Getting There
The fastest way to get to The Bellagio from the Las Vegas McCarran Airport is by taxi. That said, try to avoid the kind of Friday night flight I had, since at 11pm there was quite a bit of traffic once we got to the Strip. Also avoid being taken for the “scenic” via the freeway, which generally costs more. Just tell the taxi driver “no freeway, straight down Las Vegas Boulevard.” Also note that if you insist on paying by credit card, there's a $3 fee, so you may want to opt for cash. Expect to pay $15-$20 for a taxi.
Another option if you're traveling light and have plenty of time is to take the WAX bus from the airport. It's only $2, but it also only comes every hour, so not terribly convenient.
Booking with Virtuoso and Earning Hyatt Points at the Bellagio as an M Life Resort
One of the reasons I booked at the Bellagio (well, in addition to it being where Virtuoso Travel Week is being held) is that it's now possible to earn Hyatt points when making a Virtuoso booking and receive Virtuoso upgrade, breakfast and resort credit benefits (free lunch at Todd English's Olives Restaurant or 4 complimentary Bellagio spa passes), thanks to the new M Life and Hyatt Gold Passport partnership. All you need to do is make a Virtuoso booking with TravelSort (see How to Become a TravelSort Client) to receive the Virtuoso benefits, and also make sure that you're signed up for both M Life and Hyatt Gold Passport and provide these numbers when booking so that you can earn Hyatt Gold Passport points for your stay.
Lobby and Check-In
The most beautiful aspect of the lobby, in my view, is the gorgeous Chihuly glass sculpture flowers on the ceiling:
I'd heard horror stories about long check-in lines at The Bellagio, but the good thing about arriving at 11:30pm on a Friday night is that very few other people are checking in–there was absolutely no line. The associate pleasantly greeted me, used my ID to pull up my reservation, and explained the Virtuoso benefits to me, as I'd booked a Virtuoso rate. It included:
- Upgrade from a Resort Room to a Fountain View Room
- Two $20 breakfast vouchers valid for breakfast at The Buffet at Bellagio, Palio, Cafe at Bellagio or The Pool Cafe
- One voucher valid for either lunch at Olives (up to $85 value) or four Spa at Bellagio passes.
She explained how to access the elevators closest to my room, and I was glad for the clear directions on how to reach the elevators given how large The Bellagio is. On the way I passed the Conservatory, which I was able to more fully appreciate the next morning, with its flowers and natural light:
Room
My Fountain View Room was on the 25th floor in the Spa Tower. Here's the view from the entrance:
The room had already received turndown service, so the drapes were closed, some jazz music was playing, and there were two chocolates waiting for me on the nightstand:
The first thing I wanted to do was to see the view of The Bellagio Fountains. While Fountain View Room views are more distant of course than Deluxe Fountain View or Premier Fountain View Rooms, it's still quite striking. I did zoom in a bit for this photo:
But even in this photo of the room, you can see how visible the Eiffel Tower is:
The room itself is quite classicly styled, but offers ample room, at 510 square feet. There's a King size bed, a good sized desk and chair, and two arm chairs. The bed was slightly firmer than my personal preference, but was overall very comfortable and I slept well. The super pillowtop mattress by Serta is custom-made for the Bellagio.
The marble bathroom has dual his and her sinks, a nice touch. The soaking tub looked a bit short, but it was very deep and would be great not only for a relaxing bubble bath but for families with young kids.
There's a separate glass enclosed shower, which had great water pressure and instant hot water.
Bath amenities were the Bellagio house brand, which I found disappointing but is what I expected. I prefer L'Occitane or similar quality name brand bath amenities, so I usually travel with my own.
While I didn't use it, the minibar was well stocked. It's computerized, so don't count on moving anything to keep anything of your own there, as you will be charged.
Pool
This morning I got down to the pool area, which is another beautiful aspect of the hotel, together with the Chihuly glass sculpture in the Lobby and the Conservatory. You must provide your room key in order to access the pool area, which only makes sense as it likely gets crowded enough with hotel guests as the day wears on. They also explicitly mention that they can move towels left unattended for an hour or more, which I think is only fair. On entering, you have a view of the pools and the Cosmopolitan next door:
Here's the classicly styled smaller pool:
An Italianate arbor:
And a larger lap pool, which some kids were also frolicking in at one end:
There are also several fountains which seemed to be tranquil areas for adults to relax by:
The Verdict: The Bellagio offers a great central location on The Strip, with comfortable and spacious classicly styled rooms, fantastic views if you upgrade to a Fountain View Room or higher category, an extensive pool area with plenty of options for adults and kids, and a plethora of dining options (more on those in future posts). Service was welcoming and friendly throughout my interactions with the reception, Concierge, cleaning staff and staff at The Buffet at Bellagio.
Disclosure: I paid for a Virtuoso rate at The Bellagio and as always, the views expressed in this post are my own.
Related Posts
Todd English's Olives at The Bellagio: Las Vegas Restaurant Review
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Virtuoso Hotels: Bookings with Upgrades, Complimentary Breakfast and VIP Perks
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