89119 Travel Guide
Vegas Returns / McFadden's / Town Square / Bars / Drinking / Rio Las Vegas / → All Tags
McFadden's Returning To Vegas
It's been almost a year and a half since McFadden's abruptly closed at the Rio. At the time, VegasChatter was told chances were good that the brand would live to see another day in Las Vegas. Now, we can confirm it will, indeed, return.
A source tells us that McFadden's is planning to open very soon within Town Square, the open-air shopping mall located a few miles south of Mandalay Bay. While a specific opening date has not been declared, a hiring fair is set for May 16-18. With that in mind, it's probably safe to assume an opening month of June. We'll keep our ear to the ground, though, and once we hear something official, we'll share it with you.
(PHOTO: wikkitblog.blogspot.com)
Exhibits / Luxor / Titanic The Exhibit / → All Tags
Jewels Of Titanic To Sparkle, For A Limited Time, At Luxor
Last year around this time, we wondered whether Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at Luxor would auction off its collection and close its doors in the spring. Well, guess not -- here we are a year later and not only is the exhibit still open after a much touted mass auction by its parent company fizzled out, but it's brought in some new booty, too.
Fifteen artifacts referred to as the Jewels of Titanic will be on display March 22 through May 31 as the newest addition to the popular exhibit. It will feature diamonds, sapphires, pearls, and gold jewelry that once belonged to some of Titanic's wealthiest passengers.
Shopping / Vegas Souvenirs / Luxor / Outlets / → All Tags
Logo Hounds Should Sniff Out Bargains At Luxor
Maybe you always pick up a shot glass at every hotel you visit. Or, perhaps, you feel obligated to pick up a Vegas souvenir for the boss or the next door neighbor. Or, you just want to replenish your stash of 'oh, crap, I forgot so-and-so's (insert event here)' last-minute gifts.
But, don't just hit the first Vegas lobby store you see. Try to head to Luxor instead. Yes, we realize we just wrote Luxor. Buried within its mostly vacant crypt retail, umm, mall is a shop simply called Logo Outlet which offers, you guessed it, logo wear and souvenirs but not just for the pyramid, for all of its sister MGM Resorts properties. And, more importantly, at outlet pricing.
Luxor / Vegas Observations / Front Desks / Technology / → All Tags
Luxor Wants You To Help Yourself
Luxor has two additions to its front desk for guests who are more inclined to avoid lines do it themselves.
Located on the far left-hand side, two iPads are available for those who want to quickly check out, with minimal fuss. Stop by any time between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. and tap in your room number and your name to give your bill a fast once-over before officially bringing your stay to an end.
Room Renovations / Remodels / Four Seasons / Openings / → All Tags
Four Seasons Room Renovations Complete This Weekend
The glass showers have been installed with care and the vanities nearly there as a $30 million dollar renovation at the Four Seasons comes closer to completion. Some rooms have already been made available but the final finishes on a grand renovation will be officially complete this coming Saturday, December 8. Want a peek at what's new?
For starters, the picture perfect gold and white digs up top. Anyone worried about spoiling photoshop cred like that can write us their impressions from the desk of the Four Seasons:
Seasoned Four Seasons guests will want to note that the former 180 Degree Strip View Suites are now the Presidential Strip View Suites:
Pools / Remodels / Pool Scenes / Mandalay Bay / Pool Parties / The Light Group / → All Tags
Light Group's Newest Dayclub To Be At Mandalay Bay
The changes taking place at Mandalay Bay won't just happen on the inside. While The Delano is transforming THEhotel, Cirque is working to bring Michael Jackson center stage. And, let's not forget that the Light Group is taking over three restaurants and a long-shuttered nightspot there, too. And, now, public records reveal one of the resort's pools will be morphed into a hotspot, too.
The Light Group has requested and received permission by local government officials to "remodel an exisiting pool area" at the resort. While it doesn't say which pool, specifically, language in the paperwork seems to point to it being the hotel's overflow pool which borders the parking lot at Las Vegas Boulevard and Russell. The area is referred to as the South Lagoon on the hotel's website. Here's a map if you're having trouble picturing the area.
Grand Renovation / Closings / Twitter / Tabu / Nightclubs / MGM Grand / → All Tags
Tabu Next For A Grand Renovation?
Just when Hakkasan should be making its debut, another MGM Grand nightclub may be closing its doors.
VegasChatter fan @JWeaverPF tweeted us his dismay over the weekend upon learning the fate of Tabu Ultra Lounge:
Liquor Stores / Liquor Library / McCarran Airport / Openings / Drinking / → All Tags
Reminder To McCarran Holiday Travelers: There's Booze At Baggage
While most news outlets focus this week on the numbers of cars that will be the road, planes in the air and travelers frustrated by delays, we here at VegasChatter take this opportunity to deliver a public service announcement and travel tip reminder. Yes, lots of people travel around the holidays to visit or get away from friends and family. And, a good percentage of those holiday travelers will be swinging through an airport during their travels.
But, there is only one airport where arriving flyers can start the holiday party early or drown their anxiety before moving onto their final destination. Thanks to the nation's first and only baggage claim liquor store, McCarran Airport's Liquor Library, travelers can now fulfill their holiday and non-holiday booze-fueled needs.
VegasChatter Reviews / Meatball Spot / Carla Pellegrino / Restuarants / Town Square / Nu Sanctuary / → All Tags
Does Carla Pellegrino's Meatball Spot Hit The Spot?
Chef Carla Pelligrino may be sporting a Tropicana jacket on the current season of Top Chef, but she's since flown the coop and set-up shop at Town Square. The Meatball Spot is her latest creation, something she's familiar with from her days in Rao's kitchen. That Caesars Palace eatery is known for their meatball, ya see. We may not have liked the balls at Rao's so much, but apparently others do. We didn't hold that against this Spot, though.
Meatball Spot has been open all of a Vegas minute, but already is the latest celebrity photo op as our inbox and the restaurant's Twitter feed have been lighting up almost daily with pics of actress Aimee Teegarden, boxer Zab Judah, MMA fighter Frank Mir, actor Jareb Dauplaise, champion boxer/actor/Broadway star Mike Tyson, and a Pawn Star in various stages of pointing, posing, or eating food. (Click the name to see the pic.)
Openings / Nightclubs / LIGHT / Mandalay Bay / The Light Group / → All Tags
Mandalay Bay Bringing Light Back To Vegas Strip
Five years after shuttering, comes word that Light nightclub will return to The Strip. This time, the Light Group nightspot will trade Bellagio for Mandalay Bay, upper and lower case for all caps (LIGHT) and will throw Cirque du Soleil into the mix, too.
With a catchy 'see what we did there' tagline -- After Dark, There Is Light -- the club will flip the switch (hey, we can do that, too!) in March 2013:
Room Renovations / Remodels / Four Seasons / → All Tags
Four Seasons Renovation Underway
We dished the deets on Four Seasons' plans for a renovation back in June and showed you the rooms to come in August. Now, that refreshment is officially underway.
Four Seasons Las Vegas began posting remodeling photos on its Facebook page two weeks ago. The renovation will bring all new digs to the resort by December 8, including the addition of two new Hospitality Suites. (One of which you see under construction above.) Check out the photo gallery to see what $30 million buys you these days. And, click here to see what the rooms looked like before.
Bottle Service / Sportsbooks / Mandalay Bay / Lagasse's Stadium / Blondies / → All Tags
Bottle Service at The Sportsbook
Bottle service is the big buzz term when it comes to nightclubs. It's how many nightclubs make the bulk of their money. Good luck being a dude and getting into any of the cool clubs without reserving a table with bottle service. Last year, the sportsbook at Mandalay Bay began promoting bottle service at the 'book. As much as we like the Mandalay Bay sportsbook, we didn't think much of the option. Way back when, we never imagined having to pay to reserve seats to watch sports.
Times change and sports bars and even some sportsbooks (cough, Lagasse's Stadium, cough) in Las Vegas are charging minimums to sit and watch. Depending on the day, you'll pay upwards of a $100 per person minimum to sit and watch the games at Lagasse's Stadium. We paid $25 per person to watch the first week of NFL games at Blondies.
