Plaza Hotel Undergoes Renovation

Dec 17, 2011

In the travel industry, sometimes you have to be opportunistic and one downtown hotel-casino certainly was when it transformed itself into a luxe resort. The hotel-casino unveiled its new look when it reopened in September. Thousands of contemporary interior furnishings meant for the shuttered Fontainebleau Las Vegas were scooped up by designer Nancy Paolino and now have a new home in the completely remodeled Plaza Hotel and Casino.

Paolino caught wind of an auction when Fontaine-bleau stopped construction of its resort on the Strip and she pounced, purchasing more than 8,200 furnishings, thousands of light fixtures, yards-upon-yards of carpeting and 300,000 square feet of marble, granite, porcelain tile and mosaics.

“Once I saw the quality of the materials, I immediately knew what the Plaza could become — a beautiful centerpiece for the emerging downtown area,” she said.

Built on the former site of Las Vegas’ first train depot and originally opened in 1971, the Plaza has modernized the entire property. Every guestroom and suite in the 1,037-room property has been completely renovated. The rooms now have an earth tone color scheme with bright accents and upgraded marble bathrooms.

Clients will also find casual dining options, including the popular Hash House A Go Go, serving up monster-size dishes of comfort food, an Island Sushi and Hawaiian Grill and Zaba’s Mexican Grill. A new steakhouse concept called Oscar’s (named after former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman) will be housed in the dome overlooking the lights of Fremont Street’s neon canopy.

Despite its modernized look, The Plaza still retains its retro Vegas vibe. The Swingers Club showroom has nightly entertainment, duelling pianos and a nine-hole miniature golf course.

The hallways, casino floor and hotel lobby — with its Crème Marfil marble, inlaid mosaic tile and stunning chandeliers — also have a fresh boutique look as part of the $35 million remodel.

“We wanted guests to enter the Plaza and expect to see Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin having a drink in one of our lounges,” Paolino said. “The atmosphere is reminiscent of the hotel’s old Vegas roots but with the A-list glamour of Vegas today. As soon as guests walk in, they will find themselves surrounded by a hip, downtown mood that flows from the lobby through to the casino floor and beyond.”