Bellagio - Las Vegas Resort

E&M Travel, Online Agency. Upscale vacations for discerned traveler.

   E&M Travel
Division of EMCO Travel, LLC.
                     Since 1993

When Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn decided to build Bellagio, he wanted to bring to Las Vegas his view of the perfect life. There would be water and fountains, gardens and music, art and fine foods, color and splash, and zest and intrigue. No cost has been spared at the property - at 1.6 million, the most expensive in the world - which opened in October 98 to crowds standing awestruck in the lobby, conservatory, pool areas and on the sidewalk, trying to take it all. Wynn has achieved his goal of bringing classical beauty to Las Vegas, taking another step in the transformation of Glitter Glitch.

The 3,006-room property abuts the Strip at Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Avenue. It curves around the 8-acre lake, hugged on the sidewalk side by sparkling trees along the bank and by a sienna-hued Lombardian village on the other. At night some 1,200 water jets shoot up t o240 feet in the air, a water ballet set to color and music.

And that’s just the outside show. Inside, a marble registration desk stretches the length of the lobby, which sits under a canopy of glass flowers and is dotted with chairs and sofas. In the conservatory, under a solarium of French cut glass, a vast indoor garden blooms with the colors and flowers of the season while a pair of harpist play near a pond of floating candles.

This is a strictly a place for upscale adults. Signs posted in the lobby warn that anyone under 18 who is not a member of the family staying at the hotel will not be welcomed.

Room types vary, from standard deluxe to spacious suites, with rates ranging from $500 to $2,500. (Discounts are available that bring rates for some room down as $109). All have either two queen-size beds or a king. Standard Deluxe rooms measure about 400 square feet and sport floor-to-ceiling windows, a mirrored wall, deep Roman tub on a marble platform, separate shower stall, vanity mirror and hair dryer.

Each suite offers a refrigerator, wet bar, marble foyer, powder room, his-and-hers bathrooms, plush robes, sitting areas and a game/dining table. Rooms decorated in comfortable, soothing beige tones, are well insulated against outside sound, and nearly half the floors are designed as non-smoking.

The lobby and conservatory are veritable attractions in themselves. The six pools are available strictly for guests, who can enjoy private cabanas with telephones and TV’s for $100 a day or just relax by the bountiful rose gardens and fountains. The retail portion of the hotel, Via Bellagio, is sunny and bright, with the kinds of fine stores one would find in Milan or Beverly Hills, CA.

Wherever guests walk they will hear musical selections ranging from classical arias to Italian Pop, all sung by the tenor Andrea Bocelli, who is scheduled to perform at the resort’s New Year’s Eve.

Use of the fitness spa and athletic center is available to guests for $25. The spa features four whirpools and a eucalyptus sauna. Adjacent to the spa is Laurent D. of Beverly Hills, a full service salon with a client list that resembles the nominee roster for Oscars.

The casino, at 156,000 square feet , offers 173 table games and 2,700 slot machines. Warning: there is no non-smoking areas in the casino.

On display throughout Bellagio is an impressive art collection. Wynn spent $300 million on pieces by such master as Renoir, Degas, Matisse, Picasso and Miro.

Bellagio’s 16 restaurants boast seven chefs who have been given the prestigious James Beard award. Most notable among the dining establishments are Le Cirque, Circo, Olives, Aqua, Prime and Picasso. Each has either a view of the lake, conservatory gardens or pool area. A central reservation number allows guests to make multiple reservations.

Though the 9,000 employees at the Bellagio are most friendly and accommodating, service has a little way to go in terms of consistency and efficiency.

Standard Deluxe rooms are on bit on the plain side, and lacking extras that would distinguish them from those in less expensive Las Vegas properties. Blankets and Coverlets are made of standard synthetic. In addition, rooms are located about a quarter-mile away from the public areas.