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| - The Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas remains one of the most beautiful hotels on the Strip. If at all possible, try to stay in the main building (instead of the Spa Tower) and upgrade to a room with a view of the lake and fountains.
The Chihuly glass flower ceiling in the lobby is still stunning while the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens just to the side of the lobby are a popular photo-op spot with seasonal displays. The current French Summer scene is as beautiful as any I've seen although my favorite may be the creative Chinese New Year gardens in January and February each year.
The Bellagio has received the AAA Five Diamond Award every year since 2000 for a reason. It is a great hotel. Elegant rooms and wonderful housekeeping make your experience in your room enjoyable. Meanwhile restaurants like Le Cirque, Picasso, Jasmine, and Jean Philippe Patisserie make dining a delight. The Bellagio Buffet is outstanding, but made even better on Friday, Saturday, or holidays thanks to King Crab Legs and Kobe-style Beef.
Shopping at the Bellagio may be out of the price range of most of us, but it's still delicious to browse the Hermes, Omega, Chanel, Fendi, Dior, Armani, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany shops.
For entertainment, my favorite Vegas show is at the Bellagio. Tickets are expensive, but the water-themed Cirque du Soleil masterpiece "O" is worth every bit of the cost. Don't want to spend too much money, then hang out at one of the Bellagio pools. Finally, plan to spend some time being mesmerized in the evenings by music, lights, and dancing water of the Fountains of Bellagio.
My only real disappointment with the Bellagio is the Casino. The number of tables seems limited, however, the real problem is a continual sour attitude of the dealers. I played a couple days at a variety of tables (mostly blackjack and roulette) and didn't meet even one friendly dealer that even pretended to like their job. Not sure if it was a bad week, but the negative vibe was noticeable compared to other casinos hit during the past week.
Despite the sourpuss dealers, the Bellagio is a dynamic 4-star plus experience. Bring money and a positive attitude for a vacation to remember.
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