Ron Sylvester / Las Vegas Sun
Mary Ann Adornato serves shots of bourbon at the opening of the Bourbon Room, June 1, 2012 at the Venetian Casino and Resort in Las Vegas.
Saturday, June 2, 2012 | 2 a.m.
The Bourbon Room aims to make the 1980s sexy again.
Don Johnson, Irene Cara and Loverboy are hip at the newest lounge inside the Venetian, which opened to the public Friday night. The themed bar is part of a business strategy that will bring the Broadway show "Rock of Ages" to the Las Vegas resort by the end of the year to replace the Blue Man Group.
But don't compare this to other themed lounges built around theater shows, says Sebastien Silvestri, vice president of food and beverage for the Venetian and Palazzo. Those who remember the 1980s will recall nightclubs without cover charges, reasonably priced drinks and dancing. The Bourbon Room won't charge at the door and hopes to bring back that same kind of vibe. Servers and DJs dress from the era, while Van Halen and Quiet Riot blast from sound system and prompt a nostalgic floor show every hour throughout the night.
"This is going to be very high-energy," he said. "This will be a nightclub experience that will appeal to people who don't want to pay an expensive cover and $500 bottle service. This is a nightclub for everyone else."
At the bar, the Bourbon Room lives up to its name. It has 60 types of Bourbon with 27 brands. If you order the Eagle Rare, you'll get a whiskey blended especially for the Venetian, not available anywhere else in the world. Silvestri said other unique blends are on the way.
In the spirit of Venice, The Venetian is a little piece of romantic Italy right here in Las Vegas. The Venetian is an "all-suite" hotel, with rooms accented with plush linens and Italian marble. The 4,027 suites are divided into two towers: The 36-story Venetian Tower that offers guests a taste of luxurious Las Vegas and the Venezia suites, which guarantee 12 floors of high-end elegance. The top five floors are the hotel's highest level of luxury with its private access, concierge lounge, upgraded features and even a dedicated staff.
Entertainment at the Venetian includes shows such as Tim and Faith - Soul2Soul, featuring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and Rock of Ages.
The flagship of Venetian nightlife is TAO, an ultra-hip nightclub located inside of TAO Asian Bistro. V Bar is The Venetian's super smooth ultra lounge, made by the owners of New York City's club Lotus and Los Angeles' super swank Sunset Room.
The Venetian features 19 restaurants including Thomas Keller's award-winning French restaurant Bouchon, Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante, Aquaknox for fresh seafood and the 42,000 square foot TAO Asian Bistro. There's also the food court inside the Canal Shoppes for those looking for a quick bite.
Guests can float along The Grand Canal Shops in an authentic Italian gondola ride and pass stores like Burberry and Kenneth Cole along the way. And if you haven't caught a real celeb, on the street in Vegas, you can head over to Madame Tussauds to check out a wax version.
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