Hotel Review: NoMad Las Vegas

I can’t say that I intentionally avoided Monte Carlo Resort and Casino during past trips to Las Vegas. There just wasn’t a compelling reason to visit the Strip property — except, that is, for the little-known Hotel 32, a hotel-within-a-hotel product that resonated with a faithful clientele. But both brands are now history, the result of a stunning, recent transformation that introduced the all-new Park MGM Las Vegas, with the top four floors now branded as the boutique NoMad Las Vegas.

Much more than a rebrand, the Park MGM redo was an extreme makeover of all guestrooms, restaurants, nightclubs and public areas that morphed the property from seldom discussed to instantly hip.

Like its uber-trendy Los Angeles and New York locations, NoMad Las Vegas magically creates — and ultimately revels in — an atmosphere that is both romantic and elegant, while staying true to the European design ethos set by its sister properties, both of which reside in historic buildings. 

More than a hotel stay, a visit to a NoMad property is a deep dive into a carefully curated experience, ingeniously designed and operated to ensconce guests in a warm embrace that  feels almost secretive. I didn’t just check into NoMad Las Vegas through a dedicated entrance; I felt like an invited member of an intimate, private club — if only for a night.  

Upstairs, decor and furnishings in the 293 guestrooms and suites conjure up a residential feel with oak hardwood floors, warm colors and unique, original artwork, while the throwback freestanding pedestal bathtubs, rich fabrics and steamer trunks (cleverly disguising minibars) evoke a playful, sexy vibe.  And with accommodations starting at 406 square feet (the Classic King), there’s plenty of room to luxuriate in the surroundings.

But it’s downstairs in the public areas — which are open and available to all — that the boutique property’s aesthetics impress even a jaded Vegas visitor like me. The NoMad Restaurant and Bar and the inviting lobby are dark, atmospheric and richly decorated in a manner that extols the virtues of understated elegance and sophistication, as opposed to Vegas flash.

The first-ever NoMad Casino is relatively small (by Las Vegas standards) but will satisfy serious players with an adequate number of high-limit table games. Above the pit is perhaps the only remaining vestige of the property’s prior incarnation: a handsome Tiffany glass ceiling that permeates the feng shui-designed space with multicolored hues.

However, it’s the drop-dead gorgeous Nomad Restaurant, featuring soaring, 23-foot walls lined with more than 25,000 hardbound books (yes, physical books) that is the true knockout. With a design nod to The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the restaurant wows all the senses. The food-and-beverage program, thoughtfully created by noted chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, features innovative starters and large-format dishes such as the signature NoMad Roast Chicken that will easily satisfy discerning palates. The roast chicken — which, let’s face it, is typically unexciting — is transformed into an impossibly moist, rich and decadent gourmet indulgence for two thanks to foie gras, black truffle and stuffed brioche.

The adjacent NoMad Bar, a dark, clubby space featuring a striking, back-lit bar along with plenty of tables for two, is a comfortable place to enjoy a meticulously crafted cocktail program along with a small selection of upscale bar snacks.

And in a striking and welcome departure from the thumping day-club scene now prevalent at most Vegas casino-resort pools, the NoMad Pool is an oasis of calm midweek, with music playing at a comfortable level across the garden-like setting. Even on weekends, when the Jemaa pool party takes over the space, the vibe is lively, but not overwhelming.  

Alas, just when I thought I had seen everything in Vegas, there was the NoMad Store, featuring artisanal merchandise set in museum-like displays that resemble a French apothecary, perfectly curated to match the rest of the impeccably designed hotel product. NoMad Las Vegas surprises and delights around every corner, and even though it’s different than anything this town has seen before, it fits in perfectly.

The Details
NoMad Las Vegas
nomadlasvegas.mgmresorts.com