The Palazzo, Las Vegas better not in Vegas

Imagine not having been on an airplane for around six weeks, spending lots of time having meetings on the rock in the river or on the screened-in porch, and then somebody jars you awake from this idyll and puts you on a plane to Las Vegas.  Yeah that Las Vegas: Disney + Porn + Walmart Shoppers.  For a hackerboy conference. That’s how my week is going.

No fly July? Over.

In August, Dulles is a zoo even on a Tuesday night. Sunburned summer travelers with both grandma and several strollers in tow. Of course the United flight was delayed for multiple reasons. The flight was at least very fast and we made up the lost time in the air. I brought a slice of pizza on board even though I was upgraded…everybody else thought that was a good idea, especially the flight attendant.

Here in Las Vegas at the Palazzo, they use a different vocabulary from most other hotels (except one in NY I seem to recall). Here, a “suite” is just a bigger than usual rectangular room. Unlike, say, in Boston at the Marlowe where a suite is a suite with actual doors between rooms. Upon query, I was told that on the Strip, most rooms are 400 square feet and so apparently a “suite” is anything bigger than that no matter how uninspired the design.

Here, you be the judge. The virtual rooms in this “suite” are demarcated by a slight set of stairs and some kind of marble peninsula. The drop down effect reminds me of a spilt level ranch in suburbia. Um, yay?

The grand suite peninsula.

The grand suite stairway to heaven.

I was originally assigned a room with two tiny beds. That got fixed. The bed here in 27-710 is good.

Nice bed on attempt number 2.

And I am pleased to report that the bathroom pod is up to snuff with lots of mirrors and a glass cubicle for showering.

The most amusing part of the shower are two extra stubby little shower heads positioned halfway down the wall by the controls. We won’t even bring up what those might be for.

The shower, complete with 3 showerheads. Note the two knobby ones halfway up the wall.

The Prestige package is worth looking into. Breakfast is reasonably good and the 23rd floor concierge desk is responsive and helpful.

We’re pleased that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…(since we hope that we never have to come back and that it does not escape to infect the rest of the world). See, the problem with the Palazzo hotel is the hordes of people and the smoky casino that you must walk through to find the elevator. Las Vegas is, simply put, just awful.

So, if you have to stay in Vegas, you might as well stay here. The service is good (friendly and responsive) and the rooms do not suck. But there is only so good a place can be here in Las Vegas, resulting in three showerheads for the Palazzo.

In food and drink related news, I stumbled on some great mixology in the Venetian Hotel at the Bouchon. Aureole is still a very good restaurant with a superb wine list (unfortunately trapped on a Windows tablet with typical Microsoft search—but it’s not google). And the new restaurant China Poblano at the Cosmo is out of this world. Amazing fusion by Jose Andre. Too bad about the Vegas part.

Glass and mirrors. Very nice bathroom.

Vanity with view of the bathtub.