THEhotel Will Be Replaced With The Delano Las Vegas in 2013

August 6, 2012 at 6:33 PM | by juliana | Comments (5)

Major news today outta The Mandalay Bay--THEhotel will cease to exist by the end of next year and in its place will be The Delano Las Vegas. We can't believe it either! THEhotel will be no longer? The Delano is actually going to open in Las Vegas? Is this Opposite Day?

For those of you who might be asking, "What is a Delano?", allow us to fill you in. The Delano is a famous hotel in South Beach from the boutique collection of Morgans Hotels (Morgans also used to run the Hard Rock Las Vegas a few years back.) It has been long-favored by celebs, pop stars, artists and fashion designers who put up with sparse, minimalist rooms in order to have direct access to the beach and to be seen at the hotel's hot restaurants and nightclub.

Rates at the Philippe Starck-designed hotel (this is the man who will also be doing the SLS Las Vegas) can reach upwards of a $1,000 during high season. Once upon a time before the economic woes of 2008, a Delano was set to open in Boyd Gaming's fancy Echelon complex. That dream never became a reality and the lot on Las Vegas Boulevard on the site of the old Stardust is still empty.

For a look-see around the original South Beach property, check out HotelChatter's photo gallery featuring some highlights of the hotel's design.

But don't stare too long. While the Delano Las Vegas will have elements of the South Beach hotel's personality, no two Delanos are meant to look alike so when all 1,100 of THEhotel's suites get redesigned, the spot will look not just entirely different but entirely new.

And it's not just the rooms that are getting redone inside THEhotel. Here's what else will change:

In addition, Morgans Hotel Group plans to introduce several new food and beverage concepts at Mandalay Bay to be managed by The Light Group. Venues will include a casual American bistro by Chef Brian Massie, a Japanese dining destination by celebrity chef Akira Back and a new vision for Red Square. The Light Group will once again reinvent Las Vegas nightlife with a revolutionary nightclub. All venues are scheduled to open in 2013.

No doubt one of these places will take over Shanghai Lily which recently closed at Mandalay Bay. And we're guessing the nightclub will go inside the deadzone where rumjungle used to be. The Bistro will probably take over the cafe at THEhotel. We're not sure what will happen to MIX at the top of THEhotel but right now it doesn't look good.

The renovations will also include a spa overhaul and while we have no confirmation, we do suspect that the Delano Las Vegas will import the Morgans Hotel spa brand, Agua, to the hotel.

The floor-by-floor renovations are expected to begin next summer and all employees of THEhotel will remain on board as MGM Resorts employees since this is just a licensing agreement with Morgans Hotel Group. Word is that the full transition into the Delano Las Vegas will happen in December 2013.

Lastly, we have no idea what rates are going to be like but they will be competitive with Cosmopolitan and the upcoming Nobu Hotel. We bet they will aim high, like mid-$300s, but then again, depending on the weekend or the weekday, you could probably nab it for $200 or less.

So this is a lot of news to digest so we're going to chew on it for a bit but our initial thoughts are mixed. On the one hand, finally we can stop tripping over how to spell/represent THEhotel. Is it THEHOTEL? THEhotel? THE hotel? theHOTEL? Etc. Now, we can just say The Delano. So easy!

On the other hand, what will happen to the dozens and dozens of THEhotel-branded sex kits? More seriously though, is the Mandalay Bay posh enough for the Delano? While we ponder these questions, sound off with your thoughts in comments below!

Comments (5)

Return to » THEhotel Will Be Replaced With The Delano Las Vegas in 2013

I never had a chance to stay at the Hotel, always wanted to.

I'm not surprised that MGM are selling it on...we went to THEhotel earlier in the year and it was deserted.

It was reasonably early evening (about 9pm) and it looked like it was closed, walked through to reception and the restaurant area was closed, hardly saw anyone apart from a couple of maintenance guys fixing a light...thought at the time it's either VERY exclusive or nobody is staying here.

Sounds like it was the later?

(Mix lounge was not bad...but prefer the view from Voodoo lounge at the Rio)

It sounds like some of these dining/nightlife experiences will spill over into Mandalay Bay proper, but the hotel portion of Mandalay Bay will remain the same.

The cafe at THEhotel ran/runs very limited hours so I think that only helps to make it appear as if its a ghost town. It seemed like the hotel was still popular as pricing has remained competitive.

I am definitely ready to bid Mix farewell, if that's what is in the plans. I think it's been ready to go for a few years now.

My wife and I love staying there. Especially because it was so removed from the casino and the rooms were so beautiful. The rooms are a great value, sure that will change. We are booked to go after Thanksgiving, guess that will be our last time.

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