89135 Travel Guide
POTUS Hotels / Viva Vegas / Element Hotels / Green Hotels / Barack Obama / Hotel News / → All Tags
The POTUS Is Just Like Us--He Stays at The Element Hotel!
It's been a while since we checked in on the hotel habits of the POTUS but yesterday we we were psyched to see that Barack Obama stayed at a hotel that we've actually stayed at before...twice!
When visiting Las Vegas on the campaign trail, Obama eschewed the hotel casinos on the Strip and instead took over the entire Element Las Vegas hotel in Summerlin, about 15 minutes from the Strip. 8newsnow.com reports:
Onlookers were curious as to why President Obama chose to stay farther away from the bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip. "This Element is earth friendly, and I think he's trying to promote that on his visit," Carol Bieganowski said.
Video / Hotel Video Tours / Element Hotels / Viva Vegas / → All Tags
Inside the Element Las Vegas
Back in December we told you all about the amazing free breakfast that Element Las Vegas had on hand for its guests. We decided then and there that this was the future of free hotel breakfasts. Delicioso!
But we totally forgot to show you inside the rooms. So here you are. This is a one-bedroom suite that we nabbed for $89 a night. As you can see, these rooms are meant to make extended-stay guests feel at home. It comes with a living room area, a desk, a full kitchen and a hideaway table that can seat four to six people.
Guess The Hotel / Hotel Breakfast / Viva Vegas / Element Hotels / → All Tags
We Hit the Jackpot at Breakfast at the Element Hotel Las Vegas
AdvilJunky guessed it right. We recently spent some time at the Element Las Vegas which is actually a ways off the strip in the suburb of Summerlin. Considering how much we disliked Starwood's Aloft Hotel, we were concerned about what Element would be like.
But we have to admit, we're in love. We only planned on staying two nights and then we decided to stay two more. We'll have more on the room we stayed in and all the amenities at our disposal (pool, fitness center and a laundry room are some of the perks) but let's talk breakfast.
Snapshot / Element Hotels / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
Element Las Vegas is the Westin's Much Prettier Sibling
The Element Las Vegas became the second Element Hotel to open last month and we were anxiously awaiting photos all over our holiday vacation (Not really.) While Santa Claus didn't bring us any, a very nice tipster sent us this glossy photo of the hotel's exterior. We actually thought it was a rendering at first but upon closer inspection, we think it's kind of legit. (Larger picture can be seen here.)
Like Aloft is a spin-off of W Hotels, Element is a spin-off of Westin Hotels--created for extended-stay travelers who want nicer, relaxing digs while they are traveling and working.
So far, there aren't any reviews on TripAdvisor to check out but if they are anything like the Element Lexington property, this hotel will be doing A-OK in 2009.
Rates are currently going for about $165 a night.
Element Hotels / Hotel Openings / Las Vegas Hotels / Hotel Opening Rates / → All Tags
An Element Hotel Opens Just Outside Las Vegas
Amazingly, it looks like the brand-new Element Las Vegas might have a white opening today. Starwood Hotels has just announced the opening of their second-ever Element Hotel in the Summerlin suburb of Las Vegas, which was dumped with snow the other day.
The hotel's 123 rooms were designed for extended-stay living so all are equipped with a pull-out sofa bed, a full kitchen, and furniture and amenities to create your own sort of home office like swiveling desks and free wireless. Since it's an Element brand, the focus on green living is an important one too as this hotel will strive for LEED certification.
Hotel News / Hotel Restaurants / Hotel Burger Shops / Viva Vegas / → All Tags
Red Rock Resort Gets An Organic Burger Joint
Clearly inspired by our summertime rundown of the Best Hidden Hotel Burger Shops, Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas is opening up their own hotspot for our favorite meaty treats.
LBS: A Burger Joint is set to open September 23 and will feature a selection of glorious natural, fresh nom-noms including a very special burger patty touted as:
dry aged, all-natural hamburger, selected and ground fresh daily. The meat comes from cattle raised naturally and allowed to graze over managed grass and clover pastures without any growth hormones, antibiotics or chemicals; just as Mother Nature intended.
Las Vegas Hotel Reviews / Summerlin Hotel Reviews / Hotel Video Tours / → All Tags
Red Rock Resort & Spa: Semi-Conscious Review
Finally, we have our review with video of the Red Rock Resort & Spa in Summerlin, just a half-hour outside the Strip. Prior to getting here, we heard nothing but good things from Vegas locals about the place. If you didn't know, anyone who works in Vegas doesn't really live in Vegas nor do they go to the Strip often for recreation. So the Red Rocks with its nightclub Cherry and fancy T-Bones steakhouse restaurant, along with bowling lanes and a movie theater, is a recreation spot for the locals.
And they were right. We really liked the place but you have to be prepared to come here knowing that the Strip is far away. If you're okay with that, then you'll have a great stay at the Red Rock Resort.
[Note: Something is screwy with the video. It stops after the pre-roll. Just drag the cursor player a bit after the 5 second mark and the rest of the video should play.]
Las Vegas Hotel Reviews / Summerlin Hotel Reviews / Snapshots / → All Tags
Snapshot: Red Rock's Bathtub TV
Aside from attending the Bon Appetit Culinary & Wine Focus in Vegas this past weekend, we were also able to check out the Red Rocks Resort & Spa about a half-hour from the Strip in Summerlin.
We'll have a full review tomorrow including video but for now here's a snapshot of the hotel room's bathroom with a flat-screen TV above the tub. This is just one of the many things we liked about the Red Rocks.
However, keep in mind this place is way off the Strip, even though the TripAdvisor address is listed as Las Vegas. So just remember if you stay here, it's at least at $50 cab ride to the Strip. You're better off gambling at the Red Rocks blackjack table poolside.
Related Stories:
· Red Rocks Resort reviews [TripAdvisor]
· It's 10pm and Red Rock Casino Knows Where Your Children Are [HotelChatter]
Hotels / → All Tags
It's 10pm and Red Rock Casino Knows Where Your Children Are
The Red Rock Resort and Casino opened with a bang (Sting, anyone?) and has some of the hippest nightlife to enjoy off the strip.
But underage teenagers are not welcome. The resort is now launching a curfew effort (see "scary" news graphic, right) to make sure kids are out of sight by the time the clubs and bars start pumping. According to a hotel spokesperson:
"We feel that there's plenty of time for those under 21 to enjoy our movie theaters and restaurants and our arcade. But there comes a time and a place where we believe the casino should be enjoyed by those who are 21 and over."
So beginning at 9pm, kids will be rounded up and asked to finish up whatever they are doing. And just in case you didn't know, minors are not allowed on Las Vegas Boulevard after 10pm during the week and 9pm on the weekends.
Wow, it used to be that kids bought laminating machines to make fake IDs so they could buy booze and cigarettes. Now, they have to do it just to walk on the strip.
Related Stories:
· Red Rock Steps Up Curfew Enforcement [KLASTV.com]
· Hotel Openings: Red Rock Las Vegas [HotelChatter]
Hotel Openings / Red Rocks / → All Tags
Suite Gear: Red Rocks Las Vegas
Now that the opening festivities at the Red Rocks Las Vegas have died down, we can focus on what the rooms are actually like.
Well, at least what the expensive Grand Villa and Presidential suite are like.
The first is the largest suite in the hotel with 3,090 square feet. The presidential suite has 2,575. Both have two master bedrooms with:
50-inch, high-definition plasma TVs; 42-inch and 65-inch high-definition plasma TVs in the main room; motorized drapes; CD/DVD players with surround sound; voice-over IP phones; Bose sound systems with iPod interconnectivity; and butler service paging systems.
The suites also have spa-like bathrubs and bidets with motion sensors that open the lid when you approach.
For recreation, there is a a pool table, a backlit onyx-topped bar, and another bar on a private patio with a private sound system.
Britney Spears recently stayed here and other high rollers who can afford dropping $5,500 to $10,000 a night, will probably also take advantage of the motion sensor bidets.
Related Stories:
· Get your groove on at Red Rock's suites [LV Business Press]
· Cindy Crawford: Cherry Popper [HotelChatter]
Celeb Scoop / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
Cindy Crawford: Cherry Popper
Last week was all about the opening of the Red Rocks Las Vegas Resort. Now we have photographic evidence of the opening festivities, which our faithful but camera deficient spy could not provide.
As you can see, Randy Gerber and supermodel wife Cindy Crawford got down at the opening of the hotel's nightclub, Cherry. Judging from the gigantic cartoonish cherry out front, we are guessing this is Randy's foray into a pop art bar scene.
But he should probably be focusing on other things--like his wife. Cindy was grinding at the party with Jim Belushi (random!) and the photo makes us feel slightly uncomfortable because Cindy looks kinda into it.
Picture of Jim and Cindy after the jump
Hotel Openings / → All Tags
Hotel Openings: Red Rock's Festivities
[Ed. Note: As promised, we have some amazingly detailed scoop on the Red Rock Resort & Spa opening party and Sting's concert. This place went all out for their opening and our spy has the first reviews on the rooms but sadly no pictures. Enjoy.]
The hotel is a cross between at Mandalay and an Ian Schrager-esque design. Comfy beds, overpriced minibar with the classy auto-tracking so when you take an item off the table for more than a few seconds, your room gets charged.
More Red Rock review after the jump.
