood, California, is known as a curator and retailer of 20th century early and late modern eyewear. Glasses come with a certificate of authenticity and a lifetime guarantee for parts and services. In addition to its registered Early and Late Modern gold-filled and cellulose acetate glasses, RetroSpecs offers a signature line of buffalo horn frames.

Tags: cosmopolitan, eyeglasses, eyewear retailer, Las Vegas, las vegas show tickets, las vegas strip, retrospecs

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Cosmopolitan Opens in Las Vegas

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

After five years, billions of dollars, foreclosure and a few lawsuits, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is finally ready to test its luck in Las Vegas. The nearly 3,000 room resort has a long road ahead of it. The resort is likely the last megaproperty to open on the Las Vegas Strip for a while.

Tags: cosmopolitan, las vegas, las vegas hotel, las vegas strip

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Gordon Ramsay To Open Las Vegas Restaurant

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

It seems like Gordon Ramsay already has a Las Vegas restaurant, after all, practically every other star chef is there, but that hasn't happened yet. That's about to change. Robin Leach reports that Ramsay will open the Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse in the space currently occupied by Les Artistes at the Paris on the Las Vegas Strip. That restaurant will shut down at the end of January and Ramsay's restaurant is set to open by June 1. Leach reports that the move is part of the overall "de-Frenchification" of the Paris. The Eiffel Tower will remain but the move is to make it less of a theme-centered hotel.

Ramsay hasn't had the best luck controlling his empire and had to sell off several restaurants in the past year but now that he and his father-in-law have ended their business arrangement, Ramsay seems ready for expansion. It was also recently announced that Ramsay will open a new casual-dining restaurant near London's Borough Market next year, called Union Street Café.

Tags: gordon ramsay, las vegas restaurants, las vegas strip

A Substantial Debut: In Its First Year, CityCenter Receives Two AAA Five Diamond Awards

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

Aria Hotel & Casino, CityCenter, Las Vegas

It seems hard to believe that CityCenter has been in operation only a year, but in that year it has received awards as noted below. The most recent and most unusual In its first year, is the AAA Five Diamond Award® for both ARIA Resort & Casino and Mandarin Oriental, The award is usually given to a few select properties deemed the finest in North America, but it is highly unusual for hotels to attain this rating within the first year of operation. The AAA Five Diamond Award winners make up just 0.27 percent of the rated venues throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Bobby Baldwin, CityCenter's President and CEO, said, "From inception to operation, our goal with CityCenter was to create a resort destination that provides guests with services and amenities unmatched in the world. To receive this honor in our first year, reflects our commitment to this promise. It is a great first anniversary gift."

This is not the Aria's first significant award. ARIA is the largest LEED® Gold certified building in the world. In addition to the AAA Five Diamond Award, in its debut year, ARIA has received multiple accolades including: Travel + Leisure's Top 20 Up-and-Coming Hotels in the World, 2010 Global Vision Award; Conde Nast Traveler's 2010 Hot List; Elite Traveler's World's Top Hotel Suites; Esquire's Best New Restaurants for 2010, Top 11 Restaurants Not To Miss; Food & Wine's Las Vegas' Best Bets, Go List 2010, 100 Best New Food & Drink Experiences; MSN's Top 10 New Dining Destinations; Entrepreneur's Best Business Bars; US Airways Magazine's Top 15 Coolest Hotels in U.S.

Tags: citycenter, CityCenter Las Vegas, las vegas hotels, las vegas strip, LEED

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Las Vegas Strip Land Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Real Estate Developments

How much is Las Vegas land worth these days? The market will get a new test when a 1.36-acre property with 236 feet of frontage on Las Vegas Boulevard goes up for sale through J. P. King Auction Company. The property is located just north of the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign and is offered through a sealed-bid auction. The property is currently home to the 48-room Diamond Inn Hotel which was constructed in 1940. The site is the first hotel/casino seen from I-15 and has been approved by the FFA for buildable heights of 406 feet to 505 feet. The only question is whether or not anyone is interested in building in Las Vegas right now. Of course you could just keep the existing property as is.

"One of the great things about this site is that not only is it an excellent development site, but it is also already producing income," said Sam Aldabbagh, the property's owner. Aldabbagh purchased the hotel in 1978 and it is marked by a large pink elephant facing the strip. Sealed bids for the property must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, December 13.

Gallery: Las Vegas Strip Land For Sale

Tags: j.p. king, jp king, las vegas, las vegas strip, real estate

Harrah's Total Rewards Program Adds Shopping; Spa Perks

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services, Wealth

Want to live like a high roller? Sure, we all do. But what if your luck at the Blackjack and Poker tables is ... non-existent? Harrah's Entertainment, owners of 39 casino and hotel properties throughout the world, has now made earning top tier (Diamond or Seven Star) membership in their Total Rewards loyalty program even easier. Members can now earn points through dining, shopping, entertainment and spa purchases at any of their branded locations.

Customers will earn one Reward Credit for every dollar they spend and one Tier Credit for every $5 spent. Thus, every $5 purchase equals four Rewards Credits and one Tier Credit, for a total of five Total Rewards Credits.

Membership in the Total Rewards program, like many loyalty benefit groups, is simple - just sign up at a participating casino location. When you've registered, you'll receive a card that can be activated with every purchase made at a property or participating partner business. Like an electronic fingerprint, the casinos use these cards to track purchases made, monies gambled and time spent doing different types of activities to determine both your level of play and your personal preferences. At higher levels, these preferences can mean exceptionally personalized service, right down to the type of room you prefer and the kind of soda you'd like in your room upon arrival.

All members are automatically given access to the Gold Tier of benefits. To earn Platinum status, members must earn a total of 4,000 tier credits in a calendar year. To earn Diamond status, members must earn 11,000 tier credits in a year. Seven Star status, the chain's most elite level, must earn 100,000 credits. Approximately 400,000, less than 10 percent of all Total Rewards members, achieve this status. One Tier Credit equals $5 in reel slot machines, and $10 in video slot play; table game credits vary based on type of game and average amount of play. A single Tier Credit has a cash value of $.01.

These members enjoy perks like dedicated lines at all restaurants and outlets, special lounge access for complimentary food and beverage, a special check-in, limousine transfers to and from the airport, and perks like VIP access to movie screenings and private events. A listing of all perks available is outlined in this chart.

Total rewards partners include Starwood Hotels, Norwegian Cruise Line, HawaiianMiles and a special Total Rewards Visa card.

This writer's visit to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino was sponsored by Harrah's, but all opinions expressed in the article are her own.

Tags: harrahs, harrahs entertainment, Las Vegas, las vegas hotels, las vegas strip

Riviera Hotel Files For Bankruptcy

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

The owner of the Riviera Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip has filed for bankruptcy protection. Riviera Holdings Corp. filed Chapter 11 under a pre-negotiated deal that will end up transferring the ownership of the company to secured lenders. The reorganization plan has the approval of a majority of the lenders holding parts in it's nearly $248 million in debt. The filing has no impact on the day to day running of the Riviera hotel and casino in Las Vegas and the Riviera in Black Hawk, Colorado which remain open.

Riviera Holdings lost $4.5 million as revenue fell in the first quarter. While room occupancy was up, the average room rate in Las Vegas continued to fall as the hotel competed with other Strip properties which have also been dropping their prices.

Like many Las Vegas properties, the Riviera has been affected by the drop in tourism. The property itself has also suffered because of its north Strip location. Many of the casinos on that end of the glittering boulevard have been torn down or sold to make room for new resorts. Unfortunately the economic turmoil has meant that many properties haven't been built or, like the Fontainebleau project, have been delayed. Visitors to the Las Vegas strip tend to cluster in certain areas, most likely visiting other properties that are a short walk away.

Tags: Las Vegas, las vegas nevada, las vegas strip, Riviera, riviera hotel

A Photo Tour of CityCenter Las Vegas

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

After years of chronicling the shaky fortunes of the CityCenter project in Las Vegas it was finely time to see it for myself. In some ways the massive collection of retail space, residences, hotels and casinos lives up to the hype, it is like nothing Las Vegas has ever seen before. However whether or not it is what Las Vegas needs right now remains to be seen.

Las Vegas always seems to be running from its past. What began as a gangster's paradise evolved into the city of deeply discounted sin before revamping as a family-friendly cavalcade of wonders. Mostly recently it reinvented itself as the city of ultimate luxury with a focus on fine dining, luxury spas and elegantly subtle hotel suites. It's all a far cry from jangling casinos and mirror-ceilinged dens of iniquity. But the recent economic turmoil has hit Vegas with a double punch. First the real estate crash flattened the burgeoning Las Vegas condo market, then the drop in tourism sharply reversed the trend of rising hotel prices. It was nearly enough to make Vegas hotels long for the days of nickel slots and cheap steak dinners.

But Las Vegas is still betting on luxe for the long haul and to know that you need only look at the picture of Crystals mall above showcasing a couple of luxury brands. The entire CityCenter project is symbolic of the new Vegas. The shopping is high-end, the dining is expensive and the entire experience is designed to project class and calm. Old Vegas often sought to rev up the guests with flashing lights, bright colors and fantasy themes. New Vegas as shown at CityCenter is muted and tasteful. If it weren't for a casino or two you might just forget you were in Las Vegas at all. Let's have a look...

Tags: ARIA hotel, citycenter, crystals mall, las veas, las vegas strip

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How To Spend $100,000 In One Night, Jason Giambi Style

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services, Sports

Baseball player Jason Giambi knows a bit about living a lavish lifestyle. He is a co-owner in the Hard Rock's Vanity night club in Las Vegas and has created a truly amazing way to blow $100,000 on a good time.

Our friends at Thrillist reveal that the Vanity Affair with Jason Giambi includes taking over the nightclub's most exclusive table, sipping on one of only 100 3-liter, gold sheathed, laser-etched bottles of 1995 Dom Perignon white gold Jeroboam plus a three-night stay for you and 11 guests at Giambi's nine-bedroom vacation villa in Cabo San Lucas villa. You and your guests will fly first class to Cabo where will you stay in the villa and be catered to by the staff. The villa includes a gym, movie theater, poker table, putting green and a split-level swimming pool area.

Tags: cabo, cabo san lucas, Entertainment-software-association, hard rock hotel, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, hard rock hotel casino, Jason Giambi, las vegas strip, nightclub trend, vanity

Palms Place Penthouse, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Need a Las Vegas lair? Today's home might be a gambler's dream, a sky-high penthouse unit in Palms Place. The ultra-modern two-bedroom penthouse is being sold with all its ultra-modern furnishings which include a pool table, leather furniture and large flat-screen televisions. The most "ruler of all I survey" spot has to be the private spa which actually projects out from the building and faces a wall of glass with views of the Palms Casino and the Vegas strip. The home includes large closets and a stainless steel kitchen that looks more like a place for surgery than dinner but this isn't the sort of place you'd cozy up for meals anyway. The penthouses at Palms Place are available for rent so you can check out a similar place for a few thousand a night. This home is listed at $4 million.

Gallery: Palms Place Penthouse

Tags: estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, las vegas, las vegas strip, LasVegas, LasVegasStrip, nevada real estate, NevadaRealEstate, palms place, PalmsPlace

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Icahn Wins The Fontainebleau, Now What?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

It has sat at the end of the Las Vegas strip, big, blue and unfinished for a while but perhaps the Fontainebleau Las Vegas Resort will finally be completed now that casino-loving billionaire investor Carl Icahn has made the winning bid for the bankrupt resort. Tourism in Las Vegas has been sluggish recently and the Strip has a glut of new hotel rooms including those at the massive City Center project.

Reuters reports that court documents show that the only qualified bid received for the company was from Icahn Nevada Gaming Acquisition LLC. He had offered $156.5 million to buy the casino back in November, a bid which put Penn National Gaming Inc out of the running. Reuters interviewed Icahn who said his philosophy is to buy things when no one else wants them. It is a strategy that has served him well in the past. But Fountainebleau is a huge project, one that has already cost $2 billion and could cost another $1.5 billion to finish. It's got a nice Strip location but does Las Vegas need a 3,815-room resort right now? The Fontainebleau will also have a casino, spa, performing arts theater, condo-hotel units, retail space, conference space and nightclubs, lounges, restaurants and even a chocolate factory.

Icah was involved in a deal to buy the Tropicana's Atlantic City casino and we've been watching his machinations with Beal Bank to save the Trump Atlantic City casinos from ruin (and possibly from Trump himself). Icahn has played in Las Vegas before, buying low and selling high with the Stratosphere. In that case he bought the casino out of bankruptcy in 1998 and sold the property in 2007. If this proves anything it's that Icahn may be willing to wait a while to make a profit, a good thing because it will be a while before the Fontainebleau makes any money.

Tags: fontainbleau bankruptcy, FontainbleauBankruptcy, fontainebleau, las vegas, las vegas strip, LasVegas, LasVegasStrip

Sahara Hotel Closes Rooms In Vegas Hotel Room Surfeit

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

More bad news out of Las Vegas for the tourism industry. The AP reports that the Sahara hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip is closing rooms in two of its towers over the winter season. Sam Nazarian's SBE Entertainment owns the property now and a publicist has said that the two towers will stay shut until business improves. The casino and the main Tangiers tower will remain open. It's not known if the hotel will lay off staff. Several other hotels recently opened on the Strip at the City Center complex so there is no shortage of places to stay in Las Vegas.

Source

Tags: hotel, hotels in trouble, HotelsInTrouble, las vegas, las vegas strip, LasVegas, LasVegasStrip, sahara