Everything Vegas

Getting the best offers from Las Vegas casinos isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of receiving rewards for being polite and smiling. Don’t laugh, this used to work for me. It still doesn’t hurt to be polite but the best casino rewards for the average guest are usually based on computers and/or are doled out by a manager or host.
 

Journey is returning to a new Las Vegas residency in a new location. When Journey returns to Las Vegas it will be for a brief residency at The Theater inside Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Coincidentally, KISS performed its last Las Vegas residency inside the Hard Rock which is now known as Virgin. The next KISS Las Vegas residency will take place at Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood.
 

Planning a Las Vegas vacation started to get real when the group brought up getting a cigar. Seriously. In previous years this wouldn’t be such a big deal. However, this was the first time that the group of people planned of getting together in public in more than a year.
 

Las Vegas is known for a lot of things. Art usually isn’t on the top of the list but there’s plenty to be found all over town. The “Art’s District” in downtown Las Vegas continues to be one of the rapidly growing parts of Sin City. This is a great part of town if you like a walkable downtown area that has a very different vibe than the casino areas. While this part of Las Vegas is great for visitors looking for an alternative option, we know most tourists will stick to the casino corridors downtown and the Vegas Strip.
 

The Venetian (and The Palazzo) were the first hotels that introduced me to Las Vegas luxury properties. I was “lured” by a complimentary room offer and stayed pretty often at my own expense. For a few years, I stayed almost exclusively at The Palazzo when I wanted to enjoy a larger hotel room and more mellow casino.
 
Both hotel and casino towers have changed over the past few years but The Venetian overall still offers great suites at a fair price and fantastic service. When comparing room prices in Las Vegas it’s important to remember that The Venetian only offers suites. Yes, they’ll be a little more expensive than standard rooms but you get much more in the room. The Venetian has midweek room sales that make exploring this hotel with some of the Vegas restaurants in Las Vegas an affordable option.
 
I used to stay at The Palazzo more than The Venetian because I preferred the room design. The suites are similar but this tower has a bit more modern decor. The casino was larger at the time and was much more relaxing than it is today. There were also fewer kids at The Palazzo tower at the time. Families seemed to prefer The Venetian.
 
While this was cool, the VIP lounge at the time was only at The Venetian. That changed with the Prestige Club Lounge, which has been available at The Palazzo for years. This is a level of VIP service that anyone can buy. It’s now available at The Venetian.
 
“Prestige Club Lounge at The Palazzo was designed to provide guests with an unrivaled personalized experience,” said Marcy Miles, chief marketing officer of The Venetian Resort. “Expanding this luxury offering to The Venetian tower furthers our commitment to providing our guests with memorable experiences when they stay with us.”
 

Prestige Club Lounge

The Venetian is expanding its popular Prestige Club Lounge into a second hotel tower. This gives guests an opportunity to upgrade every part of their stay in The Venetian tower with VIP perks and amenities.
 
Here are the new Prestige Club Lounge locations:

• The Venetian tower: Located on The Venetian tower on the 36th floor, the Prestige Club Lounge at The Venetian offers beautiful views of the Vegas Strip.
• The Palazzo tower: This is the resort’s original Prestige Club Lounge at The Palazzo. It includes a business center and fabulous Vegas Strip views from the 23rd floor.

Prestige Club Lounge upgrades guarantee a suite with a view on a high floor. In addition, Prestige offers guests:

• Access to Prestige Club Lounge in The Venetian and The Palazzo towers
• Private check-in with a complimentary glass of sparkling Prosecco upon arrival
• Private concierge
• Daily continental breakfast
• Afternoon coffees, teas, and non-alcoholic beverages
• Evening cocktail reception with complimentary cocktails and beverages
• Access to the business center in The Palazzo lounge, with copying, printing, and internet availability
• Reserved pool chairs on The Palazzo pool deck (reservations required 24 hours in advance, limited availability)

This is a great option for business travelers for a couple of reasons:

1. The Prestige Club Lounges has meeting rooms and a business center at The Palazzo tower. Trying to find a quiet place for meetings and calls in a casino can be difficult. This access can save a trip.
2. Business travelers can also unwind with complimentary evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with clients and/or co-workers.

Frankly, the lounge access is great for both business and leisure travelers. Casinos can be a bit much at times. It’s nice to have access to a quiet lounge to relax and grab a drink and/or snack. This is also a place to get the party started if you’d like to pre-game before heading out for the evening.
 
The addition of the new Prestige Club Lounge at The Venetian comes as Caesars appears to be rolling back its VIP Diamond/Laurel Lounge at some properties. For example, the new Vanderpump à Paris will take over the Diamond Lounge space in the casino.
 

Technically, Resorts World Las Vegas opened in late June. I visited a few times and had a great time exploring the newest Las Vegas casino. The property is massive and is the kind of grand casino experience that visitors expect on the Vegas Strip.
 

Aria is one of the best affordable luxury casino resorts on the Vegas Strip. While it’s considered one of MGM Resorts’ premier properties, the base hotel room rates are usually less expensive than casinos like Bellagio (also MGM Resorts), Cosmopolitan, and Wynn Las Vegas.
 

Paris Las Vegas will be home to the second Lisa Vanderpump venue in Sin City. The first location is the always busy Vanderpump Cocktail Garden inside Caesars Palace. Vanderpump à Paris is under construction and is on schedule to open sometime this winter. Vanderpump à Paris will feature drinks, snacks, and Vanderpump’s signature eclectic design that will obviously be inspired by Paris.
 

Many of the most amazing Las Vegas experiences come from improving concepts developed elsewhere. A case in point is the Supper Club. This isn’t a new idea. This dinner and a show experience go back to the Roarin’ 20s. However, Bellagio and Wynn have updated the concept for today. The experience at both Supper Clubs isn’t something you’ll find just anywhere in Las Vegas.
 
Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas recently opened a concept that leans into a 1950s motif. The Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio is located right on the lake that looks out to the Vegas Strip. Both experiences offer upscale dining with a show. Supper won’t be cheap but each location could provide one of those “Only in Vegas” memories.
 

Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas

Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas is located near the Tower Suites portion of the casino. This is important as you won’t find the Super Club just wandering the casino floor. The venue is inspired by the earliest showrooms and supper clubs of Las Vegas in the 1950s. Delilah takes some inspiration from Parisian salon interiors and the set design from Hollywood’s “golden age”.
 

 
Delilah features multiple environments for guests to dine and enjoy the show. The venue offers live music and special performances, DJs, and Sunday night jazz. Dining seamlessly turns to dancing and lounge-style bottle service as the night progresses.
 
Delilah features two separate bars – the intimate 34-seat Little Bubble Bar and a lower-level Anchor Bar on the main dining room floor. Outside features two courtyards, hung with over 80 candle-lit lanterns and surrounded by succulent-covered walls.
 
“Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas creates an alluring hot-spot that merges exquisite service and exceptional food in an immersive environment, ” says Delilah operators John Terzian and Brian Toll. “We feel like Delilah Las Vegas will create new iconic moments and an experience you will never forget!”
 
Don’t be surprised to see performers at other venues at the property popping into Delilah to entertain the crowd. Justin Beiber recently performed at the Encore Theater then made a special appearance at Delilah.
 

The Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio

The Mayfair Supper Club draws inspiration from the glamour of old Vegas and Hollywood. While dinner and the show take place inside, there’s no denying The Mayfair’s beautiful waterfront location that’s perfect for an evening cocktail.
 
The design of The Mayfair brings the idea of water inside to the classic Supper Club. This decor draws inspiration from mythology and tales of Neptune. Various elements combine with textures and colors to create a perfect classic backdrop for an evening of dining and dancing.
 
“Supper clubs of the mid-1900s were the foundation for our country’s best artists and cuisine, which The Mayfair celebrates and modernizes for the 20s of today,” said MGM Resorts International Chief Hospitality Officer Ari Kastrati. “Combined with spectacular entertainment overlooking unrivaled views of the Bellagio Fountains, The Mayfair delivers an experience that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.”
 
The performance stage is located among the dinner tables. The Mayfair has nightly live performances. Later in the evening, the venue becomes more of a lounge during Mayfair After Dark. While the Supper Club is open nightly while After Dark starts at 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.
 

You might want to get ready for your next trip to Las Vegas if you are a hockey fan. The NHL recently announced its schedule for the 2021-22 season. This means that dates for all 41 home games for the Vegas Golden Knights are set. You can begin making plans to visit Las Vegas to see your favorite team.
 
his year there are more than just regular-season games taking place in Las Vegas. All-Star Weekend will take place on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 at T-Mobile Arena. The NHL will have a variety of special events and activities surrounding the game.
 
 
 
There are plenty of reasons to visit Las Vegas but seeing your favorite sports team in Las Vegas is usually a good excuse to plan a visit. Football fans have already started planning a trip to Las Vegas to see their favorite team take on the Raiders. This will be the first season fans will be allowed to watch the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
 
Denver sports fans can double dip on watching their local teams play in Las Vegas. The Denver Broncos play the Raiders on Dec. 26. A day later on Dec. 27, the Colorado Avalanche will play the Golden Knights.
 
Here’s the full Vegas Golden Knights schedule if you want to get started planning your Vegas vacation.
 

October

Tue. Oct. 12 – vs Seattle Kraken (NHL Opening Night)
Wed. Oct. 20 – vs St. Louis Blues
Fri. Oct. 22 – vs Edmonton Oilers
Sun. Oct. 24 – vs New York Islanders
Fri. Oct. 29 – vs Anaheim Ducks

November

Tue. Nov. 9 – vs Seattle Kraken
Thu. Nov. 11 – vs Minnesota Wild
Sat. Nov. 13 – vs Vancouver Canucks
Tue. Nov. 16 – vs Carolina Hurricanes
Thu. Nov. 18 – vs Detroit Red Wings
Sat. Nov. 20 – vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Sat. Nov. 27 – vs Edmonton Oilers

December

Sun. Dec. 5 – vs Calgary Flames
Wed. Dec. 8 – vs Dallas Stars
Fri. Dec. 10 – vs Philadelphia Flyers
Sun. Dec. 12 – vs Minnesota Wild
Tue. Dec. 21 – vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Thu. Dec. 23 – vs Los Angeles Kings
Mon. Dec. 27 – vs Colorado Avalanche
Fri. Dec. 31 – vs Anaheim Ducks

January

Sun. Jan. 2 – vs Winnipeg Jets
Tue. Jan. 4 – vs Nashville Predators
Thu. Jan. 6 – vs New York Rangers
Sat. Jan. 8 – vs Chicago Blackhawks
Tue. Jan. 11 – vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Mon. Jan 17 – vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Thu. Jan. 20 – vs Montreal Canadiens

February

Tue. Feb. 1 – vs Buffalo Sabres
Fri.-Sat. Feb. 4-5 — NHL All-Star Weekend
Sat. Feb. 26 – vs Colorado Avalanche

March

Tue. March 1 – vs San Jose Sharks
Thu. March 3 – vs Boston Bruins
Sun. March 6 – vs Ottawa Senators
Thu. March 17 – vs Florida Panthers
Sat. March 19 – vs Los Angeles Kings
Thu. March 24 – vs Nashville Predators
Sat. March 26 – vs Chicago Blackhawks

April

Wed. April 6 – vs Vancouver Canucks
Sat. April 9 – vs Arizona Coyotes
Mon. April 18 – vs New Jersey Devils
Wed. April 20 – vs Washington Capitals
Sun. April 24 – vs San Jose Sharks
 

The Park MGM roster of entertainment continues to get stronger with the announcement of Lady Gaga’s return to Las Vegas. Academy Award, Golden Globe, and 12-time Grammy Award-winner, Lady Gaga, recently announced she will return to the Park Theater inside Park MGM in October.
 

It’s time to start thinking about making holiday plans again. This season was a bit of a mess for many people last year. It appears as though we might have a slightly more normal holiday season this year. The venues inside Las Vegas casinos aren’t wasting any time getting ready.
 

After months of rumors, KISS has finally confirmed it will return to Las Vegas for a new residency. KISS’s next residency will begin at the Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood just before the year ends. KISS will kick off its 12 show residency on Dec. 29 and Dec. 31 this year. The first blast of shows will end on Saturday, Jan 1.
 

It feels great to think about planning visits to Las Vegas for next year already. Thanks to some eager casinos, it’s time to get started. Las Vegas casinos are already releasing information for Super Bowl parties in 2022!
 

This isn’t another Vegas is back(!) blog post. Technically all entertainment news in Las Vegas can be considered “Vegas is back” but that’s another story. During the second quarter and into July just about every hotel increased room occupancy. Hotel rooms at the Vegas Strip casinos were more than 90% full from Friday through Sunday.
 

Las Vegas buffets are back! Well, sorta. Not all Las Vegas buffets have reopened but many on the Vegas Strip are back. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all Las Vegas buffets last year. Casino operators have had time to evaluate if the self-serve all-you-can-eat dining concepts are worth reopening.
 

Last year was sort of a dud for enjoying all that Las Vegas has to offer. Even though I live here, there wasn’t too much time spent in casinos for the vast majority of the year. As the year was coming to an end, I started making my way back into the real world…the world of casinos and hotels. You may remember my trip to spend a few days working at a Delano suite. I’ve loved the property since it opened but that was my first time staying there. Now that all the amenities are open again, I might have to make another trip to the all-suite hotel at Mandalay Bay.
 

Prior to COVID-19, a travel survey from Orbitz showed that 77% of vacationers were planning to take their pets on a road trip during the summer. Anecdotally, plenty of people added pets to their homes while being locked down last year. Growing attached to furry friends over the past year likely means that even more people will consider traveling with their pets. Have no fear, Las Vegas is here for pets and their owners.
 

The World Series Of Poker (WSOP) is returning to Las Vegas with a full schedule of live poker action taking place at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino. This year the event will begin on Thursday, Sept. 30. There will be non-stop poker through the event’s conclusion before the Thanksgiving holiday on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Online and in-person registration will open in August.
 

In May, Caesars closed or didn’t reopen many of its smaller shows in Las Vegas. Wayne Newton, Anthony Cools, and Chippendales are some of the more popular names that won’t be returning to Caesars’ properties. Some of the shows are already lining up new homes. For example, Mac King is relocating from Harrah’s to Excalibur. Magician Xavier Mortimer is moving to The Strat.