The Venetian Resort Las Vegas Just Turned 25 Years Old
Since opening its doors 25 years ago on May 3, 1999, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has undergone a tremendous amount of growth. The all-suite property originally debuted with 3,036 keys, but today — after opening their Venetian South and Palazzo towers in 2003 and 2007, respectively — The Venetian has 7,100 rooms, making it the second-largest hotel in the world.
Originally building the Italian-themed resort cost $1.5 billion, and now, this same amount is being reinvested into the property. The hotel's president and CEO, Patrick Nichols, tells Travel + Leisure, “We are in the midst of a 24- to 36-month redevelopment of the entire resort.” Since last fall, the resort has completed a $200-million renovation of their convention center, revamped their high-limit gaming floor at The Palazzo as well as their sportsbook, and opened three new restaurants, including two Tel Aviv-based concepts from chef Eyal Shani (Miznon and HaSalon) and Wakuda, the first U.S. outpost for Tetsuya Wakuda.
As for entertainment, the property recently opened Voltaire, an avant-garde cabaret featuring a rotating roster of headliners like Kylie Minogue and Jason Derulo, and their partner arena the Sphere has changed the city’s skyline.
Continuing its evolution, The Venetian has just reconfigured its entire arrival experience and opened Sala 118, an aperitivo lounge reminiscent of an Italian cathedral. And this all comes on the heels of a complete renovation of the 4,049 rooms inside the original Venetian towers.
Nichols tells T+L, “The Venetian’s theme is balanced with luxury, and [our] new suites will feature contemporary finishes and playful nods to the Italian theme, while still maintaining a residential feel [akin to] an Italian penthouse.”
The Venetian engaged WATG to reimagine their approximately 700-square-foot, bi-level entry suite product. When these new “rooms” begin to come online this fall, guests will find a much lighter color palette accented by pops of crimson, burnished gold, and rich suede. In-room tech will also be upgraded with 65-inch Samsung TVs, bedside charging ports, and energy-efficient LED mood lighting. As for The Venetian’s more aspirational accommodations, Nichols shared that the property is in the process of engaging designers to create a series of “opulent palazzos” in the sky to round out their portfolio.