This past weekend, Brian and I went on a quick weekend trip to Vegas, the adult Disneyland, and we had a stupendously awesome time. Now I get it, Vegas is not for everyone. And I'm not a big gambler myself but I still love Las Vegas. There's always something new to do, even if you go several times a year like I do. Also I'm from Hawaii, so the love of Vegas is in my blood.
We left on one of the few clear summer days in SF. You can see Twin Peaks, Golden Gate Park, and the Presidio. Sorry for the poor quality but all these pictures are iPhone photos.
We stayed at the Nobu Hotel in Caesar's Palace. This hotel was amazing!! It's a boutique hotel within Caesar's and run separately from the rest of the hotel. So you get the special attention to detail that comes with a boutique hotel, but the location within Caesar's that can't be beat. This meant no lines for checking-in and checking-out, but with the Forum Shops and all the convenience of Caesar's at your fingertips.
Our first stop was Shake Shack (located in NY NY, of course), which opened in December in Vegas. My former co-worker who frequently went to NYC would always rave about these burgers, and I had the chance to try it once 5 years ago in Washington DC. And yes, it's delicious! So when I knew Shake Shack had opened its doors in Vegas at the end of last year, I had to go! And it was as yummy as I had remembered. The thing to get is the Shack Stack. It has a fried portobello mushroom, with their signature Shake Shack sauce inside. Just thinking about it again is making my mouth water...
At night, we tried another new Vegas establishment, the Omnia nightclub in Caesar's. And it did not disappoint. The picture above is from the outdoor terrace at Omnia (which had it's own DJ who spun mostly lounge-y electronic music). The club also had a relatively large hip-hop room. And the main part of the club (picture below) had a large dance floor and a terrace that ran all around it. It came complete with a high tech revolving chandelier (not pictured, sorry), and Cirque-du-Soleil-like acts. Martin Garrix (of "Animals" fame) was the headliner the night we were there.
I like how the guy is reaching up as if she would grab his hand. She's not gonna touch you bro...
The next day we walked around a bit, gambled a bit, and shopped a bit. Below is Bellagio's summer display, cute but a bit underwhelming. I think they do the winter season displays the best.
I also treated myself to a massage and a couple hours at Caesar's Qua Spa. And it was wonderful! I remembered their spa was once rated the best in Vegas, so I thought I would give it a try while my husband gambled. And it was so worth it. I think it really was the one of the best spas I've ever tried. You can't take pictures once you get into the spa (because it's clothing optional), so the pictures below are just the entrance. {Note: for the 18% of males that read my blog (thanks Google Analytics), no it's not a hot mess of naked women. The only naked ones are the old ones, of course}.
The spa came complete with Roman Baths (3 pools of different temperatures), a robe sauna (so you can have heated robes while you are in the baths), heated stone chairs (perfect for naps) a very large stone hot tub, a cedar sauna (it smelled amazing), an herbal steam room (with the most intense steam I've ever experienced), and an "arctic room" so you can cool off. The deep tissue massage was also one of the best I've experienced (ask for Ninnette). I can't wait to go back again!
Other recommendations for Vegas:
{Stay}
The Nobu Hotel: my new #1 favorite
Palazzo: If you're with a large group, the Palazzo is one of my favorites because all their rooms have a sunken living room with extra space.
The Wynn and Venetian: The other hotels I've tried, which are fine (but for pretty much the same price, go to the Nobu Hotel!)
{Eat}
Shake Shack
Bouchon: in the Venetian and it's great for brunch
Delmonico Steakhouse or Carnevino: both are great steakhouses. Tasty and good service.
Lotus of Siam (off the strip): THE BEST THAI FOOD I'VE EVER HAD. If you have the chance go there and get the prawns. MIND-BLOWING!
{And NEVER go to any of Joel Robuchon's restaurants in the MGM. He should be ashamed at the quality of food and service at those restaurants, and his main, expensive restaurant Joel Robuchon should be stripped of all Michelin stars. It was awful service and mediocre food at ridiculous prices.}
{Do}
Qua Spa at Caesar's: If you're staying at Caesar's (or Nobu) it's only $25 to use their spa pools and steam/sauna/arctic rooms. Might just be the best deal in town. If you purchase a massage, then the use of the spa is free.
My favorite nightclubs: Omnia and XS (in the Wynn). My not-so-favorites are the Marquee (at the Cosmo, get ready to walk up and walk down some major steps in heels ladies) and Hakkasan (at the MGM, super cramped, and poor layout).
Shop at the Forum shops (they range from high-end luxury to an towering 3-storied H&M), the Palazzo (which has Barneys, ok I'm biased about this one), the Fashion Show Mall (though this is like very other mall in America), and the outlets (going to need to catch a taxi for this one).
Downtown Vegas: cheap tables and the Beef Jerky store (for those from Hawaii but don't live in Hawaii who want local snacks). I've also heard that Zappos founder Tony Hsieh has revitalized the area for a more hipster appeal, but I have yet to check it out myself (something to do for the next time I come to Vegas).