Aria
"How did it strike you on arrival?Aria is a sleek, curvilinear glass building, and when you walk in from the valet, you feel like you're in a monumental glass atrium. It was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, using a lot of stone and glass. There's almost never a wait at registration, and the lobby feels so spacious that it never has that cramped, crowded feeling that other casinos have. There's a serene wall of water right before you walk inside, and monumental pieces of public art are all over. It's a totally contemporary-feeling space. What’s the crowd like?The people who are checking into Aria are generally keen on staying in a more modern building, and like the proximity to high-end shopping (it's in the same CityCenter complex as The Shops at Crystals ). The rooms are also completely non-smoking (there's a serious fine if they catch you), so you don't have that lingering 1980s-era smoke smell that some casino rooms have, even when they claim to be nonsmoking. In general, guests at Aria have paid a premium over other hotels, so they're often professionals here on business, or well-heeled vacationers. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.I've stayed in both a Deluxe Strip View King in Aria and a One Bedroom Aria Suite in its Sky Suites. The rooms in Aria proper are lovely: They're all good-sized (starting at 520 square feet), with huge, upholstered headboards, high beds with firm mattresses, and dark woods and chrome finishes—all with floor-to-ceiling windows. The technology is great, too. Every room gets an iPad to control music, curtains and lights. If you pay the premium for Sky Suites, though, you get a lot of extras. There's a complimentary ride from the airport; private check-in (Sky Suites have their own elevator bank); a private lounge that has snacks going all day long plus wine and cheese in the afternoon; and a private Sky Pool. The 420 Sky Suites were all recently renovated, too, with spa-like bathrooms and a lighter, brighter color palette, as well as mod Vitra armchairs and comfortable wingback headboards. Depending on the day (tip: All MGM properties show you the rates for months in advance so you can plan), the premium you pay for the extra 500 or so feet and all the perks might only be $200-$300 per night. Not bad when you consider all the things you get. We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?The beds in both types of rooms are great. Aria has Sealy mattresses, and Aria's Sky Suites have their own custom mattresses (the one I slept was definitely one of the best nights of hotel sleep I've ever had). How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?There's no question that I'd steal that tablet—if, in fact, it could control every aspect of my life outside the hotel as efficiently as it does inside the hotel. I didn't play with it that much in the regular Aria room I had, but I believe that the tablets are upgraded for Sky Suites, and you can order in-room dining, make appointments at the spa, and of course control all the features of the room (lights, curtains) from the comfort of your bed. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.The deluxe king room in Aria has a great bathroom, with dual sinks, a separate shower with a bench (which I appreciate), and really good lighting. But if you love a fab hotel bathroom, that upgrade to the Sky Suites might be worth it in the bathrooms alone. Think heated, automatic close toilet seats, beautiful lighting, and a deep, middle-of-the-room soaking tub. Sliding doors either give you privacy or allow you to talk to your travel companion in the next room. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?The Wi-Fi is 10MB, so perfectly strong enough to stream, and it's available all over the resort. The resort fee is a slightly-steeper-than-most $51 daily, but Wi-Fi is included. Food and Drink Aria has always had some of the Strip’s most memorable restaurants, and some of the best additions in recent years include Din Tai Fung, the cult-favorite dumpling palace that specializes in xiao long bao (Shanghai-style soup dumplings), filled with crab and pork, or truffle and pork in a stylish room. Other winners are the buzzy Cathédrale and Catch (especially its epic brunch). It recently revamped its old buffet space into a great food hall, Proper Eats. Room service: Worth it?The menu isn't giant or all that unusual (although I did once order the red velvet pancakes, and they were a very delicious sugar bomb). It's a pretty standard but beautifully presented in room dining experience. And you can order pizzas that you can personalize, plus some really nice touches like house made salt and vinegar chips with bleu cheese dip (which are really good). Staff: If you could award one a trophy, who gets it, and why?The concierges in the Sky Suites lounge are incredible. The couple of nights I stayed there, I watched them deal with everything from people trying to get last-minute, impossible show tickets in other hotels to just incredibly high-maintenance travelers with approximately one thousand questions with incredible grace. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The spa is one of the best on the Strip, with a relaxing salt room and an incredibly relaxing room with heated stone beds (they're imported from Japan and made of a single block of stone). If you're traveling with a significant other, you'll definitely want to come to this spa, since it is one of the few that has a good co-ed area. The co-ed balcony pool is just small and intimate enough to relax with your S.O. and has a great view of the three pools below. Dining in Aria is a force to be reckoned with. It has some of my absolute favorite restaurants: Michael Mina's upscale French brasserie, Bardot; Carbone, Jean Georges Steakhouse, Cathédrale, and Catch. What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?Aria is one of my favorite hotels, because it has all the contemporary touches of, say, The Cosmopolitan, but it feels like it's for grown-ups. It all feels incredibly civilized and luxurious, from the restaurants to the pools (especially the private Sky Suites pool, which is far more serene than other pool areas in Las Vegas). Bottom line: worth it, and why?Aria is completely worth the elevated prices over some other hotels on the Strip. Remember that hotel prices in Las Vegas are generally softer than in other large cities, especially those in vacation destinations." - Andrea Bennett
