By { Beth Weitzman
I arrive at the recently renovated The Palazzo at The Venetian Las Vegas Resort with high anticipation for the updated offerings awaiting me. I check in at the VIP lounge and am immediately welcomed with a glass of prosecco and delicious cookies. I am even more delighted to find that the VIP lounge also offers cocktails, coffee and snacks pretty much around the clock.
Among the many things I’ve always liked about The Palazzo at The Venetian is its central location on the Strip. With its design evolution comes reimagined spacious guest suites, a remodeled casino floor, new dining and cocktailing hot spots, and personalized service through Prestige at The Palazzo, the hotel’s elevated luxury club-level experience.
Another reason to love The Palazzo is its all-suite accommodations—totaling 3,066—which have all been renovated to an absolutely gorgeous state. I enter my room and am awestruck by the large space with separate bedroom and living room featuring floor-to-ceiling glass with breathtaking views of the Las Vegas Strip. A nice-size couch makes chilling easy, while a large desk allows for perching a laptop. My favorite part of the room, though, is the expansive all-marble bathroom with 20-inch LCD HDTV, Roman tub, glass-enclosed shower, double-sink vanity, makeup area and separate water closet. While it will have to wait until later in the night, the comfy bed, fitted with Egyptian cotton bed linens, is very inviting, as is the Pillow Menu which presents options including type of fill, body pillow and neck roll.
I head down to the casino floor, the epicenter of The Palazzo, and can’t help but notice the overhead electric ribbon of changing colors. New marble pathways decorated with historic Italian patterns and medallions lead from one area to another. I make a stop at Waterfall Atrium for an exclusive welcome reception for the weekend’s special invited guests (myself included) showcasing cocktails from Mott 32, set to debut in December 2018. The soon-to-open restaurant will feature a modern take on traditional Chinese cuisine, offering both Cantonese and Szechuan fine-dining delights. Designed by Hong Kong-based Joyce Wang Studio, this will be the third Mott 32 restaurant in the world (and the first in the United States).
From here, we head to the new Electra Cocktail Club, which is as glamorous and energetic as it sounds. The anchor space at the center of the casino floor, it joins two other cocktail bars, the sophisticated Dorsey and the romantic Rosina, to complete the holy trinity of libations known as The Venetian Cocktail Collective. The sultry design of Electra includes a digital display that spans 40 feet and serves as the focal point. It features original art with rotating content themes that unfold throughout the evening. The chic 127-seat bar, designed by Chicago-based Simeone Deary Design Group, exudes warmth with brass, granite, etched metals, custom wall coverings and a chandelier with more than 1,200 points of light. We relax on one of the large tufted sofas in the center of the bar; for privacy seekers, there are more secluded spots with custom lounge chairs along the perimeter. The bar program, conceived by noted barman Sam Ross, focuses on rums, agricoles and mezcals, with lively cocktails that trend toward tropical flavor profiles.
After cocktailing for a couple hours, we head to Chica to enjoy some delectable light bites at the bar, including mouth-watering chicken chicharrones, grilled corn lollipops, grilled Peruvian octopus and pulled pork tacos. The restaurant by Latina celebrity chef Lorena Garcia is known for its Venezuelan, Peruvian, Brazilian, Mexican and Argentinian-influenced menu and it doesn’t disappoint.
After a full night, the spacious suite beckoned and it was time for sleep. Eight hours flew by and before we knew it, we were relaxing poolside at The Aquatic Club in a luxurious cabana while enjoying tasty tidbits (pizza, burgers and chips), delicious Bloody Marys and entertaining tunes spun by the DJ. In true Vegas style, we went from one cocktail experience to another. The afternoon brought with it an Art of the Cocktail class at Rosina, hosted by barman Sam Ross and Philippa Fryman, vice president of food and beverage at The Venetian and The Palazzo. Mixologists Juyoung Kang, Evan Hosaka and Armando Conway gave us a step-by-step lesson in mixing signature cocktails from The Venetian Cocktail Collective.
A full day of drinking calls for a decadent dinner, and we opted for Sugarcane. Showcasing globally inspired small plates from the raw bar, grill and traditional kitchen, it cured our cravings. Some faves: mini Maine lobster rolls, hamachi crudo, king crab leg, Brussels sprouts with orange and sweet soy, Japanese fried chicken with sriracha aioli and scallions, and sizzling cast-iron domestic Wagyu with asparagus, mushrooms and truffle ponzu.
The Venetian and The Palazzo are home to more than 40 restaurants—the most offered under one hotel roof anywhere in the world. The impressive array includes Yardbird (southern comfort food with a modern twist), Once (from acclaimed Los Angeles chef Ricardo Zarate, a one-of-a-kind Peruvian Nikkei dining experience), Bouchon (Thomas Keller’s modern French restaurant) and Black Tap (crazy-good craft burgers, salads, super-sized creative milkshakes, craft beer and cocktails, imagined by Vegas veterans Chris Barish and chef Joe Isidori). Joining the stellar roster of rave-worthy restaurants in December will be DTLA’s The Factory Kitchen.
After dinner, we hit the casino floor and tried our luck at blackjack until we couldn’t keep our eyes open any longer. While there, we chatted with some guests who raved about the new Prestige at The Palazzo—a 12,000-square-foot lounge located on the 23rd floor offering exclusive amenities for guests who book a Prestige suite, including complimentary prosecco, a daily continental breakfast, afternoon coffee and tea, evening cocktail reception with complimentary alcoholic beverages and hors d’oeuvres, and more. Note to self: Next time, stay in a Prestige suite, relax at The Venetian’s Canyon Ranch Spa and get some retail therapy at the Grand Canal Shoppes. 3325 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV, 702.607.7777, palazzo.com