Bellagio
Bellagio
How did it make you feel when you got there?
There’s a reason why the lobby and conservatory of the Bellagio are two of the most Instagrammed places in Las Vegas. It could be said that Bellagio was the first super-resort in Las Vegas. There were already special hotels like Luxor and Mirage, but when the 20-year-old Bellagio was built, it meant the height of luxury. The lobby hasn’t changed much; there are still huge Dale Chihuly blown-glass flowers hanging from the ceiling and a naturally lit greenhouse beyond. Walking into the lobby still makes you feel like you’re at a great garden party.
How is the crowd?
These days, Bellagio gets a huge range of tourists. A lot of the people you see in the hotel are here to look at the Conservatory. It was designed to look like gardens Steve Wynn saw in France, and the displays, which are made up of tens of thousands of flowers and moving sculptures, change with the seasons. It’s hard to put tourists into groups because there are so many of them here to see the famous dancing fountains and other public sights. Of course, this hotel is busy because so many people are walking around. That means the hallway is busy and full most of the time.
What’s cool: Describe your room.
To stay competitive with resorts on the Strip, Las Vegas hotels are always making changes. It cost $165 million to fix up all of Bellagio’s almost 4,000 rooms in 2015. After only a few years, all 2,568 rooms in the main tower have been remodeled. The lighted mirrors surrounded by mother of pearl are great for people who like well-lit bathrooms. Tubs are out and big marble showers are in. And The Getty’s Group and MGM Resorts’ own design teams redesigned all the rooms to be more like the waterfalls at Bellagio, with themes of water, light, and nature. They feel airy, up-to-date, and very out of place in Las Vegas. The rooms start at 510 square feet, which is pretty big for a basic room. The hotel is redesigning its Spa Tower with gem tones for a cost of $110 million. Champalimaud Design gets ideas from Lake Como and the Alps for this place, which has a more homey feel. You can get a view of the pools from a lot of different room types. To get the room you want, you should call the reservations staff and work with them to make the request.
We really need some deep, healing sleep. They got us?
Some of the rooms have pillow-top Bellagio or Serta beds that are made just for that hotel. The bedding is very nice, and I like that you can call cleaning and ask for pillows that are hypoallergenic.
What about the little things, like a minibar or shower treats? Do any of those things end up in your bag?
The minibar at Bellagio has some really useful items, such as a general electronics kit that comes in nice Bellagio boxes with honey mustard pretzels and other snacks. I would call the front desk or cleaning and ask to borrow an adaptor before I spent the money on that. Tip: You might not know that you can buy a pass to the Chairman’s bar, which is like a bar on the club floor. If you book a suite, it’s already included. If you book a Fountain View King or Queen, you can add it for $100 per night. Room costs change a lot during conventions and other special events, so I suggest that you do the math on whether to just pay more for a suite or buy a Chairman’s Lounge package to upgrade your room. You can probably get your money back just in food, since the snacks and treats change all the time.
Tell us that the bathroom will be good.
The bathrooms at Bellagio are nice and big. They have marble sinks, big soaking tubs, and makeup mirrors with lights. The Bellagio has its own brand of bath products, and you’ll also get some useful things like cotton pads, razors, and sewing kits.
Wi-Fi is likely the most important subject of all. What do you call it?
The Wi-Fi here is good, and it’s part of the higher-than-usual $45 daily rental fee.
Is room service worth it?
Bellagio doesn’t offer a lot of crazy, international food in their rooms, but they do have vegan and gluten-free choices. Like most, it’s pricey, but they move tables quickly and clean up quickly, so you’ll never have to worry about stepping over trays that people slacked off and pushed out the door. There is a caviar service and an all-day breakfast. Since there is a Petrossian downstairs next to the casino, you can order a traditional caviar service to your room, which comes with buckwheat blinis, toast points, creme fraiche, and at least three types of caviar.
Staff: Who would get a prize if you could give one? Why?
The 120 horticulturists, engineers, and artists who work at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden put on amazing shows every season. They bring in new plants and trees, huge animatronic characters, and once, a 110-foot-tall, 200,000-pound dead banyan tree from Palm Beach, Florida. All of this magic is made behind the scenes, and it’s put together under a 50-foot-high glass roof when no one seems to be looking. There is no doubt that this is one of the best organized shows in the world.
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.
Some of the most romantic places in Las Vegas are the restaurants, like Picasso and Lago. If you call ahead and ask nicely, you can probably get a table with a view of the pools. If you really want to see the fountains, you should have brunch at Spago, which is right next to them. Overall, Bellagio’s restaurants and public areas are some of the best places to see in Las Vegas, even though they are very busy.
What did you remember or find most upsetting about your stay?
The best thing about staying at Bellagio is that you’re right in the middle of everything. Aside from great restaurants, it also has a great (though small) art studio and a brand-new Perrotin Store Las Vegas that sells books, art, and things made by artists. Of course, Bellagio has great shopping (Breguet gets some of the rarest watch brands’ moving collections), but what really stands out about this high-end hotel is how open and friendly it is. You can just come in and look around.
In the end, is it worth it, and if so, why?
The once-a little worn-out hotel rooms have all been really spruced up, especially since the repairs. Since more expensive hotels opened on the Strip, Bellagio’s prices seem a little more reasonable. For not much more than you’d pay for a room off the Strip, you can get a beautiful, newly remodeled room. It is a great deal.