Prevue March/April 2015 - (Page 82)

Delano Las Vegas It might be attached to the bustling Mandalay Bay, but this new remake of THEHotel has its own Zen vibe [ON LOCATION] BARBARA SCOFIDIO T he entrance to Las Vegas' new Delano (pronounced de-lu-no, after the former president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt) is the epitome of cool. Arriving guests pass through the middle of two clay-colored boulders the size of small cars (it's actually one rock, which was cut in half)-how they managed to get this 12,600-pound behemoth into the lobby is anyone's guess. Then there's the long see-and-be-seen entry hallway with subtle lighting, pillars draped in white rippled fabric reminiscent of the desert sands, and a stunning installation of 500 dangling stones by Korean artist Jaehyo Lee suspended from the ceiling at the far end. The entry carpet, in hues of brown and copper, was designed to mirror the view of the Colorado River from high above as it winds through the desert. In other words, if an incentive planner is seeking that fabulous ﬁrst impression for attendees, the Delano delivers. Though this non-gaming all-suite property, an $80 million revamp of the building formerly known as THEHotel, sits right next to the bustling Mandalay Bay Resort, there's not even the slightest sense of being in a large hotel. The 1,117 spacious suites offer subtle 78 | prevue magazine but elegant touches such as spa-style bathrooms with generously sized soaking tubs, the softest hotel robes ever known to man (hotel critics are all abuzz about them) and oversized Malin+Goetz bathroom amenities. All-white furnishings are countered by sensual underwater photographs, similar to those hanging in its South Beach sister property. To keep with the FDR theme, the ice buckets in the rooms are shaped just like his famous fedora. We were able to experience just a sampling of what this new hotel can do for groups, starting with a beer vs. wine tasting in a private room at Mandalay Bay's Aureole. Our hosts for the evening: Harley Carberry, director of wine, and certiﬁed Cicerone Sarah Johnson, one of seven master Cicerones in the world. Her knowledge of beers and pairing them with foods is unparalleled. Guests sampled carefully chosen versions of each beverage during ﬁve courses, and this writer and wine lover was surprised to have preferred the beer as a pairing in all but one. The evening's highlight for the group: fairytale pumpkin soup with shaved white trufﬂes, roasted walnuts and prosciutto parma tortellini, paired with

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue March/April 2015

Planner’s Pick: Los Angeles
Fresh Meets: The Evolution of Local Hospitality
Bureau Buzz: Atlanta
Good Business: On the Agenda: Zero Waste
Sea Shores: American Queen Steamboat Company
Incentive Bound
FLORIDA
CALIFORNIA
NASHVILLE
IHG EUROPE
On Location: Bermuda
CLUB MED CANCUN YUCATAN
On Location: Beaches Turks & Caicos
On Location: St. Kitts
On Location: Delano Las Vegas
Club Med Meetins, Incentives and Corporate Events 2015 Edition

Prevue March/April 2015