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Nevada
The Experience
"The Palm," as it's called, is that rare Vegas icon that actually lives up to the hype. It's where the Vegas locals go to gamble but also where the serious celebs -- from Jeremy Piven to Paris Hilton -- drop their Gucci bags when they're ready to hit the Strip. Don't believe us? This is the resort to which Hugh Hefner is lending his name, with the first Playboy Club to open in 25 years (including Philippe Starck-designed Baccarat crystal chandeliers). Anywhere else, this may come off as cheesy, but in Vegas, it's downright restrained. But the real beauty of the Palm is its location: a block west of the Las Vegas Strip. That's close enough to walk to the action, but far enough to be sheltered from the masses of all-you-can-eat tourists who give Vegas its bad name.
The RoomsThe rooms in the Palm Tower are well-appointed, if standard, with plush bedding, tasteful decor and ample room to walk around and unpack, if not entertain. While not the most opulent place you've ever rested your head, it's a more-than-adequate way to do Vegas. But if flash is what you're after, you don't have to go far: The new $650 million addition of the 347-room Fantasy Tower serves up serious swank with its five-figure room rates. One suite includes a half-court basketball court, another a bowling alley, another a DJ booth. There are also options for ten-person Jacuzzi tubs, a suite that replicates the hotel's hot ghostbar and another with an 8-foot, round rotating bed. Some suites offer something else you don't get in the Palm Tower: rare unobstructed views of all the Strip's glitter.
The ServiceWant to be waited on hand and foot and guided past the long lines and velvet ropes as you breeze into ghostbar? No problem. Want to hunker down at the craps table for some anonymous dice throwing? You've got it. While the celebs may get special treatment, everyday guests don't get shortchanged.
The HighlightsIf you can take your eyes off the view (or the mirrored ceiling above your bed), head to the two acres of (surprise) over-the-top pools, surrounded by cabanas and bungalows and with bars built in and around them. The place to be is the rooftop ghostbar, which attracts a young, hip crowd and a drool-worthy view of the Strip. N9ne Steakhouse is another Vegas rarity: slabs of meat worth top dollar, along with a dining room quiet enough for you to have a conversation. If it all makes you want to sing, karaoke is for amateurs--the Palm has its own recording studio.
-- Margaret Littman
