Courtesy MGM Resorts International
The Skylofts at MGM Grand were among the Las Vegas hotels that won the prestigious Five Diamond Award.
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
Three Las Vegas Strip hotels have received a five-star rating from the Forbes Travel Guide for 2011.
Skylofts at MGM Grand, Tower Suites at Encore and Tower Suites at Wynn all received the guide’s top rating. All of the hotels are repeat recipients of the five-star honor.
Wynn has received it for five consecutive years, while Encore has received it for two. The Skylofts at MGM Grand were added to the list in 2009.
The Bellagio, Encore, Four Seasons, M Resort, Mandarin Oriental, Palazzo, Signature at MGM Grand, Venetian and Wynn all received the group’s second-best rating of four stars.
Two high-end properties noticeably missing from the list are MGM Resorts International’s Aria and Vdara, which opened along with the Mandarin Oriental last December.
Las Vegas Restaurants Alex at Wynn Las Vegas and Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand both received five-star ratings. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas was listed as a new five-star spa, while the spas at Wynn and Encore both maintained their five-star ratings.
Strip restaurants Aureole, Mix, Bradley Ogden, Le Cirque, Michael Mina, Picasso and Restaurant Guy Savoy were once again honored with four-star ratings. Twist by Pierre Gagnaire at Mandarin Oriental was added to the list.
The Forbes Travel Guide, formerly known as the Mobil Travel Guide, is in its second edition. The brand transfer from Mobil to Forbes was announced in fall 2009.
To compile the hotel rankings, the guide’s inspectors make surprise visits to hotels, spas and restaurants. The inspectors stay at the hotels for three days and two nights and judge them on various categories, including graciousness, timeliness and luxury.
Evaluations of spas include judging specific treatments, and restaurant evaluations require inspectors to judge food and ambiance.
In total, this year’s five-star ratings list included 54 hotels, 23 restaurants and 20 spas, according to Forbes Travel Guide’s website. The group gave 167 hotels, 152 restaurants and 108 spas four stars. The listings include locations in the U.S., China and Canada.
At M Resort, locals reign supreme. Anthony Marnell III opened this casino with value in mind. With affordable drinks and meals and lots of incentives to play, it's no wonder why M has been a hit since it opened its doors in March 2009.
The property is decorated with dark wood, rich colors and amber-like light fixtures. Gaming offerings include more than 1,800 slot machines and 60 table games, as well as a poker room and race and sports book.
The resort houses 390 guest rooms, including 39 luxury suites. Designed with a modern and contemporary feel, M’s rooms feature dark wood, chrome fixtures and white linens, and are accented by blue or burgundy throws and pillows. Rooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the mountains or the Strip.
M dining options include Studio B, a show kitchen buffet; "twisted farm food" at Hash House a Go Go; Baby Cakes bakery; Anthony’s Burgers & Brews, serving gourmet burgers and fries; Vig Deli; Anthony’s Prime Steak & Seafood; Marinelli’s Authentic Italian Dishes; and the Hostile Grape Wine Cellar, where guests can taste more than 160 types of wine. Plus, 32° Draft has one of the largest beer selections in the valley, with 96 different beers on tap.
The four-star awarded, 23,000-square-foot Spa Mio offers a variety of treatments and services with saunas, Jacuzzis, 16 massage and facial rooms and a full-service salon and barbershop complete with built-in ESPN in the mirrors. Locals also receive 25 percent off all regular price services.
DayDream Pool Club heads up M's adult pool party scene offering the only locals pool party in the Valley.
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