Nothing quite prepares you for the first surreal sight of the Las Vegas Strip.
An Egyptian pyramid towers over the Statue of Liberty, just across the road from a turreted medieval castle surrounded by enormous billboards. Six busy lanes of traffic pass a glittering Eiffel Tower, Roman Coliseum and Venice’s Grand Canal, complete with opera-singing gondoliers.
It’s no wonder this jaw-dropping four-mile stretch of road attracted over 32million visitors in 2021, despite the global pandemic.
In the wake of the pandemic, Las Vegas is back with a bang, bursting with new hotels, restaurants and experiences to lure even the most dedicated gambler away from the roulette table
Yet Vegas doesn’t just rely on its considerable razzle-dazzle to keep the tourists pouring in.
Alongside the 24-hour casinos, sprawling themed hotels and famous concert venues, the city is a constantly evolving adults’ playground with ever-changing thrills to entertain everyone from high rollers to hen dos.
Though 2020 saw the casinos fall dark for the first time since the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, Sin City is now back with a bang, bursting with new hotels, restaurants and experiences to lure even the most dedicated gambler away from the roulette table.
The first new casino on the Strip in a decade, Resorts World is a mammoth complex right in the heart of the action
At Resorts World, don’t miss the zingy Latin cuisine at Viva! Restaurant, then channel your inner Frank Sinatra by booking a private karaoke room at Redtail. Above is one of the hotel’s suites
Resorts World has a 5,000-seat theatre, a nightclub, Liberace’s piano on display and more than 40 food and drink outlets – such as the lobby bar, pictured
Two of the biggest new names on the Strip are Resorts World and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, which both opened last year. The first new casino on the Strip in a decade, Resorts World is a mammoth complex right in the heart of the action, with a 5,000-seat theatre, a nightclub, Liberace’s piano on display and more than 40 food and drink outlets.
Don’t miss the zingy Latin cuisine at Viva! Restaurant, then channel your inner Frank Sinatra by booking a private karaoke room at Redtail.
Virgin Hotels attracts a younger, hipper crowd who flock to preen at the music venues, coffee shop and Kassi Beach House, where bikinis, bottomless rose and beats from the resident DJ make the weekend brunch a must-do.
If somewhere quieter appeals, check into the newly renovated Nobu Hotel Las Vegas instead. Though this chic boutique hotel is hidden within the enormous Caesar’s Palace with its mega-mall and giant casino, Nobu is a startlingly peaceful retreat from the slot machines downstairs with its own discreet check-in, spa and gym.
Pictured above is the new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, which opened its doors last year
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas attracts a young, hip crowd who flock to preen at the music venues and the coffee shop
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas’s Kassi Beach House is a must-visit spot for weekend brunch. Above is the hotel’s ‘Shag Room’ events venue
The newly renovated Nobu Hotel Las Vegas, pictured, is ideal for those seeking a quiet spot in Sin City
The chic boutique Nobu Hotel Las Vegas is hidden within the enormous Caesar’s Palace with its mega-mall and giant casino
Nobu Hotel Las Vegas is a ‘startlingly peaceful retreat’ from the slot machines downstairs with its own discreet check-in, spa and gym
The beautifully extravagant Vanderpump a Paris in the Paris Las Vegas hotel is the latest venture from restauranteur and reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump, pictured above in the new restaurant
Cocktails at Vanderpump a Paris are a decadent highlight. Some, such as the tipple pictured, come served inside mini-Louvre pyramids
There’s no shortage of new places to eat wherever you bed down, though it’s worth booking in advance to secure the best spots.
Opened in April this year, the beautifully extravagant Vanderpump à Paris in – where else? – the Paris Las Vegas hotel is the latest venture from restauranteur and reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump.
Cocktails are a decadent highlight and come served inside mini-Louvre pyramids, stacked on an Eiffel Tower or garnished with a cloud of candyfloss.
Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas, launched in July 2021, is also well worth blowing the budget for. It’s inspired by a 1920s supper club and features live music while you eat and an outstanding wine list. Dress code? Elegant.
No photos are allowed inside but keep your eyes peeled for familiar faces as the restaurant is already a favourite with visiting celebrities.
TAO Beach Club (pictured) at The Venetian hotel is the latest hot ticket for big-name DJs playing daytime sets
Head to TAO Beach Club to see musical acts play by a pool packed with the city’s beautiful people
The alfresco North Bar at the Cosmopolitan hotel’s Boulevard Pool (above) has a new sunset cocktail hour with a saxophone-playing DJ and the best Strip views in town
The Venetian hotel has some new surprises hidden away behind its astonishing replica of St Mark’s Square too.
The homemade pasta and pizza at Brera Osteria, which opened last year, are straight out of Italy, but its remodelled TAO Beach Club is the latest hot ticket for big-name DJs playing daytime sets by a pool packed with the city’s beautiful people.
Other must-visit spots for drinks and dancing include the alfresco North Bar at the Cosmopolitan hotel’s Boulevard Pool, which has a new sunset cocktail hour with a saxophone-playing DJ and the best Strip views in town, and the rooftop Legacy Club at Downtown’s new, adults-only Circa Resort & Casino, which overlooks the entire city and has 500 gold bars worth nearly $2million (£1.5million) on display.
There’s plenty to do away from the bars in Las Vegas. Above is the entrance to the city’s new FlyOver ride
FlyOver uses smell, wind, flight motion seats and a 52.5ft- (16m-) wide screen to whisk you across the American West, all without leaving the Strip
Illuminarium at Area 15 (pictured) is a stunning new immersive exhibition where you feel as if you’re inside the artwork
If you can tear yourself away from the Strip, head Downtown and sign up for the Lip Smacking Foodie Tour (pictured on the left) for a tasty insight into the city’s booming food scene away from the big-name hotels and celebrity chefs. On the right are dishes from Bardot Brasserie
There’s also plenty to do away from the bars. Illuminarium at Area 15 is a stunning new immersive exhibition where you feel as if you’re inside the artwork while FlyOver, which opened last September, uses smell, wind, flight motion seats and a 52.5ft- (16m) wide screen to whisk you across the American West, all without leaving the Strip.
However, if you can really tear yourself away, head Downtown and sign up for the Lip Smacking Foodie Tour for a tasty insight into the city’s booming food scene away from the big-name hotels and celebrity chefs.
Yet another surprise in a city that’s full of them.
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