A City Within A City, Part 3: Vdara Hotel & Spa

This is the third and final installment from the San Antonio Express-News article that included some good reviews the City Center hotels currently open in Las Vegas.



"A City Within the City", by Greg Morago
Sunday, January 24, 2010

Vdara Hotel and Spa



This non-gaming hotel is the best-behaved student in a class of do-gooders. While City Center was built "green" and most of its properties have earned LEED Gold certification, Vdara takes it one step further: no smoking. At check-in they underscore the smoking ban and make you sign on the dotted line. If your idea of Vegas indulgence includes hearing the bells and whistles of slot machines and breathing in cigarette smoke, Vdara is definitely not your place. But if you're looking for a sedate, well-designed oasis of civility, this 57-story curved tower of glass designed by Rafael Vinoly might be up your alley.



Vdara's 1,495 suites ($149-$2,000) are unusual by Strip standards in that each has a kitchen, equipped with sink, microwave, stove and refrigerator separate from the minibar. There's even a coffee maker, another atypical Vegas hotel feature. The bedroom/living room features a dining table with two chairs, couch, flat-screen TV, a flat screen TV, a fantastically comfortable bed and a closet with two robes and two pairs of slippers. The desk is too small to be a good work station, and the lack of a chair with wheels or the ability to adjust is a big no-no for anyone having to do computer work. For a new room I was also bothered by at least six stains I saw on the carpet.

The bathroom is small by Vegas standards, with just a single sink and a magnifying mirror. But there's Aveda amenities and a separate closet - a thoughtful touch for someone who might want to get dressed in the bathroom. Another nicety: Most of the suites have washers and dryers. Odd but cool.



The three times I checked out the hotel's sole restaurant, Silk Road, it was almost completely empty of customers and without a single person at the bar. Not very inviting. Neither is the lobby's bar, which has no personality or energy. The tidy and compact spa doesn't seem very special and the pool was still under construction. Without a fun spa, a buzzy restaurant or a come-hither bar, what's there to do at Vdara? After all, you can't even gamble or smoke. I guess you could always go upstairs and do your laundry.



From my bed I could make out the top of the Flamingo hotel wrapped by an advertisement for Donny and Marie Osmond's show. All night I looked at Donny and Marie's Chiclet smiles and couldn't help but think that Vdara is neither a little country nor a little bit rock 'n' roll. And what it needs is a little of either - or both.

www.vdara.com