Aladdin
Location
3667 Las Vegas Blvd S.
Las Vegas, NV
United States
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Reopened in 2000, Aladdin hotel and casino mega resort bears the same name as its much humbler predecessor. Somewhat more expensive than the old Aladdin, the new one cost a cool $1.4 billion. The 50-ft (15-m) waterfall that tumbles down the faux-sandstone cliff at the entrance, the arches, and embellishments of the façade conjure images of exotic Arabian lands, which are echoed throughout the interior. One departure from the theme is the London Club, a posh casino within the casino for high rollers and VIPs.
Architecture and Ambience:
In Vegas, hotels rise phoenix-like, not from the ashes but from demolition sites. Aladdin is the city’s most recent phoenix (the original opened in 1967). The whole is an Arabian fantasy of domes and minarets. Drawbacks are the somewhat confusing layout and the piped-in music that doesn’t quite fit the theme, but the guest rooms are luxurious – each complete.
Desert Passage:
Desert Passage The most interesting shopping arcade in the city, Desert Passage is divided into areas: India Gate, the Lost City, Morocco Gate, and Merchants Harbor. The names are intriguing, and soare the shops. The architecture reflects the Arabian theme, and, for added drama, realistic thunderstorms crash into the “harbor” every half hour.
Blue Note Jazz Club:
Styled after the legendary jazz club in New York’s East Village, the Blue Note in Las Vegas serves up contemporary jazz stars such as Spyro Gryra and the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, along with drinks and dinner.
Theater for the Performing Arts:
The original Aladdin’s Theater for the Performing Arts was saved from the surrounding demolition and incorporated into the new design. The renovated, state-of-the-art venue now hosts Broadway shows and major concerts by top stars.
Commander’s Palace:
Like its New Orleans parent, Commander’s Palace Las Vegas is best known for its signature Creole dishes such as turtle soup au sherry, and bread pudding soufflé. The decor recreates an Old South ambience with
Josef’s Brasserie:
At Josef’s, the decor is casual French country, with hand-painted murals and large, ornately framed mirrors. The menu features traditional dishes such as boudinblanc (pork and chicken sausage), quiche Lorraine, and leg of lamb. Grand meal finales include bananas foster and peach melba. The oyster bar, with seafood flown in daily, gets rave reviews.
Sur la Table:
In Desert Passage, Sur la Table is an outlet of one of America’s best house ware chains. More than 14,000items are stocked in the excellent Las Vegas store. Specialty foods such as fondue mix, unusual marinades, and luxury chocolates are popular, along with cookbooks, top-brand utensils, and kitchen furniture.
Rickshaws:
Festively painted and decorated with flowers, rickshaws transport footsore shoppers along the cobbled and mosaic-paved streets of Desert Passage. You canhop on for free, but do tip – the service is provided by an independent company, and tips form the drivers’ only income.
Exotic Shops:
Several of the shops and boutiques in Desert Passage are far more exotic than the usual Las Vegas fare, selling artifacts imported from Africa and beyond.
Casino:
The decorative touches of Aladdin’s casino are as flamboyant as any in Las Vegas. The centerpiece is an enormous Aladdin’s Lamp, which dwarfs the players on the casino floor below.
A Design Triumph:
The Aladdin’s unusual “stacked” design puts the hotel’s lobby, restaurants, and casino on different levels. This allows panoramic views of the interior – up from the ground level lobby and down from the restaurant floor. The hotel does not have a central elevator core: instead, the elevators are spread out so that no guest room in the 40-story tower is more than seven doors from one. Best of all, it is not necessary to trek across hundreds of yards of casino floor to reach the elevators!
Top tips:
Visit Desert Passage first. Check out the restaurants as you stroll and be sure to make dinner reservations at the one you like the look of best. Don’t miss the giant bird from Sinbad the Sailor guarding the Roc Bar. Leave the laptop at home. Each room and suite at Aladdin has its own computer.
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- Local Vegas Guide:
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