The moment you step into ARIA’s soaring atrium, with its undulating glass ceiling and ribbons of natural light cascading down 60 stories, you realise this isn't your average Vegas casino hotel. Located within what’s now known as ARIA Campus, the property opened way back in 2009 with all the swagger of a tech startup flush with venture capital—and after three nights navigating its sleek corridors and discovering both its genuine innovations and sneaky gotchas, I can confirm it’s both simultaneously one of Vegas’s most impressive properties and most frustrating examples of nickel-and-dime hospitality.
Why stay at ARIA Resort & Casino?
What sets ARIA apart from the Strip's gaudy titans isn’t just its LEED Gold certification (rare as unicorns in Vegas) or its commitment to sustainability—it's the property’s genuine embrace of technology as hospitality enhancement rather than mere gimmickry. The resort pioneered the use of mobile check-in, keyless room entry, and climate control systems that actually respond to your preferences rather than fighting against them.
The architecture deserves particular praise. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, the curved glass tower feels more Manhattan than Nevada, rising from the desert with an elegance that photographs beautifully against both sunrise and neon. Inside, Maya Lin’s installations and Jenny Holzer’s LED poetry transform what could have been another corporate hotel into something approaching an art gallery (albeit one with 4,000 slot machines humming in the background). It’s the city’s most ambitious attempt to create a genuinely sophisticated resort that happens to have a casino, rather than a casino that happens to have hotel rooms attached.
What are the rooms like at ARIA Resort & Casino?
I stayed in a Stay Well Deluxe King Room—part of ARIA’s wellness-focused room category that promises circadian lighting, air purification systems, and vitamin C-infused shower heads. At $740 for three nights (booked well in advance), it felt reasonable for Strip standards, particularly when split between couples, and the 520-square-foot space struck an impressive balance between Vegas glitz and genuine comfort.
The room’s tech integration works brilliantly, when it works. Touch-screen controls manage everything from curtains to lighting, whilst the bathroom’s heated floors and fog-free mirrors feel genuinely luxurious rather than show-offy. The Stay Well features—dawn simulation lighting, aromatherapy, and that vitamin C shower—might sound gimmicky, but after long days in Vegas’s noisy, manufactured environment, they provide genuine relief.
Surprisingly for a property marketing itself as five-star, the marble-tiled bathroom lacks the most basic luxury amenity: slippers. Call me picky, but padding barefoot across cold tiles feels like an oversight that undermines the room’s otherwise impressive attention to detail.
However, ARIA’s room experience comes with frustrating caveats that feel distinctly un-five-star. In a city where desert heat and flowing alcohol make hydration essential, discovering that a single bottle of water costs north of $30 feels like highway robbery masquerading as convenience—and you only have 10 seconds to replace it back into the automated sensor-mini bar.
The views also vary dramatically depending on your floor and orientation. Higher floors facing west offer spectacular Strip panoramas, whilst lower floors might overlook construction sites or neighbouring hotel service areas. The soundproofing works well given the Strip location, though you’ll still catch the occasional siren or helicopter tour rumbling past.
What are the best places to eat and drink at ARIA Resort & Casino?
ARIA houses an impressive roster of restaurants that mostly justify their premium pricing. Bardot Brasserie, helmed by celebrity chef Michael Mina, delivers French bistro classics in a setting that channels 1920s Paris with surprising authenticity. The duck confit particularly impressed, whilst the wine list offers both accessible options and serious bottles for special occasions.
For more casual dining, Salt & Ivy is a refreshing alternative with both indoor seating and a lovely terrace overlooking the pool area. This relaxed café serves excellent breakfast fare—their Dutch Baby pancakes are absolutely to die for, arriving puffed and golden in cast-iron skillets with various toppings. The terrace setting provides a perfect escape from the casino atmosphere, particularly during cooler morning hours.
The Proper Eats Food Hall provides an even more relaxed alternative, featuring multiple vendors where you can order directly from your table via QR codes. Easy’s Cocktail Lounge was a standout, which offers comfortable seating areas where you can genuinely decompress or catch up on work without any pressure to order. In a city where every square foot seems designed to extract money from your wallet, this no-pressure space feels like a rare and refreshing oasis—perfect for business travelers.
The bar scene revolves around Liquid Pool Lounge during daylight hours and shifts to JEWEL Nightclub after dark. Liquid’s infinity pool creates Instagram-worthy moments, whilst the cocktail menu delivers competently crafted drinks at predictably steep prices.
What is the service like at ARIA Resort & Casino?
It exhibits the professionalism you can expect from a five-star property, though with corporate efficiency that sometimes lacks the warmth found at smaller luxury hotels. The front desk staff demonstrate genuine expertise about Las Vegas attractions and dining.
The mobile check-in system works seamlessly (when functioning properly), allowing you to bypass queues entirely and head straight to your room, but technical glitches occasionally require traditional check-in anyway.
Housekeeping maintains consistently high standards, with rooms receiving thorough attention and amenities restocked speedily, and the concierge team are super helpful when it comes to securing restaurant reservations and show tickets.
What are the facilities like at ARIA Resort & Casino?
The pool complex represents ARIA’s strongest suit, featuring three pools surrounded by private cabanas and daybeds that transform the space into a genuine desert oasis. The adult pool maintains a sophisticated atmosphere, whilst the main pool welcomes families without descending into chaos. The poolside service justifies its premium pricing with expertly crafted frozen cocktails and pleasing light meals.
ARIA’s spa offers a full menu of treatments in a calming environment that does well to provide escape from the Strip's sensory assault, and the fitness centre features state-of-the-art equipment and stays surprisingly uncrowded, even during peak hours.
The casino floor itself functions as both the property’s heart, but also its most frustrating element. Strategically designed as a maze, it forces you to navigate past tempting gaming options whilst moving between restaurants, shops, and elevators. Sure, it might be clever business design, but when you’re trying to just get from A to B, it’s a serious test of willpower.
What’s the area like around ARIA Resort & Casino?
ARIA sits at the heart of the Strip’s most concentrated luxury corridor, surrounded by Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, and Vdara within easy walking distance. This central location provides unparalleled access to Vegas’s best dining, shopping, and entertainment options without requiring taxi rides or lengthy walks.
The complex connecting ARIA to neighbouring properties via climate-controlled walkways creates a self-contained ecosystem where you could theoretically spend entire visits without stepping onto the Strip itself. The Shops at Crystals mall offers high-end retail therapy, whilst the surrounding restaurants provide dining options ranging from casual to Michelin-starred.
However, this prime location means the area bustles with crowds at all hours, and the constant parade of visitors in varying states of dress (including swimwear-clad pool-goers) creates an atmosphere that feels more like a theme park.
Why should you book a stay at ARIA Resort & Casino?
ARIA shines at Vegas’s most tech-savvy resort, with innovative smart room features enhancing a stay that elicits traditional Strip excitement.
Book higher-floor rooms with west-facing Strip views for the full experience, and consider Stay Well rooms if wellness amenities appeal to you. Advance booking typically offers the best value, particularly during slower midweek periods when rates can drop significantly below weekend premiums. However, you should budget carefully for those pesky added expenses.
DETAILS
Address: 3730 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas Strip, NV 89158, United States
Price per night: Starting from around $200 per night
Closest transport: Harry Reid International Airport is a 15 minute drive away
Book Now: Via Booking.com
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