The Wynn Las Vegas will be losing its banner Broadway show this summer, when Spamalot goes dark in July after a 15-month run. What epic entertainment can possibly replace the Tony Award-winning musical? Uh, apparently, Danny Gans.
When the impressionist moves in, the theater will be re-branded as part of Encore Las Vegas, the hotel's attached expansion property.
This isn't the only hotel show shakeup we've heard about either. Criss Angel is slated to do a Cirque du Soliel show at the Luxor, and another Cirque production could be on the way to one of Wynn's Vegas hotels.
We heart bocce ball. We bring it to every summer BBQ we're invited to, and we'll never forget the combination of excitement and awe we felt at a wedding we attended last summer, once we discovered a bocce ball court in the backyard of the catering hall. We were so enthralled we missed the cake cutting ceremony.
Which is why we need to get to Vegas this summer, so we can pop by Rao's, in Caesars Palace. The restaurant, which houses it's own bocce court overlooking the Garden of the Gods pool complex, is running a special Bocce Bar & Grill menu through September 8, featuring items like Italian sausages and peppers, Mediterranean herb grilled chicken wings and meatball hamburgers, plus specialty cocktails (this is Vegas after all) and Italian Ice. (Bonus!)
Proof that this isn't your uncle's bocce ball (or maybe it is) our bro Jaunted has pics of the the Bocce Bellas who can help you work on your game.
If you happen to get to Vegas before we do, stop by Rao's between the hours of 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and let us know how good the bocce court is--and if you happen to try the special menu or cocktails lets us know about that, too.
We gave you a sneak peek of the Palms Place Hotel and Spa back in February and now that it's been up and running for a couple of months, we thought we'd check back in to see how guests have been finding it.
Over on the TripAdvisor guest reviews page, only four people have made a comment so far, but three of them are very detailed so we've got something to go on.
Overall, things are sounding very positive. While earlier guests reported a few teething problems related to construction, most seem confident that these will be worked out and everybody would be happy to go back again.
Speaking of Las Vegas pools, this is the view that we had poolside at the Palazzo. Ok, so we zoomed in a lot but still, this snapshot got us all excited about Encore Las Vegas, Steve Wynn's follow-up to his namesake property.
On the outside the tower looks exactly the same. And inside we doubt things will vary that much, except that Wynn has plans to add five more restaurants, 11 more retail outlets and a new spa and salon.
Let's just hope people will still have money to spend in Vegas when Encore opens sometime in December 2008.
The pools at the Palazzo Las Vegas have just opened in time for the warm weather and we've got the scoop on what's involved.
The pool area is anchored by a giant Olympic-sized plus swimming pool which has wading lounge chairs at each end. This is probably one of our favorite things about the Venetian pool area and we were happy to see the Palazzo put even more of these chairs in here.
There's two quieter pool areas on each side of the main pool and the entire area is surrounded by VIP cabanas. We even heard that there is a set of rooms being built above the pool area for major VIPs, thus giving them direct access to the pool area.
A Wolfgang Puck poolside restaurant is expected soon and the Canyon Ranch spa will be offering massages and other treatments in cabanas as well.
And good news for guests of the Venetian, you can use these pools. Palazzo guests can also head over to the Venetian's pool area, although we would prefer to just hunker our butt down in a wading chair here with a good book.
Headed to Las Vegas anytime soon? While it may not be warm enough to don a bathing suit where you live, it's getting hotter in Sin City and the hotels are opening their pools up for the summer seaons.
This here is a rendering of the new pool at the MGM Grand called Wet Republic, which is bringing a party poolside during the daytime. The pool has already soft-opened but the official grand opening will take place this Friday, April 25th.
More Vegas pools to check out:
· Excalibur: The Excalibur is more known for its gaudy medieval facade but the place has doubled its pool area, adding two pools and 17 cabanas. Maybe a guy or two from Thunder from Down Under will hang out there.
· Mandalay Bay: Don't want to go swimming or sweat it out in the Vegas heat? The Beachside Casino encourages beach attire. There's also a restaurant, The Beachside Bar & Grill, and of course air-conditioning.
· The Mirage: If you miss your days of topless tanning on the French Riviera, then go bare at Bare. The adult, European-style sunbathing pool can also turn into a nighttime rendezvous by adding a clear platform over the pool. The only downside? California Pizza Kitchen caters the food here.
· The Palazzo: The Palazzo has just opened its pool deck for its inaugural season. There are three pools, each with sections for your lounge chairs so you can lay-out half in the water and half out. Also, we hear an entire set of rooms is being built overlooking the pool area for VIPs only.
We just got word that country superstar and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood is kicking it this week at the Platinum Hotel & Spa in Las Vegas while she films her newest music video for "Last Name."
That song is about our golden girl Carrie having a little too much Cuervo and ending up in Las Vegas with a guy whose last name she doesn't know. And since Vegas is full of lots of wedding chapels, there's a chance that Miss Carrie doesn't know her new last name as well. (Don't worry, it's just a song folks.)
Anyways, the Platinum is a new resort just off the strip, located about a block behind Ballys. There are 255 all-suite rooms inside with a starting square-footage of 900sq.ft. so yeah, you got some room to hang here. Each room also has 42" plasma TVs, electric fireplaces (it gets cold in Vegas!), private balconies, full kitchens featuring stainless-steel appliances, and Ultra Baths with oversized, six-jet whirlpools.
The downside is that the hotel doesn't have any gaming onsite so you will have to walk up to the Strip for that and wedding chapels. Also, the hotel is located on a block that isn't quite as pretty as the strip hotels.
As promised, here is the second installment of our lengthy, multi-dimensional review of the Palazzo Las Vegas.
This time it's all about the hot tables that got us so giddy as the Palazzo was in the midst of hotel opening hype. So did they live up to our expectations? For the most part yes. Although there were a few disappointing dishes here and there.
Since we were set up with fixed menus at each of the restaurants we tasted, it was really hard to get the full experience, but we have summed up all that we sampled over at Jaunted under the site's ever-popular Table Crashing series.
Here's a preview:
CUT: The Vegas interpretation of Wolfgang Puck's popular Beverly Hills steakhouse remains true to form. The decor is different as Richard Meier did not design the space. But we think Las Vegas-based design firm ABA did a good job. The place actually looks less intimidating.
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