Editor’s Note: The following review is of American Express’s Fine Hotels & Resorts [as utilized at the Delano Las Vegas]. This post is not a complete review of the Delano Las Vegas.Â
Review: Fine Hotels & Resorts – Delano Las Vegas – Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite Edition (Las Vegas, NV)
Before we begin, let’s do a quick review. I love travel-hacking. I love American Express’s Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program. I love MLife and the Delano Las Vegas (although I have a love/hate relationship with Las Vegas, but that’s another story).
If you’ve learned anything from this blog, you know my feelings on combining the above said programs for incredible value when staying in Las Vegas. As most travel-hackers know, sometimes that “incredible value” can be magically turned into “ridiculously incredible value” when Lady Luck intervenes.
That’s exactly what happened to me on my last stay at Delano using the FHR program.
About The Fine Hotels & Resorts Program:
How To Use It
To use the FHR program, you’ll need a premium American Express Platinum credit card that grants you access. Both the American Express Platinum card and the American Express Business Platinum card will work.
 
 The Benefits Of The Fine Hotels & Resorts Program
For many Platinum users, American Express’s FHR program is an under-utilized benefit – but it can provide tremendous value when used at the right hotels. The perks of the program include the following 6 benefits:
The Benefits Vary By Property – But Delano’s Benefits Are Among FHR’s Best:
Delano’s “unique amenity” is a $100 Food and Beverage Credit. Additionally, the “daily breakfast for two” benefit is $30 per person per day and valid at the wonderful farm-to-table restaurant Della’s Kitchen. So for two people, this benefit is worth $160 at minimum!
Review: Fine Hotels & Resorts – Delano Las Vegas
Now, I’ve covered the FHR program at Delano before, so I’m not going to re-tread over that post except to say it comprises its own tower of all luxury-suites, and is often completely sold-out on any given weekend.
Sometimes, you can even book rooms at the Delano for around $75 dollars, in this case I booked the room for $99.20 – but remember, that comes with a $160 credit!
Delano lobby rock art
The Check-in: The Invited Guest Line
Arriving at 11:30 pm as I’m one to do, I found the front desk completely empty except for one front desk attendant and her manager who was floating around nearby. As such, there was no need for an “invited guest” line.
I began the check-out process and was immediately warmly recognized and thanked for both my MLife and Hyatt status. The attendant also thanked me for using the FHR program and handed me the program letter (below).
Rating: n/a as the Invited Guest Line was not available or necessary.
The Check-in: The $160 In Food Credits – A Major Devaluation
This lucrative benefit of $160 in credits was the single biggest reason for me booking through the FHR program. I received the the following letter from the woman at the front desk:
Compare that letter with the previous letter (below) from my prior stay in February 2018. You’ll notice the $100 food credit at that time was basically universal, meaning it could be used anywhere at the Delano or Mandalay Bay.
Now take another look at the new letter (above) and you’ll notice a major devaluation in the FHR program at the Delano as the $100 credit is now severely limited to usage mostly at bars and lounges, sports books, pool-side cafe’s, etc. Gone are the prime dining choices like Kumi, Citizen’s Kitchen and Bar, Lupo by Wolfgang Puck, Red Square, House of Blues, etc.
This was a shocker and a major devaluation in the FHR program at Delano.
Rating: 3 out of 5 points for Delano’s generous $100 dining credit, but I have to subtract some points for the major devaluation of the dining credit that severely limits choice and experience at Delano.
The Check-in: The Room Upgrade
My suite was initially booked as a “King Suite – One King Bed room”. The benefit stated: “room upgrade upon availability”.
As I continued my check-in with the front desk attendant, we were making flirty small-talk when a look of seriousness came over her face. “Sir, I apologize, but it seems your room is not ready because it wasn’t cleaned,” she said before asking me to hold-on for a moment why she asked her manager about something. “Uh-oh,” I thought to myself.
I could see her discussing something with her manager while her manager leaned over her shoulder to look at me and nodded her head as if to say, “OK”. The attendant returned and said she had one more call to make to another manager because I was a VIP thanks to the FHR program. “VIP?” I stood there and tried to play it cool but I could literally feel Lady Luck laying her warm hands on me. I figured I may be about to get an upgrade to a higher floor or maybe even a room with a strip view.
“OK sir, because your room isn’t ready, I’ve been authorized to give you an upgrade…to the 62nd floor,” she said and handed me the room key with a playfully devious smile, “enjoy!”
I really had no idea what to expect.
Rating: 5 out of 5 points for Delano’s execution of the “room upgrade upon availability” benefit, their treatment of FHR guests as “VIP’s”.
The Hallway
I made my way to the elevator and noticed the 62nd floor was the top level floor that had rooms. “Awesome,” I thought to myself.
When I entered the hallway, I immediately noticed it was unlike all others in the Delano.
Burning Man art
I continued the long walk down the hallway looking for my room number, until I realized it was the very last room at the end of the hall.
Welcome to the Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite
That’s when it hit me, I had been given a really good room, maybe even the “best” room at the Delano (at this time I had no idea it was called the “Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite”)!
I slowly opened the door and this is what I saw.
The Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite – Video
The Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite – In Pictures
The Entrance
This seemed a little odd. Was it missing flowers or something?
Room in the entrance
The Living Room
The living room of this suite is huge, just like you would expect
 
The Panoramic View From The Living Room
62nd floor magic
The view behind the curtain
The Dining Room
An curiously awesome piece of driftwood art
The Wet Bar
 
The Master Bedroom
Office space in the master bedroom
Living area in the master bedroom
Where all the magic happens
Ambient lighting accents
The Panoramic View From The Master Bedroom
View of the Luxor and the Strip
View of the new Raiders stadium from bedside window
The Master Bathroom
That’s right, this is no ordinary shower…it’s a steam shower. Trust me, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a steam shower
Your eyes do not deceive you. Apparently they do have bidets in Las Vegas! Who knew?
Malin+Goetz toiletries. You’ll notice these differ from the standard Delano “Bathhouse Spa” offerings
Using the $100 Food and Beverage Credit
Due to the $100 credit devaluation I mentioned above, we were taking a while deliberating about where we should go for dinner. I was peering out the panoramic windows marveling at the view when an idea came to me – room service!
We decided to order-in so we could take full advantage of the “once in a lifetime” Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite’s view and try Delano’s In-Room Dining service.
The Dinner Menu itself was somewhat limited as far as entrees were concerned, but there were still some solid options.
We wisely went with the “Roosevelt Burger”, the “Toasted Cheese and Potato Chips”, and the Pizza. On top of that, we threw in a couple drinks and beers. Oh, and the fries were seriously legendary.
Rating: 5 out of 5 points for the excellent In-Room Dining service that hit the spot and complimented the incredible views of the Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite.
Using the $30 Per Person Breakfast Credit
For breakfast, we went back to Della’s Kitchen (a favorite of ours). The food and coffee was on-point as always.
Side-note: I inquired with the waiter about the of coffee Della’s used and if I could buy some, and he said that was the “#1 most-asked question” he got. He told me it was a proprietary blend that unfortunately wasn’t for sale. Bummer!
Instead of my usual Chicken and Waffles, I went with the Smoked Pork Benedict which was delectable. Della’s is definitely one of my “top three” breakfast spots in Las Vegas.
Rating: 5 out of 5 points for breakfast at the Della’s Kitchen (as usual).
The Check-out: Guaranteed 4:00 pm Check-out
The Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite was such a relaxing and enjoyable stay, we didn’t want to leave!
Trying to maximize our luck scoring the Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite, we opted for more room service and stayed right up until the 4:00 pm check-out.
Rating: 5 out of 5 for the no-hassle and relaxing Late Check-out benefit.
The Check-out: The Final Folio Invoice
I finally made my way down to check-out at the front desk, handing my key to the front desk attendant and I inquiring about the room I was given.
She looked up and said, “wow, you got ‘the good room’!”. I asked, “what type of room was that? I tried to search for it online, but couldn’t find out what it was called or how to book it”. She laughed and said, “that’s because that room is called the ‘Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite’ and it’s unbookable – it’s the very best room we have and it’s only reserved for VIP’s or sold as an upgrade”.
When all was said and done, the final bill was $149.47 (which included the room rate of $99.20, the resort fee of $35, and taxes). With the $160 in FHR credits, the net cost for the entire stay was: $149.47 – $160 = a negative $10.53, meaning they paid me $60 off the room rate (when you factor in the credits) or $10.43 off the total net cost to stay there! Amazing!
The front desk attendant smiled and said, “it looks like you got really lucky on that one!”. Lucky indeed.
Rating: 5 out of 5 for Delano’s always friendly and seamless service and usual accurate billing.
The Bottom Line Review: Fine Hotels & Resorts – Delano Las Vegas – Penthouse Panoramic Luxury Suite Edition (Las Vegas, NV)
In this case, the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program absolutely made my stay by allowing me a stay in a room I otherwise had no business being in. It was truly a wonderful stay – and they paid me to stay there!
Yes, there was a credit devaluation, but time and again I’ve found the Fine Hotels and & Resorts program provides a truly enhanced experience and incredibly value when staying in Las Vegas. But this stay may have just been the best upgrade ever!
My final rating of the Fine Hotels & Resorts experience at Delano was a definitive 10 out of 10 due to Delano’s overall perfect execution of the FHR program.
Cheers!
