The Venetian Hotel is the only "all-suite" mega-hotel/resort on the Strip. I entered this gargantuan building Monday afternoon and never saw the light of day until Thursday afternoon.
When I found out that our big yearly meeting was to be held at The Venetian, I was thinking that this would be great! I was wrong on a couple of counts. First, a persistent foul-up with my room key (it had to be remade four times) was annoying. The key only worked once, when I checked in. After the second remake, I asked the staff to accompany me to the room to make sure the key worked. They refused, and lo and behold, the darn thing still didn't work. I was pretty mad, especially since I had little time between meetings and was schlepping heavy bags, so I used the hotel phone to demand someone assist me. To their credit, the Venetian did comp me $50 worth of dining at the Grand Lux Cafe, but it was still a poor showing for such an "upscale" resort. All rooms are suites; ours (in the Venetizia Tower) featured marble bathrooms with a separate tub and glassed-in shower, plus there was a sunken living room area. There were two TVs. The sofa in the living room area is a sofa-bed, so I guess a family of four could stay in this room very easily. The Venetian’s beds are very comfortable; I slept like a baby.
Other than that one staff member who refused to have someone accompany me to the room, the staff was excellent. I noticed that they all had very large nametags, which made reading them easier. One bellman spontaneously offered to carry my bag when he saw me struggling. Another spontaneously offered to take my picture when he noticed I was alone with a camera looking about. Very good.
Unlike many other mega-hotels, Venetian lacks a buffet. Your best bet for a good sit-down meal that won't kill your budget is the Grand Lux Cafe, owned and operated by the Cheesecake Factory. A note to you corporate meeting planners: the meals served to our company (over 500 attendees) were remarkably mediocre. The quality was reminiscent of airline food, and the same chicken legs appeared several times in a row, disguised variously as grilled, then barbequed, and then Mediterranean style. The foods that should have been served hot - waffles, eggs, and burger patties - were room temperature at best. The desserts largely lacked flavor. My fellow associates were envious when they found out about the Grand Lux comp.${QuickSuggestions} For inexpensive T-shirts, jackets, and other clothing items, avoid the overpriced shops at The Venetian. Instead, take a few minutes to exit the hotel and go the Barbary Coast Casino just south of the Venetian. I picked up a bomber-style jacket with the Las Vegas logo for $20. It would have been $120 at The Venetian. The shop takes cash or traveler's checks only, though.${BestWay} Use the people-mover walkways whenever possible. You'll wear yourself out otherwise. The Las Vegas monorail does not stop at the Venetian, but rather just south of it at Harrah's. From here you can go up to the Hilton/Convention Center or down to the MGM grand.
Zefferino's is located in the Grand Canal Shops next to Ann Taylor. We were dining as a group of ten. Before heading upstairs to our table, we enjoyed the downstairs bar. I had one of their posted specialty drinks. I asked for something sweet and the bartender obliged. I liked my drink. My friend tried Z's apple martini and pronounced the one at the Grand Lux to be better. My dinner was lobster in rossito with saffron. It was presented beautifully, with the sectioned lobster sitting on top in all its red glory. This was only the second time I've had lobster, and although it was good, I'm still not sure what the fuss is about lobster. My dessert was a raspberry mousse creation. It was served beautifully, like something you’d see on Food Network. I finished this completely, something unusual for me. Zefferino has a roving mandolin player who will entertain your requests.
One drawback, though, is that despite this restaurant's size, it has only ONE bathroom each for men and women. Consequently, there is always a line.
Just across from The Venetian is the Mirage. As you enter via a people-mover, you can stop and enjoy looking at the beautiful white tigers for free. At the time of my visit, there was only one tiger on display. I understand the cats are rotated out every few hours. The tiger is glassed in and a short program on the cats is presented in a continuous loop. Towards the back of the Mirage is the Secret Garden. I had some doubts about the value of a visit but decided what the heck. Unfortunately, the part of the Garden that displays the cats (tiger, lion, and leopard) and elephant was closed. The reason given was that it was getting dark early, and under those situations, the cats can see you but you can't see them, and that’s, to quote the Mirage employee, "not good." I guess they are thinking Montecore Goes Nuts Part II.
The dolphin habitat was the only thing open. I was pleasantly surprised here. I was thinking I'd be kept at arm's length, like at SeaWorld. Instead, after a brief intro, you are free to hang about the three separate pools with their resident dolphins and just watch. There is no "show" per say, just an opportunity to watch the trainers interact with the dolphins in what the Mirage bills as "training and research." I just enjoyed seeing these mammals so close-up. An underwater viewing area is also available, and you can get nearly eye-to-eye with the dolphins. I spent about 45 minutes here, which I think is about the average.
At the time of my visit, there were only about a hundred people in total about, so I didn't feel crowded. A café by the pools serves food and drinks.