Las Vegas and its resorts spent the recent downtime in travel to revamp and renew. To that end, visitors can safely enjoy some of their favorite performers; this includes the return of renowned magician David Copperfield, winners of “America’s Best Dance Crew” Jabbawockeez, and standup performers at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club — all of which can be found at MGM Grand. Additional shows include Carrot Top’s prop comedy at Luxor Hotel & Casino, ventriloquist and “America’s Got Talent” winner Terry Fator’s new show at New York-New York and more.
If you’re looking for the latest and greatest in terms of accommodations, there are two resorts you need to know about. Circa Resort & Casino, the first ground-up casino resort built in Downtown Las Vegas in the last 40 years, is for adults only. It officially opened right before the holidays and aims to pay homage to Vegas’ “Golden Era” through vintage design and nods to the city’s history — including the famous neon “Vegas Vickie” sign, which now features as art installation in the hotel lobby.
The Sportsbook is the resort’s centerpiece. Touted as the world largest, it has an HD screen capable of playing up to 19 games at once. The three-story, stadium-style venue has a viewing capacity of up to 1,000, in plush accommodations such as reclining seats or booths for large groups (all are equipped with power outlets, Wi-Fi and tables). Tip: An on-site broadcasting studio provides bettors with in-depth analysis from a roster of experts and industry professionals.
The pool at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, here, has Mediterranean-style décor and custom furnishings.
At the outdoor pool amphitheater, there are six temperature-controlled pools, two swim-up bars and a 143-foot by 40-foot LED screen. Guests can enjoy live music from DJs and other special guests in one of 30 cabanas, or a super cabana, which hosts up to 50. The top digs here are the six Founders Suites. Commanding the resort’s top three floors, Circa’s Founders Suites are the grandest accommodations and offer some of the best views of Las Vegas from Downtown. Measuring an average of 1,831 square feet, these two-bedroom suites work well for small group celebrations.
For drinks with a view, guests can enjoy a lavish bar with its own refrigerator and flat-screen TV located adjacent to floor-to-ceiling windows. An entertaining space with ample seating, a second flat-screen TV and electric fireplace is the perfect hangout spot for gameday, should they prefer their room over the Sportsbook.
Founders Suites also include a black quartz dining room table beneath a custom chandelier, art installations, upgraded finishes, a signature scent and separate powder room. Bedrooms include oversized bathrooms, a separate vanity table, flat-screen HDTVs and seating with views of the city.
Additional premium suites include the Panoramic Sunset Suite, which has a king bed with a Serta Chateau mattress and a living room with a wet bar and dining table, as well as a west-facing view as the name suggests, and the Hospitality Suite, which has flexible seating for different functions, including a banquet table and a convertible couch.
Circa Resort & Casino will be home to Barry’s Downtown Prime — a steakhouse by Las Vegas Chef Barry S. Dakake. Guests access an underground elevator entrance situated directly beneath the restored “Vegas Vickie” neon sign in the lobby to reach the restaurant. The menu offers a variety of steak cuts, but there’s also a selection of vegan options. Luxury travel advisors sending clients to the new resort can contact Michael Printy ([email protected]), concierge manager for VIP service.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, a conversion of the former Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is also set to open March 25. The resort has three hotel towers totaling over 1,500 “chambers” and suites, the 60,000-square-foot Mohegan Sun Casino, a five-acre pool complex (inclusive of a multi-functional event lawn), live music and entertainment theater with a capacity of 4,500, and a signature showroom accommodating 650 guests.
Fun Fact: The resort’s partnership with the Mohegan Tribe makes them the first Native American tribe to operate a Las Vegas casino.
Sending a high roller? One of the top suites at the resort will be the Canyon Oasis Chamber King Suite. The 1,320-square-foot, multi-room suite has an artfully designed living and entertainment space with multiple large-screen Samsung HDTVs, plenty of plush seating and “show-off” views of The Strip. In the separate sleeping lounge, guests will find a king-sized bed. The spacious en-suite bath has a private dressing area with a large closet. Sweet!
The Bar at Commons Club
Insider Tip: Rooms will be split between the Canyon Tower, Opal Tower and Ruby Tower, with the Ruby Tower being an all-suite section.
What else can guests expect? Virgin Hotels Las Vegas’ pool is steps away from the action inside the hotel and casino and is set among “a modern desert landscape” with Mediterranean-style décor and custom furnishings. VIP cabanas and daybeds will also be available for resort guests.
The resort pool aligns with The Promenade, which takes guests along the pathway that encompasses the property’s new Event Lawn, as well as a number of culinary destination venues: Olives from chef Todd English, Hakkasan Group’s Casa Calavera and Kassi Beach Club from restaurateur Nick Mathers, in addition to Money, Baby!, the new sports and entertainment venue from Clive Collective. The two-story Mykonos-themed dayclub will have an open-air entertainment stage, aimed at having the feel of a music festival. It will have a multi-level bar with “beach-side” bites available from the poolside restaurant.
Other F&B venues include Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market, a Nobu restaurant, Michael and David Morton’s One Steakhouse, famous Afters Ice Cream, Pizza Forte by the Ferraro Family and signature Virgin Hotels restaurants and bars like The Kitchen at Commons Club, The Bar at Commons Club, The Shag Room and Funny Library Coffee Shop.
Note: At press time, the first available date for booking on Virgin Hotels Las Vegas’ website is April 7, 2021. Since there’s a small pre-opening team as a result of COVID-19, travel advisors are requested to contact the hotel’s reservation team via [email protected] or 1-800-693-7625.
A Chairman’s Suite at Bellagio Resort & Casino, shown here and below, has its own solarium, fireplace and L-shaped bar.
Also around town, Bellagio Resort & Casino is remodeling all 2,658 guestrooms in the main tower. The new rooms will have a redesigned layout with a focus on luxurious amenities, including a large walk-in shower and double sinks in the bathroom. Guests will also appreciate the additional storage space with brand-new built-in closets, in addition to new contemporary linens and design details.
The crème de la crème are the Presidential and Chairman Suites. Bellagio’s two 4,000-square-foot Chairman and Presidential Suites located atop the Spa Tower offer additional privacy, 24-hour butler service and more. Guests enter each suite by crossing a walkway that floats above a reflecting pool; in the rooms, they are greeted by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Las Vegas skyline and a soaring 14-foot ceiling offer a dramatic entry. (Note that as these suites are in the Spa Tower, they will not be receiving updates as part of the guestroom remodel.)
Each suite has its own solarium, fireplace, L-shaped bar with seating for six and an indoor garden with its own fountain — ideal spaces for some light reading or sipping a glass of wine. A separate room, complete with a butler pantry, has a dining table with seating for 10 (or, alternatively, it can be arranged as a boardroom). Two master bedrooms each have a king bed, private bathroom with a whirlpool tub with views of the city, and separate steam showers, rounding out each suite’s living space.
The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art recently unveiled “Always More: Collecting in Vegas,” an extensive collection with works on loan from several art collectors throughout the city, as well as signature pieces from the MGM Resorts Art Collection. Works represent a cross-section of 20th-century and contemporary art from such artists as Diane Arbus, Ross Bleckner, Cecily Brown, George Condo, Takashi Murakami, James Nares, Helmut Newton, Pablo Picasso, Joyce Pensato, Richard Prince and more.
Travel advisors may contact Sarah Best Chensky, executive director, global sales for MGM Resorts International, at [email protected].
Looking for new dining? The Cosmopolitan will debut Bāng Bar, an original concept from Momofuku and David Chang, this spring. Opening at Block 16 Urban Food Hall, Bāng Bar’s menu focuses on spit-roasted meats wrapped in griddled bāng bread. (Korean for “bread,” bāng is a freshly made flatbread that is griddled to-order on a piping-hot flat top and paired with roasted meats carved from vertical spits.)
Elsewhere, Estiatorio Milos will bring the flavors of Greece to The Venetian Resort this year. Famous for its selection of seafood imported fresh daily, Milos follows the food philosophy of chef and owner Costas Spiliadis. Guests can also expect an extensive list of fine wines with a focus on Greece.
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