This article is part of a series celebrating Boss Hunting’s favourite corners of the United States. Click here to see more.
From its extensive mob history to The Hangover, and some of the wildest parties in history, the multifaceted desert oasis of Las Vegas, Nevada is unlike any other city in the world. And yes, while Vegas may be widely known for its 24/7 gaming floors, dramatic nightclubs, artist residencies and celebrity-backed restaurants, there’s more to the entertainment capital of the world than meets the eye. And a lot meets the eye.
Las Vegas is far beyond any stereotypes; it is far from one dimensional. This is a glitzy 24/7 playground for adults, but buried underneath all the neon signs, outrageous all-you-can-eat buffets and all-night partying is a city constantly reinventing itself.
Vegas has always been a proving ground for the hospitality and entertainment industries, offering a smorgasbord of adventure for you and your mates, no matter what your individual tastes. The only challenge, really, is getting everyone together for that bucket list Vegas blowout and then organising the whole thing.
There’s an art to planning a Vegas trip, and getting the right accommodation lined up is a big part of that. To help, below you’ll find Boss Hunting’s favourite Vegas hotels so you’ve got a base your wolfpack can be proud of before you descend upon one of the USA’s most advanced party cities.
NoMad Las Vegas
Boutique-minded lifestyle hotels rarely work in Las Vegas. Sin City is built on lavish, grand resorts that feel like entire cities unto themselves. With just 293 rooms, NoMad Las Vegas certainly leans towards the lighter side of the spectrum, but that just means more capacity for highly personalised service and residential-style rooms.
You’ll find this design-forward property piggybacking off the larger Park MGM, though with its own amenities including the opulent Library Restaurant with its old-world glamour and decadent menu. Grab a mighty tomahawk with lobster on the side before heading out with your mates for a night on the Strip.
Bellagio
Thanks to the property’s extravagant dancing fountain — one of Las Vegas’ foremost tourist attractions — the 3,933-room Bellagio is the Strip’s most recognisable resort. When it opened in 1998, Bellagio reconstructed Las Vegas as a luxury destination beyond the party-minded tropes, massive nightclubs, and rowdy beach clubs. Theatrical design played a big part in this, from the large-scale Dale Chihuly blown-glass flowers papering the ceiling, to romantic European-inspired restaurants like Lago and Picasso.
The jewel–toned rooms and suites are similarly bold and provocative, most designed with dark blues, cream, and gold with either fountain or garden views. Classy, elevated touches reiterate impressive attention to detail, made even more surprising when you consider just how big this entire operation is.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Renowned for having some of the greatest views in Las Vegas, with balconies looking right over the Bellagio fountain, The Cosmopolitan is a top pick for Sin City veterans for good reason. Perfectly positioned in the middle of the strip, the glitzy, fashion-forward resort offers a wide range of restaurants for all budgets, as well as a stack of high-end boutiques and one of the most lavish spas on the Strip. Not to mention the famously comprehensive Wicked Spoon buffet.
3,027 rooms and suites are spread across the colourful building, peaking with the Chelsea Penthouses that, like most other rooms, have really deep Japanese soaking tubs and those aforementioned balconies perfect for hosting.
Wynn Las Vegas
Constantly named as one of the finest resorts in the world and an absolute symbol of wealth on the Las Vegas Strip, Wynn represents ultra-luxe modernity and “New Vegas”, having only opened in 2005. With 4,748 rooms and suites, it’s one of the largest resorts in the country. Yet, that makes the five-star service all the more impressive.
The plush resort offers some of the city’s finest moments, including elevated entertainment at The Encore, one of the most exciting theatres on the Strip with a penchant for top-tier curation, and an impressive suite of high-end restaurants like the retro-styled Delilah Supper Club.
The Palazzo at The Venetian
The 3,068-room Palazzo mirrors its bigger sister hotel, The Venetian, as a homage to Renaissance-era Italy. And while it may not have the artificial canals and painted ceiling of its twin property, The Palazzo gets by with incredible displays of crystal sculptures, oversized suites, and a particularly swanky Champagne bar on the casino floor.
These are some of the biggest entry-level rooms on the Strip, so the value of staying at The Palazzo cannot be overstated. Between this hotel and The Venetian, the resort has to service around 7,000 rooms each day, an impressive feat when you consider that The Palazzo’s service is considered the gold standard.
The Venetian
As the bigger of the two hotels that make up The Venetian Resort, this eponymous property features a massive 4,027 suites that are just as impressive as the entrance. And what an entrance it is; The Venetian’s lobby is one of the world’s most admired, centred around a massive gold sphere after guests pass a replica of Venice’s Campanile and Rialto Bridge.
Depending on the season (and what conventions are in town), The Venetian Resort usually has some of the best rates in town for luxury accommodation. Take advantage of this by working your way around Las Vegas’ many events and your mates will be impressed you’ve managed to score such a high-end stay for less.
Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino
Vegas first-timers typically stick to the Strip but doing so only gives you half the picture, and half the fun, of this incredibly unique city. The six-block, pedestrian-only Fremont Street Experience is classic glitz and glamour, flecked by retro casinos, open-air bars and one of the most iconic ziplines in the world. Many Vegas regulars consider it even wilder than the Strip, with other highlights including The Golden Nugget, the Mob Museum (with a Moonshine distillery in the basement), Circa’s 78-million-pixel sports screen, and iconic ‘Vegas Vic’, who was erected in 1951.
There are plenty of options up and down the wide street but Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino is generally considered the best of them. That large rooftop pool and lifestyle precinct is a big reason, as well as the 1,124 well-dressed rooms and suites that sit across three towers.
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas
Surprisingly, some of the world’s foremost luxury hotel brands don’t have a strong presence in Vegas. Four Seasons is an exception with this beautiful 424-room hotel that occupies floors 35-39 of Mandalay Bay. And while it’s part of a much larger picture, this Four Seasons really feels like its own sanctuary, furthering that tranquillity with a nurturing natural wood spa and a private entrance on the Southernmost end of the Strip.
Privacy is hard to find in a city as intense as Las Vegas, but if you know where to look, you’ll be backing all that partying up with genuine restoration. The blissfully small footprint certainly helps, so if your mates are keen on a more balanced experience, there are few picks as wise as this.
Caesars Palace
Opened in 1966, the opulent, Roman-themed Caesars Palace remains one of the defining resorts of the Las Vegas Strip. So iconic, in fact, that much of The Hangover took place between these hallowed walls, which frame 3,960 rooms spread across six vastly different towers.
For more privacy, choose either the Augustus or Octavius Towers as they are the most modern, with their own entrance tucked away from the crowds of the Strip. Part of the art of doing Vegas properly is finding those little moments of privacy that can be threaded between those big nights out and lavish long lunches.
Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas
Originally a Mandarin Oriental, the chevron-shaped tower modestly rubbing shoulders with Aria and Park MGM was reflagged as Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas in 2018. And as the baton passes from one ultra-luxury brand to the next, the Hilton property relishes in its relative privacy, making guests feel like they’ve left the Strip entirely without actually leaving the neon-washed wonderland.
Gaming is completely absent from the hotel, which helps it feel very un-Vegas inside. The Sky Lobby is also key to the feeling of privacy, with a 23rd-floor check-in that offers dramatic views of the Vegas’ multifaceted skyline. Rooms are appropriately high-end but modest in size, perfect for a large group that wants a whole lot of downtime in a city reputed for its eccentric, non-stop energy.
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