12 Days of Hyatt Vegas: Vdara Hotel Review

In recognition of Hyatt’s partnership with MGM resorts, I’ll be trying to review all 12 MGM properties that are now part of the partnership with Hyatt.  The 12 properties are:

• MGM Grand (Review)
• THEhotel at Mandalay Bay
• Signature at MGM Grand
• Excalibur
• Luxor
• Monte Carlo
• New York New York
• Vdara
• Mirage
• Bellagio
• Aria
• Mandalay Bay

I was originally trying to get into Aria for this entire stay, but I waited too long to book my own room (booked rooms for my employees) so I wouldn’t be moving to Aria until the following night, giving me a one-night stay at Vdara.  That was actually fine with me as I wanted to give it a try.

Vdara is essentially it’s own breed, a luxury property on the Strip in Las Vegas that doesn’t have a casino.  I’d considered it for previous stays but the price has always been higher than nearby Strip casinos, assumedly due to the fact that those casinos subsidize their room rates by expected revenue from gambling and restaurant revenue.

The hotel is located in very close proximity to Cosmopolitan, Aria and Bellagio, with a tram stop a relatively easy walk away.

The hotel has a lot of interesting suite types which definitely got me hoping for an upgrade as part of my Noir status.  They have some two-story lofts that look pretty awesome as well as some panoramic suites.  I totally would have dug one of those rooms.  I ended up with a one-bedroom Penthouse suite as an upgrade.  All things considered, a pretty nice room if not quite the bells and whistles of a loft.  If you’re traveling with family I think the penthouse rooms are ideal.

They’re definitely geared towards families in that there’s a full kitchen (you can request any plates and silverware you want) with a big fridge, stove and oven.  They also come with a washer/dryer.  No question these are not your typical Vegas room amenities, but they would make a non-gaming vacation much more comfortable.

The common area of the suite is quite nice, with a combined dining room, living room and office area.  Again, very suitable for families.  I didn’t spend much time in the room, but when I did I actually preferred working from the couches as opposed to the desk.

The bedroom was pretty straightforward as well.  Most of the finishes weren’t overly extravagant or opulent as Vegas is sometimes known to be.  The bed was comfortable, there were convenient reading lights if not a ton of overhead light and plenty of closet space as well as another flat screen TV.

The bathroom was sizable with a double sink, a large bathtub and a separate shower.  Again, sensible upscale finishes and plenty of space without being over the top.