The Divine Dish

Bet on Las Vegas for Your Next Luxurious Weekend Getaway

Posted on Jan 07, 2009 under Archives | 1 Comment

Over the years, Vegas has evolved from a kitschy inexpensive desert playground for gamblers to a world-class luxury vacation destination.  Glamorous palatial resorts, award-winning celebrity chef restaurants, Broadway musicals and lavish spas have replaced the $5.99 buffets and cheesy lounge shows of yesteryear’s Strip.  Here’s some good bets for a perfect weekend getaway in Sin City:

Friday Noon
Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino
3325 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702/607-7777

Check into the palatial all-suite Palazzo.  Located next to its adjacent sister property, the Venetian, the modern European-themed Palazzo stands 50 stories tall and houses luxury shops, world-class restaurants, entertainment and 3,066 rooms.  Loose yourself in Vegas luxury inside the lavish elegantly designed 650 -1,400 square foot suites which offer marble and granite clad bathrooms, sunken living rooms, curtained pillow-top beds with Egyptian linens, three flat screen televisions and handsome wood furnishings.  Enjoy the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows or opt for privacy with the remote control shades and curtain.

Friday Afternoon

Table 10
Palazzo, South Suite 2900
702/607-6363

After settling in, grab a bite at Table 10, one of more than a dozen new restaurants located in Palazzo.  A short walk and ride up the escalator lead to Emeril Lagasse’s latest Las Vegas eatery, named after the table in New Orleans where the Food Network star began planning his restaurant empire.  The French Quarter iron gates at the entrance lend a New Orleans vibe, and the round metal-crafted center bar, glass enclosed wine cellar and display cases full of pantry supplies and chef’s jackets provide a casual upscale environment.  The menu features a roadmap of flavors, including the seafood and andouille gumbo or the Cuban pork sandwich.  Sit at the food bar for a front row view of the big exhibition kitchen.

Canyon Ranch Spa
Palazzo/Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 1159
702/414-3600

Work off lunch at one of the many classes (pilattes, yoga, spinning and kinesis) offered at the 134,000 square foot Canyon Ranch Spa Club.  The centerpiece of the bright and airy two-story facility is the 40-foot high climbing wall, but less vertically inclined guests will be content in one of the 62 treatment rooms enjoying a vast array of facials, body treatments and massages.  After a workout, treat yourself to the Middle-East inspired Rasul treatment for two, where you and your significant other can be slathered in therapeutic mud and relax in a beehive-shaped chamber for a herbal steam under a starry fiber-optic sky.

Espressamente Illy
Palazzo
702/869-2233

Head downstairs to enjoy a perfectly brewed espresso at the Espressamente Illy coffee bar.  This modern Italian café has bright red walls, black and chrome tables and chairs and an abundance of paninis, soups, salads, pastries and 54 flavors of gelato to indulge in along with your imported cup of joe.  Grab a seat by the window to people watch and view the three-story waterfall and reflecting pools in the Palazzo’s octagonal domed atrium.

Friday Evening

Phantom of the Opera – the Las Vegas Spectacular
Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702/414-9000
7 pm show

Enjoy a walk through the many luxury shops at Palazzo on your way to the $40 million custom built Phantom of the Opera Theater.   The Paris Opera House and phantom’s lair is appropriately found in the Venetian, the only place in Las Vegas where gondolas carry real life lovers down narrow dark canals.  Although the familiar tortured love triangle and haunting melodies are shortened into a 90-minute format, the elaborate sets and stellar cast successfully bring the music of the night to Vegas.

Craftsteak
MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702/891-7318

Take a short cab ride to MGM’s Craftsteak, the newest steakhouse from Bravo “Top Chef” judge  and restauranteur Tom Colicchio, for the perfect wagyo filet or ribeye for two.  The exotic Brazilian wood flooring, highlights of leather and bronze, rich earth-toned walls and fine wood tables reflect the restaurant’s natural approach to décor as well as food.  Choose from a wide variety of roasted, braised and grilled meats, fish and vegetable sides or opt for the affordable $39 three-course market menu.

Saturday Morning

Wynn Buffet
Wynn Las Vegas
3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702/770-3340

Check out the giant waterfall and lagoon before entering the spectacular Wynn resort, bursting with bright reds, purples and yellows throughout the casino.  The bountiful buffet is divided into several dining rooms with tile, carpeted and marble floors, but wait for a table in the atrium which is flooded with natural light and tons of blooming foliage and flowers for the best brunch seat in the house.  Diners have an extensive range of breakfast choices from 16 food stations, including salmon benedict, made-to-order omelettes, seafood and freshly baked breads and desserts.

Forum Shops
Caesars Palace
3500 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702/893-4800

Walk down the Strip to the roman-themed Forum shops at Caesars Palace.  Spend the morning shopping under a baby blue sky through an array of designer retailers including Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dior.  With over 160 shops and luxury boutiques spanning 634,000 square feet, there’s plenty to keep a shopaholic busy.  Weary walkers can rest their feet and watch the statues come to life at the Atlantis Fountain Show.

Saturday Afternoon
Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702/693-7111

Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Next door to Caesars is the beautiful Bellagio Hotel.   Past the lobby’s vibrant glass flower petal chandelier lies the spectacular Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.  Arched glass ceilings tower 50 feet above the 13,000 square foot garden, which typically holds 31 trees, 500 shrubs and 6,000 flowers.  The garden is totally transformed four times a year, offering guests a guaranteed fresh floral experience on each visit.

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
702/693-7871
After a peaceful stroll through the gardens, head to the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.  The marble floored museum houses small rooms filled with paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Monet, Degas, Cezanne and Van Gogh and also features traveling exhibits from other museums.  If you can’t afford to buy one of the master paintings, stop by the Gallery Store next door for a keepsake.

Jean-Philippe Patisserie
702/693-8788
On the way to the spa, stop by Jean-Phillipe Patisserie to view the world’s largest chocolate fountain where rivers of white, milk and dark chocolate cascade through the 27-foot tall edible masterpiece.  If your appetite is whetted for a chocolate fix, pastries, desserts, crepes and candy are available at the adjacent patisserie counter.

Bellagio Spa
702/693-7472
Situated above the fragrant conservatory, the Bellagio Spa oozes European charm and opulence.  The two-story spa and salon offers guests 65,000 square feet of pampering in a Zen inspired design, blending travertine and jade surfaces with large water walls.  Choose from 13 stress-relieving massages, 14 rejuvenating facials and 12 luxurious body treatments.  Make sure to leave time to enjoy the jacuzzis, cold plunge pools, saunas and co-ed meditation room.

Saturday Night
Jersey Boys
Palazzo
702/414-9000
7 pm show

Get in line early at the Palazzo showroom for the musical hit Jersey Boys, chronicling the careers of ‘60s idols Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  The songbook musical with a dramatic biography attached includes performances of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You,” “Oh What A Night,” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry” among others.

Carnevino
Palazzo
702/789-4141

Just as the restaurant’s name implies, it’s all about the meat and wine at Mario Batali’s Carnevino.   Pass the life-size bronze bull to enter the elegant formal dining room with high ceilings, heavy drapes, Italian marble and dark wood sideboards.  For a meal to remember, order the juicy “bistecca fiorentina” for two, fresh peas with walnuts, braised fennel and parmesan and rosemary pan fried fingerling potatoes.  Make sure to leave room to share a bottle of one of the dozens of exceptional wines offered on the international wine list.

Sunday Morning
Bouchon
Venetian
702/414-6200

Go for the perfectly brewed coffee, the flakiest croissants outside of Paris, or the French country fare, but don’t leave Sin City without a visit to Bouchon for breakfast.  Renowned for his French Laundry fame, chef Thomas Keller’s Parisian bistro atop the Venetian’s Venezia Tower is relaxed, large and airy with tall mahogany columns running down the center, murals, and floor to ceiling paneled windows overlooking a flowering garden patio.  Ask for a table outside and dine al fresco on fresh French bread with butter and pistachios, Croque Madame (toasted ham and cheese sandwich on brioche with fried egg and mornay sauce), Oeuf and Bourdin Blanc (white sausage with scrambled eggs and croissant)  or select from Bouchon’s extensive bakery items including muffins, pastries, croissants, quiches and breads.

Sunday Afternoon
Palazzo Pool Deck

Before checking out and checking back into reality, take a cool diversion with a dive into one of the six pools at the Palazzo’s new expansive pool deck.  Lush greenery, outdoor sculptures and gushing fountains span the 4-acre space, which also includes four spas and a variety of smaller lagoons and dipping pools.  Opt to lounge on the comfy chaises or stay cool in one of 41 private cabanas.