Hotel Review

Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip continues to reinvent itself and redefine luxury. Built in 1966, the hotel-casino never falls behind the times and instead raises the bar for what visitors can expect when they travel to Las Vegas. 

Ultimate party seekers will find one of the hippest nightlife venues in Las Vegas, Pure nightclub. Flair bartenders and sexy silhouetted dancers keep the energy going at Shadow bar while guests can literally rock the boat at Cleopatra's Barge by grooving atop a water-soaked barge, flanked by a trademark topless Egyptian goddess statue. Or for something a bit more subdued, unwind with a drink at the Seahorse Lounge while enjoying an impressive aquarium with actual sea horses. 

The nightlife at Caesars Palace makes for the perfect after-party to a show by one of the resort's esteemed headliners -- Celine Dion and Shania Twain, to name just a few -- at the 4,100-seat Colosseum. The creative and irreverent show "Absinthe" is all the rage in Las Vegas these days. Geared to adults, it features a crazy cast of circus-style performers led by the lewdest ringmaster (a.k.a., The Gazillionaire) imaginable. Matt Goss, a British singer/songwriter, performs a mix of Rat Pack-era standards with his own music in The Gossy Room at Cleopatra's Barge. He's backed by a nine-piece band and The Dirty Virgins dancers.  

As home to the first celebrity chef in Las Vegas, (Wolfgang Puck at Spago in The Forum Shops at Caesars), the resort remains meticulous in the restaurants it introduces on property, bringing only the finest of dining, such as the Southwestern cuisine of chef Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill and the home-style Italian eats of Rao's. James Beard award-winning chef Michel Richard is at the helm of Central, a casual yet stylish eatery with an indoor dining room, bar and outdoor terrace. The Bacchanal Buffet is a 25,000-square-foot homage to eating created by a team of chefs. The Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill has a grill section featuring fine dishes like whole brick-press Cornish chicken and a pub section serving 36 beers on tap and favorites like shepherd's pie and fish and chips, The world's largest Nobu restaurant will debut in early 2013.

The Old Homestead Steakhouse is one of several historic New York eateries housed at Caesars Palace. Known for its signature Texas-size slabs of porterhouse, sirloin and filet mignon and whale-size lobster, the restaurant also boasts menu items created especially for Vegas visitors along with an award-winning wine list. Like Old Homestead, Serendipity 3 has made its way out West from the East Coast -- and brought its famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, which is a chilly, frothy blend of 20 different kinds of chocolates, as well.

For a truly unique dining experience, savor the French cuisine of the charming Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro. Payard features an adjoining chocolate shop with a crepe station and an assortment of chocolate delights. The shop reopens late in the evenings with a dessert tasting menu -- about the next best thing to being fed grapes from the vine.

If shopping (rather than chocolate) is the indulgence in need of satisfying, there are more than 160 choices (and even more restaurants) in The Forum Shops at Caesars, as well as a hallway of high-end stores in the casino.

The legendary casino itself suits the tastes of high-rollers, celebrities or anyone with cash to spend. The race & sports book is open and inviting with huge screens broadcasting all of the sporting action. 

In a private enclave off the casino floor is Las Vegas' largest poker room, measuring 14,000 square feet. The non-smoking room includes 29 live tables in the main area. The decor is fit for an art gallery with vintage LeRoy Neiman paintings and iconic images by sports photographer Neil Leifer, including his famous shot of boxer Muhammad Ali's 1965 victory over Sonny Liston (more can be seen in the Neil Leifer Gallery on the casino level of the Augustus Tower). Players at Caesars are treated like champions, with tableside food service and massages.

The hotel rooms in Caesars Palace's six towers -- Forum, Roman, Centurion (which is currently being transformed into the world's first Nobu Hotel, scheduled to open Feb. 4, 2013), Palace, Augustus and Octavius -- are as spacious and lavish as any palace accommodations should be, with marble bathrooms and several amenities among the top-rate offerings. The most recent one to open is the 668-room Octavius Tower, which offers guests a more boutique hotel experience with a private entrance and a separate lobby. Plus, rooms here boast an innovative technology package that allows direct communication with concierge, housekeeping, room service, transportation, valet and other hotel service providers.

Also, with this expansion, Caesars Palace had added a ballroom facility and five swimming pools to its eight-pool five-acre Garden of the Gods pool complex. Patio seating for Rao's, an award-winning Southern Italian restaurant from New York's East Harlem, overlooks the pools. Rao's also has an indoor patio resembling New York's Jefferson Park with seating that spills over into a common area surrounding a fountain. Located near the convention rooms and a slight distance from any gaming, the common area provides the ideal atmosphere for hotel guests to relax, enjoy a cup of coffee or read the newspaper.

Located just off the lobby, the Augustus Tower features French chef Guy Savoy's restaurant, two VIP lounges with private check-in for high-end players, three indoor wedding chapels, the relaxing Qua Baths & Spa and boisterous Color salon by celebrity stylist Michael Boychuck, all hold court here.

From the moment guests pass the majestic fountain at the front of Caesars Palace, it is clear that all roads lead to Rome. The hotel has paved a solid legacy as a world-class destination for dining, gambling, shopping, service, entertainment and nightlife.

-- Staff Report