From the start, I knew my stay at the Ritz-Carlton at Lake Las
Vegas was going to be special. Right after I entered the guest
room, I stepped on the bathroom scale and found myself weighing
about five pounds less than I actually do.
Now that’s the way to start a vacation!
But then that’s the Ritz-Carlton everything you expect from a
luxury resort plus more.
The Ritz-Carlton is in the Lake Las Vegas Resort, 17 miles from
the Strip. The upscale community (Celine Dion lives there) has been
built around a man-made lake, and includes two championship golf
courses.
The community is almost eerily perfect. Large swathes of
emerald-green grass dot the stark desert. Waterfalls flow where God
never intended. If Disney-like flawlessness is your clients’ style,
they’ll love it.
The Ritz-Carlton fits nicely into its surroundings. It’s a
sprawling, nine-story resort, built in an old-Mediterranean style
(at least as Walt would have envisioned it).
The lobby is spacious, with a bar and a service area, and large
French doors that open to a view of the garden below. Large bowls
of fruit are everywhere. A front-desk hostess offered us warm
towels to freshen up, and then escorted us to our room, providing a
mini-tour of the hotel on the way.
Our room was on the Club Level, which is accessible only with a
special key, and was located on a faux bridge modeled on the Ponte
Vecchio in Florence.
The room was spacious, but its best feature was the double
French doors that opened onto a small balcony. It was too small to
accommodate furniture, making it more ornamental than functional,
but it did offer a view of the lake and the pool.
The hotel’s decor is traditional, but in an understated way,
with walls painted in subtle tones and furniture designed along
simple lines.
The large bathroom, done in beautiful marble tile, had a double
sink, enclosed shower and toilet, and a huge tub. There were large,
fluffy towels; the diplomatic bathroom scale; and lighted,
magnifying makeup mirror. One glaring omission, however, was the
lack of a trash can.
The attendant service was impeccable. And turn-down service
included the expected chocolates and an unexpected little book of
bedtime stories. But not all the surprises were pleasant ones. The
rooms and public areas are squeaky clean, but I was quite surprised
to find a significant layer of dust on the hallway furniture.
However, construction is still going on, and that could be the
reason.
Another little surprise was the $12-a-night charge for valet
parking. (Self-parking and short-term valet are free.) The cost is
reasonable, compared to other cities, but, in Las Vegas, having to
pay for parking is an unheard of charge. Usually, even valet
parking is free for hotel guests and non-guests alike. Even at the
Hyatt Regency, just across the man-made Lake Las Vegas, parking is
free.
But, this is the Ritz-Carlton and not the place to look for
bargains. Rack rates are $229 to $429, with the Club Level rooms
about $100 more. Considering the level of service and amenities,
the experience is well worth the price.
Ritz-Carlton: 800-241-333, 702-561-4700.
