Las Vegas is one of the most entertainment-dense destinations on earth, and much of that entertainment is concentrated in — or immediately around — its hotels. The major Strip properties are not just places to sleep; they are self-contained resort destinations with pools, spas, restaurants, entertainment venues, casinos, and spectacles designed to be experienced at a leisurely pace over several days.
If you are planning a Las Vegas holiday, understanding what is available within the hotels before you arrive makes the experience considerably more rewarding. The temptation is to treat the hotel as somewhere to sleep between nights out; the reality is that the best hotels have experiences you will not find anywhere else in the world.
The Bellagio: Fountains and Gallery
The Bellagio’s fountains are the most famous free attraction in Las Vegas — a choreographed water show on the lake in front of the hotel that runs every thirty minutes in the afternoon and every fifteen minutes after seven in the evening. The show is synchronised to music and the water is shot as high as 140 metres into the air. It is one of those spectacles that genuinely lives up to its reputation, and the lakeside promenade is always crowded at show time.
Inside, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is a genuinely good exhibition space that hosts touring exhibitions from major international collections. The Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a vast glass dome decorated with elaborate seasonal floral installations, is changed five times a year and is free to visit. The ceiling of the hotel lobby, decorated with Dale Chihuly’s Fiori di Como installation of 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers, is one of the most striking pieces of public art in Nevada.
Caesars Palace: The Forum Shops
Caesars Palace’s Forum Shops is one of the highest-revenue shopping malls per square foot in the United States, which tells you something about the clientele. The mall is designed to resemble an ancient Roman streetscape, with a sky ceiling that cycles through morning, noon, and dusk every hour, and features animated fountain shows that are worth watching on their own terms.
The hotel’s Garden of the Gods pool complex — seven pools with different characters, including adult-only pools and family pools — is one of the best hotel pool experiences in Las Vegas. The Forum Shops also house the Fall of Atlantis, an animatronic show that may seem dated but still draws crowds.
The Venetian and Palazzo: The Grand Canal Shoppes
The Venetian’s interior is modelled on Venice, and while the comparison to the original does not survive close scrutiny, the execution is considerably more impressive than the concept might suggest. Gondola rides along the indoor canal are a genuine novelty, and the singing gondoliers are better than you might expect. The Grand Canal Shoppes have an outdoor feel despite being entirely inside, and the ceiling frescoes and detailed architectural reproduction are genuinely ambitious.
The Canyon Ranch Spa at The Venetian is one of the best in Las Vegas — a 120,000 square foot facility with a full range of treatments, a rock climbing wall, and an indoor jogging track. The pool deck across both The Venetian and Palazzo towers is one of the largest in Las Vegas and open to hotel guests of both properties.
MGM Grand: Pool and Entertainment
The MGM Grand’s pool complex covers 6.6 acres and includes five pools connected by a 1,000-foot lazy river — the largest hotel pool complex on the Strip. KÀ by Cirque du Soleil has run at the MGM Grand for years and remains one of the most technically extraordinary theatrical productions in the world, with a moving stage that rotates, tilts, and splits to create effects unlike anything in a conventional theatre.
Wynn and Encore: Lake of Dreams
Steve Wynn’s two properties — Wynn and Encore — are widely considered the finest hotels on the Strip in terms of pure luxury. The Lake of Dreams show, which runs on an outdoor lake behind the Wynn casino, features projected images on a seventy-foot curtain of water with a soundtrack and live performers. It runs free for hotel guests and is surprisingly moving.
The golf course at Wynn is the only hotel golf course on the Las Vegas Strip — a par-70 course that wraps around the back of the property. The Wynn’s spa and the pool complex (which restricts access to hotel guests) are among the best in the city. The restaurants — including a Joel Robuchon outpost — are consistently rated among the finest in Las Vegas.
The High Roller and LINQ: The Best View
The High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ Hotel is the largest observation wheel in the world at 167 metres tall. The cabin rides last thirty minutes, giving enough time to take in the extraordinary view of the Strip at night. The LINQ Hotel is more affordable than the flagship Strip properties, making the High Roller an accessible experience for all budgets.
Planning a US holiday? Explore our guides to Las Vegas, Florida and New York.
