Las Vegas
Nevada


The Experience

The Bellagio's entrance still packs the same punch it did when the hotel opened in 1998: A driveway skirts an 8.5-acre artificial lake with 1,200 fountains that go into a "dance" with a pyrotechnical light show, then reaches a grand cobblestoned glass portico. To add to the wow factor, a giant Dale Chihuly glass sculpture of flowers hangs 18 feet over the lobby, there's an interior garden and the resort's administrative offices are behind the facade of a two-story Tuscan villa. In a world where pirate ships fire on one another and the Sphinx competes with the Eiffel Tower, the Bellagio's artifice is refinement -- an art gallery and two highly rated restaurants, Le Cirque and Picasso (and, of course, 100,000 square feet of gaming).

The Rooms

Rooms have that ever-popular contemporary/traditional decor that includes contrasting patterns, wood entertainment cabinets and chests, and big armchairs -- comfortable, though not unforgettably so. Request a view of the lake (and since this is Vegas, turn on the in-house channel's musical accompaniment to the fountain show). All have marble bathrooms with separate shower and tub, but alas, only one sink and no toilet cubicle. For that, you have to move up to a suite, starting with the 853-square-feet Salone junior suites. Or up the luxury quotient with the Bellagio suites -- 1,020 square feet, with a foyer, powder room, and his and her bathrooms (hers a whirlpool tub, his a steam shower) and a two-person dining table. The Penthouse suites, which run to 2,050 square feet, add on chandeliers, wet bars and dining space for four.

The Service

This is a huge hotel with a huge staff, so service can be anywhere on the map, depending on your luck of the draw. You can wait up to a half an hour to check in or out, or you can whiz right through. You can end up guiding yourself to your room, or get the royal treatment. In the private venues, including the high-end restaurants and designer shops, service is usually very good.

The Highlights

The Bellagio defined the new Vegas luxury when it opened and it continues to boast steady five-star offerings, from an Adam Tihany–designed high-roller section in the casino to Chanel and Armani shops, the caviar-and-champagne center, Petrossian's, a high-end buffet and the western outpost of Le Cirque (beef tenderloin with sautéed foie gras or truffle-skin chicken, anyone?). You'll also find five swimming pools, an excellent 65,000-square-feet spa and fitness center and the Cirque du Soleil's "O" show. And about that art gallery: It's easy to scoff, but they do have good shows, including the current (through mid-2007) exhibition of the legendary Ansel Adams.

-- Laurel Delp

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