If The Venetian were a business hotel and not a Vegas hotel, it would get three stars. The veneer of opulence apparent in the lobby and hallways does not reach into the individual bedrooms. The set-up of the rooms is similar to the set-up at the Palazzo, but the Palazzo feels cleaner and newer. The beds in my family's room wasn't great, and the covers were made of that cheap synthetic material that feels like a cross between velvet and Velcro.
But - we got the room for free, and my parents aren't even high rollers. The casino is fantastic. It has a great poker room that doesn't take half an hour to walk to, and the dealers are friendly. I would also like to thank the slot machines - my mom hit a $3,000 jackpot on a $1 machine, and my dad won almost a grand in around three $5 spins.
The Venetian also has good restaurants and shopping, and I know the fake sky and little canal are totally hokey but I kind of love them. I don't know if the Venetian would be my first choice to stay at again, but I had a great time and the poker room is hard to beat.