Two Way Hard Three | Las Vegas Casino & Design Blog

Finally, after a few weeks of percolation (oh, and Cosmo madness + a major app update) here is my write-up of a stay in a new Parlor Suite at Wynn Las Vegas. I came in to share the details with y'all and to generate material for the next Vegas Mate content update.

Photos: http://vegasmediagroup.smugmug.com/WynnParlorSuite/WynnLasVegasParlorSuite/15342884_StqTd (Note: some of these are a little hazy due to a camera malfunction - sorry).

All the details are after the jump.

Vegas Internet Mafia Payola Disclaimer: The room and food expenses for this trip were covered by Wynn Resorts. It had no impact on my review - I've given them thousands of my own dollars voluntarily over the past five years and if it sounds like I liked the place it's because I actually did.

I think it's pretty fair to say that when Wynn Las Vegas opened in 2005, the room product set a new standard for quality. They may not have been the largest standard rooms (The Venetian's rooms are a bit bigger) but they were well designed and thought out, down to the last electrical socket. This extended to the suites, though they showed off a bit more of Roger Thomas' flair for the dramatic than the standard Resort Rooms.

It's now 2010 and in keeping with Steve Wynn's longstanding five year renovation cycle, it's time to tear things down to the studs and start over... Or at least that's what Mirage Resorts might have done in the past. With this first Wynn renovation, the company went out of its way to re-use whatever it could, for the sake of the environment. Artwork was repurposed, furniture was reupholstered and walls were re-painted. The result is a room that shares a lot of the original plusses but with a more modern, up to date sensibility. More details on the renovation but first let's rewind just a tad...

The first real glimpse I got of the updated designs was a Saturday morning in August. I woke up, flipped on the iPad and noticed that Chuck at VegasTripping had posted an in-depth review, as one of the very first people to sleep in the updated digs. Based on the photos, my first reaction was kinda... meh. A significantly lightened color scheme had me wondering how well the colors would hold up over the next five years and if they were maybe just a little bit too boring. Turns out that in this case, the photos didn't do the place justice.

I checked in via the Wynn Las Vegas Tower Suites Lobby on a Wednesday evening in December. Zero wait at check-in and I was up in my room in a few minutes flat, passing through an updated hallway that features ceiling rosettes, mounted on the wall as artwork.

The Parlor Suite they had allocated to me overlooked the pool (undergoing a major retrofit) and had a welcome note from the lovable folks in the PR department. It was time to explore.

Before we start, here's what the room looked up until this Summer.

My first reaction was to the color palette. I was expecting not to like it much but it looks great in person. Everything from the carpet to the drapes to the table tops looks fantastic. Granted, this stuff is brand new and I still think it will be interesting to see how well it holds up in year four.

The bedroom features yet another carpet design, a mirrored glass wall and the epic Wynn Bed. Of particular note are the bed-side tables, sporting a new finish and one of the more 'fun' pieces in the updated room. One of my favorite pieces was the bedroom sitting chair with it's lush backing fabric.

The Parlor Suite bathroom is large - not as big as the Salon but still more than enough room for two people - with tub, shower, water closet, three sinks and a separate small walk-in closet with wall-mounted safe. Like Chuck in his Salon review, I had problems with the shower - the symbols make no sense at all and the mediocre water pressure is not impressive for a luxury hotel. In addition, I discovered that my shower leaked - the entire marble floor was covered in water after I got out since the plastic seal at the bottom of the glass door seemed to be missing.

The entire suite features a new digital control system that works via radio. You can control the lights, drapes and TV with single button pre-set modes for the most common configurations. In my two night stay, this system worked well and - thank goodness - a controller is placed on the bed-stand too. The room also has more traditional light panels all over the place. I found these to be a little bit too difficult to trigger when I wanted to fine tune the light in certain spots.

On the technical side, the room has two brand new HDTVs and now includes a Blu-Ray player. One thing I did notice - I used to be able to plug in my Airport Express and share the Wi-Fi connection with multiple devices (iPhones, iPads, laptops) off of a single daily fee (Tower Suites has no resort fee ; standard Internet rates apply). This time around, I was greeted by the 'give us $15' screen on each device. I don't know if they changed something intentionally or what but any other nerds out there that were circumventing their setup should take note.

While a Salon Suite is great for entertaining, in the past I've found them to be a bit too big for a one or two person stay (though if you need a massage room, it's the one you should book). The Parlor is a great middle ground - all the luxury you want but in a more manageable size.

Service over the course of the trip was top-notch, something that is maybe to be expected from the now well-honed Tower Suites operation. Housekeeping and turn-down was perfect, the staff called to make sure everything was as it should be - they did a great job in this department.

After two days, I was reminded that the Wynn/Encore complex is one of the few hotels in Las Vegas where I can come in, not leave the grounds for my entire stay and still feel like I'm not missing anything going on outside.

The new subdued designs feel a tad more elegant and restrained... perhaps that may just be the normal progression of style over the years. The popping color of the original designs was starting to feel a little bit overwhelming, making this a welcome palate cleanser.

Thanks to the folks at Wynn for hooking it up and stay tuned for another piece on La Cave, the new Wynn Las Vegas wine bar, in the next few days.