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| - I've stayed at most Vegas hotels and this is definitely the nicest. It's certainly more upscale than Bellagio and Encore. Mandarin Oriental is synonymous with luxury. I was blown away by the rooms, the lobby, the MO Bar, and the spa. When you arrive, you have two choices: valet your car (free until Midnight) or park at Aria and make the trek. My advice? I say you valet at check in, then park at Aria for the night. Anyway... you're whisked up to the lobby in the sky. Best. Lobby. In. Vegas.
Everything in the rooms is controlled through the TV. As a tech geek, I f'ing loved this hotel. The only gripe I have about the rooms is that they have a floor-to-ceiling mirror that takes up a slice of the window. Why? Makes no sense. The bathtub was also a bit awkward (at least for my fat body). The little stopper was right where my cheeky ass wanted to reside. Ugh. No probing, please (not without dinner and a kiss).
One nice perk... If you want to spend time in the MO Bar, they'll take a reservation for hotel guests and seat you right by the window. I suggest going on a night when the DJ's playing. The views are incredible. Order a dirty martini with blue cheese olives.
MOzen Bistro was delicious (saw Tera Patrick at the next table).
So... MO was nice, but... it doesn't have a casino. Yeah... Aria is literally next door, but... still... you have to walk it. Then, again, you don't get the crowds wandering in off the street (the entrance is a bit secluded, as well). Aria's casino is decent, albeit somewhat cold. I enjoyed my stay, but... would I choose MO over Encore next time? Not sure. I like having a casino in the hotel. I think City Center helps the location, though. Todd English's P.U.B. was surprisingly good (get the lobster rolls!) and the Cosmopolitan hotel was nearby, too. More to do in this area than at Encore.
Bottom line... If you want modern luxury, Mandarin Oriental is your hotel.
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