Venetian Bumps Up Luxury In New Tower
You Get What You Pay For, But Is It Worth It?
Updated: 10:22 a.m. EDT October 20, 2003
While everyone out there was trying to come up with a way to outdo the size and amenities of the rooms at the Venetian, those sneaky dogs went and outdid themselves with the new room tower, called Venezia. This 1,000-room addition to the existing hotel adds exclusivity, even more luxury, and (of course) additional cost to the experience of staying at the Venetian, something that was already pretty luxurious and costly.
Venezia is connected to the the Venetian but, in many ways, it operates independently. You still book rooms through the standard routes, but you can request a Venezia suite, usually for an additional charge. When you get to the hotel, you bypass the usually very-crowded main check-in desk and head for the bank of elevators tucked into a small hallway where the VIP area used to be, just to the right of all of the regular folks checking in to the rest of the hotel.
Now don't go getting too cocky here. Some of those folks could still get a room in the Venezia tower, either by requesting the upgrade or just by luck of the draw.
The elevators whisk you up to the first floor of the Venezia tower, which is actually the 10th floor of the hotel, since the tower has been constructed on top of the parking garage. If you don't want to navigate the lobby on your way back down, you can use the enclosed walkway to the 10th-floor elevator bank in the main building.
As you enter Venezia, the first thing that strikes you is the sheer opulent elegance of the place. It's more understated than the audacious, take-your-breath-away design of the main building, but that doesn't change the fact that this is one gorgeous space. The lobby is filled with intricately carved dark woods, gleaming marble tile work, Guggenheim-quality frescos and framed artwork everywhere you look, gaslamp-like lighting fixtures and soaring chandeliers ... if nobody has imploded this place to make way for something better in 100 years, this room will be worthy of its own museum.
Giant windows let in natural light -- a rarity in any Vegas hotel -- and give you a view of the private gardens and pool area. Although guests staying in the Venezia tower may use the main pool area in the original part of the hotel, it doesn't work the other way around. Only guests of Venezia can use this recreation area, and it really is lovely. Lush gardens and Italianate marble and statuary frame several pools and Jacuzzis, all heated -- even the water coming out of the fountains into the pools is heated.
Back inside, the main hallway encircles the pool area and features an upscale restaurant, some retail space, a meeting space, and a wedding chapel that can hold one big wedding or as many as three smaller ones. All of the chapels open onto a private balcony in the garden area, which could be cool -- except for that family of six from Iowa lounging in the nearby pool watching you exchange your vows and taking bets on how long it will last.
The rooms will not be terribly surprising if you've ever stayed at the Venetian, at least at first glance. They are basically the same, with a large bathroom as you walk in; a "sleeping chamber" with beds, an armoire, and a TV; and then a sunken living room with another TV, a sofa, a chair or two, and a bunch of other goodies.
But look a little closer and you'll see the perks. The ceilings are higher in these rooms than in the standard suites, offering a more open and airy feel. The televisions are flat-panel screens and the rooms come with CD players. Whether these kind of small touches are worth paying the extra dough over the regular room in the main tower is up to you.
The top floors of the tower are reserved for the concierge-level suites, which again don't look a lot different on first glance, but they include pop-up televisions in the "sleeping chamber" (they come up from a cabinet at the foot of the bed), a TV in the bathroom, more amenities throughout, and access to the concierge-level lounge.
The lounge is not to be discounted. It's a beautiful facility looking down on the gardens and pool, with cozy overstuffed furnishing, dark-wood walls, more museum-worthy artwork, a complimentary 24-hour, full-service bar, complimentary food service throughout the day, and a dedicated staff to attend to your every need.
So, what is all of this going to cost you? Well, a standard Venezia room will probably run about $100 more per night than the standard room in the main tower, although there will be specials and discounts available, and you might even get booked in here without trying or paying anything extra. The concierge-level suites are even more expensive.
Is it worth it? I think the facility is beautiful, the staff unfailingly gracious, and the level of amenities virtually unparalleled. But I don't have unlimited disposable income, so my call would be to take the extra $100 a night and go to a show and a nice dinner.
Venezia at the Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(888) 2-VENICE
Highs: Beautiful everywhere you look, luxurious rooms
Lows: Wow, is it expensive in here or is it just me?
Location: 9 -- Steps from all the center-Strip action
Price: 2 -- One of the most expensive hotels on the Strip
Value: 8 -- You get what you pay for
Rooms: 9 -- Even nicer than the ones in the main tower
Casino: 8 -- I won money, so I like it
Amenities: 10 -- Can't think of anything that's missing
Facilities: 10 -- Why would you ever want to leave?
Service: 8 -- Terrific, fast and friendly
Fun: 9 -- A lot to do means a lot of fun
Bonus: 9 -- The entire place is a work of art
Vegas4Visitors Rating: 82
This Week's Trivia
Q: What is the average age of a Las Vegas visitor? ANSWER
The Weekly Trivia Question is sponsored by the Online Memorabilia Museum at Vegas4Visitors.com
The Full Story
In Next Week's Column
Next week: The latest from Las Vegas.
Plus, don't forget to send me your questions about Las Vegas. I've got room for more, so send them in today!
Click here to go to the main page of Vegas4Visitors.com and see all of the fantastic resources Vegas4Visitors has to offer you when planning your next trip to Las Vegas.
Rick Garman is the head writer for Vegas4Visitors
