Venetian

Venetian

The spirit of Italy is alive in The Venetian resort, complete with frescos, plenty of pasta, canals, gondolas and strolling performers. The hotel offers spacious, beautifully appointed suites, an impressive upscale shopping center, a wide variety of gourmet restaurants and cafés, several attractions and more.

The breathtaking megaresort combines the latest technology and the venerable art and culture of the European jewel: Venice. The Venetian's take on this world-renowned city is a must-see. Coming to this resort is the next best thing to visiting Venice itself. Plus, The Venetian is an eco-friendly property with an impressive array of green initiatives in place -- like LED lighting, solar panels, a reclaimed water system, eco-safe cleaning products, low-flush toilets and much more.

As you enter the lobby, don't be surprised by the visitors taking pictures of the ceiling as if they were in the Sistine Chapel: A detailed, exquisite fresco covers the arched ceiling leading from the registration desk to the casino, promising great things.

The accommodations at The Venetian are aesthetically stunning as well as technologically advanced, with refinements from Italian marble in the bathrooms to 32-inch flat-screen HDTVs, wireless internet access and minibars. At the Venezia Tower, the resort's luxury tower designed to impart an even higher sense of refinement, the suites start at 700 square feet and boast 9.5-foot-high ceilings, 130-square-foot bathrooms, three telephones, multiple flat-screen TVs and Roman tubs with separate glass-enclosed showers, among other things.

Take a ride along a canal in the popular gondolas that run outdoors and through The Grand Canal Shoppes. This impressive Italian street-themed retail complex features an abundance of exclusive stores, priceless art and even performers, sure to please the avid shopper. Authentic cobblestone covers the shopping mecca.

After shopping, there's more fun to be had at the internationally beloved Madame Tussauds Las Vegas wax museum.

Treat your taste buds at any of the numerous acclaimed fine dining restaurants that The Venetian has to offer, which include the creations of culinary giants Thomas Keller (of Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery), Joachim Splichal (of Pinot Brasserie), Wolfgang Puck (of Postrio Bar & Grill) and Tom Moloney (of AquaKnox). Enjoy gourmet pub fare paired with artisanal brews in the Public House, or sink your teeth into a succulent cut of meat at Delmonico Steakhouse. Traditional and contemporary takes on Italian cuisine abound in Canaletto, B&B Ristorante and Zeffirino. Plus, there's an extensive menu of international favorites and 20 fine desserts at the Grand Lux Café. 

Buddy V's, a new restaurant by "Cake Boss" star and internationally renowned baker Buddy Valastro, will be opening in fall 2013. It will feature an Italian-American menu and is inspired by Valastro's family gatherings and the beloved recipes passed down by his mother, grandmother and aunts. Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's restaurant B&B Burger & Beer will also open in fall 2013. The menu will feature local ingredients and the beer-driven beverages that are sourced from Las Vegas and Southern California craft breweries. Chef Daniel Boulud will debut DBGB Kitchen & Bar, a concept where a French brasserie meets an American tavern, in late 2013.

If you want to pamper your body as lovingly as your palate, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub should not be missed. It's the largest spa in town with more than 120 different services and activities including massages, beauty treatments, fitness classes, wellness training and more.

In addition, The Venetian is home to comedians like David Spade. The Broadway musical "Rock of Ages" in the Sands Theatre celebrates the '80s. The hotel is also home to "Smokey Robinson Presents Human Nature: The Motown Show."

There is also no shortage of nightlife thanks to the celebrity-studded Tao nightclub and other smaller yet ultra chic venues such as the V Bar and Oculus. The Bellini Bar serves up specially crafted Bellinis and a long list of beers, wines and cocktails nightly. Signature bourbon cocktails and high-energy '80s dance music are showcased in The Bourbon Room. The Rockhouse, a dive bar designed like an adult playground with tire swings, birdcages, billiards, beer pong tables and a mechanical bull, is open in The Grand Canal Shoppes.

With pools that resemble the fountains of Italian palazzos and amenities that will leave you exclaiming "Bellissimo!" Venice's twin sister city has come afloat at The Venetian. Ah, la dolce vita!