Splash Vegas
Yes, it’s brash and glitzy and crazy – but you can enjoy Sin City without committing too many sins...
I’m the biggest high roller in Las Vegas… or rather, I’m on the big High Roller in Las Vegas.
Soaring 550ft above the legendary neon-soaked Strip, it’s the world’s tallest observation wheel – think London Eye – and offers sweeping 360-degree views of the you to gorge yourself silly. You’ll either dazzling bright lights and beyond. love it or hate it.
It’s the perfect introduction to But if you’re willing to take a gamble, mindblowing Vegas – a noisy, brash, I’ll bet the shirt on my back you won’t colourful assault on the senses with its be disappointed. endless casinos, themed bars, overthe-top In fact, I reckon you’ll be surprised Cirque du Soleil extravaganzas to learn there’s a lot more to this city and all-you-can-eat buffets that tempt in the desert than glitz and gambling.
CIRCLE OF LIFE The High Roller big wheel The interiors of the lavish themed casino-hotels are as immersive as any theme park, and a haven from the midday sun (which hit 44oc when we were there). They are great for people watching while enjoying a cold beer.
We tried to pick out the real high rollers from the wannabes, but it was only for fun rather than high stakes.
Our favourite hotel of them all, the jaw-droppingly impressive Venetian – the second-largest hotel in the world after the First World Hotel and Plaza in Malaysia – features architectural replicas of various Venice landmarks, including St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. You can even take a gondola ride right through the middle of it. As well as gambling floors, these mammoth hotel complexes have shopping malls, restaurants ranging from mainstream to highend, and venues for live music, comedy and acts. Pouring out on to the street, we jostled for the best view amid the crowds of tourists that flock here from all four corners of the globe, eager for a glimpse of the soaring Fountains of Bellagio and explosive Volcano show at the Mirage. Performances run to a set timetable, but be warned: pick your spot early or you’ll end up staring at the back of someone’s head. No trip to Vegas would be complete without a selfie next to the Statue of Liberty at New York-new York or the Eiffel Tower copy at Paris, Las Vegas. For thrill-seekers, the Strip also has a
handful of rollercoasters to get the heart pumping. The Big Apple at New York-new York, one of the best known, snakes its way through Manhattan landmarks in front of the casino but, while it’s one to tick off the list, it’s over in a flash, costs a small fortune to ride and feels somewhat dated.
As for the food... this might be the USA, but you can eat your way from Thailand to Spain, and pretty much anywhere else that takes your fancy.
We dodged the (very good) sleek steakhouses and headed instead for Rivea on the 64th floor of the Delano, which has a breezy, laid-back vibe – although its dress code is a little more formal than that suggests.
The menu focuses on simple, fresh plates of seafood to share. We devoured grilled octopus, seabass and creamy lobster risotto before dashing outside to catch the glowing copper sunset from the balcony.
After the last of the sun had melted behind the horizon, we grabbed a sundowner cocktail at the adjoining Skyfall lounge – martinis, shaken not stirred, of course – although despite the name there’s no Bond connection, we were told. Surely they’re missing a trick?
The standout restaurant for us was Julian Serrano Tapas inside the swish, towering Aria hotel. The black pig pintxo topped with caramelised onions and the strange combination of steak fillet on white chocolate bread were genuinely some of the best tapas I’ve ever tasted.
A suitable time later, and a short taxi ride away in downtown Las Vegas, plant-based Vegenation is where we loaded up our plates once again – this time without feeling quite so guilty. There was just time to coo over the spicy-sweet buffalo cauliflower wings, before flying off to check out this vibrant and historic part of the city, where the casinos originally sprang up in the 1950s and 60s. It’s also where you’ll find the Mob Museum, featuring the artefacts, stories, and history of
organised crime in the US.
It might sound as unlikely as suggesting Magaluf for a quiet weekend away, but you can visit Vegas and come away feeling refreshed and hangover-free. Yes, really.
The Sweat 60 boot camp at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is the perfect way to burn off the excesses.
Our instructor challenged us with an hour-long circuit blitz that left us exhausted but glowing.
Combine body detoxification, steam treatments and a cooling bath at the Sahra Spa & Hammam at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The spa has a facial which contains a Nobel Prizewinning serum.
There are also one-hour yoga classes on the High Roller, with classes limited to six. Yoga fans seeking out an innovative way to find inner peace can take their search to even higher heights with Maverick Helicopters’ Heliyoga – a private helicopter from the Strip to the Valley of Fire, landing on a remote mesa for yoga with an instructor who helps participants align their chakras. If that’s all a bit too energetic, the Aria Resort and Casino offers the Aria
Land on a remote mesa for yoga with an instructor who will align your chakras
Indoor Hike – or stroll if you prefer – through the property. Park MGM’S Stay Well Suites claim to cure jetlag with some clever tech – rooms feature special lighting, a vitamin C shower infuser, plus memory foam mattresses for the perfect kip.
Away from the Strip, Red Rock Canyon has beautiful wildlife, waterfalls and sandstone bluffs. This technicolor nature area has some of Nevada’s greatest hiking, climbing and biking trails.
Back in town, there’s also hot yoga at the Neon Museum.
This fascinating place showcases iconic Las Vegas signs that have been saved from old casinos and stores over the years.
The now defunct lobby of the La Concha Motel acts as its visitor centre, with the signs on display in the outdoor “boneyard”.
They were slowly being destroyed by exposure to the elements but have been restored and turned into an attraction which comes alive to a soundtrack when the sun goes down.
Funny, because Vegas is much the same. It truly comes alive when the sun goes down. And to be fair so did we. But I can’t reveal any more – as the saying goes: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.