Recently Renovated is a Relative Term…

I now truly understand that you can take a theme too far. It is not reserved for Mother’s at their children’s birthday parties or for wedding planners that just must have everything covered in pink for an upcoming nuptial. The Luxor has also joined their ranks in letting their decorator loose with every imaginable item related to Egypt, pyramids, pharaoh, or the Nile.

We chose the Tower rooms because they were “recently renovated” and offered additional square footage. This we figured would be important to Escape Together readers who travel in groups and would want newer rooms with a lot of space. As we traveled through the maze of the large casino hotel to our rooms we couldn’t help but notice the random pictures of Cleopatra or Egyptian kings framed on the walls. If they had been nice pictures it might have been a nice addition to the theme but they were tacky dollar store photos that were thrown into even tackier frames. This should have been our first warning of what was to come… Read more

The Relaxing Side of Vegas

When you think of Las Vegas you often think of slot machines, clubs and huge casino resorts. But Vegas is also home to world renowned spas, shows and restaurants. For a girls getaways we decided to avoid the typical Vegas of gambling and bright lights and like SEARS see the softer side.

We started at the spa at the Luxor hotel, Nuture. With any treatment you can use the spa facilities all day which includes the steam room, sauna, hot tub, and whirlpools. You also receive complimentary juices, water, teas and fruit. You can leave and return any time the spa is open during the day which allows you to enjoy other parts of the resort such as the restaurants or larger pool and then return to the spa for more relaxation. We each had massages and facials which were amazingly relaxing after long flights from the East Coast on our first full day in Vegas. The Luxor Hotel seems grossly over decorated (see our review Recently Renovated is a Relative Term) but the spa is understated and creates a wonderfully relaxing environment. I would even stay at the the Luxor again just to take advantage of Nuture.

The Palms Resort has the reputation of being a party resort for young people and celebrities. With the Fantasy Tower with the Playboy emblem on the side and the many celebrity parties that reputation has been well earned. But the resort has an amazing spa with great deals especially during the week.  The massage was the best we received during our entire time in Vegas. Like Nuture at the Luxor, once you receive a treatment service you can use the other spa amenities for the remainder of the day including the sun deck, saunas, and soaking pool.

Not wanting to deal with the Fraternity party atmosphere of the Palms then head over to their new boutique hotel, Palms Place, across a very easy and quick skybridge. Their new spa, Drift, offers more spa services than the spa in the main Palms property and the only Hammam in the area. The pricing is more expensive than the Palms spa but the spa is larger.

Not looking for a spa treatment but prefer to relax all day by the pool? Consider a cabana rental. Most resorts offer cabana rentals to their guests for a fee that includes complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and service. At the Luxor we rented a Cabana for the day and it was perfect. For about $300 weekends and $250 weekdays you have a reserved space which includes overhead wet misters to keep you cool in the desert sun. You receive regular cabana service to order food and drinks. They periodically bring you other free items such as chilled fruit in the morning and popsicles in the afternoon and chilled towels throughout the day. Split between a group this is a great way to bring the cost down and to spend the time together.  You can swim, lay out in the sun, drink, catch-up, laugh, and have fun all in your own little cabana by the pool.

If you are just looking for late night manicures and pedicures why not head to the 24 hour nail salon, Get Nailed 24/7 in one of the strip malls across from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. After dinner at Origin India and frozen yogurt from Red Mango we wandered into this late night nail salon for some late night pedicures. If you happen to need a midnight nail repair or just want a pedicure between a game of blackjack, The ladies at Get Nailed are friendly, funny and do an excellent set of nails.  We relaxed getting our pedicures at midnight, laughing with the nail technicians about men, diets and friendship for an affordable and fun girls night. Perfect for something off the craziness of the strip.

So no matter what you are looking for from massages, poolside drinks, to midnight acrylic tips there is another side to the Vegas experience.

Luxor Nuture Spa
1-800-258-9308 http://www.luxor.com/amenities/amenities_the_spa.aspx

Palms Hotel Spa
702. 942.6937 http://www.palms.com/pool_spa_2.php

Palms Place - Drift Spa
702.944.3219 http://www.palmsplace.com/spa/

 Get Nailed 24/7
4480 S Paradise Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89169
(702) 221-8000