Vdara Hotel was the first of the three hotels at CityCenter to debut. Rising 57 floors into rarified air, the stylish all-suite nonsmoking, nongaming hotel and spa is situated in the northwest quadrant of CityCenter between Aria and Bellagio. The Vdara hotel is connected to its sister property, the Bellagio Spa Tower, by an enclosed elevated walkway. Bordering the hotel on the west side is a small park with benches. Just east of the entrance is Karim Rashid’s Seven Continents of the World sculpture with connecting silver spheres representing the fusion of cultures among land masses.
Vdara Hotel, an art-infused property
The name Vdara was conceived to convey a sense of international sophistication. An art-infused property, Vdara’s main entrance at Harmon Circle is dominated by Big Edge, Nancy Rubins’ cantilevered 50-by-80-foot work of art incorporating more than 200 colorful aluminum canoes, rowboats, and other small aquatic vessels fused together to create a bouquet of boats in a desert harborage. The abstract Expressionist Damascus Gate Variation I, an 8-by-32-foot fluorescent resin work of linked semicircles by Frank Stella, overlooks the reception desk. Two vertical stacked die-cut paper tapestries cascade on the east and west walls of the concierge lobby near the elevator bank. Titled Day for Night, Night for Day by Peter Wegner, together they parallel sunrise and sunset with appropriate solar and lunar colors reflecting the transition. To reflect the space, Wegner has added an original celestial light fixture suspended between the two pieces. On loan from the Bellagio, Lucky Dream, an 8.5-by-14-foot collage of found objects by Robert Rauschenberg, is in the lobby.
The three overlapping, crescent-shaped jet black and silver towers afford wondrous views of Las Vegas and the surrounding mountains. Corner rooms present the most panoramic sight lines. All guest rooms have heat-reflective horizontal windows. Imparting a residential feel, the expansive and tony 575-plus-square-foot suites feature king or double-queen bedrooms and a pull-out queen sofa in the living room. Large bathrooms, some with windows, continue the hotel’s spa theme with large soaking tubs and separate showers. Many accommodations provide a washer-dryer unit. For guests choosing to dine in, all suites are furnished with a refrigerator, stocked minibar, microwave, cook-top stove, and dishwasher. There is 24-hour room service, a food stocking service, and an on-site mini-mart for provisions. About 1,150 of the hotel’s 1,495 suites are for nightly rental; the balance are residential condominiums.
A focal point is Vdara Health and Beauty at levels two and three. This peaceful wood-paneled, 16,000-square-foot spa offers men’s and women’s salons; three relaxation lounges; eucalyptus steam, sauna, and heated plunge; holistic health treatments; a work-out room; a spa retail store; and a Champagne-and-smoothie bar with vegan and vegetarian snacks. Personal trainers and fitness classes are available to guests willing to temporarily suspend relaxation. Bar Vdara, the 24-hour lobby bar and coffee lounge with swings and a curved reflecting pool connecting to an outdoor garden is Vdarling.
On the second level above the porte cochere is the landscaped Sky Pool, with swimming and dipping options of varying sizes and depths. Among the cabanas is a semisecluded plunge. Sky Lounge on the pool deck serves specialty cocktails, tapas, and appetizers. Loungers gazing skyward have a stunning view of the surrounding urban cityscape.
Parking is valet only at the main entrance. The business center and 10,000- square-foot conference area are near the front desk. Vdara is a smallish hotel by Las Vegas standards, yet the level of service is high. The staff has an uncanny ability to remember the names of all guests. Vdara has an air of quiet seclusion, a hideaway in the midst of a busy urban center. The resort is ideal for those who favor a more restful and exclusive Las Vegas experience yet desire proximity to CityCenter and access to its nearby action and energy.
For more hotel reviews check out The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas by Bob Sehlinger.
