It’s hard not to be intrigued by a Sin City hotel with the tagline “just the right amount of wrong.” Perhaps you’ve seen the hotel’s TV commercial, featuring pant-less bellhops, bustier-clad women, bedroom photo shoots, and animals crashing a suite party. Unusual, yes – but The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which debuts December 15, has certainly gotten my attention.
In the land of pirate ships and Eiffel Tower replicas, The Cosmopolitan boasts something only a handful of other Vegas hotels can claim: it has no theme (unless, of course, you consider edgy and sexy themes). It’s also the only Vegas property – and the only casino resort anywhere – to become part of Marriott’s luxury Autograph Collection.
Situated between the Bellagio’s dancing fountains and the 67-acre behemoth, CityCenter, the new hotel will make a “vertical imprint” on the Strip. Its two, 50-story towers offer 2,995 residential-style rooms – more than 60 percent of which have terraces overlooking Las Vegas Blvd. The property’s developers built up, not out (it sits on less than nine acres of land) to make room for a 100,000-square-foot casino, 14 restaurants, 150,000 feet of meeting space, three pools, a Sahra Spa & Hammam and more.
In late-September, I was given a video tour of the skyscraper property, then under construction and covered in tarps. It seemed a fitting way to tour a hotel centered on new media art. In partnership with organizations like the Art Production Fund, The Cosmopolitan has assembled a collection of interactive video art, including temporary loans from Yoko Ono and T.J. Wilcox, displayed throughout the hotel. The Cosmopolitan will have a rotating artist-in-residence, starting with hip-hop star and artist Fab 5 Freddy, and the lobby will feature high-definition video columns designed by the Rockwell Group.
The lobby, and the property as a whole, has also been designed with convenience in mind. Roaming staff will be on hand with iPads to assist with check-in and speed up wait times. And, rather than having to walk through the entire property, guests will be quickly transported via elevators that connect directly with the hotel’s gaming, meeting and entertainment attractions.
Among those attractions is The Cosmopolitan’s impressive line-up of signature restaurants, which have had food writers gushing. These include a Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill; Comme Ça by Los Angeles Chef David Myers; Jaleo and China Poblano restaurants by Chef José Andrés; and steakhouse STK from The One Group. And it wouldn’t be a Las Vegas hotel without a 24-hour dining spot. The Henry, a polo-themed restaurant, will serve up revamped comfort food classics around the clock.
Contemporary meets classic in the hotel’s bars and lounges. The sleek Vesper Bar, named after the drink created by James Bond, will be a martini bar by night, coffee bar by morning. Book & Stage combines a sports book with an entertainment venue presenting live music from up-and-coming bands.
The crown jewel of the hotel’s bar offerings, however, is an immense, three-story chandelier housing three separate bar areas. In addition, the property will boast the massive Marquee nightclub/dayclub designed by the Tao Group.
Adding to The Cosmopolitan’s allure is its Pool District, containing three different pool “experiences” (if you’ve been to Vegas lately, you know the bevy of new pool clubs truly are an experience). There’s the multi-level Boulevard Pool overlooking the strip; the quieter, more secluded Bamboo Pool; and the Day Club Pool, an adult European-style pool that morphs into an extension of the nightclub once the sun goes down.
Rooms with a View
Perhaps the biggest selling point of The Cosmopolitan is that all of its urban-inspired rooms have a view of either the north or south Strip. In addition to the more standard City rooms, Terrace studios and one-bedrooms are available with regular or premium views.
Terrace suites include one bedroom, two bathrooms and amenities like an in-suite washer and dryer, and some feature Japanese soaking tubs overlooking the outside. Meanwhile, larger Wraparound Terrace suites occupy the building’s eight corners. Lanai suites off of the Bamboo Pool cover two stories and come complete with private Jacuzzis, patios and pool areas.
To welcome some of its early guests in style, the hotel is offering a New Year’s Eve package during its three-day Grand Opening celebration. The $5,600 price-tag includes three nights in a City room or Terrace studio, access to the Marquee Preview Party; New year’s Eve dinner at the restaurant of your choice; brunch; and two tickets to the “Viva la Hov” concert featuring Jay-Z and Coldplay.
It’s almost as exciting as the pant-less bellhops and bustier-clad women.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702-698-7100