Wynn Resort in Las Vegas is Awesome!

Hi from my annual Travel Agent Conference in Sin City! You might believe from media accounts that Las Vegas is "on it's back". Don't believe it!!!! Yeah, business is down a bit but, believe me, this place is still rocking! Vegas hotels enjoy the highest occupancy rate in the world... normally about 95%. Now it's down to around 91% - not bad, eh? Actually, it's good (for us) that the crowds are slightly smaller. Wait times for seating at the nicest restaurants are down to 30 to 45 minutes. For those that still take reservations, it's a bit easier to get one at the prime dining time. Tee Times and Greens Fees are easier and lower. Prices for the best shows are down 10% to 20% through discount coupons issued when you check in to your hotel.

This is my first experience with Wynn Las Vegas as well as the new Encore Tower and the complex is amazing! I would describe this place as "Elegant". Everything about it is tasteful... and to walk out the back door and be on the tee of a great golf course - well, how does it get any better? The folks at the Wynn are very saddened by the sudden death of Danny Gans. It is clear that he was not just a contracted entertainer - he was obviously truly loved by those around him at the resort. There were heartfelt "good-bye to a friend" postings all around the property. More on Wynn Las Vegas later... If you are thinking of visiting, I have some free tips for you. Email me: dick@gatewayexpress.com

This trip taught me a new reality... those of you who know me are aware of my increasing bald spot. (The golf cap I'm wearing in my profile picture is purposeful.) Well, I forgot my hair brush and have survived for 4 days without one... and nobody has noticed!

Cheers,

Dick 

Quiet Las Vegas? I'm not kidding!

If you love to party... but want to be able to "turn it off" at times, there is more to Vegas than the circus-like atmosphere of The Strip. As I wrote about a year ago in my Quieter Side of Las Vegas blog post, there are hotels or sections of hotel complexes where you don't need to wade through throngs of gamblers in a cavernous casinos to get to the elevator to your room. A good example is the new Palazzo Towers at the Venetian. It features a private off-Strip entrance and quiet elegance - still you are just a 5-minute walk to the main attractions of the Venetian. Link back to that post for descriptions of such meccas as THE hotel at Mandalay Bay or the Signature Towers adjacent to the MGM Grand.

On my visit last week, I ventured out to Lake Las Vegas and the incomparable Ritz-Carlton Resort Hotel. This place is magnificent! (What else would you expect from Ritz-Carlton?) The casino is not actually in the hotel, but is adjacent as part of the Italian Village with numerous restaurants and shops. So, you can have the excitement that most go to Las Vegas for - when you want it! And, for a night on The Strip for a major show or just to go for the whole enchilada, you only have a 25 minute drive. I stopped at the Ritz-Carlton for breakfast before playing the incredible Reflection Bay Golf Club. All through my stay in the dining room everybody - even the bus boys - addressed me by name. OK, so that's just very good training. Right? Here 's where they go way beyond training... I walked around the property and the Village including the lakeside stage where Andrea Bochelli performed a couple years ago. Almost an hour later, I came back through the restaurant and again was greeted by name by the hostess. That's cool!

The other Resort Hotel at "the Lake" is Loew's. It's not a bad place but, with the R-C just down the road, don't bother. Very confining since the Reflection Bay golf course wraps around it. There is no comparison! Whatever the price, the Ritz-Carlton is well worth it!

Cheers,

Dick


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Las Vegas Vacations...
THE QUIETER, ELEGANT SIDE OF LAS VEGAS
My closest "friend" hates Las Vegas. It seems that her biggest objection is having to plow one's way through the crowded casino to get to her room after a lovely dinner or a great show. Well, there is a cure! My post of a few weeks ago spoke of the trend toward upscale everything - the elegant shops at Bellagio, The Venitian, Caesar's Palace and others; the Celebrity Chef Restaurants, and so on. Add to the list of elegance, some new hotels (with no casinos) that provide private entrances, private pool and spa areas and all the elegance of the finest upscale hotels in Manhattan. THE hotel at Mandalay Bay, the Skylofts at the MGM Grand are just a couple options and more are being built as I write this. (Hint: Trump is coming to Las Vegas soon.)

The other alternative destination within a destination is Lake Las Vegas. Two elegant lakeside resorts, two world-class golf clubs and relatively 'sane' casinos are yours here... and you are only 20 minutes from The Strip for those great shows and other attractions.
On your next adventure, fly First Class to Las Vegas, ride to your hotel in a private executive car, check in at the Invited Guests desk, and get 'front of the line' status at the popular Celebrity Chef Restaurants (and for the 30-something crowd - the hot nightclubs!) at a price well-below what you might expect. If you love the excitement of The Strip but want it in small doses with a quick escape route to quiet, elegant surroundings this is for you!
I would be happy to give you some additional tips. Send a comment to this blog post OR just email me.

Cheers,

Dick

Las Vegas Trips:
Vegas keeps getting Better... and Busier!
Although Las Vegas is not my favorite 'cup of tea', I always look forward my annual visit for a travel industry technology conference. It is truly the most exciting place on Earth. And, despite the unbelievable pace and the tremendous crowds, the friendliness of the great majority of people you come in contact with is beyond impressive. My hat is off to all the service personnel of Las Vegas. I don't know how they can do what they do day-after-day!!! For those of you that appreciate great marketing, the Las Vegas Visitors Bureau is the quintessential case study. The city adds thousands of new rooms each year - and they keep filling them. Hotel occupancy is 87.6% which beats every other vacation destination in the entire world. Here are a few observations & tips that I had from my most recent visit last week: 1. The growth is clearly in the upscale segment of the market. Every time I visit, another few "cheap, old casino/hotels" have been bulldozed to make room for new 5-Star properties. The day of the 99 cent shrimp cocktail is gone! 2. For the '30-something' crowd, the hot nightclubs are springing up everywhere - and getting into one without a VIP pass is a low-percentage proposition! For those of us that are 'more seasoned', the Celebrity Chef restaurants are exploding. And, likewise, don't go to Las Vegas without an advance (3 or 4 months in advance) reservation! 3. The shows just keep getting bigger and better! (You may catch on to a recurring theme here...) If you want to see a major show, you had better get your tickets well in advance of your visit. The hot tickets are Celine Dion, Elton John and Danny Gans. It seems as though Cirque du Soleil will soon engulf the entire city! The newest edition, LOVE by Cirque du Soleil which celebrates the Beatles, is the hottest ticket in town!

If you are going to go, I urge you -strongly- to ask your travel agent to arrange VIP passes, dinner reservations and show tickets in advance!

Cheers,

Dick