If there is one perfect place to party in the US, Las Vegas has to be it. With life running 24/7, constant entertainment, drinks flowing, slot machines clanging, it is one of the few places in the country where a night out can start at 4 pm or 4 am.
So, when I had a trip to Vegas planned with friends in late November, I decided to split the vacation into two segments.
The second half of the trip would entail six other friends, four hard days of fun, drinks and sightseeing. I knew for that portion of the trip, my hotel room would see little to no use.
For the wonderful, relaxing first part, I decided to splurge. This brought me to the Vdara Hotel and Spa.
How can any trip to Vegas be classified as relaxing? Trust me, with the Vdara, it absolutely can be. The hotel prides itself on being a sanctuary away from the strip and it absolutely succeeds.
Tucked in behind the Cosmopolitan and the Aria, the Vdara is about a half a block off the busy Las Vegas Strip. I was greeted with an overwhelming sense of calm as soon as I entered the hotel.
I’m used to the Tropicana’s, Treasure Islands and Excalibur’s of The Strip and walking in the door to a cloud of smoke, dark lights and the constant noise and buzz of activity. With the Vdara, it is different. The entire lobby is bright and airy, with an entire wall of floor to ceiling windows framing the small bar and cafe on the main floor.
After a quick check in, I headed up to my room. What is awesome about the Vdara is that every room in the hotel is a suite, ranging from a 582 square foot studio to massive two bedroom loft style units.
The suite factor really appealed to me. Not only did I want to really relax and treat myself but I loved that the rooms all came with kitchenettes. This allowed me to save some money on eating out and grab food, snacks and a few drinks to prepare for myself.
My suite was the standard introductory room, the Deluxe Suite. I’m dying to know what some of the bigger (and better) suites in the Vdara feature!
The room itself was lovely. The finishes were real quality with bright lights all on dimmer switches, a supremely comfy bed and an amazing bathroom.
One of my favorite features of the room had to be the view. I was my normal extra friendly self to the staff at check in and was rewarded with a coveted Strip view that predominately featured the Bellagio water fountain. As the sun set on my first night in the room, I was treated to a fantastic view of the fountain, really special.
The Vdara is technically off the strip but the location is still perfect. It’s located in the dead middle of the strip, across from Planet Hollywood, so I could wander up and down to different hotels in minutes.
And when the gambling bug called, all I had to do was walk straight out the front door about 50 yards to the Aria, which had a really nice casino. Or simply head back to the Vdara lobby and walk about 5 minutes into the Bellagio via the connecting hallway.
As well as being a casino free, smoke free and pet friendly hotel, the Vdara has a number of other luxurious amenities. The pool and pool deck are beautiful. There is also a fitness center and a really amazing luxury spa that has a number of treatments from massages to pedicures.
After three nights in the Vdara I was sad to leave. I can recommend it 100% to anyone who is visiting Vegas. I will certainly return there on any future trips to Vegas.
Vdara Spa & Hotel
2600 W Harmon Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89109, United States
