Aria
How did it make you feel when you got there?
Aria is a sleek, curved glass building that makes you feel like you’re in a huge glass courtyard when you walk in from the valet. Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects used a lot of stone and glass in the design. There is almost never a line at registration, and the lobby is so big that it never feels squished and busy like other casinos do. There is a peaceful wall of water right outside the door, and huge works of public art are all over. It looks and feels very modern inside.
How is the crowd?
People who book rooms at Aria usually want to stay in a more modern building, and like that, it’s close to high-end shopping (it’s in the same CityCenter complex as The Shops at Crystals). Also, you can’t smoke in the rooms (you’ll get a big fine if they catch you), so they don’t smell like smoke from the 1980s like some gambling rooms do, even if they say they’re smoke-free. The people who stay at Aria have usually paid more than people who stay at other hotels. This means that they are usually business travelers or wealthy tourists.
What’s cool: Describe your room.
I’ve stayed in both a Deluxe Strip View King and a One Bedroom Aria Suite in Aria’s Sky Suites. The rooms in Aria are beautiful: With sizes starting at 520 square feet, they’re all pretty big. They all have dark wood and chrome finishes, big upholstered headboards, high beds with firm pillows, and windows that go all the way to the ceiling. Of course, the tech is great. Each room has an iPad that can be used to adjust the lights, music, and curtains. You get a lot of extras if you pay more for Sky Suites, though. Sky Suites have their own elevator bank, so they can check in privately. There is also a private bar with snacks all day and wine and cheese in the afternoon, as well as a private sky pool. All 420 Sky Suites were also recently remodeled. They now have baths that look like spas and a lighter, brighter color scheme. The rooms also have modern Vitra armchairs and comfortable wingback headboards. All MGM locations list their rates months in advance, so you can plan ahead. Depending on the day, the extra 500 feet and all the perks might only cost you $200 to $300 per night. When you think about what you get, it’s not bad.
We really need some deep, healing sleep. They got us?
Both types of rooms have great beds. Aria has Sealy beds, and the Sky Suites have their own custom mattresses. The night I slept in one of these was one of the best hotel nights I’ve ever had.
What about the little things, like a minibar or shower treats? Do any of those things end up in your bag?
If that tablet could run every part of my life outside the hotel as well as it does inside the hotel, I would definitely steal it. I didn’t use it much in my regular Aria room, but I think the tablets are better in the Sky Suites. You can order food to be delivered to your room, make spa appointments, and control everything about your room from your bed, like the lights and curtains.
Tell us that the bathroom will be good.
Aria’s deluxe king room has a great bathroom with two sinks, a separate shower with a bench (which I like), and great lighting. If you like great hotel baths, though, the Sky Suites might be worth the extra money just for those. Think of a toilet seat that is warm and closes itself, nice lighting, and a deep soaking tub in the middle of the room. If you have sliding doors, you can either be alone or talk to your trip companion in the next room.
Wi-Fi is likely the most important subject of all. What do you call it?
The resort’s 10MB Wi-Fi is strong enough to watch, and you can connect to it from anywhere. The club fee is $51 per day, which is a bit more than most, but Wi-Fi is free.
What to Eat and Drink Aria has always had some of the best restaurants on the Strip. One of the best new restaurants in recent years is Din Tai Fung, a cult favorite dumpling palace that serves xiao long bao (Shanghai-style soup dumplings) with crab and pork or truffle and pork in a stylish room. The popular Cathédrale and Catch (especially its amazing brunch) are also wins. It just recently turned its old dining area into Proper Eats, a great food hall.
Is room service worth it?
Even though I did order the red velvet pancakes once and they were a huge sugar bomb, the menu isn’t very big or unique. It’s a pretty standard dining experience in your room, but it’s beautifully arranged. And you can order pies that you can customize. There are also some nice touches, like salt and vinegar chips made in-house that come with bleu cheese dip.
Staff: Who would get a prize if you could give one? Why?
There are great concierges in the Sky Suites bar. During the two nights I stayed there, I saw how well they dealt with everything, from people trying to get last-minute, impossible show tickets in other hotels to tourists who were just plain annoying and had a thousand questions.
Do any of the other services and benefits stand out to you? It doesn’t matter if it was babysitting, gyms, spas, parking, or something else.
The spa is one of the best on the Strip. It has a salt room for relaxation and a room with heated stone beds that are brought from Japan and are made from a single block of stone. Come to this spa with your partner if you’re traveling together, because it’s one of the few with a good place for both men and women. The rooftop pool for both men and women is just the right size to relax with your significant other, and it has a great view of the three pools below. When you eat at Aria, you can’t be stopped. Some of my very favorite places are there, including Bardot, Carbone, Cathédrale, Catch, and Michael Mina’s high-end French brasserie.
What did you remember or find most upsetting about your stay?
I really like the Aria hotel because it has all the modern touches of, say, The Cosmopolitan, but it feels like it’s for grown-ups. It all feels very classy and fancy, from the restaurants to the pools (especially the private Sky Suites pool, which is much quieter than other Las Vegas pools).
In the end, is it worth it, and if so, why?
Aria is worth the extra money that it costs compared to some other hotels on the Strip. When you book a hotel in Las Vegas, keep in mind that rates are usually lower than in other big cities, especially holiday spots.