Las Vegas remains a fantastic trip for the wife or a girlfriend. I'm there several times a year and list my favs for hotels, restaurants, shopping, what-to-do--feel free to comment and add others.
HOTELS:
1) The Wynn (north Strip), with its opulent halls decked out in royal purple with acres of cut flowers and glass sculptures, is, for now, THE place. It outclasses most of the other properties by several notches. The room are normal-sized but plush (and the beds are narcotic). It has its own world-class golf course out back (ya, right in back of the hotel, not "a mere 30 minutes by courtesy shuttle" but right in back on very expensive Vegas real estate--doesn't seem to make economic sense, but it's the only place in Vegas like that). They have a f-ing Ferrari dealership, and I've seen them make actual sales on site (of course it's ok to just check out the goods if, like me, you're "not presently in the market"). It's naturally a pricey joint, but well worth it. Wynn is building a sister property next door called "Encore"--which of course will try to one-up its sister on glam. Only complaints--the spa/gym, while excellent, is expensive compared to fully comparable options elsewhere--the privilege of a morning workout set me back more than breakfast/lunch together. Also, don't touch the mini-bar, water bottles. WHile this is sound advice anywhere, at the Wynn they take in-room extortion a new level ($5 snickers bar, anyone?). The pool (guests only) has the hottest women I've seen in Vegas, and that's a high bar--you have a hot girl and have fun showing off? This is currently the best bet in Vegas for that.
2) Second tier would be the Bellagio (still grand after 10 years) and Venetian, both excellent properties, and after that my pick would be Mandalay Bay (which has a "Four Seasons" on top floors in the same building--in my view, for the cost, it's a girlfriend wknd you're better off just staying at normal Mandalay (though the Four Seasons pampering is nice).
3) Other hotel options: MGM Grand is enormous and a good mid-range property, Paris is also nice. The new pool set-up at MGM grand is as good as anything in Vegas, including a Euro-style adults-only, tops optional pool, with gorgeous gals showing off their real and surgically-enhanced finery. If I was bringing kids, I'd take them to Circus Circus (wouldn't stay there otherwise) and see the lions at MGM Grand, while noting that most places in Vegas (there are a couple exceptions) are not really kid friendly. IMPERIAL PLACE with its goofy faux Asian theme, is a fantastic bargain hotel. Its big suites with full mirrors above the king-size bed and huge jacuzzi reek of Boogie Nights, and they're always clean even if the carpet/furnishings are older. Great breakfast buffet and exhibits, and it's right on the Monorail. Or, stay downtown for a change of pace, which is less Caligula and more Old West.
4) Rent a house off the strip and save the mini-bar/telephone charges and mile-long hikes through casinos, and just drive to dinners, shows, etc. and use valet parking (I wouldn't do this, however, until you're a "Vegas pro").
FOOD:
Fine dining: Most of the best places are at the top hotels. I'd try Michael Mina or Picasso at Bellagio (both are GREAT), Alex at Wynn (as good or better as anything in Vegas, prices to match), Valentino, Postrio or AquaKnox (fine seafood) at Venetian, Shibuya is great Japanese/Asian at MGM. The Palm in Caser's Palace Mall, while not exactly fine dining, is fantastic, and consistently so.
Steaks: In a city with many truly great steakhouses (tough to go wrong), the SW at the Wynn is the best I've had, though Charlie Palmer's and the Palm are consistently excellent. The complaints I've had about others (Prime, Craftsteak) are less about the steak, which is fantastic, and more about service idiosyncrasies.
Breakfast: Can't go to far wrong with all the great options, though many of these places are inconsistent. Best table service breakfasts I've had in Vegas (all a rip-off but delicious!) are Bouchon at Venetian and the Wynn's breakfast cafe. Best buffets are at Paris and Bellagio, though most of the hotels have excellent buffets. Best bargain buffet is Imperial Palace; Bally's is good also in that category, but I don't like navigating through Bally's to get there.
Stuff to Do: Fashion Show Mall across from the Wynn, with its mid-to-hi-end stores, is among the best malls in the U.S. (and is enormous) and consistently has great sales at the Department stores, which range from Macy's to Neiman-Marcus. Factory outlets south of the Strip are a shopper's paradise. The bungee at the Strat is touristy but a big rush. The pools at the Wynn and MGM Grand are incredibly HOT in the women dept. and a great place to hang out. The Gun Store is a great way to blow off steam by blasting targets with full-auto machine guns--highly recommended for a girlfriend vacation, even if your gal has never fired a weapon (all the better, actually). Pirate show outside Treasure Island is worth seeing at least once, same with the touristy but cool fountains at Bellagio and immaculate set-ups inside the Bellagio and Wynn.
SHOWS: Tough to go wrong on these, either. For Cirque de Soleil-type, see Mystere (the original--still amazing), "O" at Bellagio, and the sexy/cool Zumanity. Bally's has the best traditional showgirl performance. Caesar's routinely gets top acts in. Wynn's La Reve is also great.
CLUBS: Tryst is the best for Armani-clad millionaires and their top-model arm candy, and can be fun after midnight. Studio 54 at MGM is a very fun dance club. Pure at Caesar's also very fun. Unless you really dig that sort of thing, skip the lap dance joints--there's better stuff to see for free, and you'll be happier you didn't drop $300 on lap dances with some siliconed chick who smells of some other guy's nasty cologne.
Comments?
HOTELS:
1) The Wynn (north Strip), with its opulent halls decked out in royal purple with acres of cut flowers and glass sculptures, is, for now, THE place. It outclasses most of the other properties by several notches. The room are normal-sized but plush (and the beds are narcotic). It has its own world-class golf course out back (ya, right in back of the hotel, not "a mere 30 minutes by courtesy shuttle" but right in back on very expensive Vegas real estate--doesn't seem to make economic sense, but it's the only place in Vegas like that). They have a f-ing Ferrari dealership, and I've seen them make actual sales on site (of course it's ok to just check out the goods if, like me, you're "not presently in the market"). It's naturally a pricey joint, but well worth it. Wynn is building a sister property next door called "Encore"--which of course will try to one-up its sister on glam. Only complaints--the spa/gym, while excellent, is expensive compared to fully comparable options elsewhere--the privilege of a morning workout set me back more than breakfast/lunch together. Also, don't touch the mini-bar, water bottles. WHile this is sound advice anywhere, at the Wynn they take in-room extortion a new level ($5 snickers bar, anyone?). The pool (guests only) has the hottest women I've seen in Vegas, and that's a high bar--you have a hot girl and have fun showing off? This is currently the best bet in Vegas for that.
2) Second tier would be the Bellagio (still grand after 10 years) and Venetian, both excellent properties, and after that my pick would be Mandalay Bay (which has a "Four Seasons" on top floors in the same building--in my view, for the cost, it's a girlfriend wknd you're better off just staying at normal Mandalay (though the Four Seasons pampering is nice).
3) Other hotel options: MGM Grand is enormous and a good mid-range property, Paris is also nice. The new pool set-up at MGM grand is as good as anything in Vegas, including a Euro-style adults-only, tops optional pool, with gorgeous gals showing off their real and surgically-enhanced finery. If I was bringing kids, I'd take them to Circus Circus (wouldn't stay there otherwise) and see the lions at MGM Grand, while noting that most places in Vegas (there are a couple exceptions) are not really kid friendly. IMPERIAL PLACE with its goofy faux Asian theme, is a fantastic bargain hotel. Its big suites with full mirrors above the king-size bed and huge jacuzzi reek of Boogie Nights, and they're always clean even if the carpet/furnishings are older. Great breakfast buffet and exhibits, and it's right on the Monorail. Or, stay downtown for a change of pace, which is less Caligula and more Old West.
4) Rent a house off the strip and save the mini-bar/telephone charges and mile-long hikes through casinos, and just drive to dinners, shows, etc. and use valet parking (I wouldn't do this, however, until you're a "Vegas pro").
FOOD:
Fine dining: Most of the best places are at the top hotels. I'd try Michael Mina or Picasso at Bellagio (both are GREAT), Alex at Wynn (as good or better as anything in Vegas, prices to match), Valentino, Postrio or AquaKnox (fine seafood) at Venetian, Shibuya is great Japanese/Asian at MGM. The Palm in Caser's Palace Mall, while not exactly fine dining, is fantastic, and consistently so.
Steaks: In a city with many truly great steakhouses (tough to go wrong), the SW at the Wynn is the best I've had, though Charlie Palmer's and the Palm are consistently excellent. The complaints I've had about others (Prime, Craftsteak) are less about the steak, which is fantastic, and more about service idiosyncrasies.
Breakfast: Can't go to far wrong with all the great options, though many of these places are inconsistent. Best table service breakfasts I've had in Vegas (all a rip-off but delicious!) are Bouchon at Venetian and the Wynn's breakfast cafe. Best buffets are at Paris and Bellagio, though most of the hotels have excellent buffets. Best bargain buffet is Imperial Palace; Bally's is good also in that category, but I don't like navigating through Bally's to get there.
Stuff to Do: Fashion Show Mall across from the Wynn, with its mid-to-hi-end stores, is among the best malls in the U.S. (and is enormous) and consistently has great sales at the Department stores, which range from Macy's to Neiman-Marcus. Factory outlets south of the Strip are a shopper's paradise. The bungee at the Strat is touristy but a big rush. The pools at the Wynn and MGM Grand are incredibly HOT in the women dept. and a great place to hang out. The Gun Store is a great way to blow off steam by blasting targets with full-auto machine guns--highly recommended for a girlfriend vacation, even if your gal has never fired a weapon (all the better, actually). Pirate show outside Treasure Island is worth seeing at least once, same with the touristy but cool fountains at Bellagio and immaculate set-ups inside the Bellagio and Wynn.
SHOWS: Tough to go wrong on these, either. For Cirque de Soleil-type, see Mystere (the original--still amazing), "O" at Bellagio, and the sexy/cool Zumanity. Bally's has the best traditional showgirl performance. Caesar's routinely gets top acts in. Wynn's La Reve is also great.
CLUBS: Tryst is the best for Armani-clad millionaires and their top-model arm candy, and can be fun after midnight. Studio 54 at MGM is a very fun dance club. Pure at Caesar's also very fun. Unless you really dig that sort of thing, skip the lap dance joints--there's better stuff to see for free, and you'll be happier you didn't drop $300 on lap dances with some siliconed chick who smells of some other guy's nasty cologne.
Comments?
As for the resturants, I can't speak for all, but the Craftsteak was just as good as the NYC location. The buffets are excellent and there is a great variety of resturants. My fiance still thinks it's all gambling and hookers too, but I'm trying to get her to come with me to show her how different it is. As for my gambling, I was there 5 days and didn't gamble one cent.
Also fraternity reunions, and just plain old bustin' loose....
