Delano Las Vegas delivers South Beach to the Strip

When the Delano Las Vegas made its début back in September, there was generally high praise for the transformation of the former THEhotel at Mandalay Bay into a desert version of its South Beach namesake. However, as often happens with such positive feedback, there was a “but.” Guests hated the pillows.

One TripAdvisor reviewer commented, “My review would have received an excellent but the memory of the painful pillow left a mark.” Another wrote, “Yes, their pillows suck…100%.” 

Following a top-to-bottom renovation that cost upward of $100 million, having guests unhappy with the pillows was not something the team at the Delano Las Vegas was going to tolerate. “As a luxury destination, we always strive to create an optimum experience for all of our guests and appreciate their feedback along the way so we can adjust accordingly,” said Matthew Chilton, Delano Las Vegas’s general manager. Once it became obvious that the pillow disdain was not isolated to just a few guests, a plan was quickly launched to replace the hotel’s 8,000 pillows.

My recent visit to the Delano Las Vegas, thankfully, wasn’t spoiled by imperfect pillows. Having previously stayed at THEhotel, I could easily compare new and old — and the new is impressively unsubtle in its impact.

Other than a new sign, changes to the exterior of the Delano Las Vegas are minor. Inside, however, changes hit you like a rock, almost literally. Entering the hotel’s foyer, I passed through a large sandstone boulder, split in half to display the striations of its desert history. Across the hotel lobby, more rocks. Near the registration area, a sculpture by  Korean artist Jaehyo Lee, who has suspended hundreds of small rocks from the ceiling.

The beautiful boulder and the weightlessness of the rocks are very relaxing. The lobby is softened by the use of carpet and lighter desert hues on the walls, which replaced the hard tile floor and dark woods of THEhotel. In addition, along both sides of the long lobby are sheer drapes that hang in fabric columns. What’s more, not only does the hotel look pristine, it smells amazing. Yes, there’s that freshness which comes from a new interior, but it’s also thanks to the Delano — like the original THEhotel — being a smoke-free hotel. For those who value their lungs, it’s a refreshing change to the Vegas norm.

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The hotel’s dramatic overhaul continues in the guest rooms. Each of the hotel’s approximately 1,000 suites have been given a retro modern makeover. Walls and furnishings are various shades of white, but avoid the sterility such a color scheme could easily create.

I was extremely comfortable in my standard king suite. At 725 square feet, it had a large living room with lots of seating, a 55-inch TV, ample work space, a wet bar and adjoining half-bath. The bedroom had crisp white linens and a tufted headboard, while closet space was abundant and a second large TV offered further entertainment options. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and bedroom granted views of the surrounding mountains (next visit, I know to request a view of the strip).

The full bathroom featured a soaking tub, glass-enclosed shower, large dual sinks and separate toilet room. It was nice to find Malin+Goetz bath products and a set of amazing, terry cloth robes — honestly the first hotel robes that I would consider purchasing (morals — and a potential credit card charge — prevented me from “accidentally” packing them in my suitcase).

As a boutique property, in comparison with the Strip’s larger resorts, the onsite food and beverage options at the Delano Las Vegas are limited. However, quality over quantity is very much the case. On the lobby level of the hotel is Della’s Kitchen, which is open for breakfast and lunch, where I had the opportunity to experience and enjoy both menus (I recommend the smoked pork Benedict and the Delano burger). Of note is that the restaurant sources nearly all of its ingredients locally and from an onsite greenhouse. Guests also have the the option of 3940 Coffee + Tea, which was nice for a quick bite and specialty coffees. It hosts an afternoon tea service that includes delicious;y delicate petite pastries and finger sandwiches.

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Franklin is the Delano’s lobby bar. I spent an evening there chatting with the friendly bartenders and imbibing amazing craft cocktails. The collection of rare, premium liquors make the bar a worthy destination even for cocktail aficionado’s not staying at the hotel.

Also worth visiting, even if not a guest of the hotel. is chef Alain Ducasse’s restaurant and lounge on the 64^th floor. The restaurant’s extraordinary food is exactly what you would expect from a chef with three Michelin stars, while the view of the Strip is one of the best in Vegas. Scheduled for early 2015, the restaurant’s French American concept called miX — a holdover from THEhotel — will be updated to Ducasse’s first Rivea restaurant on American soil (he currently has Riveas in France and England) offering a blend of French and Italian cuisine.

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Another holdover from THEhotel, is Bathhouse spa. A 15,000-square-foot oasis, it had a progressive design when it opened in 2004 and thankfully has stood the test of time. I spent a couple afternoons exercising in the well equipped gym and enjoyed a relaxing massage — a great way to recover from Vegas’ many excesses.

Speaking of which, while the Delano Las Vegas doesn’t have a casino, it’s directly connected to Mandalay Bay that has 135,000-square-feet of gaming (where I reluctantly stored some money until my next visit). It also has an abundance of top celebrity chef restaurants, including Michael Mina’s StripSteak,  Charlie Palmer’s Aureole, Fleur by Hubert Keller, and The Border Grill owned by Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, of Food Network’s “Too Hot Tamales.” I dined at each of these restaurants during my stay and have no regrets that I completely ignored my diet (my thanks to the Bathhouse’s gym for ensuring I didn’t have to be craned out of my Delano suite).

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As a guest of the Delano Las Vegas, I also took advantage of Mandalay Bay’s pool, which features 2,700 tons of real sand and a 1.6 million gallon wave pool. I wished that the pool was easier to access from the Delano Las Vegas, though management does recognize this problem. While there are no plans for a separate pool (which would be ideal), representatives told me that a special Delano Las Vegas beach club will be coming in the near future and offer guests a dedicated, exclusive pool environment, “embracing the laid-back South Beach lifestyle.” My excursions to Mandalay Bay also included a fun visit to Shark Reef, the on-site aquarium, and a fascinating evening attending Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil.

Although the pillow snafu was a PR blunder, based on my experience the transformation of THEhotel to the Delano Las Vegas was a wise move — and a great addition to the Strip.

The Delano Las Vegas is a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Morgans Hotel Group. MGM is a member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) and for the third  consecutive year received a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index, an annual Human Rights Campaign (HRC) survey that ranks major companies for their non-discrimination and benefits practices with respect to LGBT employees.