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Luxury reigns supreme in the top third of the Las Vegas Strip. There aren’t as many resorts here, but spacious rooms, exquisite details, and deep-sleep-inducing beds make four of them among the most luxurious in the world. This part of town is about a 30-minute ride from the airport and at least 20 minutes to the South Strip, so visitors often stay put once they're here. Then again, when you’re staying at resorts that have just about everything, who wants to leave?
The cluster of hotels that make up this section include The Venetian, Palazzo, Treasure Island, Wynn, Encore, Sahara Las Vegas, and Circus Circus. Of particular interest: pools. Swanky, ultra-exclusive day-lounge areas surround the pools at North Strip properties; The Palazzo’s Azure Pool is one of the newest, and Encore Beach Club is by far the most popular. As with most pools in Vegas, these offer European-style sunbathing sections, too. Bikini tops optional.
Other amenities are worth raves as well. Wynn, for instance, has a men's barbershop. The Venetian's spa is operated by none other than the world-renowned Canyon Ranch. Factor in additional amenities such as high-end shopping, indoor gardens, and breathtaking design, and it’s no wonder the North Strip is seen as the spot where Vegas meets high fashion, year after year.
The largest Conrad in the world takes the basic Hilton vibe and enhances it considerably with spacious rooms (in some cases topping out around 1,200 square feet), modern and comfortable furnishings, and huge bathrooms with free-standing tubs. Hotel guests have access to the Awana Spa and Resorts World's sprawling pool complex.
Lavish accommodations, cavernous bathrooms, and highly personalized service characterize this brand, the most upscale of the three Hilton brands on-site. It offers a spectacular private lobby right off the high-limit room of the casino. Rooms are plush and spacious—up to 7,000 square feet for the suites. Crockfords guests check in at the VIP desk in the Conrad Lobby, and then retreat to a daybed at the resort's pool complex, or indulge in a massage or facial at the Awana Spa.
The Las Vegas Hilton name, which was once attached to the now-Westgate, returned to Sin City with fanfare when it became one of three hotels in the sprawling Resorts World complex. The 400-square-foot sleek rooms, which are decorated mostly in neutrals, have pops of accent color as well as seating areas for relaxation. Bathrooms have walk-in showers and LED mirrors. Guests use the shared Resorts World pool complex and Awana Spa.
Minus Michael J. Fox and a weird DeLorean, this resort is as close as you'll get to a Back to the Future experience in Las Vegas, one that literally reinvents a reinvention (in this case the Sahara, whose ill-fated rebranding as the SLS was later rolled back). Zippy recap: the original Sahara, a totem of classic Las Vegas, closed in 2011, then reopened as the SLS in 2014, but never caught the magic of the original, so it was retro-rebranded (with new owners) in 2019. References from the past were both retained (renaming the lounge The Casbar after the original live music venue) and rejected (gone is the original Moroccan decor). The Sahara has pegged its appeal to a more boutique feel rather than a luxury blowout. The rooms are split between three modest-sized towers, and recommended eateries include Bazaar Meats, Bella Italian Soul, and Chickie's & Pete's. A few trendy bars and lounges are available for the undemanding nightlife seeker, and you can top off your Sahara experience with a dip in the rooftop pool—one of three on the property.
