ARIA Resort & Casino

Sporting magnificent modern architecture and top-tier dining, entertainment, pool and spa options, ARIA stands tall as a hip resort in the heart of the Strip. The vibe: Modern, gleaming and chic. Luxury on all levels What we love: ARIA Las Vegas opened at the end of 2009 and it still has that new car smell. The rooms are a tech lover’s dream, featuring the latest gadgetry (keyless locks, personalized automation, etc.). Each room includes an in-room tablet where you’ll have one-touch control of lighting, temperature, draperies, music, in-room dining and more. Simply put, you’re the master of your domain at ARIA Las Vegas. Open year-round, the pool area at ARIA is like something out of the Garden of Eden. Three ellipse-shaped pools are spread across a palm tree-laden deck. Insider tips: Be an art lover. ARIA’s got an impressive fine art collection, and you don’t have to pay a museum admission cost to view it. Several pieces dot the property’s indoor and outdoor public spaces. So spend the day exploring, it’s totally worth it. Spend an afternoon at ARIA’s Spa & Salon. There are some seriously unique amenities in here including a Shio salt room (its salt-infused air improves both your breathing and skin) and Ganbanyoku heated stone beds, which are unbelievably soothing to your muscles. Good to know: There isn’t a bad room in the house. Since the price point is elevated here, why not just go all out and upgrade to one of the Sky Suites? With the one-bedroom penthouse, not only will you get postcard-worthy views and more flat-screen TVs than you’d find in an electronics store, but you’ll enjoy extras like limousine transport from the airport, a personal concierge and access to the private Sky Suites Lounge, where you can indulge in drinks (yes, this includes alcohol) and snacks all day and night long. If you’re thinking of smoking in your room at ARIA, don’t. At checkout, you might find you’ve been hit with a $500-$1000 smoking restoration fee. Be aware that most of the resort’s rooms (98 percent of them, only a few high roller suites have been exempted) are nonsmoking, so the only places you’ll be able to light up are on the casino floor or in various bars. Parking at ARIA seems more confusing than it really is. The only way to access this garage is by turning off the Strip onto Aria Place. Follow the signs (there is no light) as these will indicate where the left turnoff is to a long ramp that goes down into the garage. This feels trickier than it is because you don’t actually see the garage they guide you towards.  We also just want to add that ARIA is set way back from the Strip. Of course, most Vegas Strip resorts involve a walk to reach Las Vegas Boulevard, but this is one of the longer ones. To get to the Strip, you’ll have to go through The Shops at Crystals or walk along a series of shops parallel to City Center Place and take a pedestrian bridge across to The Shops at Crystals. Think of it as your workout to burn off those buffet calories.