As I drove into Vegas for the first time, I quickly spotted the modern glass-covered exterior of Fontainebleau Las Vegas from a distance. Just from the exterior of the building’s design, inspired by the original Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, I could tell my stay in Vegas was going to be impressive. As a New Jersey native, most of my casino impressions and experiences were gathered from various visits to Atlantic City. I quickly learned that a visit to Las Vegas is an entirely different ballgame.
I eagerly set out to explore Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the newest hotel on the famous Strip. Opened in December 2023, this 67-story vertically integrated luxury resort features 3,644 luxury hotel rooms and suites and 150,000 square feet of gaming space. From fine dining to luxury retail shopping, let’s explore what it’s like to stay at this top-tier, modern hotel in Las Vegas and why you should stay here if you want an exceptional trip to Las Vegas.
Design and style
Throughout my entire stay, one theme stood out to me in every aspect of Fontainebleau Las Vegas’s design. At 67 stories tall (729 feet), this is the hotel’s tallest occupiable building in the entire State of Nevada. Yet, the impressiveness of the exterior of the building is only the beginning of everything that will impress you here. The luxury interior design of Fontainebleau Las Vegas aims to have a look and feel that is distinctly different from traditional Las Vegas casino design. From high-adorned ceilings to gold accents and bowtie logos on everything in sight, the design of the hotel is unlike any other in Las Vegas.
Having never stepped foot in a Vegas casino until this visit, I didn’t quite realize just how different the design of Fontainebleau Las Vegas was from other Vegas hotels. After walking the Strip to visit other nearby hotels, it became increasingly apparent. Other hotels have low ceilings and a dark, low-lighting atmosphere that focuses solely on the slot machines, along with their loud, overstimulating noises. When you head back into Fontainebleau Las Vegas, you’re greeted with high ceilings and a light, bright, and modern atmosphere. Additionally, the second floor, where many dining locations are located, overlooks the casino floor, creating a sense of depth.
Signature brand mark
Everything in the resort is tastefully done and elegant, right down to the signature brand mark you’ll find everywhere throughout the hotel. The bowtie shape pays homage to the bowtie motif in the lobby of the original Fontainebleau property in Miami Beach, designed by Morris Lapidus. Lapidus was known for wearing signature bowties, so the Vegas hotel sought to keep this theme going by continuing to use this brand mark.
Once you start to notice the bowties on everything, you’ll find about 1,000 more of them throughout the hotel. From these massive gold bowties in the guest lobby to the sides of the slot machines and carpets, the signature brand mark is on everything. I found it fun to try to spot them all at various locations throughout the resort. You wouldn’t think something as small as this would be memorable, yet the signature bow tie is undoubtedly a part of my Vegas trip I’ll remember. Be sure to check out the bowtie-shaped croissants in Chez Bon Bon, a coffee shop located right off the casino floor.
Guest rooms
Elegance and luxury extend from the hotel lobby right up to the guest rooms at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Staying on the 69th floor, I got an incredible view of the Las Vegas Strip area and the Sphere. The hotel room still had that “brand new” feel, even though the hotel had been open and operating for nearly a year and a half. I stayed in a Gold King Room with a Strip view, but mountain and pool view rooms are also available.
From automatic lighting buttons by the bed to a dimmable vanity in the bathroom, you’ll have everything you need for a comfortable and luxurious stay here. The fully stocked mini bar fridge and snacks are also available right in the room, in case you get hungry or thirsty. It’s also lovely how the resort has elevators separated by floor number, so you’re not left stopping every two floors on the way up.
Dining and bars
I live by the “food makes or breaks a trip” motto, which held true during my stay here. Even the best hotel stays can be easily ruined by bad food. Luckily, Fontainebleau Las Vegas doesn’t have to worry about this problem, as its culinary program was equally as impressive as the rest of the hotel’s offerings. I didn’t have one bad bite of food during my entire stay here. Every bar and restaurant I visited was exceptional, from the service to the food to the ambiance. My favorite dinner locations were Komodo, Chyna Club, and Don’s Prime Steakhouse.
My only regret is not staying longer so I could check out the dozens of other dining options located within this massive resort. There are a total of 36 first-to-market restaurants and bars here, making the hotel a trendsetter in the culinary landscape. I could go on for hours about just how good the food here is, but I’ll let you see for yourself. Just prepare to be impressed and come hungry. The resort has a bar for everybody here, too, which is something else I appreciated. From the Nowhere Jazz lounge to the casino floor bar, Azul, there’s a new atmosphere and specialty cocktail to try for every day of your stay.
Upscale shopping
The retail atmosphere at Fontainebleau also differs from other Las Vegas casinos on the Strip due to its unique design. If you wander into many of the casinos on the Strip, you’ll find separate shopping and casino floor areas that are clearly distinguished from each other. For example, in renowned hotels like the Bellagio, you’ll have to walk through long corridors of shops before seeing your first slot machine.
Along the same immersive theme, Fontainebleau’s design integrates retail stores a bit more seamlessly. From the main floor of the casino, you can access the Bottega Veneta store, an Italian brand known for its luxury leather goods. If you need to take a break from gambling, you can easily shift to shopping for exquisite pieces inspired by Italian design.
Across the entire Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort, luxury shoppers can explore more than 90,000 square feet of stores. The retail collection focuses on offering a personalized, one-of-a-kind shopping experience with a great selection of stores by globally acclaimed designers. Other retail options off the casino floor include the first-ever West Coast location of Alaïa and Guici.
The upstairs shopping area includes more to explore, from Alexander Wang to Vittorio Borghese. While I’m not a big shopper, those looking for a unique shopping experience will love the selection. It’s also unique that Fontainebleau Las Vegas has a few resort-specific stores to explore, such as Ora, a luxurious and one-of-a-kind multi-brand accessory shopping experience featuring selections from popular fashion brands like Saint Laurent and Gucci.
Health and wellness
Many assume a trip to Las Vegas has a gambling focus — yet Fontainebleau Las Vegas begs to differ. The hotel’s expansive resort offerings cater to every type of traveler, offering something to enjoy. For the health and well-being-focused traveler, there’s always something new to explore without leaving the hotel.
Lapis Spa & Wellness Center
The 55,000-square-foot Lapis Spa & Wellness Center isn’t your average hotel spa. In 2024, this renowned spa won the World Spa Awards for the World’s Best Casino Hotel Spa and Nevada’s Best Hotel Spa. Using cutting-edge technology and ancient healing traditions, guests can spend as little as 30 minutes or as long as all day at this tranquil escape. Designed by Milan-based Lissoni & Partners and led by Jennifer Lynn, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas Director of Spa and Wellness, the spa pays homage to Morris Lapidus, the architect and visionary of the original Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
I didn’t have time in my stay to explore this stunning spa, but it’s at the top of my list for my next visit to Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Even just a quick browse through the Lapis spa menu offerings shows that they have more treatments than a typical spa. From star & snow showers to salt mist therapy to heated tepidarium chairs, there’s so much to explore here. This is the spot to hang out if you want to try a brand-new spa treatment during your stay at Fontainebleau.
Fitness center
Exploring the gyms and fitness centers of hotels is one of my favorite parts of traveling. Given the sophistication and elegance of everything else I saw at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, I had high expectations for this fitness center. The fitness center exceeded my expectations. The theme of everything during my stay at Fontainebleau Las Vegas is “everybody”, and I think the fitness center’s vibe matches. By “everybody”, I mean that any fitness lover can find a workout they enjoy at this gym. Whether you’re a pilates person and want to hop on the reformer or want to strength train, there’s something for everybody here.
Unlike old and outdated hotel gyms (if you know, you know), Fontainebleau’s fitness center has a modern, updated feel. The 2023 design reflects modern fitness needs with advanced strength equipment in the “Performance Zone,” including a HIT modular system and areas for sled push and a tractor tire flip. From the CrossFit crowd to the gentle yoga lovers, I’d be surprised if there’s any workout you can’t do in this impressive fitness center. Guided classes and personal training sessions are also available.
A trip to Vegas often means late nights and lots of alcohol, which can leave you feeling cloudy and “out of it”. If you can manage to keep your regular fitness routine during your visit, the fitness center will surely impress you. I struggled to make it some mornings, but was glad I had a chance to check out this impressive space. Fontainebleau Las Vegas also hosts many events and conferences, so I’d think work travelers will also appreciate this expansive fitness center.
NutriDrip IV Drip Lounge
The NutriDrip IV Drip Lounge is available from the hotel’s wellness corridor on level 2, offering a full menu of therapeutic and rejuvenating IV drips. You can also find hangover and pre-drinking IV drips here to help you prepare for a grand night out.
