I love the Hilton Honors Aspire Credit Card – so much so – I actually have 2 of them!
Review: Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas
With that said, I wanted to cash in the Aspire’s $250 annual Hilton credit and check out one of Las Vegas’s newest (and nicest) hotels, the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas.
About The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas:
The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas is located in the Las Vegas “CityCenter” adjacent to the ARIA.
Formerly know as the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, it has since been acquired by Tiffany Lam and the founders of Panda Express and is now managed by Hilton.
The 23rd floor lobby (Image: hilton.com)
The Official Informational Blurb From The Waldorf Astoria Website:
“Balance every adrenaline-charged moment in this fabulous city with an unforgettable experience at Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, a sophisticated hotel in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. This High Desert setting hosts exciting performances, conventions, and excursions but inside our modern luxury hotel, the focus rests entirely on you. Experience brilliant Waldorf Astoria Service, our celebrated restaurant, world-class spa, and much more”.
“Our welcoming luxury hotel provides a smoke-free, non-gaming alternative in the center of the main attractions. You’ll see spectacular views through floor-to-ceiling windows in your guest room or suite and from the SkyBar and the Tea Lounge on the 23rd floor”.
The $250 Hilton Credit Redemption:
As I mentioned, I wanted to use up the Hilton Aspire’s $250 credit, and I found the perfect place to do it.
The weekend I booked hotel, rooms were going for $256 a night (plus taxes and fees, of course).
The Hilton Honors Aspire $100 Amex Offer:
But wait, there’s more.
The Hilton Aspire card also had an offer on it where if you spend $500, you get $100 back, and yes, this was stackable with the $250 Aspire credit.
This brought my discount to $350 off.
Location And Getting There:
The Waldorf Astoria is located in arguably the best block in all of Las Vegas, right at the entrance of CityCenter, putting it in the center of ARIA Resort & Casino, Park MGM Las Vegas, and The Shops at Crystals.
Getting to the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas from McCarran International Airport (LAS) is quick and easy; a taxi or ride-share service will get you there in about 15 minutes.
Parking:
There is no self-parking at the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, all vehicles must be valeted at the lower lobby (pictured below).
To reach the lower lobby, be sure to keep to the far left lane when you turn into the CityCenter from Las Vegas Blvd. and follow the signs for the Waldorf Astoria.
FHOP Tip: Now I’m not suggesting anybody do this, but [hypothetically] if one were to have the M Life status of say, Pearl or above, one could [hypothetically] park next door at the ARIA for free by using their M Life card. Hypothetically, or course.
Hypothetically, if you did park for free at ARIA with your M Life card, you would walk past this wall
And then you would, hypothetically, follow this sign downstairs to the valet and lower lobby entrance.
The Valet Lobby Entrance:
After entering the lower lobby, head toward the elevator (to the right of this desk), and then to the lobby on the 23rd floor.
Floor 23 please, “sky lobby”
The Lobby & Check-In:
The lobby on the 23rd floor is quite impressive. You’ll be immediately greeted by the iconic wall of gold across from the elevators.
Turning left, you’ll gain a clear view of the front desk.
The front desk (with a view)
The wall of gold
I was immediately greeted at the front desk with a warm smile and thanked for my loyalty.
The front desk attendant thanked me again for being a Diamond member, but immediately notified that an upgrade would not be available to me as the entire hotel was completely booked for the weekend.
After so much great luck with Diamond upgrades at international Hilton locations, I was bit disappointed, but not surprised.
I was handed a key and a Diamond Welcome Letter, then I was off to see my room.
Ah, so that’s what my resort fees supposedly pay for
The Diamond Elite Welcome Letter:
The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas does not have an Executive Lounge, instead, the resort offers Diamond members a $25 per person per day Food & Beverage or Spa credit.
We opted to use the $100 credit for breakfast both days at the Zen Kitchen restaurant.
Diamond Member Benefits
The Elevators:
The Hallway:
The King Bedroom – Strip View:
I wasn’t sure exactly what my expectations were before I opened the room door, but when I entered the room, whatever expectations I had were pleasantly exceeded.
I believe the room decor was a hold-over from the former Mandarin Oriental, as it was elegantly flared with east-Asian accents (like the hallways).
Aside from the carpet, the room had an overall very posh and upscale feel to it. Unlike the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas, this hotel actually felt like a luxury hotel.
The entertainment center
Room Amenities:
As one might expect, the room was overflowing with amenities.
Complimentary bottled water. And good thing – did you see the price on the Fiji water (below)?
This is where they keep a stash of the “good stuff”
Yeah, I’m legit taking that pen
The Bathroom:
As great and clean and comfy as the room was, the bathroom was the best part of this room.
Well lit and elegantly decorated, the bathroom with a mini-sanctuary with it’s own plunge tub.
In fact, I’m thinking using design elements of this bathroom for my own home.
Yes, this giant plunge bathtub comfortably fits two
Ferragamo makes toiletries? Who knew?
View From The Room:
The view from the room was a straight-shot down Las Vegas Blvd.
Hotel Amenities:
The Waldorf Las Vegas is stacked with features and hotel amenities.
Here’s a brief list of some highlights from the Hilton website:
• Generous soaking tubs in all 389 guest rooms and suites
• French cuisine and curated wines at Twist by Pierre Gagnaire
• Vitality pools and treatments at the 27,000-square-foot spa
• Yoga and Pilates studio, Technogym® machines at the health club
• Three pools surrounded by cabanas on the 8th floor deck
• Private entrance to our sophisticated 12,000-square-foot event space
Tea Lounge:
The tea lounge is found just to the right of the front desk (on the 23rd floor
SkyBar:
The Pool:
(Image courtesy of hilton.com)
(Image courtesy of hilton.com)
View from the room
The Spa:
(Image courtesy of Hilton.com)
The Fitness Center:
Dinner At Zen Kitchen:
FHOP Tip: On the first night, I opted for the Indian classic “butter chicken” dish. I was amazed at its authenticity, rivaling what I had in India. I asked the waiter about it and he said, “actually one of the chefs is from India and used to run his own Indian restaurant. We always get compliments on this dish and many people come here just for this dish”. Try the butter chicken.
The butter chicken dish is excellent
A perfectly dark Old Fashioned
Octopus and Shrimp, with a side of wasabi shu mai.
Breakfast At Zen Kitchen:
The morning breakfast is served at the Zen Kitchen as well, with your choice of a buffet or traditional menu.
The breakfast buffet is served in this room
The breakfast of [sophisticated] champions
Twist By Pierre Gagnaire:
Entrance
The Bottom Line Review: Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas:
Overall, I was very impressed with the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas in almost every way. The rooms were clean, well designed, and luxurious. The dining options were great, as were the many hotel amenities like the fitness center, the Tea Room, and SkyBar.
The location of Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas couldn’t be any better, it’s private and secluded, and it’s refreshing that there is not a Casino in this building (although there is one next door).
Have I found my new favorite Vegas spot? Quite possibly.
Final Rating: 9 out of 10 – Highly Recommended
Cheers!
