Top Travel Tips for New Year's Eve 2013 in Las Vegas

New Year’s Eve package at The Cosmopolitan is expected to combine Penthouse stay with Bruno Mars concert tickets.

New Year’s Eve package at The Cosmopolitan is expected to combine Penthouse stay with Bruno Mars concert tickets.

New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas is as over-the-top as it comes. Here are some tips on where to go and what to do as 2013 draws to a close.

Seven properties along the Strip will shoot off fireworks from their rooftops at midnight, so be sure to get Strip-view rooms to watch. Fireworks will launch from the Stratosphere Tower, MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Treasure Island, The Venetian and the Aria Resort & Casino at CityCenter.

Important: Many hotels and resorts are still finalizing their entertainment packages for New Year’s Eve, although some have let some details slip. Keep checking Luxury TravelAdvisor.com for announcements on shows and other activities for the holiday.

Also good to know: Many rooms and suites at top resorts will be reserved for casino guests, so be sure to ask for the best rooms available for pre-booking.

Where to Go

For those who love to party with crowds (think Trafalgar Square in London or Times Square in New York), Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas is a must-visit. The historic neighborhood hosts the annual New Year’s Eve America’s Party, with hours of music and dancing. Tickets to the nine combined hours of concerts (on three stages) can be purchased by calling 702-678-5600.

At the northern end of the Strip, the Wynn and the Encore are close to the revelry of downtown but are still on the Strip. The resorts will have plenty of action indoors as well—we hear the Surrender and XS nightclubs are great party spots, and will have big New Year’s Eve parties.Fremont Street, a must-visit on New Year’s Eve, will host the annual New Year’s Eve America’s Party.

The best available rooms for New Year’s Eve are the Panoramic Rooms on floor 29 and above. At the Wynn, the Wynn Deluxe Panoramic Room has floor-to-ceiling windows and top tech perks—remote-controlled lighting, drapes and room service. At the Encore, ask for an Encore Resort Suite, which has many of the same perks, as well as 19-inch flat-screen TVs in the bathrooms.

 

Fremont Street, a must-visit on New Year’s Eve, will host the annual New Year’s Eve America’s Party.

Important: Both the Wynn and the Encore have special policies in place for New Year’s: No arrivals are allowed on December 31, and there is a three-night minimum stay for anyone staying over that night. In addition, there is a 30-day cancellation policy, and the reservation must be paid in full (all nights as well as the tax) at least 30 days prior to arrival. Call the room team at 702-770-7100 with any questions or requests.

At the end of November, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will turn its Boulevard Pool into an ice rink with a skating area and lounge with fire pits. Good to know: Skates are available to rent, so no need to pack any. The Ice Rink can be booked for private parties on New Year’s Eve. Email icerink@cosmopolitanlasvegas.com for reservations.

Entertainment

While some resorts were still signing contracts as of press time, some have already booked their New Year’s Eve shows.

The Cosmopolitan will ring out 2013 with a New Year’s Eve concert by Grammy Award-winner Bruno Mars, who will perform at the resort’s new theater and event space, The Chelsea. The show will include a midnight countdown. Tickets are available online at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com or through Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000.

Tip: New Year’s Eve packages are also available, including a two-night stay, two concert tickets, VIP check-in, late checkout, $100 resort credit, ice skating for two and a welcome reception. Call 702-698-7000 for reservations.

We hear The Cosmopolitan is, as of press time, working out special menus at its restaurants and will be organizing a fireworks-viewing party from the Boulevard Pool deck, but details are still being finalized. Even Better: A New Year’s Eve package is expected to combine a night in a 60th- or 61st-floor West End Penthouse with Bruno Mars tickets. Stay tuned to LuxuryTravel Advisor.com for details as they emerge.Wynn Las Vegas’ Parlor Suite occupants enjoy complimentary breakfast for two at Tableau.

The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino will be home to a new show by Jeff Beacher in 2014, starting New Year’s Eve. Beacher’s Madhouse Las Vegas is a new space created exclusively for the showman’s performance, so guests attending on December 31 can brag that they were there first. Celine Dion will perform at Caesars Palace on New Year’s Eve before fireworks go off at midnight above the Roman Tower. Bonus: We hear that many of the resort’s restaurants will have prix fixe menus and the nightclubs will have celebrity guests—stay tuned to LuxuryTravelAdvisor.com for details once they’re finalized. And Planet Hollywood recently announced that pop star Britney Spears will have a long-term residency at the resort starting in December. We hear there will be a special New Year’s Eve performance.

 

Wynn Las Vegas’ Parlor Suite occupants enjoy complimentary breakfast for two at Tableau.

At the Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall, Broadway and TV star Kristin Chenoweth will perform a concert of songs from her shows both on and off the stage (think Wicked and Glee, for starters). For tickets, call 808-326-6868 or visit TheSmithCenter.com.