Ahh—that New Casino Smell—A Work in Progress

“I instantly decided to attend and stay at the Four Seasons –the best kept secret on the Las Vegas Strip. ”

I recently traveled to Las Vegas to celebrate my 4th anniversary and to attend my besties’ bachelor/bachelorette party. I was one of the lucky ones who decided to book my hotel during a surge in COVID-19. Knowing my friends were hosting their B&B party at the Mandalay Bay, I instantly decided to attend and stay at the Four Seasons –the best kept secret on the Las Vegas Strip. The Four Seasons sits at the south end of the strip and is easy to access from the McCarran Airport. A typical night’s stay runs $550 per night, but COVID pricing was $250 per night-- score! For those who do not know, the Four Seasons is located on the top five floors of the Mandalay Bay. When guests stay at the Four Seasons, they have access to everything offered at the Mandalay without the chaos, noise and crowd. Guests have an oasis of quiet, luxury and exquisite dining options, including the poolside menu which served up the best ceviche, fish tacos and fine champagne. The bachelor/bachelorette party next door was loud, and the cabana was rocking with music and beautiful men and women! But after three times down the lazy river and a few waves later in the awesome wave pool, the hubby and I were ready to return to the Four Seasons for a quiet lunch. After lunch, the hubby retreated to the room, and I went back to the cabana to encourage eager partiers to join me down the Lazy River.

We timed our visit to Las Vegas just right, as Resorts World opened the day before our arrival. Despite the traffic and crowds, it was a must see before departing. This $4.3 billion dollar world class destination hosts three major hotels, including the Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords, part of LXR Hotels & Resorts. Upon first arriving inside the casino, it was a beautiful mess. There were so many guests, confused and wandering around the massive blend of technology and luxury all wrapped up in an urban contemporary resort. I quickly discovered it was going to be a task to locate a quiet space, even at 3:30 P.M. The luxury fine dining was not open, and the food court was like birthday cake with ants crawling all over it. But I was curious and, of course, wanted to review the retail selection to discover something new and exciting to share in my blog.

A couple of the fun facts from my visit:

Resorts World has the largest LED screen in the world, over 100,000 square feet. If you see nothing else, this is worth the wait in line to see at night.
The food selection is vast and diverse with a selection of street food from around the world as well as Michelin and four-star dining.

My husband and I were starving as we were coming back from the Drag Brunch at Treasure Island; the joke was there was no brunch. So, when we approached the Street Food Court, we were not up for standing in the lines. We just kept walking, hoping to find something suitable for the two of us to sit quietly and enjoy. We stumbled upon a wonderful place called Wally’s. Wally’s is a two-story wine emporium that includes wine tasting rooms, 8,000 different wines, and a social wine bar. We discovered that Wally’s is from Los Angeles and is an Angelino favorite hot spot. We were instantly transformed from being hungry, overstimulated and exhausted to refreshed, excited and comfy in our front row bar seat. The service was wonderful, the charcuterie and wine perfect. As I twisted my bar stool around, I saw that behind me was a curated block of retail collections featuring globally recognized brands waiting in the wings to show off. We paid our bill and quickly slipped over to the retail emporium. With over 70,000 square feet and two levels of condensed shopping, there will be much to choose from. Most of the retail is in the process of opening, and there are still many vacancies to be filled. Two of my very favorite retailers will be opening soon, including Fred Segal and Elephant’s Closet Vacation Wear. Other retailers include Kardashian Kloset, Judith Leiber, Hervé Léger, and Dr. Refresh.

Overall, the retail was not as exciting as I had hoped, but to be fair, the entire resort remains under construction.

As far as the casino, it is the most elaborate floor I have ever walked. The technology and LED slots and games lit up the room like Fourth of July. The guests were convinced that the slots were loose and that Resorts World was looking for a big winner to get some free press. That may be true. I read the 483 Google reviews, and it appears most who visit the casino are winning, so go now when the odds are good! With over 117,000 square feet of gaming, it is a gambler’s dream.

If you plan to stay at Resorts World, you have some very nice options and very reasonable rates. Each hotel offers amazing pools, gaming, retail and dining. If you are looking for the hippest place, I suggest you stay at Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World. If it’s tradition you desire, stay at the Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World, and if you want a little posher upscale experience, Crockfords Las Vegas, LXR Hotels & Resorts is must stays--with over 236 ultra-lux guestrooms and suites featuring lavish accommodations, upscale amenities and highly personalized service. These hotels offer curated art pieces commissioned especially for Resorts World Las Vegas. Crockfords provides a separate entrance, like the Four Seasons, so you are protected from gaming and smoking and find peace upon arrival.

The overall experience was well worth the cost of admission--free! But I admit I was never so happy to head south of strip to return me to my Oasis in Vegas—thank you Four Seasons for your serene, beautiful surroundings, posh lounges, upscale rooms, quiet pool and your amazing ceviche, tacos and bubbly. I can’t wait to see you again soon.