CES Las Vegas: Where to Stay and Play

Our Local Expert Says:

Aria is a new generation of hotel casino in Las Vegas--sleek and no themes.

Description:

Aria is the flagship of the ambition CityCenter development, the Las Vegas Strip's mixed-use complex with an assortment of hotels, shops, gaming, artwork, and restaurants. Opened at the end of 2009, Aria's high-tech appearance and accoutrements wowed the masses--a casino with natural light (almost unheard of), huge flatscreens in the rooms, a remote control for everything, and a programmable room thermostat. For the visitor who loves high-tech and luxury, Aria has it all.

Thirteen restaurants are on site, including big names like Michael Mina's American Fish, a Jean-Georges Steakhouse, and Julian Serrano. Haze nightclub and Gold Lounge (a bar designed for your inner Elvis) give guests a selection of nightlife, and Cirque du Soleil's tribute to the King, "Viva Elvis," plays in Aria's theater.

Artwork throughout the property includes a piece by Maya Lin, creator of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Fountains grace the property, and are a part of the art program. Adjacent to Aria, visitors will find a large shopping complex, Crystals.

No Las Vegas hotel would be complete without a killer pool, and Aria has three pools. Their adults-only pool club, Liquid, is fully loaded... read more

Description:

At press time, the hotel's new owners had announced plans for $750 million worth of new hotel towers, including one that is all suites for VIPs. The parking lot in front will become meeting and convention space plus a new, larger version of The Joint, while the old Joint is being removed and turned into additional casino area. All existing rooms and public spaces will get makeovers, so some of what you read below may have changed.

As soon as you check out the Hard Rock clientele, you'll know you are in a Vegas hotel that's like no other. The body-fat percentage (and median age) plummets; the percentage of black clothing skyrockets. Yep, the hip -- including Hollywood and the music industry, among others -- still flock to the Hard Rock, drawn by the cool 'n' rockin' ambience and the goodies offered by a boutique hotel (only in Vegas could 657 rooms be considered a "boutique hotel"). Our problem is that we are not famous pop stars and we do not look enough like Pamela Anderson to warrant the kind of attention that the staff seems to reserve for those types.

It's that Boomer-meets-Gen-X sensibility that finds tacky-chic so very hip. Luckily, the "no-tell motel" look of the older rooms...

Description:

The Stratosphere is America's tallest observation tower (1,149 feet) and one of the tallest structures west of the Mississippi River. At the very top, the daring get their adrenaline going on one of the thrill rides: The Big Shot, which shoots its riders into the air; the X-Scream, a teeter-totter that dangles you over the side; the Insanity, which spins you over a thousand feet of thin air; and the Sky Jump, where you can free-fall your way to the bottom.

You don't have to be a thrill seeker to visit the top of the Stratosphere. A rotating restaurant, the Top of the World Restaurant, takes advantage of the view to offer a memorable meal. You'll also find bars and lounges here.

Tickets to the top of the Stratosphere are $16. An indoor and outdoor observation deck are available. The Stratosphere's wedding chapel also offers services at the top.

Description:

Complimentary chips and bean dip start the services off at this Mexican restaurant, Hacienda Margarita, located in the Las Vegas Hilton. The margaritas and tequilas keep the party flowing but for all our sakes, don't stop there, try the food. Specialty dishes include the hand rolled burritos, lobster or spinach enchiladas, a delicious meat and shrimp platter, and who could forget, chimichangas. The decorations and music complete this south of the border experience.

Description:

This amazing production straight from New York has taken Las Vegas by storm. At first the bright blue faces and bald heads may shock you, but the tribal music, upbeat feel, and fantastic stage show will make you want to see it again. Enjoy the neon lights, drumbeats and abstract performances mixed with humor. This show is hot! As of October 2005 Blue Man Group has its home at the Venetian's brand-new and spectacular 1760-seat theater, built specifically for the Blue Men. Tickets range from USD88-USD125 and are available at the Box Office located inside the Venetian Hotel, or online at the Venetian website.

Description:

Madame Tussauds's waxworks exhibition has been the top London attraction for nearly 2 centuries, so even if you aren't a fan of wax museums, this, its sole branch west of the Mississippi, is probably worth a stop -- if you can stomach the price. Figures here are state-of-the-art, painstakingly constructed to perfectly match the original person. Truth be told, though some are nearly identical to their living counterparts -- Brad Pitt gave us a start -- others look about as much like the celebrity in question as a department-store mannequin. All the waxworks are free-standing, allowing, and indeed encouraging, guests to get up close and personal -- there's interactive fun! Go ahead, lay your cheek next to Elvis's or Sinatra's and have your photo taken. Or put on a wedding dress and get "married" to "George Clooney" (you know you want to). Or fondle J. Lo's butt (you know you want to). Live performers make the Haunted House section more stimulating than expected in a facility dedicated to statues. Exhibits change, but someone sheepishly enjoyable ought to be on display when you go through. There's also a behind-the-scenes look at the lengthy process involved in creating one of these figures....

Description:

Mystère is a Cirque du Soleil production and was the first of the Cirque shows to come to Las Vegas. This is a fun, smooth-flowing performance filled with comedy and exceptional acrobatics with 72 artists from around the world. The pre-show antics are hilarious, and every seat of the 1,629 in the showroom is a good one, so be sure to get to your seat early! Besides the humor, clowns and athletes that fill the show, there are strange creatures and brilliant colors. A pounding drum opening scene sets the stage for a truly enjoyable evening. Performances also include a visually artistic Aerial Cube, the exceptional hand-to-hand act of the Alexis Brothers, and a high-flying group of amazing acrobats who perform an exciting Aerial High Bar act. For 90 minutes the Mystère Theatre is transformed into a dynamic kaleidoscope of creativity. Add to this the dancers, acrobats and musicians, and Mystère is a fun filled evening out for the whole family. Tickets: USD60-USD75-USD95

Our Local Expert Says:

Best Nightclub in Vegas...Period.

Description:

XS at Encore is among Las Vegas's most popular and acclaimed clubs. Guests enjoy indoor and outdoor areas in this large, busy club. Inside, 5 bars serve customers. Outside, customers will find twenty-six two-story cabanas and 4 bars.

The elegant interior design incorporates gold in everything, including a gold-plated chandelier over the dance floor.

XS is a very popular club, and it has the lines to prove it. If you'd like to experience this Vegas ultra-club, plan ahead-check online to get on the guest list. Naturally, XS has all the standard Vegas nightclub amenities: bottle service, go-go dancers, VIP areas, celebrities, and a roster of guest DJs and other performers. Check the club's website for a full calendar of events.

XS is closed on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Cover charge is $20 for women, $30 - $50 for men. The dress code is enforced here: nothing baggy or athletic, and no hats.

Description:

Thomas Keller made his name with his Napa Valley restaurant French Laundry, considered by many to be the best restaurant in the United States. Bouchon is a version of his Napa Valley bistro. We had mixed expectations. On the one hand, he's a certifiably genius chef. On the other hand, he's not going to be in the kitchen, which will be producing bistro (which is to say, not innovative) food and, what's more, based on the rather lackluster Napa Bouchon.

Our negative expectations were confounded by the right, left, and center of the menu -- yeah, we've tried nearly all of it and can report that humble though these dishes sound, in nearly every case they are gold-standard versions of classics. Someone is certainly keeping a close eye on this kitchen, and that someone has learned the lessons well. Ever wondered why people get worked up over raw oysters? The sweet and supremely fresh (kept in water until the moment they are served to you) Snow Creek oysters will enlighten you as they seem to melt on contact with your tongue. Fifty dollars seems like a lot for pâté, but here a complex multiday preparation produces a buttery whip that is so rich, it's an appropriate -- and highly recommended...

Description:

A stunning and controversial exhibit featuring what can be perhaps best described as Real Live Dead Bodies. Utilizing a patented freeze-dry-sort of operation, full bodies (donated by their former inhabitants, though that's where the controversy comes in), artfully dissected body parts, and stripped cadavers are on display not for sensationalism -- though it is pretty sensational in nearly all senses of the word -- but for visitors to fully appreciate the wonder and mechanics that go into this too, too transient flesh. When a body is positioned in an athletic pose you can see how the muscles work, and when a cross section of a lung afflicted with cancer is right in front of you, you may well be glad Vegas is increasingly a nonsmoking town. It's educational and bizarre and not something you are likely to forget soon. Surprisingly not grotesque, but not for the ultra-squeamish.

Description:

The first of its kind in the US, M5's bar, tables, stools, walls, vodka-loaded shelves, and full-service Ice Chapel are all made of...ice, construction that necessitates your hostess handing you a parka, mittens, and faux-fur slippers upon entry. The frosty concept was pioneered by Auckland, NZ's Craig Lind to honor his awesomely named grandfather Buck Rockwell -- a North Pole adventurer, but only because they hadn't invented porn yet.

Description:

There is some funny stuff going on in this tropical paradise. You will not want to miss the hilarious performances of comics you will probably recognize. This is the place where comedians come to try out their newest and most outrageous material. You will be shocked, you will be flabbergasted, and you will most definitely be entertained. The place is located in the Tropicana Hotel Casino and features two performances nightly. Call ahead for information on ticket prices and schedule of entertainers. Local Las Vegas residents are eligible for two-for-one tickets.

Description:

In Short
At all hours, Las Vegas' youngest and coolest crowd is holding court at this diner. The hip attitude attracts them, and the classy un-coffee-shop-like food keeps them there. Some of the specials are as good as anything at Mortoni's--the Hard Rock's more formal dining room--and at half the price. Strong menu points are given to the excellent sandwiches, burgers and classic American-diner dishes. Pizzas like the barbecue chicken and the plentiful pastas are also strong.

Description:

From 1951 until 1992, the Nevada Test Site was this country's primary location for testing nuclear weapons. Aboveground blasts in the early days were visible to the tourists and residents of Las Vegas. This well-executed museum, library, and gallery space (a Smithsonian affiliate) offers visitors a fascinating glance at the test site from ancient days through modern times, with memorabilia, displays, official documents, videos, interactive displays, motion-simulator theaters (like sitting in a bunker, watching a blast), and emotional testimony from the people who worked there. It respectfully treads that tricky line between honoring the work done at the site and understanding its terrible implications. Not to be missed, even if it's only because of the Albert Einstein action figure in the gift shop. Visitors should plan on spending at least an hour.

Description:

Further proof that Vegas is trying to distance itself from the "Vegas Is for Families" image, "Classy Adult Entertainment" are the new watchwords in several hotels, with Crazy Horse Paris leading the pack. Allegedly the same show that has been running for years in a famous racy French nightclub, this show is just a bunch of pretty girls taking their clothes off. Except that the girls are smashingly pretty, with the kind of bodies just not found on real live human beings, and they take their clothes off in curious and, yes, artistic ways, gyrating en pointe while holding on to ropes or hoops, falling over sofas while lip-syncing to French torch songs -- in short, it's what striptease ought to be, and by gosh, if strip clubs were this well staged, we'd go to them all the time. But $60 a ticket is a great deal to pay for arty nudie fun, especially when the routines, no matter how clever or how naked (the girls get down to a postage-stamp-size triangle soul patch covering the naughtiest of their bits, so they aren't "nude," but talk about a technicality), start to seem alike after a while. Wednesday through Monday at 8 and 10:30pm.

Description:

Managing Partners of the Tao Nightclub, Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg of New York City's Marquee fame, ensure that nightlife reigns supreme at Tao Nightclub. The 10,000 square-foot venue plays host to weekly events attended by the masses and celebrities alike, including Rihanna, Madonna, Bono, Christina Aguilera, Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher and many more.

Description:

This is a traditional brewpub (exposed piping and ducts, but still comfortable and casual), but it's worth going to for a meal as well. The menu is pub fare meets California cuisine (kids will probably find the food too complicated), and naturally, there are a lot of beers (German-style lagers) to choose from. Appetizers include satays (marinated meat on skewers served with spicy peanut sauce), pot stickers, calamari, baby back ribs, delicious beer-battered onion rings, and amazing garlic-encrusted fries. A wood-burning pizza oven turns out pies with California-type toppings: eggplant, shrimp, and so forth. For lunch, there are various pastas, stir-fries, sandwiches, and salads. The dinner menu eliminates the sandwiches and adds rosemary chicken, steaks, fish items, and, just in case you forgot it was a brewpub-type joint, beer everything: beer-glazed ham, beer meatloaf, and beer-barbecued glazed ribs. Doesn't that make you want to order a glass of milk?