Prepare to step into a world of high stakes and luxury as we take you on an exclusive tour through the heart of Sin City. Our upcoming feature, “High Rollers’ Paradise: The Top Casino Hotels in Las Vegas for 2023,” promises to be your ultimate guide to the crème de la crème of casino hotels that Las Vegas has to offer. We’ve combed through the city’s glittering skyline, handpicking establishments that excel in entertainment, accommodation, dining, and overall guest experience. This is not just about the roll of the dice or the spin of the roulette wheel – it’s about immersing yourself in an atmosphere where every moment thrills, and every experience is steeped in luxury. From the grandest gaming floors to the most opulent suites, from Michelin-starred restaurants to show-stopping performances, get ready to explore the epitome of extravagance that these standout casino hotels offer. So, buckle up as we take you on this exciting journey, where every stop is a winner!

1. The Venetian Las Vegas

Situated on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, The Venetian Las Vegas is a high-end hotel and casino resort. The property is owned by Vici Properties and managed by Apollo Global Management. It was established by Sheldon Adelson, a well-known businessman, via his company, Las Vegas Sands.

The design of The Venetian was done by Stubbins Associates and Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo and it’s modeled after the city of Venice, with numerous replicas of the city’s landmarks, including a canal complete with gondola rides. Upon its opening, The Venetian boasted a 120,000-square-foot casino and 3,036 suites housed in a 35-story tower. In 2003, an additional 12-story tower, the Venezia, was completed, increasing the total number of rooms to 4,049. In 2007, The Palazzo, a sister property with its hotel and casino, was opened to the north of The Venetian.

The Venetian was built with a focus on accommodating convention-goers, as Adelson perceived this group was underserved in Las Vegas. The resort has its own meeting space and the adjoining Venetian Expo. It also hosts the Grand Canal Shoppes and from 2001 to 2008, was home to the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum. The Venetian has multiple performance venues that have showcased entertainment acts like the Blue Man Group, Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, and Human Nature. The Sphere at The Venetian Resort, a sphere-shaped venue and arena, is planned to open in September 2023.

The Venetian features a 120,000-square-foot casino. Due to low demand, the resort’s poker room was closed in 2000, paving the way for an expansion of the race and sports book. With a resurgence in poker’s popularity, a new $2.6 million poker room was added in 2006, featuring 39 tables. This was later replaced by the larger Sands Poker Room in 2012.

In 2001, The Venetian introduced changes to cater to high rollers, including expanding the baccarat pit, modifying 18 suites, and creating semi-private gaming and dining areas. In 2005, The Venetian unveiled the Paiza Club, a high-rise private gaming area targeting Asian high rollers. This followed the opening of the Sands Macao in China the previous year, cultivating a new clientele in Asia.

In 2006, Nevada became the first state to legalize online casino real money mobile gambling. The Venetian partnered with Cantor Gaming to offer such services at the resort. The mobile gaming devices were introduced in 2008, making The Venetian the first Las Vegas resort to provide them. Cantor took over The Venetian’s sportsbook operations in 2011, investing $30 million in renovating the facility. A high-limit slot salon was introduced in 2013, complete with 118 machines and butler service.

The Venetian initially opened with 3,036 suites. A second tower was evaluated in 2000 and construction began in July 2002. The 12-story Venezia tower opened in June 2003, adding 1,013 rooms, bringing the total to 4,049.

The 50-story Palazzo, located north of The Venetian, houses more than 3,000 rooms. When combined, the Venetian-Palazzo complex stands as the world’s largest hotel, with roughly 7,100 rooms. The complex offers a total of 225,000 square feet of gaming space.

In 2010, The Venetian and Palazzo entered into a 10-year partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group. The Venetian rooms were refurbished in 2015. In 2017, The Venetian became the first Las Vegas resort to offer hotel bookings via Facebook Messenger.

2. Aria Resort and Casino

The Aria Resort and Casino, a premium hotel and casino, is the centerpiece of the CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. This grand establishment is owned by The Blackstone Group and managed by MGM Resorts International.

Its construction commenced on June 25, 2006, under the architectural guidance of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. The Aria has been awarded LEED Gold certification for its eco-friendly design, making it the largest hotel worldwide to earn such an accolade. At its inauguration on December 16, 2009, it was among the world’s most technologically sophisticated hotels. Initially developed as a shared venture between MGM and Dubai World, it was sold to Blackstone in 2021.

The Aria Hotel consists of two curved glass towers, each rising to 50 stories. It boasts 4,004 rooms and suites and has been recognized with the AAA Five Diamond Award and a five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide. The resort is home to the only casino at CityCenter, spanning 150,000 sq ft and featuring slot machines, table games, and a race and sports book.

The gaming machines are overseen and regulated by a 3,000 sq ft data center and are adjusted to feature the most popular games based on real-time performance data. Unlike conventional casinos, the Aria’s design incorporates natural light, with exterior windows lining the perimeter of the casino floor and skylights illuminating the high-limit gaming area.

The Aria’s poker room is equipped with 24 tables and includes the Ivey Room, named after pro poker player Phil Ivey. Opened in May 2010, this exclusive high-limit poker room provides high-stakes players with direct access to the cashier’s cage and round-the-clock dining at their table. In February 2019, the room was renamed Table 1. The Aria poker room also hosts World Poker Tour events.

In addition to gaming, the resort features an 80,000 sq ft salon and spa, 500,000 sq ft of convention space, numerous dining establishments, and a variety of art and water attractions.

Until its closure in 2016 to make way for a convention center expansion, Aria was home to CityCenter’s only performance theater. The 1,840-seat venue originally hosted “Viva Elvis,” a Cirque du Soleil production based on Elvis Presley’s music, from 2010 to 2012. The show closed due to low ticket sales, and a new Cirque du Soleil production, “Zarkana,” opened two months later and ran until the theater’s closure.

3. The Bellagio

The Bellagio, a luxurious hotel, resort, and casino, is located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by The Blackstone Group and managed by MGM Resorts International. The concept for the Bellagio was developed by casino owner Steve Wynn and was constructed on the former location of the Dunes Hotel Casino. After purchasing the Dunes in 1992 through his company, Mirage Resorts, Wynn initially planned to replace it with Beau Rivage, a French-themed resort in 1994. However, he reconsidered in 1995, deciding to base the theme on the village of Bellagio near Lake Como instead. Jon Jerde designed the resort, with construction beginning on November 1, 1995, under the general contractor Marnell Corrao Associates.

On October 15, 1998, the Bellagio opened its doors, featuring 3,005 rooms in a 36-story tower. For $1.6 billion, it was the world’s priciest resort at the time. Despite initial revenues falling short of expectations, the resort profited after Mirage Resorts merged with MGM Grand Inc. in May 2000, leading to Wynn’s departure. Under the newly formed MGM Mirage (later renamed MGM Resorts), the profits improved. In 2004, an additional 33-story hotel tower was added, bringing the total room count to 3,933. The resort remained under MGM’s ownership until 2019 when it was sold to The Blackstone Group for $4.25 billion. MGM still operates the property under a lease agreement.

Situated on a 77-acre plot, the Bellagio includes a 156,000 sq ft casino and 3,933 rooms. At its inception, it housed 2,700 slot machines and 173 table games. Wynn preferred to highlight the resort’s architecture over signage above slot machines. By 2003, gaming accounted for less than half of the resort’s revenue. Poker’s increasing popularity led to an expanded poker room in 2004. The casino features a high-limit poker area, initially known as Bobby’s Room, named after Bellagio president and long-time MGM executive Bobby Baldwin. As of 2018, the minimum buy-in was $20,000. This high-limit poker room was the most popular in Las Vegas until the Aria Resort opened in 2009, offering a luxurious alternative. In October 2020, two years after Baldwin’s departure, MGM discreetly renamed it the Legends Room. In 2002, the casino introduced a poker tournament series and hosted the annual WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic and the Five-Star World Poker Classic.

In 2013, a private 2,600 sq ft casino room, Villa Privé, was introduced for high rollers.

The Fountains of Bellagio, a music-synchronized water fountain, is the resort’s main attraction, set in an 8.5-acre man-made lake in front of the resort. Other attractions include the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, a conservatory and botanical gardens, and Fiori di Como, a glass sculpture by artist Dale Chihuly in the hotel lobby, recognized as the world’s largest glass sculpture.

The Bellagio also houses numerous restaurants, including Le Cirque and Picasso, run by chef Julian Serrano. Other notable chefs who have worked at the resort include Todd English, Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Wolfgang Puck. The Bellagio has a 1,800-seat theater that hosts “O,” a water-themed show by Cirque du Soleil. Furthermore, the resort features a high-end retail area that introduced several luxury brands to Las Vegas, such as Chanel, Gucci, and Prada.

4. The Mirage

Located in Paradise, Nevada, on the Las Vegas Strip, The Mirage is a casino resort owned by Vici Properties and managed by Hard Rock International. Spanning 65 acres, the property features a 90,548 sq ft casino and 3,044 rooms.

The land for The Mirage was procured by Golden Nugget, Inc., led by developer Steve Wynn, in 1986. A hotel-casino called the Castaways was previously housed on part of this land and had to be demolished to make room for The Mirage. After two years of construction, The Mirage opened its doors on November 22, 1989. With a construction cost of $630 million, it was the most expensive resort globally at the time and also one of the largest hotels. The Mirage marked the advent of megaresorts on the Las Vegas Strip, triggering a construction boom for similar large-scale resorts in the 1990s.

The Mirage broke away from traditional Las Vegas casino offerings by introducing several unique attractions, including habitats for dolphins and tigers and an indoor tropical forest display. Its main attraction is a man-made volcano that erupts every night, offering free entertainment outside the resort. In 1990, the Mirage introduced a magic show by Siegfried & Roy, who performed there for close to 14 years. The resort also hosted Cirque du Soleil’s first Las Vegas show, Nouvelle Expérience, which premiered in 1992. The troupe returned to the property in 2006 with the debut of Love, a Beatles-themed show.

In 2000, Wynn left the property when his company was bought by MGM Grand. Hard Rock International took over the operations in December 2022, marking the first tribal gaming operator’s entry onto the Strip. The company plans to rebrand the resort at Hard Rock Las Vegas. This will involve a comprehensive renovation and expansion of the property, including the construction of a new guitar-shaped hotel tower, replacing the iconic volcano attraction. The rebranding project is set to commence in 2024 and is expected to be completed within two years. Until the completion of the project, MGM will license the “Mirage” name to Hard Rock.

5. Caesars Palace

Located in Paradise, Nevada, Caesars Palace is a renowned luxury hotel and casino nestled between the Bellagio and The Mirage on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip. It stands as one of the city’s largest and most recognizable landmarks.

The brainchild of Jay Sarno and Stanley Mallin, Caesars Palace was established in 1966 with the vision of creating a lavish facility that transported guests to the time of the Roman Empire. The property features numerous statues, columns, and iconography reminiscent of Hollywood’s depiction of the Roman era. This includes a 20-foot statue of Augustus Caesar near the entrance. As of now, Caesars Palace is owned by Vici Properties and managed by Caesars Entertainment. As of July 2016, the hotel boasts 3,960 rooms and suites across six towers and a convention facility spanning over 300,000 square feet.

The hotel hosts a variety of restaurants, including several that serve authentic Chinese cuisine, catering to affluent East Asian gamblers. Since its inception, Caesars Palace has been geared towards attracting high rollers. The original casino of the hotel, Caesars Forum, opened in 1966 and featured 30 gaming tables and 250 slot machines. The interior is adorned with 20 black Italian marble columns, white marble, and gold leaf trimmings. Friezes and statues symbolize Roman conquests, with motifs of women being a common theme. At the center is a flat ornate dome with an enormous chandelier, shaped like a Roman medallion and made of 100,000 handmade and hand-polished crystals, gracing the ceiling. It was reportedly the world’s largest crystal ceiling fixture at the time. As of 2005, cocktail waitresses still sport the original uniform designed by Jay Sarno: white, off-the-shoulder mini-tunics paired with high-heeled Roman sandals.

The modern casino facilities offer a range of table games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, Spanish 21, mini-baccarat, pai gow, and pai gow poker. The 24-hour poker room, spanning 4,500 square feet, is situated between The Colosseum and the Race & Sports Book. In June 2014, it moved to this location when Pure Nightclub was expanded. As of December 2015, it houses 16 tables equipped with free Wi-Fi and USB charging ports. Traditional reel-type slot machines, video reel machines, video poker games, video blackjack or keno are available for players to enjoy, with stakes ranging from 1¢ to $500.

Caesars Palace has a long history as a venue for live music and sports entertainment. It has hosted boxing matches since the late 1970s and also served as the venue for the Caesars Palace Grand Prix between 1981 and 1982. A long list of notable entertainers has performed at Caesars Palace, including Frank Sinatra, Morrissey, Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Teresa Teng, Count Basie, Dean Martin, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, The Moody Blues, Celine Dion, Ike & Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Bette Midler, Cher, Elton John, Liberace, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Julio Iglesias, Ann-Margret, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, Judy Garland, Gloria Estefan, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, Sting, Matt Goss and Deana Martin.

The main performance venue at the hotel is The Colosseum, a theater that can accommodate 4,296 people and includes a 22,450-square-foot stage. This stage was specially built for Celine Dion’s show, “A New Day…”, in 2003. After a hiatus in 2007, Dion returned to the Colosseum with her new show, “Celine”, on March 15, 2011, with a contract for 65 shows per year through June 9, 2018.