5 Things to Experience at The Venetian in Las Vegas

You haven’t quite experienced Las Vegas to the fullest until you’ve allowed yourself to splurge at one of its signature resorts. Granted, even then there are a lot of options at your disposal. Vegas has a dozen or so resorts that could rightly be called iconic by this point, and each one is designed to be distinct. Among the lot of them though, The Venetian has a good an argument as any for being the preeminent resort in town. So in this post we’re going to look at some of the things you absolutely have to experience during a stay at this spectacular Vegas hotel.

5 Things to Experience at The Venetian in Las Vegas

1. Book a High-End Room

As we noted back in 2019, Vegas is home to some truly extravagant hotel rooms. The premier suites at the top resorts are in fact among the most expensive, over-the-top accommodations in the world. And as you might expect, this means that even regular luxury travelers can’t reasonably afford them. However, Vegas is home to plenty of incredible high-end rooms that are more manageable, and some of the nicest of them are at The Venetian. Less gimmicky than some others in town, the suites at this resort come across like luxury urban apartments. And while they’ll still set you back, they’re worth it under the right circumstances.

2. Ride in a Gondola

In case you aren’t familiar with The Venetian, the basic idea is that much of the resort is designed to resemble the city of Venice, Italy. The effect is better in some respects than others, but far and away the defining feature is the network of faux canals that have been built into the property — complete with gondola rides, bridges and balconies, and waterside shops and cafés. Is it about as much of an overt tourist attraction as you can find in Las Vegas? In a sense, sure. But it’s also genuinely delightful, and makes for an excellent change of pace for your Vegas experience.

3. Play Some Poker

As you might expect, you can play poker at most Vegas resorts. But The Venetian is arguably the best venue for this most beloved of casino games, in that it offers quality and a strong reputation without being too exclusive. On the one hand, The Venetian is consistently listed among the top Vegas casinos for poker players — even at the professional level. The monthly DeepStack Extravaganzas and World Series of Poker events held at this resort are among the most prestigious of the regular poker tournaments that occur in Las Vegas, which lends the venue a certain air of prestige. On the other hand however, amateur players can still find affordable tables (whereas some resorts, like The Bellagio, are a bit hard on visitors). Thus, you can feel like a high roller playing poker in lovely surroundings at The Venetian without being in over your head.

4. Have a Drink at The Dorsey

At a lot of major Vegas resorts, the food and dining focus revolves around famous restaurants — including some run by celebrity chefs. And to be sure, The Venetian has some excellent places to eat as well (notably BRERA Osteria and Majordōmo). But here, it’s the bar and club scene that really stands out. On the bar front, The Dorsey is about as good as you’ll find in Vegas. It opened in 2016 and was hailed as the best lounge opening of the year, and has only gained a stronger reputation since. This is an elegant, elevated space with an incredibly sophisticated drink menu that, despite all that, doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously. Whether you’re looking for a unique atmosphere or some of the best cocktails you’ve ever tried, The Dorsey is simply a must.

5. Check Out Tao

Just as The Dorsey can rightly be called one of the best bars in Vegas, Tao is undeniably one of the best clubs. It’s actually an Asian bistro for portions of the day and night, and a fine one at that. But once it transitions into after-dinner hours, it becomes one of the most high-energy nightclubs in a city that’s full to bursting with them. Multiple bars, a rotation of world-class DJs, and a terrace that looks out over The Strip combine to form an incredible spot you’re likely to enjoy even if you’re not big on the club scene.

There’s a lot to enjoy at a number of high-end Vegas resorts. But it’s hard to find a balance of activity like what you’ll enjoy at
​The Venetian.

​VISION Destinations | June 21

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