Our Las Vegas Fall Travel Report

The 5,829-square-foot Encore Three Bedroom Duplex is now available for rent.
The 5,829-square-foot Encore Three Bedroom Duplex is now available for rent.

It’s a Chicken-and-Egg query: Does Las Vegas keep generating new lodging, dining and leisure experiences to keep things fresh for its repeat visitors or do customers keep coming back in anticipation of enjoying something new and exciting? Either way, returnees — who have accounted for 83 percent of the city’s guests over the past five years — may be interested in some of the latest offerings to emerge over the last month or so. And perhaps there’s something here that will finally catch the eye of clients who have not yet booked their first Vegas vacation.

Hot Hotel Developments

Wynn Las Vegas and Encore have announced a new option that should appeal to repeat guests: The resorts’ apartments and villas are now available for rent. The Wynn Fairway Villas and the Encore Three Bedroom Duplex are both available and include a variety of amenities. The 5,829-square-foot Encore Three Bedroom Duplex comes with a private massage and exercise room, a grand living room and dining room that can accommodate 16 guests. The highlight of this duplex is the floor-to-ceiling windows and views of Las Vegas.

The Wynn Fairway Villas give guests views of the Wynn Golf Course from the private balconies where they can dine outdoors in cooler months of Las Vegas. The living room in each one- or two-bedroom villa seats eight, and breakfast can be enjoyed in the breakfast nook complete with a wet bar. Guests at both the Fairway Villas and Duplex have butler service and priority reservations at the Wynn Golf Course, restaurants, spas and nightclubs.

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is scheduled to complete the final phase of its $100 million remodel by the spring of 2016. The property’s transformation is being completed by MGM Resorts International Design Group, with the redesign of more than 3,000 guest rooms and suites. The new resort collection rooms will have a work area with a glass desk, seating and task lighting, and offer views of the mountains, the city skyline or Mandalay Bay’s 11-acre pool and beach. Beds will serve as a centerpiece for guest rooms, framed by a mural onyx-inspired wall.

The suite collection has one- and two-bedroom suites for entertaining. There will also be one- to four-bedroom suites in the Luxury Collection, with newly designed décor, floor-to-ceiling windows and dining and bar areas.

After a summer of renovation, the Hard Rock Hotel has unveiled its new Center Bar, sitting in the heart of the resort. It now sports a new lounge area, an expanded cocktail menu and panoramic views of the casino floor. The new design, featuring white spring granite and silver paneling, remains raised in the middle of the casino floor. An LED light fixture hangs above a glowing tower bottle display and creates a new focal point in Center Bar’s domed ceiling. The lights stream colors that match the music videos playing on the surrounding high-definition TVs.

A mix of banquettes, stone-top cocktail tables and couches circle the bar. The new lounge area’s ceiling has a series of polished, metal-trimmed, hexagonal-shaped coves with multicolor lights that dance to the music heard throughout the property. The new cocktail menu features martinis, beer, wine and specialty drinks created by employees who worked at the original Center Bar in 1995.

Among the drinks to try: a Fu Fu Cachu, made with Malibu Rum, Captain Morgan Rum, pineapple and cranberry juices; B-Train to Georgia, with Ciroc Peach, Cointreau, orange, cranberry and pineapple juices; and Fire on Ice — Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Baileys Irish Cream, White Crème de Cacao and butterscotch.

Clients planning to visit Las Vegas between November 1 and December 28 can take advantage of The Cosmopolitan’s “Enjoy a Night on Us” offer: four nights for the price of three. Full payment is required at time of booking, no refund if guests leave before completing their four-night minimum stay. Terms and conditions apply.

Guests who check out The Cosmopolitan’s Lucky Cat modern art exhibit could wind up with more freebies. Designed to reward the curiosity of those who dare to stop and explore, Lucky Cat dispenses a fortune card to all who place their hand on its paw. For a select few, this fortune will function as a golden ticket to a range of experiences at The Cosmopolitan from complimentary one-night stays to cocktails and concert admission.

Aria is rewarding its guests with another new dining option this fall as New York’s renowned Carbone restaurant heads west. The celebrated concept from Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick pays homage to the Italian-American restaurants of the mid-20th century — an era of glamour, showmanship and tableside service. The food is inspired by that same time in history, but takes its culinary cues from the talents and techniques of today showcasing elevated classics such as Lobster Fra Diavolo, Chicken Scarpariello, Veal Parmesan and Octopus Pizzaiolo.

The Neon Museum recently added to its collection the sign from the Riviera hotel, which closed in May.
The Neon Museum recently added to its collection the sign from the Riviera hotel, which closed in May.

Tour and Attraction News

The Neon Museum — which recently added the sign from the late, lamented Riviera hotel to its collection — has initiated its first Junior Interpreter Tour. The nine-month-long educational series for middle- and high-school-aged docents will take place on the third Saturday of each month through May, and marks the newest addition to the museum’s Volunteer Program. These young interpreters will lead specialized, 30- to 45-minute tours focused on art, design and the science behind the signs for families and children ages four to 12. Designed to expand the museum’s educational outreach to families, the museum’s Junior Interpreter program also serves as a mentoring program for young docents. Advanced registration for Junior Interpreter tours is required. Tickets cost $5 per participant and may be purchased online.

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is now home to the world’s first wedding chapel inspired by the movie “The Hangover.”
 
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is now home to the world’s first wedding chapel inspired by the movie “The Hangover.”

For daring couples looking for a raucous way to say “I do,” Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is now home to the world’s first wedding chapel inspired by the movie “The Hangover,” complete with Jägermeister shots, Elvis as the minister, and “Phil” and “Alan” as witnesses. The new chapel, which can accommodate weddings of up to 30 people, is now the centerpiece of the attraction’s newest themed room, The Hangover Experience.

Say “Hello” to the latest recording artist bringing his act to Las Vegas. Lionel Richie will begin a residency at The Axis at Planet Hollywood with 10 shows from April 27 to May 18 and 10 more September 21 to October 12.

Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines launched its new Grand Canyon North Air/Ground Tour this summer, flying guests from Las Vegas to the Bar 10 Ranch at the canyon’s northern rim. Guests will enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Colorado River before landing at Bar 10 Ranch for a guided tour and barbecue. The current series runs daily through October 31, then weekdays through November 20.