Review: Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Curio Collection by Hilton

Why book? Looking to do Vegas without the experience being so…Vegas-y? The new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has all the right ingredients for a Sin City trip to remember but without the overdone, overblown, and overpriced amenities typically found in Vegas resorts.

Set the scene When people talk about the Las Vegas Strip, they usually mean the dazzling line-up of casino hotels set up along Las Vegas Boulevard. The Virgin Hotels Las Vegas isn’t one of those. Instead, it’s located two long blocks east of The Strip on the corner of Paradise Road and Harmon Avenue, close to McCarran International Airport. Yet even without a marquee address, the Virgin stands out on its block with a shimmering gold trapezoid awning and a deep red brick entrance that leads into a surprisingly different casino experience.

Where other Vegas hotels have built big, brash buildings pegged either to a theme (Italianate, French, etc.) or just excessive luxury, the Virgin, a part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, has opted for a tranquil modern desert vibe. This subtle bohemian style, including actual desert cacti, is found throughout the resort from the sunlit lobby to the restaurants and lounges, up to the three guest room towers. There are still ringing slot machines and boisterous table games on the casino floor—this is Vegas after all—but the intimate, low-key atmosphere is a refreshing departure from the usual crowds.

Because the Virgin was once the Hard Rock Las Vegas, it draws a mix of guests who want to see what’s been done with the “old house” and those who want to see how Virgin has brought its cheeky British attitude to a very American town.

The backstory It’s hard to tell the history of Las Vegas without including the Hard Rock Las Vegas. That casino hotel was best known for its rock n’ roll artifacts, celebrity guests, and notorious pool party, Rehab, which spawned its own reality show. (The property was home to a season of “The Real World.”) Rehab was the pool party that launched a thousand other pool parties in town and today, nearly every Vegas hotel has its own hedonistic wet n’ wild weekend party. But, to paraphrase the sign that used to hang on the entrance of the Hard Rock, after so much rocking, a new owner finally came knocking and transformed the entire place into the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Virgin Hotels is the lodging offshoot of Branson’s fun-loving Virgin Group, which includes Virgin Airlines and the recently launched Virgin Voyages. For much of his career, Branson has prided himself on doing the opposite of whatever is the industry standard, and Virgin Hotels is his solution to all that he has hated about hotels. So how has Virgin flipped the script in Las Vegas? For starters, there are no parking fees while many other Vegas casinos charge upwards of $40 a day. There’s no charge for Wi-Fi either.

The operation of the resort is done differently too. The casino is run by Mohegan Sun, the East Coast gaming company’s first entry into Las Vegas, while the sportsbook is part of Betfred, a U.K. betting operation. The hotel itself is managed by the Curio Collection from Hilton Hotels, allowing guests to earn and redeem Hilton Honors points. Meanwhile, the nightlife and entertainment outlet are run by a few different tastemakers, making it possible to choose your own Vegas adventure without ever leaving the property.

The rooms At Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, there are three guest room towers—Canyon, Opal, and Ruby, all completely renovated from the Hard Rock days. But Virgin Hotels doesn’t have guest rooms, they have “chambers” and each one is a thoughtful layout of what a traveler might want during their stay, including a dedicated space for a vanity desk and mirror. The chambers all feature groovy sitting areas with bright orange couches, a king bed with Virgin Hotel’s signature “nook” at the end, giant flat-screen TVs, a bathtub and a shower, Red Flower toiletries, multiple pieces of art, and expansive views of either the pool area or the bright lights of Las Vegas. While these are some of the prettiest rooms in Sin City, the Ruby Tower and its all-suite accommodations are the most luxurious. Guests of the Ruby Tower have access to a separate entrance and a private lobby off the casino floor.

Food and drink Chef Todd English is one of the biggest names at the hotel with his second outpost of Olives in Las Vegas (a previous iteration was open for 20 years at Bellagio; the original opened in 1989 in Boston.) The dinner-only restaurant does upscale steakhouse fare but English’s signature dishes are on the menu, too, such as the Bronx Bomber pepperoni flatbread and the rabbit ragu pappardelle. Want an easy path to culinary enjoyment at Olives? Order the tuna tartare and steak au poivre with a crisply poured espresso martini to get you primed for wherever the night might take you.

During the day, the Kassi Beach House will transport you out of the dry desert and into a beach scene reminiscent of a Greek isle. Kassi is from the folks behind the Élephante restaurant in Santa Monica so ordering the famed whipped eggplant and Puccia bread here is a must. The cocktail menu is heavy on daytime fun featuring slushies, spritzes, and classics that you can tweak to your liking.

Two other big restaurants include Night + Market, another Los Angeles import from chef Kris Yebamroong where “California chill meets Bangkok frenzy”, and Casa Calavera, a tacos and tequila joint from the Hakkasan Nightlife Group. Meanwhile, Virgin mixes in a bit of gambling at Money, Baby!, which combines the antics of a sports bar (there are golf simulators, 200 HDTVs, and a games patio) with comfort foods from Food Network star chef Beau MacMillan.

One spot that did remain from the old Hard Rock days? Nobu. The decor has changed but the menu essentials, like the black cod with miso, have not.

Entertainment All remnants of Rehab have been wiped away and in its place is a gorgeous pool-scape consisting of two pools: one for regular splashing and lounging, and another for the Elía Beach Club, which has open-air entertainment stage and feels more like a setting for a music festival than a Vegas pool party. Both of these pools are adjacent to a large Event Lawn where outdoor concerts are held. Virgin also has an indoor concert theater where rock band Journey will begin a mini-residency later this year.

Yet the most entertaining space in the hotel is the smallest space—the Shag Room, a somewhat hidden Moroccan-inspired lounge just off the lobby’s Commons Club bar. The Shag Room has a handful of alcoves, richly decorated in gem-colored velvets, with oversized pillows and sculptural lighting, perfect for friends, lovers, and strangers who may end up as friends or lovers. Don’t miss the talented Skye Dee Miles and her blues band on the weekends. And for those with a hankering for afternoon tea, the Upside Down tea party on Sundays is a zany take on a British tradition.

When you need to shut down the party for a moment, the spa offers a full-service respite with a selection of facials, massages, and body treatments using the organic FarmHouse Fresh skincare line. A juice bar and a fitness center round-out the wellness offerings.

The service Finding friendly faces is easy here from the front desk to the poolside cabanas and even the blackjack tables. But in keeping with its modern vibe, Virgin encourages guests to connect with Lucy, a mobile app that guests can use as a room key, to order room service, and to look up property information.

Accessibility Almost all of the Virgin Hotel Las Vegas’s public spaces are easily accessible and there are 140 accessible guest rooms and 100 accessible parking spaces on the property.

Anything else to mention? While the Virgin might be slightly more subdued than the bigger spots on the Strip, it isn’t exactly a quiet retreat. During the day, loud music is pumped out at the pool and can be heard from the guest rooms. If you want a little more peace and quiet with your stay, request a room that faces out the front of the property.