Giving Vegas another shot

Cosmopolitan
My new Travel & Leisure magazine arrived today - Yay!  I saved it for an after dinner treat. I'm trying to ween myself off Halloween candy and I thought it would certainly be less fattening and WAY more satisfying.  And it was.  I gleaned many nuggets of travel-wisdom from it that I want to share with you, but I'll start with just one. Vegas.

I hate Vegas.  Really, I do.  I went once and it was crowded, expensive and...well....sad.  Waking up to the sight of people still drunk and staggering around the hotel casino while I'm in the cafe enjoying my Krispy Kreme and delicious black coffee was just icky.  Yes, I know, it had everything to do with the fact that my 20's are behind me and, at the time, my kids were preschoolers.  Back then a full night's sleep sounded way more self-indulgent and decadent than anything else.  We stayed at the Luxor which was fine.  Sufficient.  Blah.  It wasn't a horrible weekend - we had fantastic food and excellent spa time - but it certainly wasn't anything I'd rush to do again.

Back to my magazine.  Normally, I'd blow right by an article on Vegas but something caught my eye.  This article was about another new hotel (seems like they pop up all over Vegas constantly - like warts) but this one sounded....well, different.  First of all, I liked the name: Cosmopolitan.  I enjoy the cocktail, so maybe it's a sign that I should give a hotel by the same name a fair shot. Would it be pink and girly?  Then I read a quote from CEO, John Unwin, who said he's "trying to draw people who have never been to Vegas, or who've visited and decided it wasn't for them."  Hmmm....you were saying?

The Cosmopolitan sits right between Oz and The Bellagio. From the outside, it looks alot like every other glittery building around it, but on the inside - well, that's where it gets more interesting.  Sure, it's big - with a 32 room spa, 14 restaurants, 3 pools, plus retail and of course, a night club.  But it's design is chic, urban and ecclectic.

Cosmopolitan guestroom balcony
Sweet Suite
Guestroom - beautiful....and girly
Big time chefs were brought in from some of the most successful New York and Los Angeles restaurants.  A night club god from the Tao Group responsible for some of the hottest NYC and Vegas spots is in charge of your entertainment. 

Nightclub - they have a Dayclub too.  That sounds like trouble.
But, my favorite thing about this place? The "secret" pizza parlor hidden somewhere in the hotel.  They won't even advertise it.  Instead, "it will be lying in wait - a discovery for those in the know".  Ok.  I know me.  And I know that I'd spend my whole weekend looking for it and I have no problem with that. 

I have to admit, it's got me thinking that maybe it's worth giving Vegas another chance.  I'm not too old to stay up all night.  Well....maybe if there's coffee and a doughnut at the end of it.

Opens December 15, 2010
Rooms start at around $200.  A one bedroom terrace with a premium view is $270.
http://www.travelandleisure.com
http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/
Posted by NAOMI THOMPSON at 9:15 PM

2 comments:

Unknown said...

When my parents go to Vegas, they pull all-nighters. I believe in you, Naomi. I know you can do it!

November 18, 2010 at 6:44 PM
NAOMI THOMPSON said...

I'm tired just thinking about it.

November 20, 2010 at 8:33 PM

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About Me

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I didn’t dip my toe in an ocean until I turned 25 and my friend Sandy and I traveled to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. After that week, I was hooked. I loved being somewhere new; smelling the smells, tasting new food, seeing how other people lived. It energized me. As luck would have it, I landed a job that allowed me to travel all over the US and often to Canada. Being a sports event television producer, I was on the road all the time. That's when my love affair with travel began. Now, its 20 years later and still no one gets more “geeked up” about planning a vacation than I do. All I need is a destination and some travel companions and my fire is lit! I start delving into my favorite hotel sites, sifting through photos and reviews, comparing, contrasting -it’s like an addiction. The travel shows with tips and trends? I study them like a playbook. I LOVE doing the things most people hate doing before they go on vacation. Whether it be searching for a food tasting tour with a local or discovering a romantic B&B in the middle of New York - I’ve found it and I’ll share it with you. So....where should we go?