CityCenter, a 67-acre resort destination located at the heart of the Vegas Strip, has been called the “most ambitious development ever conceived.” It was designed by eight of the world’s foremost architects to not only make it one of the great urban destinations of the world, but to incorporate environmental consciousness.
Along with all the amazing restaurants, world-class shopping and even residential living space located within CityCenter is the property’s crown jewel — ARIA Resort & Casino.
The architecture of the 60-story luxury hotel is striking. It has a three-story lobby that uses natural materials including lush foliage, flowers, glass, wood and stone. But it’s the guest rooms that make ARIA a memorable experience.
Instead of feeling like you’re in a hotel room, the ARIA experience is more like temporarily living in a chic urban condo infused with superior comfort and forward technology. Dark woods and sleek, ultra-comfortable furniture with a retro feel, great views and one-touch control of everything from the lights to curtains, made me want to settle in for the long haul.
From my bed — where I slept as if cradled in the arms of God — I could open and close the curtains, adjust every light in the suite, control my iPod and the thermostat, determine if the door was locked, and indicate to housekeeping whether or not my room needed servicing. I could either operate everything from the panel on the nightstand or using the TV remote. Now, that’s living … lazy, but living nonetheless.
Once I was able to pry myself from my living quarters, I ventured into the rest of the hotel and casino, exploring its numerous lounges, bars, nightclubs and variety of casual to upscale restaurants. The resort also offers a 2,000 seat theater that currently houses the Cirque du Soleil production, Viva Elvis™, and an 80,000-square-foot spa. –gerald radford
