Christmas in Las Vegas

Author: Adrienne L.
Date of Trip: December 2009

Our recent holiday getaway to Las Vegas was as enjoyable as each of our annual trips to that city. Surprisingly, the crowds were good and it felt as if the old Vegas energy was returning. There was a holiday atmosphere in the air with lots of activity on the Strip.

We checked into our suite at the Vdara Hotel in the newly-opened City Center complex. We were eager to survey this new Las Vegas property. Having been frequent visitors to the Venetian, Encore and Wynn hotels, we wanted to see how Vdara stacked up. For our taste and expectations, it fell far short in several areas. The architecture was modern and very beautiful, but nothing reminiscent of a Vegas experience was present. There was no energy, no particular theme and crowds were sparse. It has been our experience that what draws people to Vegas is Vegas, and this property, in our opinion is not Vegas. We would not recommend Vdara or Aria to our clients who are seeking a typical Las Vegas experience.

We found ourselves spending most of our time outside of City Center. We enjoyed a wonderful show, “Hitsville” at Planet Hollywood. The shopping and Christmas decorations at Palazzo were quite lovely. The Wynn, as always was on top of their game. We enjoyed one of our favorite pastimes at Qua, the Roman baths and spa at Caesar’s Palace. What a way to spend several hours relaxing and renewing.

A new area worth mentioning is Town Square, a beautiful upscale shopping plaza on the south end of the Strip, not far from Mandalay Bay. It boasts a theater, several restaurants and numerous shops.

It is obvious that the economy has had an effect on Las Vegas. But it still has an over-the-top energy that says anything is possible, even if only for one night.