LAS VEGAS – A beautiful hotel with spacious suites. World-class cuisine. And great, classic cocktails.
The Palazzo Las Vegas has pretty much everything you’d want from a hotel on The Strip. And some things you might not expect.
I recently had a 24-hour visit that I wish had been considerably long. We started things out with a classic daiquiri at Rosina, a great bar that feels like Chicago or New York, with lots of gold lights and shiny mirrors and some Art Deco elements.
It’s a fairly intimate affair; designed to seat 60 guests. The idea, I was told, is that you can interact with your servers and bartenders.
“Twenty years ago Vegas was famous for cheap buffets, but now there are celebrity chefs everywhere you look,” said Keith Salwoski, executive director of public relations for The Venetian and The Palazzo. “Vegas has very much become a food city, and now cocktails are following that trend.”
Rosina is a lovely bar at The Palazzo Las Vegas that serves classic cocktails. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Salwoski said New York bartender/mixologist Sam Ross has helped develop what he calls “night life for grownups,” with welcoming, quiet places such as Rosina, where adults can try cool cocktails and still carry on a conversation.
Salwoski pointed to The Dorsey, another bar inside The Palazzo, as another example of an adult beverage spot for adults. I didn’t have a drink there but I loved the books and the big fireplace.
The Palazzo also will soon be home to a bar called Electra, which will feature fruit-forward drinks. Here’s what The Palazzo website says about it: Electra Cocktail Club will be the pulse of The Palazzo and a glimpse into an uncharted universe – magnetic in its appeal, fashionable in its aesthetic, and garnished with a dash of the surreal, where avant-garde cocktail creation challenges the limits of tradition in a kinetically charged environment.
I’m not quite sure about that, but it sounds interesting. And if the drinks are as good as Rosina, you’ll be in for a treat.
As much as I enjoyed my cocktail, my impression of the food at Once was even brighter. Pronounced on-zay, it’s the Spanish word for 11 and features Peruvian cuisine with a Japanese twist. The restaurant is run by LA celebrity chef Ricardo Zarate in a space where Emeril’s was once located.
Seafood stew at Once, a wonderful Peruvian-Japanese restaurant at The Palazzo Las Vegas. PHOTO COURTESY THE PALAZZO/VENETIAN
“There’s nothing like it in Vegas,” Salwoski told me. “The closest restaurant to it is probably Sushi Samba, which is funny because, geographically, Sushi Samba actually IS the closest restaurant to it.”
I ate a fantastic meal at the bar in what was my first experience with Peruvian food (I know, I know; I’m supposed to be a big-time travel writer, so don’t tell anyone). I had a fine Pisco Sour at the bar, which came in a ceramic mug with tiny flowers floating on top. The one I tried was called the Pachamama Pisco Sour, to be exact, with lovely lime, pisco, simple syrup and chuncho bitters.
For my meal, I had sensational Ceviche Ixto with sea bass, shrimp, scallops, and rocoto peppers in a citrus marinade Peruvians call leche del tigre, or Tiger’s Milk. Utterly divine.
I enjoyed the Yuquitas; yuca plant stuffed into a beignet with a mint sauce and plenty of gooey mozzarella cheese. The Peruvian fish stew was more memorable, with tomatoes, sweet potato and tender bits of fresh fish; smokey, rich and wonderful. The restaurant features an open kitchen and lots of wood, plus a great number of hanging plants for a relaxing, natural feel that feels great after a busy day on The Strip.
Other great food options at The Palazzo and Venetian include Wolfgang Puck, Buddy V’s Ristorante (I had a fabulous meal there in April of this year on another trip), SUGARCANE raw bar grill and Bouchon, from famed California chef Thomas Keller. A Chinese restaurant called Mott 32 is slated to open later this year.
A beautiful suite at The Palazzo Las Vegas. JIM BYERS PHOTO
I didn’t realize, but all the rooms at The Palazzo and The Venetian are suites; with tons of space for folks to spread out and a terrific design.
My suite was one large room plus a wonderful bathroom with both a tub and a shower. The suite had soft warm colours and a big, comfortable bed, plus a giant, L-shaped sofa in the “living” area of the room that was down a couple of stairs. There was a working desk for business types and also a round table for snacking or dining. It’d be great for someone with a small child or two, or even a teenager that needs some breathing space.
The Palazzo Las Vegas is home to what is said to be the oldest Venetian gondola in the world. JIM BYERS PHOTO
They have 650 rooms at The Palazzo, which is located on the north end of The Strip. One nice feature, I was told, is that one of their swimming pools is open year-round. I’ve been to Vegas in winter when it’s plenty warm enough for a Canadian to go for a dip, only to find hotel pools shuttered for the season. So it’s nice they keep one open for their northern neighbours
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The lobby features what’s believed to be the oldest Venetian gondola in the world; a beautiful, old wooden affair that’s hugely popular with the Instagram set. It’s thought to have been built around 1850, and features ornate carvings and a covered riding area for inclement weather.
There are, of course, plenty of other great features in The Palazzo/Venetian complex. The gondolas look like they’re super fun, and their replication of a Venetian square comes complete with a lovely painted sky, soft lighting and a series of great restaurants and shops. Even folks who aren’t big on spending time in artificial environments like this would find The Palazzo/Venetian complex pretty amazing.
They currently have a 20 per cent off deal on tap for stays through Sept. 30, so check that out. At last look, they had king luxury suites for just $127 USD a night, plus the resort fee of $45 and applicable taxes.
