Hotel Review: The Venetian Resort, Las Vegas
The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas is one of the most iconic properties on the Las Vegas Strip. Home to 7,093 suites across three towers, the Venetian and Palazzo transports guests to an opulent, classic Italian-themed resort with endless restaurants and activities. We recently stayed in the Prestige Club of the Venetian, so read on to find out if it’s worth it.
Location: 5/5
The Venetian has a true 5-star location. Towards the north end of the strip, this fully integrated resort is the perfect jumping off point for travelers looking to explore the strip, but also a fantastic location if you plan to stay on property. The Venetian is a short 10-20 minute ride from the airport and is conveniently located close to the Fashion Show Mall, one of the best shopping experiences in Las Vegas. Within walking distance, you will find the Linq “high roller” experience, Caeser’s hotel and a number of activities and facilities the strip is famous for.
Lobby & Check in experience: 3.5/5
Given the magnitude of this hotel, it’s no surprise that the lobby and check in experience is a bit rough, particularly if you are not staying in the Prestige Club. Upon pulling up to the valet, we were told the valet was full. We asked if this happens often, and the consensus was “daily”. The parking garage is a quick drive away, but worth mentioning that it is extremely low in the roof.
Upon finding a self-parking spot on the highest floor, we wound our way through the elevators, casino floor and lobby to inquire about the Prestige Club check in area. The check-in line in the lobby itself was extremely long, so we were grateful to be sent to the actual club to check in instead. The elevators to access the Prestige Club on the 36th floor is right next to the self-parking elevators, so it’s worth noting that you should beeline for that self-parking if you plan to stay in the Prestige Club.
The lobby area for check in and check out is very small in relation to how many guests the hotel can support. Each time we passed through the lobby, the lines were fairly long. If you have IHG elite status, there is a “VIP” line that you can access that was significantly shorter at all times. However, if you booked a standard room and are without status, expect a bit of a wait.
As a note, smoking is still allowed in the casino at the Venetian. Since the casino is directly next to the lobby, the smell was quite strong throughout the day and night.
Once we arrived to the Prestige Club, we had a wonderful experience. We were checked in quickly and sent to relax with a glass of champagne in the lounge. The lounge check in never had a line at any point and Prestige Club guests can check in and out of the lounge directly, bypassing any need for the lobby. The club level lounge also is a concierge service so if you require tickets or reservations to shows, they can take care of that as well.
Rooms: 4/5
We reserved a Prestige Club Luxury King Suite. The Prestige Club upgrade at the time was approximately double the cost of the room. Prestige Club rooms come with better views, higher floor and access to the club level amenities, like continental breakfast, tea and coffee throughout the day, appetizers in the evening and a cocktail reception. If you’ve been to Las Vegas before, you know drinks aren’t cheap. 4 drinks at the Club lounge is essentially break even on your room rate if you enjoy cocktails at the bars and restaurants.
The suite itself is 650 square feet and very spacious. Whether you are in Prestige Club or not, the King Suite is the same size and amenities. The Venetian touts some of the largest standard rooms in the industry and they are not incorrect. Every room comes with a full-size sunken living room, king (or two queens) beds and a large bathroom with a tub, shower and double vanity. While dated, the suites are comfortable and do feature master switches by the bed as well as electronic curtains that are controlled next to your bed. We really appreciated the small modern touches, despite the hotel’s age. They’ve also added USB ports to the desks and convenient bed-side charging.
The bath products are custom for the Venetian and smell very nice. They also offer the amenities one would expect, but is all too often forgotten about during COVID-19, including q-tips, shower caps and more.
Compared to some of the housekeeping disasters we have experienced as of late in Las Vegas, we were pleasantly surprised to find the suite remarkably clean. They also offered daily housekeeping and turndown services. There were ample towels, bath amenities and the room itself was clean.
There is a stocked minibar, but do keep in mind that you cannot remove an item without it charging to your account. Be sure to check out with the front desk if you accidentally touch an item as you will need to get it removed from your bill. There is a clear note on the minibar, but it can be easy to accidentally knock over the items in the fridge or tray. They do not offer additional fridges or coffee machines in the room.
Overall, the rooms are dated, but large and comfortable. Our room was remarkably quiet, despite being a connecting room, and we felt very comfortable throughout our stay.
Service: 4/5
We found the service at Venetian to be generally professional, courteous and friendly. From the check-in agents at the Prestige Club, to the waiters at the club and the restaurants, we enjoyed our service experiences. While there was nothing remarkable about the service, it was consistent and polite.
Housekeeping came twice daily, ensuring we always had fresh towels and a clean room to come home to. Housekeeping was polite and professional and generally did a nice job. It’s worth mentioning that the Conrad Las Vegas did not offer daily housekeeping, so having twice daily housekeeping was a treat.
The Club lounge waiters were certainly a highlight, constantly running back and forth to make sure guests had full glasses and were comfortable.
Restaurant service was very quick and efficient at Canaletto, one of the early restaurants in the Venetian. While we were never blown away by the service at the restaurants, or hotel over all, it was typically efficient and professional.
Dining: 4/5
The Venetian features a wide variety of dining options for everyone, including Italian, Mexican, American and more. Bouchon, a famed Thomas Keller restaurant, is touted as one of the best on the strip. We’ve dined in the Venetian many times and love to sit in St. Mark’s Square while people watching.
There are, however, not too many breakfast options onsite. For early rises, you’ll find just a few coffee shops to get your morning fix and you should expect some long lines to get it. The Prestige Club definitely has high value for breakfast fans. Having easy and free access to coffee and continental style breakfast is a big win.
There are a number of well-known restaurants within the Venetian, like LAVO, Milos and Tao. You will find no shortage of food options directly within the hotel, and should you want to venture out, the Strip is easy and convenient to access. The one missing feature is outdoor seating or dining. While many of the newer hotels on the Strip do feature ample outdoor dining, it’s somewhat disappointing to have nowhere to go outside, especially during COVID. That being said, the Fashion Show Mall is across the street and features many great dining options.
Facilities: 5/5
Overall, the Venetian has everything you would expect for a Las Vegas hotel: pools, clubs, shows and many restaurants. The addition of the club level is a nice bonus for the property, offering a guests an elevated experience if they would like something a little bit different.
There are a dozen pools and jacuzzis during the summer and 2 pools open during the winter. The pool decks are expansive with ample seating areas and a bar.
Canyon Ranch Spa sits between the Palazzo property and the Venetian and features their traditional massages and treatments as well as a massive fitness center, complete with a rock climbing wall and multiple rooms of equipment. Of all the Las Vegas hotels we have stayed at, this was the most expansive fitness center with tremendous options for staying fit.
The mall within the Venetian has ample shops, restaurants and interesting features to discover. The Venetian is famous for its canals that run throughout the hotel and mall and it’s an impressive sight. Guests can take tours throughout the canal that last approximately 10 minutes.
Style: 4/5
While dated, the hotel does have a classic elegance and theme that is rare in the “new” construction in Las Vegas. The ornate design and commitment to the Italian theme is clear and consistent throughout the hotel, made even better with the famous canals in the hotel mall. The rooms could use an update to the furnishings and carpet, but overall, we truly feel the iconic Venetian is a gem on the strip.
Overall: 4.2
Overall, we had an enjoyable time at the Venetian. With more and more “standard” style hotels popping up all over the Strip, the Venetian remains as a tried-and-true theme hotel that blows your mind. The large suite-style accommodations, coupled with great shopping and experiences make this a great choice on the Strip.
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Jay Ryals
Thanks for this review. We love the Venetian, especially the bigger suites. There used to be a bigger variety of breakfast options, but hopefully, they will come back once things are back to normal. I hope that you guys will do a youtube video of this hotel as a companion piece to this review!! I would love to see even more Vegas hotel reviews, and if you ever make it to Disney World, reviews of some of the Deluxe Disney Resorts, or non-Disney Luxury hotels close by!! Please keep up the good work!! It’s good to have reliable reviews before we travel!!!
Voyager Guru
Hi Jay! Thank you for your comment! Good to know that breakfast used to be more sizeable- we’ll hope for that to return at some point :). Stay tuned- we have a video coming out as well, very soon!! Disney World is a great idea- truth be told, it’s been about 25 years since I have been so we will need to go for sure. We have more Vegas hotels coming your way in the future!!
Dan
Hi! Just a question on the prestige club access, for the cocktail reception, is this daily? If so, what time and is there a bartender that makes your cocktails? Or is it more self-serve?? Is it unlimited cocktails within those hours???? Thanks!
Voyager Guru
Hey Dan! Thanks for reaching out! The prestige club is a fantastic deal because it’s truly a free-flow of alcohol every day from 4-7. They also serve food and you could get away with a very light dinner after because the offering is very good. You can see the menu here: https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/content/dam/venetian/resort/prestige-club-lounge/drink-menu.pdf. They can also make you pretty much anything you want as long as they have it! We definitely overindulged, but it’s a great view and good cocktails. You can also access both the Palazzo club and the Venetian club, regardless of which tower you stay in :). Hope this helps!
Brian gardella
Hi, we have a reservation for August,2023 and trying to find the link to pay for early check in. I had had no luck. Can you please tell me how to do this. Thank you.
Voyager Guru
Hey Brian! That is a fantastic question! To be honest, I have no idea! We didn’t have this open with our reservation. My best guess is that you will see it in a confirmation or reminder email? You may need to call the hotel directly to find out how and if it’s available! Safe travels!