Three Days at Resorts World Las Vegas
I looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my spacious suite, down past the pool deck, and out toward the other casino resorts lining the Las Vegas Strip.
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Resorts World Las Vegas boasts three hotels, nine pools, dozens of shops and restaurants, and an Asian street vibe. I recently spent three days there.
The massive meld of mall, casino, and hotels opened in June 2021 at a cost of $4.3 billion, making it the most expensive resort property in the history of the Nevada city.
The property took the spot near the north end of the Strip once occupied by the storied Stardust, whose owner Boyd Gaming demolished it in 2007. Vegas-based Boyd owns several smaller casinos where I’ve played around the country, like Diamond Jo in Northwood, Iowa, and Valley Forge in King-of-Prussia, Pennsylvania.
Resorts World is owned and operated by the Genting Group, a Malaysia-based conglomerate with business interests ranging from plantations to biotechnology. Genting also operates casinos and resorts in New York City, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Singapore, and Malaysia. Its players club is Genting Rewards.
Hotels
Resorts World Las Vegas hosts three Hilton hotels in a 59-storey tower:
Las Vegas Hilton
In a city known for its over-the-top hotels, Las Vegas Hilton is a uniquely special name. The original property opened in 1969 as the International Hotel, with Elvis Presley as its first performer. It was renamed the Las Vegas Hilton in 1971. In its heyday, it was the largest hotel in the world. Elvis performed his last Vegas show there in December 1976. About a year after the singer’s young death, the Hilton commissioned a massive bronze statue to honor him and his legacy. I saw it when I stayed there with my late mother during one of our cross-country drives. Today the original building houses the Westgate Las Vegas, and its street has been renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. The statue, and the sense of history it evokes, remain there. But the Las Vegas Hilton name has moved about half a mile away, along Elvis Presley Boulevard and across the Strip, to Resorts World, where its vibe is a much closer match to the brand’s modern mid-scale image — suitable though nothing special. But it does have a unique sculpture.
Crockfords Las Vegas
At the other end of the spectrum is the luxury Crockfords, which shares its name with Genting casinos in London and Cairo. It occupies the highest storeys of the hotel tower. Room options include Strip-view suites, “sky-level villas”, and “palaces”, which boast private pools, patio kitchens, and media rooms with cinema-style seating.
Conrad Las Vegas
In between is the upscale Conrad. This is where I stayed. At the time of the trip, I had Silver status with Hilton’s HHonors program.
Conrad is considered one of Hilton’s luxury brands, with properties primarily in Asia, but expanding in the United States, with hotels in Fort Lauderdale, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
The lobby is open and spacious, with a convenient bar. Check-in was efficient, with no wait. The young man at the reception desk was courteous and helpful.
My suite was available immediately, even though I’d arrived well before noon.
There was a lot to like about my suite. The living room was large, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a fabulous view of the Strip.
The bedroom was cozy but suitable, and the king bed was comfortable. It too boasted full-length windows. It had black-out draperies, workable from bedside buttons, but I don’t use those because I love waking up to the sight of the Strip.
The bathroom was also large, with a separate shower and a deep soaking tub, which provided the biggest wow moment of the trip, as I slipped beneath the bubbles and savored the nighttime view from the Encore to the Venetian. It had both individual toiletries and those disgusting dispensers touched by every previous guest, but the former were never replaced during my stay.
There was adequate closet and drawer space, though a few clip hangers were broken when I arrived and never removed and replaced.
The suite also had an espresso machine, but the pods were also never replaced. Nor were my dirtied wine glasses removed or replaced.
All in all, it was a comfortable suite, but it grew less so over my visit because of the lax housekeeping standards.
I did have difficulty getting an Uber back to the airport. Resorts World’s official pick-up spot is near the casino entrance. A very pleasant valet pointed this out to me and advised me to make a note in the Uber app telling the driver that I was in front of the Conrad. The driver arrived at the hotel — I saw him — but he drove off while I was rolling my luggage toward his car. I’ve used Uber for years, and never had a problem like this before. It was clearly the driver’s error, but it was fostered by Resorts World’s inefficient pick-up system. The valet hailed me a cab, which ended up costing me about $20 more than the Uber would have been.
And there was a $45 nightly resort fee.
Amenities
So, what did the resort include?
The large casino has just what you’d expect at an upscale Vegas resort: dozens of table games, hundreds of slot machines, a poker room and a sports book. I played some video poker, but no one ever came to take my drink order, so I didn’t linger long.
There are nine pools. I tried to check out the much-ballyhooed Athena Infinity Ultra Pool but was told that it was closed.
The fitness center offers the breadth of cardio equipment you’d expect at an upscale resort, including Peloton bikes. There’s a spa, but the line was so long when I went to check it out that I didn’t stay around.
There are two storeys of shops, ranging from a Fred Segal boutique to Pepper, a sex store that offers lingerie, “toys” I don’t understand and don’t want to, and rooms for rent.
I did go for a haircut at Miss Behave Beauty Bar, a salon serving drinks. The haircut was excellent, one of the best I’ve had, and weeks later it’s still holding its shape. It was also the priciest, even before the surprise 20 percent service charge. The aesthetic of the salon is more strip-mall than luxury spa — one big bland room with standard styling stations. And they didn’t comp me so much as a glass of Prosecco. I’m glad for the great cut, but the cheap vibe will stay with me longer.
Restaurants
Resorts World Las Vegas features dozens of restaurants. You can find a range options, from Wagyu steak to street food. Opening days and hours are all over the place, so double-check before making plans. I sampled several of them:
Brezza
This Italian restaurant is open for lunch, “cicchetti hour”, and dinner. I had the Heirloom Caprese, which was very good. The tomatoes and mozzarella were very fresh, and the crostini well grilled. It also came with a “tomato gelée”, essentially an aspic; I didn’t care for it, but I don’t care for aspics, so it was probably well done.
¡Viva!
This Latin restaurant is open for brunch, lunch, happy hour, and dinner. I had the Barbacoa Melt, a grilled sandwich with short rib and Gruyère. It was yummy; the meat was tender and the cheese warm and gooey.
Junior’s
Junior’s is a diner chain based in New York. It’s open from breakfast to “late night”, has a bar, and raves about its own cheesecake.
I went once for breakfast. I’m an early riser, and I was on East Coast time, so I was there before the rush. Later in the morning, though, there was usually a long line to get in.
Even though I was there before the crowds, the service was chaotic, with multiple people taking my coffee order. When the coffee arrived, it was dreadful — somehow managing to be both weak and bitter at the same time. It reminded me of the dining-hall coffee in college.
I also ordered a veggie omelet with home fries and an English muffin. The omelet was the worst I can ever remember; the broccoli was undercooked and the bell pepper was not fully seeded. The potatoes were dry. The English muffin was good.
I didn’t try the cheesecake.
Sun’s Out Buns Out
Eggs take center-stage at this fast-casual place. I popped by one afternoon hoping to order a sandwich from its “all[-]day” menu. Unfortunately, its understanding of all-day differs from mine, as the place was closed from noon to 10 p.m.
I gave it a second chance for breakfast. I ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, which came slathered with ketchup. I’m sure people who like bacon, eggs, and cheese with ketchup would find it just the sort of thing they like.
Kuru Kuru Pa Teriyaki Bowls
This Japanese fast-food place is part of Resorts World’s “Famous Foods”, a downscale spot set up to resemble a Southeast Asian street market. Asian street food is having a moment, and if you’re craving it, this is a good place to get your fix. There are also a few American stalls, including burger and barbecue places, though neither was open whenever I visited.
I had the Angus Beef Tenderloin bowl, served with rice and scallions. It was tasty; the meat was generous and tender and the rice well cooked.
The main challenge at Famous Foods is the impersonal ordering system. You must order by using a self-serve kiosk, which means that you have to walk around to determine which stalls happen to be open and which of them offers the most appealing food, then find an available and working kiosk and place your order, and then return to the stall to await your meal.
Michos Tacos
Michos Tacos has a stand located at the edge of Famous Foods, but you can order right there without doing the kiosk kabuki. I had the carnitas tacos. They were delicious; the pork was well seasoned and the tortillas soft, warm, and fresh.
Starbucks
I went here several times for coffee. I’ve visited Starbucks from Seattle to Switzerland, and this was easily the priciest. But there was never a line, and the service was always pleasant. And the coffee was good.
GrubHub
Resorts World Las Vegas does not have its own room service. Instead, you must order via GrubHub. I tried a couple of times, but the app was always buggy for me, and I never successfully placed an order. (Yes, I have used GrubHub elsewhere with no problem.)
Location
Sitting near the north end of the Strip, Resorts World does feel somewhat disconnected from the heart of Vegas, but it isn’t totally isolated. It’s roughly a mile from the Convention Center. If you’re looking to refresh with classic luxury for a bit, it’s a short walk to Encore to the south or Fontainebleau to the north. It’s also across the Strip from the Peppermill Restaurant & Lounge, a colorful classic for an early breakfast, late drinks, or anything in between, seen in several popular movies including Casino and The Cotton Club.
But if you want to go much further, it’ll cost you time and maybe money. Resorts World is about two miles from the center Strip. I like to walk, so I enjoyed strolling my way south toward Princess Diana & the Royals: the Exhibition, popping in at some of my favorite casinos: Encore, Palazzo, Caesars, Cosmopolitan, Aria. I did take an Uber back though. You could also ride the Monorail, which has a stop at the Convention Center and goes as far as the MGM Grand near the south end of the Strip.
Resorts World is about four miles south of downtown Vegas. I didn’t make it that far, though I did walk roughly a mile north to the STRAT, then across the Strip to the SAHARA, and back.
On the other hand, you could spend several weeks at Resorts World Las Vegas without having to leave the premises. There’s plenty to do, and there’s always food available. It’s like a metaverse unto itself.
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