Hello! I miss this blog. I’m sorry if I’m inactive in this account. Can’t find a time to squeeze work, review and writing together. Later! ♥

I haven’t written/ updated this blog for months now. I promise, I’ll add this on my to do list.

Other hotels that we went to using the connecting pedestrian bridges and the Las Vegas monorail were Excalibur, MGM and Mandalay. We were walking and going in and out of the hotels. I was exasperated by the humidity hence the few photos. Nevertheless, I will still be posting “The Design” part minus “The Experience” of the 3 hotels.

New York New York, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

The Design

New York New York hotel—the name says it all. Its theme was reminiscent of the Big Apple with replica of the NY skyline with all the famous buildings in it, the NY harbor, the Statue of Liberty and other famous NY landmarks.

They continued the NY theme even for its interiors naming its gaming and casino area as Central Park and replicating the Greenwich Village for its boutiques and shops inside. New York New York has 2,000 hotel rooms.

The Experience

From the Luxor hotel we took the connecting train called Las Vegas monorail to New York New York. I was so excited to see this hotel because I miss walking the streets (of NY) already even though we have been in the west for a couple of days. (Note, you can’t walk in LV. You always need a car or a vehicle to move around.)

From the first days that we were roaming the Strip, I already noticed New York New York not only because of its NY theme but also because of the rollercoaster that goes in and out of the hotel like that of Sahara’s, only larger. It is now called The Rollercoaster formerly the Manhattan Express.

Besides the fact that it was too hot and no one wants to go with me, I still wanted to ride the coaster. I didn’t go though because I chose to eat pizza and enjoy being full than to vomit it after.

REVIEW:

Structure: New York New York

Designer:  Stantec Consulting, Inc (Landscape); Gaskin &Bezanski (architect)

Type: Hospitality

Sub-type: Hotel-Casino

Year:

Style: NY theme

Location: 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, 89109

Website: http://www.newyorknewyork.com

Luxor, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

The Design

 The Design

Another hotel along The Strip is Luxor. Famous for its geometrical shape, Luxor hotel boasts a total of 4,400 rooms. Luxor is a 30-storey pyramid designed by hotel architect Veldon Simpson and interior designer Charles Silverman. Although the hotel took inspiration from Egyptian architecture particularly the obelisk and the Great Sphinx of Giza, it is very modern and contemporary with its dark bronze glass material. At night, the tip of the pyramid features a vertical spotlight which is considered to be the brightest beam in the world with (over) 42.3 billion candle power.

The Experience

Before they had the car up for valet, I was already admiring the hotel from the outside. I was thinking where they located the rooms and suites. Upon entering, it has the largest and most open atrium I have seen in my life. Also, there weren’t any columns obstructing the visual sight of the visitors. It was as if the rooms per floor were cantilevered from the sides of the pyramid. I wanted to think how the architect designed it but I stopped and just admired it instead.

At the time, Criss Angel’s cars, motorcycles and other vehicles were up for exhibit at the atrium lobby and other parts of the hotel. 

Another architectural feature that I didn’t get to see was “The guest rooms are situated on the outer walls of the pyramid and are reached by riding in “inclinators” that travel along the inner surface of the pyramid at a 39-degree angle.” Now I wonder how that goes?

REVIEW:

Structure: Luxor

Designer/s: Veldon Simpson (architect); Charles Silverman (interior)

Type: Hospitality

Sub-type: Hotel-Casino

Year: October 13, 1993

Style: Thebes (theme)

Location: 3900 Las Vegas Blvd South Las Vegas, Nevada 89119

Website: http://www.luxor.com

Aria Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

The Design:

Perhaps one of the most modern and innovative hotels in The Strip is Aria Hotel.  It was designed by the architectural firm of Pelli Clarke Pelli. Opened in the 16^th of December 2009, Aria Hotel boasts a wide range of hotel features and accommodations. The hotel 51 and 61 storey curvilinear glass towers with 4,004 rooms and suites, 16 restaurants, 10 bars and restaurants, a 14,000 sq.meter casino, 20,000 sq. meter pool area, 7400 sq.meter salon and spa, 28,000 sq.meter convention center and a 1,800 seat theater. It has earned a Gold LEED certification because of the building materials used and the reduction of energy consumption.

As for the interior, the three-story lobby used natural materials including foliage, flowers, glass, wood, and stone. The hotel was named as such being the central feature and focal point of the City Center. Art features include the Lumia, the water feature in the façade area and the silver sculpture of Maya Lin located in the hotel’s registration called the Silver River.

The Experience:

Upon arriving, I have already noticed the water wall as part of the hotel’s façade. It’s admirable even from afar.  They do have cafés, concessionaires, souvenir shops, chocolate boutique and the gambling area inside. I am not sure if they opened all the public area at the time because we didn’t roam it that much.  Architecturally, it is admirable besides the fact that it is a new hotel.  Aria Hotel is my favorite modern hotel in Las Vegas.

REVIEW:

Structure: Aria Hotel

Designer: Pelli Clarke Pelli

Type: Hospitality

Sub-type: Hotel-Casino

Year: December 16, 2009

Style: Modern

Location: 3730 Las Vegas Blvd • LAS VEGAS • NEVADA 89158

Website: http://www.arialasvegas.com/

City Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

The Design

The City Center is a 1,560,500 sq. meter mixed-use complex of residential, hospitality leisure and commercial situated in a 31 hectare land. It has seven buildings in total namely the Harmon Hotel, Veer Towers, Mandarin Oriental, Aria Hotel, Crystals (Entertainment District) and Vdara Condo and Hotel. Since this project is a complex different architects had been commissioned to plan, layout and design the different buildings that will be located inside the complex. The conceptual master plan was designed by Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn. Other starchitects of the complex are Daniel Libeskind and Norman Foster.

Innovatively the complex boasts green architecture and technologies in the site by using reclaimed water and an on-site power plant. LEED certifications had been honored to the buildings in the complex such as the Aria hotel, Vdara and Mandarin Oriental. The total cost of the project costs $9.2 billion from the planned $4 billion.  

The Experience

Before I wrote this entry, I had no idea that Aria Hotel is part of the City Center complex. And although the complex is not in itself categorized under hotel architecture, I decided to include it as well since it is architecturally associated with the other posts.

REVIEW:

Project: City Center complex

Designer/s: Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn(Conceptual Master Plan)
Gensler (Executive Architect)
Foster + Partner (Harmon Hotel)
Helmut Jahn (Veer Towers)
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (Mandarin Oriental)
Pelli Clark Pelli (Aria Hotel)
Rockwell Group (Entertainment District)
RV Architecture (Vdara Condo and Hotel)
Studio Daniel Libeskind (Entertainment District)

Type: Mixed-use

Sub-type: Retail, Commercial, Residential, Hospitality

Year: December 16, 2009

Style: Modern

Location: 3780 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Paradise, Nevada 89109

Website: http://www.citycenter.com/