a Bellagio and Virtuoso weekend

Bellagio's stained glass flower ceiling (c) 2018 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Back from a weekend in Las Vegas for the opening of the 2018 #VirtuosoTravelWeek, we enjoyed spending two nights at Bellagio. The first of the luxury concept hotels created along the Las Vegas Strip, Bellagio has stunning public spaces. Many visitors had their iPhones out to take a photo of this display of Murano glass flowers, and you'll find a new creative attraction each time you visit the fountain area outside of Café Bellagio (soon to become Sadelle's Jewish Deli.)

We experienced the VIP treatment during this visit — thank you to Virtuoso for making this happen! We were met in baggage claim by our driver who had us at Bellagio in about 10 minutes, thanks to the new traffic tunnel that allows airport traffic to bypass busy city streets and especially the Strip.

Upon our arrival at the Bellagio, we were escorted into the Chairman's Lounge (immediately to the left of the front desk) where there was no line. A friendly associate checked us in and gave us keys. Because our room wasn't quite ready (it was only 12 noon), we had a light lunch at Café Bellagio. Before the meal was over, she called with our room number. Our bags were delivered to the suite within minutes of our arrival.

one of Bellagio's three pools (c) 2018 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Our Salone Suite was spacious, an open-floor plan junior suite with plenty of living space, a full sofa and desk, a fountain view out one set of windows and a pool view out the other (pictured above). This is just one of the three large pools in Bellagio's pool area — in my opinion the best resort facilities of any Las Vegas hotel.

Bellagio has nearly 4,000 guest rooms, but the hotel's service is impressive nevertheless. Especially if you go for the full VIP Treatment!

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

if it's August, it must be Las Vegas

T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Though I don't think of Las Vegas as a summer destination, I have found myself making annual pilgrimages to Vegas every August since 2006. Why Vegas? Why August? August is the month when elite members of the luxury travel industry gather for Virtuoso Travel Week, an event that has grown larger year after year. Thousands of luxury travel advisors travel to Vegas to meet with reps of of a thousand hotels, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies, and other travel providers.

Think of Travel Week as a shopping spree for travel. I shop for travel ideas for you — new hotels that are opening their doors, older hotels that have transformed themselves through multi-million dollar renovations, creative ideas from tour companies about things to do and see, opportunities for unique experiences that come with a lifetime of "bragging rights." There's always something new and surprising to learn.

And there's networking... One of my favorite Travel Week stories: I was seated at dinner one evening next to my rep from Four Seasons Hong Kong. While we were talking, a client email came in with a special request for her hotel. Handing her the phone, she read the email, said "Done!," and emailed her team in Hong Kong. Luxury travel is all about relationships ... and Virtuoso Travel Week is our chance to nurture those relationships. Virtuoso hotel bookings give you even more than hundreds of dollars of amenities per stay: when you're the client of a Virtuoso travel advisor, hotels receive you as a true VIP.

copyright (c) 2018 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Las Vegas | the city that wakes up late

the Strip at dawn (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

At 6 a.m., Las Vegas is a sleepy town. I'm ensconced in a Strip View room at the Bellagio, a $20 upsell from a Resort room and well worth it for the view. Directly in front of my room I can see the large "Paris balloon" and replicas of the Arc du Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, and Mon Ami Gabi — a French bistro at which I enjoyed dinner last Saturday night. (The trout almandine was really good).

I really enjoy the view when I walk into my room after dinner. The sky is dark, and the balloon is lit up and centered in my window. Every 15 minutes, I can see the fountain show from my window and even play the music on channel 22 on the tv in my room.

Las Vegas pulses all night ... but it's very quiet at 6 in the morning. There's virtually no traffic on the Strip, and the casinos are relatively empty. I woke up at 5:50 a.m. this morning (had a 6:30 a.m. breakfast appointment to begin my day at Virtuoso Travel Week) and enjoyed the effect as the rising sun dramatically highlighted the clouds.

copyright  (c)  2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

what's new in Las Vegas?

T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Something is always new in Las Vegas, and our limo driver from the airport to Bellagio clued us in on the new T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL Vegas Golden Knights. The arena is the cornerstone of a major new development just west of the Strip, between Monte Carlo and New York New York. You'll discover new retail space along The Park as well as the new Park Theater (connected to Monte Carlo). The impressive stainless statue (pictured above) stands at the center of this new development.

A redevelopment of Monte Carlo appears to be underway. The hotel's swimming pool and beach volleyball area is gone, and there are construction cranes in the now vacant lot just south of the Bellagio-Crystals-Aria-Monte Carlo tram. Enjoying a good location just south of City Center, Monte Carlo is a lackluster casino hotel that could truly benefit from going upscale.

Keep checking back for news from Virtuoso Travel Week, the world's premiere luxury travel show. Team Ourisman will be meeting with hotels and other travel partners from all over the world, shopping for exciting new experiences that we can share with you.

copyright  (c)  2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Las Vegas textures

Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Las Vegas is larger than life — witness the Aria Resort & Casino pictured above. With over four thousand rooms and suites, many highly regarded restaurants, and quite affordable room rates, Aria is one of the newest properties in Las Vegas and well suited for those who want to live big.

But if you prefer boutique, there are also FANtastic choices available in Las Vegas. My favorite is the Mandarin Oriental, part of City Center in the center of the strip. A casino-free and smoking-free hotel, it's less than 400 rooms — 392 to be exact. While big by Mandarin Oriental standards, this is truly petite by Vegas standards.

We're staying at the MO Las Vegas for my weekend at #VirtuosoWeek. I love my Cityscape room. On the 18th floor, it has an interesting view of Aria and Monte Carlo and even a peak at New York, New York and its roller coaster to the left. Elegant and tastefully decorated, my clients enjoy FAN Club amenities (even better than Virtuoso amenities) throughout their stay: American breakfast for two daily, a $100 F&B or Spa credit, and a room upgrade if available upon check-in.

The other boutique choice in Las Vegas is the Four Seasons Las Vegas. Located at the south end of the strip, the Four Seasons sits atop one tower of the Mandalay Bay. It is an oasis of serenity in the midst of the madness of Vegas, but just steps from the casino and the wave pool at Mandalay Bay (and FS guests have access). Contact me for complete information on available Preferred Partner amenities at the Four Seasons and Virtuoso amenities at Aria.

copyright  (c)  2016 by David Ourisman LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Virtuoso Week | August in sunny Las Vegas

On Friday night, I'm headed to Las Vegas for my eleventh Virtuoso Week (first known as Travel Mart and then Travel Week). I'm definitely not going for the weather which can range from very hot to stiflingly hot. Rather, this is a chance for me and my team to meet with representatives of two thousand luxury travel providers including hotels, tour companies, cruise lines, and more, at meetings held both at Bellagio and Aria.

While I'm just spending the weekend and will be back in the office Monday morning, two members of Team Ourisman will be meeting (from Monday through Thursday) with hundreds of reps for 4-minute appointments ("speed dates") and longer 10-minute meetings specifically set up in advance. Jessica is a Virtuoso Week veteran, while this will be Angela's first time. Virtuoso Week is invaluable for luxury travel advisors; it's an opportunity to learn about new properties and meet with old friends to find out about the latest offers, promotions, and enhancements.

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say, and two of my own travel photographs will be on display for the annual Virtuoso Advisor Photo Contest. I'm very excited by this honor, as there are thousands of entries, and the photos seem to keep getting better year after year. As you may know, I'm an avid travel photographer. In fact, I look at travel as an excuse to take photographs. You can see my two "winners" here and here... two thousand words worth of memories this past year in London and Dubai.

By the way, look for me at the 22-second mark of the You Tube video!

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Vdara | economical luxury in Las Vegas

I am staying at Vdara while attending this year's Virtuoso Travel Week. Literally right next door to Bellagio, where Travel Week is held, it's just a two-minute walk from Vdara's lobby to the convention space at Bellagio – nearly as convenient as Spa Tower rooms and much closer than rooms in Bellagio's main tower. What do I think of Vdara?

Rooms are spacious, a generous 650 square feet. Our room feels like a Junior Suite with King bed and what seems to be a King-sized sofabed. Styling is cool contemporary in shades of beige and brown with enough accents to provide visual interest. The bathroom has a deep soaking tub, step-in shower, and one large sink with large vanity on either side. On the downside, the bathroom has a glass door that lets light into the bedroom, poor water pressure in the shower, and lukewarm shower water. The room is equipped with a 42" flat screen TV and two desks. Vdara is actually a condo hotel; the entrance hall doubles as a kitchenette (two burner cook surface, microwave, sink, counter, and small refrigerator). Cookware is available upon request.

Pictured above is the view from our room, an "008" series room with a view of Bellagio's fountain and the Las Vegas Strip. Vdara also has a spa, casual dining, a rather loud lobby bar (a young vibe), and a small pool on the 3rd floor of the hotel. The pool is actually my one disappointment with Vdara. We went down to swim, heard the overly loud music, took a look at the water which was practically wall-to-wall with guests, and went back to our room. Bellagio's pool area is wonderful!

The ideal guests for Vdara? Young families who would appreciate the kitchenette, and a group of three or four young adults would appreciate the deluxe accommodations at a very reasonable price. Though priced less than Bellagio, Bellagio's Virtuoso amenities make it a better value for a couple visiting Las Vegas. Like Signature at MGM Grand, Vdara is a completely non-smoking hotel without a casino.



Vdara (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

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L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon | Las Vegas

MGM Grand in Las Vegas offers some incredible restaurants. I had the opportunity to dine at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon during a recent stay in Las Vegas. We were seated in the center of the counter, the seating location of choice in this restaurant as it provides a clear view of the kitchen. It was quite interesting to watch the chefs at work and the final preparation of plates before they were sent out into the dining room.

A one-star Michelin restaurant, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (literally, the workshop of Joel Robuchon) is one of a number of restaurants throughout the world owned by this celebrity chef. The food was incredible, starting with perfect French baguettes. Home made in the restaurant, they brought back memories of Paris. We ate too many of them! We also took advantage of the "early bird special," a three-course tasting menu for just $39 per person available daily until 6:45 p.m.

The pièce de resistance — the chocolate dessert called, simply, Le Chocolat. Being confirmed chocoholics, we couldn't resist this additional chocolate treat. See the incredible presentation pictured above. In this case, the extra calories were well worth it!


L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Las Vegas | a tale of two lobbies

These are not the greatest photos — my iPhone has severe photographic limitations — but these images of two lobbies in Las Vegas luxury hotels convey two very different paradigms of luxury travel.

Pictured above is the Bellagio, a mega-hotel with nearly 4,000 rooms and suites. The Bellagio is prototypical of what Las Vegas has to offer. A lobby decorated with 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers. A casino open 24 hours a day. Twice-nightly shows of Cirque du Soleil's "O." Exceptional restaurants including Le Cirque, Michael Mina, and Picasso. An art gallery with a collection of French Impressionist paintings. A "lake" in front of the hotel reminiscent of Lake Como, Italy, the site of the picturesque village of Bellagio from which this casino hotel gets its name.

Bellagio embodies the outrageous excess that makes Las Vegas one of the most popular destinations in the world.


The Four Seasons Las Vegas offers a very different paradigm of luxury travel. It is a hotel within a hotel, occupying the top five floors of Mandalay Bay. With its own separate entrance, guests enter a quiet and serene lobby decorated with simple floral displays reminiscent of the creative arrangements seen in the George V in Paris. With 424 rooms and suites, this property is large by Four Seasons standards. Yet at 10% the size of the Bellagio, the Four Seasons can provide the kind of gracious and personalized service that Bellagio can only dream about. It can take half an hour to check into your room at Bellagio; there should be no wait at the Four Seasons. If you try to phone the concierges at Bellagio, you can wait on hold forever; service is immediate at the Four Seasons.

There's not even a casino in the Four Seasons (but, not to fear, the Mandalay Bay offers shows and games just steps outside the connecting doors). My impression? Borrowing a phrase from the Gospel of John, Four Seasons is in Las Vegas but not of Las Vegas.


Which hotel offers the better luxury experience? I can't answer that question for you. It depends on what kind of luxury you are looking for. Do you seek non-stop excitement, entertainment, and over-the-top glitz and glamor? Choose the Bellagio. Would you rather experience a quiet and serene oasis in the midst of the hectic city? Four Seasons would be your choice.

P.S. Both hotels are part of Virtuoso, and special rates and amenities are available to you through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant.


Las Vegas luxury hotels (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2008 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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luxury travel bargains for europeans

Amazing luxury travel bargains are available to residents of Europe and the United Kingdom. It's hardly news that the US Dollar has fallen on hard times. That 100 Euro bill pictured above is worth $140. While bad news for Americans, this is an opportune time for European and British citizens to visit the United States.

Here are some luxury travel ideas for visitors to the United States (based on rates currently available for the dates indicated). All of these rates, when booked through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant, come with a complimentary breakfast and an upgrade on arrival if available. I've put together the following itinerary, taking advantage of low weekend rates in major cities and low mid-week rates in Las Vegas!

New York. $399 for a Deluxe City View Room at the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park, Nov. 18-21. See New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty from your hotel. Visit the great museums of New York. Windowshop on Madison Avenue. Explore Chinatown.

Las Vegas. $135.15 for a Junior Suite at The Signature at MGM Grand, Nov. 21-23. The Signature is an amazing new all-suite property, completely non-smoking, connecting by a moving walkway to MGM Grand and its casino, fabulous restaurants, and the entertainment possibilities of America's "adult Disneyland."

Scottsdale, Arizona. $211 for a Fairmont room at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Nov. 23-26. You'll be upgraded at the time of booking to a Deluxe room, if available. Enjoy the fabulous shopping of Scottsdale. Play golf in the mild desert climate. Take a Day Trip to the Grand Canyon.

Washington, D.C. $395 for a Deluxe city view room at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, Nov. 26-29. Explore this beautiful city and its monuments. Visit the Smithsonian (at a time of year when the museums will be uncrowded) and the US Capitol. Even enjoy the cultural opportunities at the Kennedy Center.

The total cost of hotel rooms for this 12 day, 11 night tour of the United States, staying exclusively in 5 star luxury hotels, is $3285.30 before tax (with breakfast included every morning). That's only 2347 EUR (or 1635 GPB).

Virtuoso luxury travel consultant (search in Google)


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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