The Palazzo in Las Vegas: A Fabulous Hotel

And, now a new luxurious all-suite hotel - the Palazzo - is truly a fabulous hotel and resort. It has more than 3,000 rooms and is connected to the Venetian Hotel and the Venezia's property also. Imagine 31 eateries, 130,000-plus square feet of spa space, 450,000 square feet of retail shops, a 200,000-square-foot casino, and a 2.3 million-square-foot convention and meeting space, too. Wow! - in a town where everything already is a wow.

And, who presided over the grand opening last January? None other than Robin Leach of The Rich and Famous. Co-hosting with him was the Palazzo's owner, Sheldon G. Adelson. He is the third richest man in America according to the most recent Forbes reports, so he should be very familiar with what guests are looking for in a luxury resort..

From the Palazzo's exterior, you might think you're looking at a historic government palace in a foreign land. However, as you walk inside you're treated to a 40-foot Lalique sculpture inside the beautiful sun-filled lobby. Beyond that is the airy and spacious casino. And, beyond that, are the elevators taking guests up to their suites in the 50-story towers.

From the lobby you can also meander toward the glass-domed retail area - The Shoppes at The Palazzo, anchored by the well-known Barney's New York. Plan on meandering for quite awhile as you check out just a few dozen more of your favorite boutiques - Coach, Ralph Lauren, Piaget, Prosecco and others.

The famous Canyon Ranch Spa Club® is just the place to relax your cares away. Here you'll find 100 treatment rooms, a relaxation conservatory, and an array of water therapies called Aquavana - think thermal heated lounges, a Finnish sauna, a crystal steam room, a snow cave and an igloo, and even more. There are special treatments just for pregnant women also.You won't go hungry while you're relaxing - the Canyon Ranch Grill is right there. A state of the art fitness center is also part of the spa area.And, to be completed by summer, The Palazzo Pool Deck, which overlooks the Vegas strip. It has gardens filled with statuary, cabanas, lounge pools, spas, and, of course, swimming pools. Each private cabana has a plasma screen TV, a refreshment center, and an overhead ceiling fan.

Each of its 3,066 suites features a sunken living room designed with a European flair and includes a work desk with a personal fax/copier/printer, a bathroom showing a lot of marble, three flat screen TVs-living room, bedroom and bathroom, a king or queen-size bed(s) with high thread count 100% cotton linens, and individual overhead reading lights. There is also a sofa sleeper, remote controlled Roman shades, an in-room safe, and a refreshment center plus a three dual-line phone and wireless internet access. They have a variety of different size suites, each a minimum of 650 square feet. Toiletries are from Agraria of San Francisco and include bath salts along with your more pedestrian items.

Dining has achieved a very high level of excellence in Las Vegas of late, but the variety here is second to none. From Wolfgang Puck's Cut, to Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro, to Mario Batali's Carnevino, to Emeril Lagasse's Table 10 - well, you get the picture, er, menu. And, dining with a bit of sports flair - Dal Toro and Lamborghini Las Vegas bring Italian cuisine surrounded by some of the best sports cars around. The Double Helix Bar includes a large wine list and offers wine by the glass for vintages not usually served in that manner. From the folks who gave us The Cheesecake Factory, at the Palazzo they created the Grand Lux Café, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily - their menu includes scrumptious beignets-N'Awleans style, specialty pastas, and their signature Chocolate Molten Cake. There is an Italian coffee bar and several other eateries - you'll just have to be pleasantly surprised when you go there. In-suite dining is available 24 hours a day.

Entertainment - another WOW! The Jersey Boys makes a 1600-seat theatre at the Palazzo their west coast home starting May, 2008. In the Lounge of Dos Caminos, Vegas native DJ, CyberKid, appears nightly while partygoers can imbibe 35 types of Tequila inside private, curtained cabanas. Late night dining from the Dos Caminos kitchen is available here also. The Sugarcane Lounge features a robata grill and sushi bar that is open all night. You can also enjoy sake and fine cane spirits while dancing to the Brazilian music. And, of course, your favorite slot machines and table games are located in their big, big casino.

Just a few steps away - through a spectacular three-story waterfall, is the Venetian Resort, with more shops, more restaurants and lounges and more gaming action.

Should you ever leave the Palazzo or the nearby Venetian, all of Las Vegas is at your feet. One of my Vegas "rituals" is to take a cab - or the monorail, or the shuttle bus - from casino to casino just to see what is new and fun. Of course, this ritual doesn't help built those big casinos, so please plan a little slot and table action also. Check your dates for what acts are in town - if you wait til you're there, you might miss out on a great show; many of them sell out way in advance.

The Fremont Street Experience downtown is not to be missed if you're a first timer to Vegas. Or, if you've just never seen it before. You might enjoy a inexpensive meal or drink downtown but the days of the really, really cheap downtown Vegas deals are gone. Still, a meal at the Four Queens was excellent the last time I was there and my girlfriend still stays at the Union Station whenever she's in town.

So, go - with your family perhaps because Vegas has a lot more to offer than just a casino. These resorts offer great family entertainment today. Go - with your spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend - it's a very romantic place for a couple of days. Go - with your girlfriends and enjoy a spa weekend (don't forget Ethel M's chocolates). Go - with the other guys for your bachelor party. There is a great racetrack nearby where you can drive in your own race car around the track.

For more information on the Palazzo, visit palazzolasvegas.com.

Have a great time!