What to see in Vegas
2008
In Las Vegas, integrated resorts are just simply, casinos. Visitors who come here know that they’ll spend some time at the tables – playing anything from craps, poker, roulette to blackjack. But they’ll also eat, shop, sight see and generally soak in the atmosphere.
So the IRs in Singapore are the same. Sure, you can gamble if you want – Singapore residents will have to pay a fee to enter the gaming floors – but there’ll be loads of other things you can do, following the experience of Las Vegas.
Every hotel in Vegas here has a theme. The Venetian with its canals, tenors rowing the gondolas and singing well known arias at the same time. New York New York with a mock STatute of Liberty at the front of the hotel and a roller coaster running around the hotel property. Treasure Island which has a scheduled pirate attack show in the moat at the hotel frontage.
Luxor, built in the shape of a pyramid, has a beam of light shooting in the night from the apex of its roof. Bellagio and Wynns hotels have high ceilings and are places to people watch. The Mirage has a volcano erupting regularly except that it’s now being renovated for an even bigger eruption. Bellagio has a fantastic fountain show at night.
These hotels are huge like all the hotels here, so many and new ones coming up too. Each hotel is a large property. It took me 10 minutes to walk from my room to the event centre, a distance similar to walking from Paragon to Tangs. Granted the event centre is usually situated at one corner of the hotel, but it’ll take you around the casino, shops, restaurants etc to get there. That’s the point isn’t it? To tempt you spend money!
Talking about restaurants, every hotel has a Chinese, Japanese and/or Asian fusion restaurant. Mostly Cantonese and Shanghainese food in some very exclusive restaurants which I didn’t bother going in. There’re also the exclusive restaurants fronted by wine cellars and tuxedoed managers waiting in the front. No reservation, no enter type of places. Forbiddingly expensive, I would guess. This is the latest trend I see since I was last here two years ago.
No food in America is complete without the burger which you can get from McDonalds or Carls’ Jr, or expensive in some of the five-star wagyu type in the restaurants. Of course, mustn’t miss out the Italian and Mediterranean joints of various affordability levels.
I recommend, the Chinese noodle shop at the Bellagio. Run by Hongkongers – their style of Cantonese is distinctly Hongkong – it has the best charsiew I’ve tasted in the US, the choy sum and kailan are really fresh and good. Taste is authentic. Every trip here I must go there at least once. Burp!
Entertainment … ah, this is what you come to Vegas for. Err yes, there’re the adult rated shows in the old strip which I think is about a few miles down from the new strip that has all the fancy hotels. But there’s the high class bawdy acts – Crazy Horse is at the MGM Hotel. Then there’s Zumanity by Cirque de Soleil, the only one act in the group that is restricted to above 18. There’re topless women in fishbowls doing unbelievable acrobatic acts in the unique tradition of the Cirque. Yes, I’ve seen it, I wouldn’t recommend children but the acts are really good. Very artistic.
If you’ve time to see only two Cirque shows, it’s either the O at Bellagio or the Ka at MGM. You experience the Cirque’s mastery of theatre, drama and high flying acts which you’ll never see in any of the travelling show because these two acts were specially created for the two hotels.
For shoppers, there’re 2 factory outlets here. Yes, there’s the fashion mall and Macy’s but 20 to 40 minutes away you can get factory outlet prices. Really cheap with some Gap t-shirts going for US$3! Popular brands too like Ralph Lauren, Coach, Nautica, Levis etc. Shoppers can take the public bus to the factory outlet that is 20 minutes away, ask the concierge. I discovered the Primm Valley factory outlet on holiday here two years ago. It has a shuttle running from MGM Hotel. Costs US$15 for return ticket, convenient and on time. For shopoholics, be prepared to drop money and to shop from 10 am to 6pm. Shuttle starts from 9.15 am.
If you don’t want to do all that, then there’re roller coaster rides at New York New York. Luxor, and MGM, exhibits like the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay and art gallery at Bellagio.
Singapore’s IRs would be like what’s available at Vegas. Ritzy places, plenty of eating, shopping and things to do. Except that the casino would be only a small part of the establishment unlike in Vegas where it’s really in your face everywhere you go.
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