Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

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CHAPTER 5 . WHERE TO STAY
state-of-the-art machinery, a rock-climbing wall, personal trainers, and more (it’s
a whopping $24 per day just to work out, though). Go work off some of that
Caesars indulgence and then get a little pampered.
The Forum Shops (p. 237) are in the grandest mall you can imagine (think
of the La Dolce Vita walk on the Via Veneto), and are about to get grander. A
massive addition should roughly double the size of the existing shopping areas,
and is due to open in 2004.
Not content to stop paying contractors, Caesars recently opened a new 4,000-
seat Colosseum, a replica of the original building in Rome. This was built for one
purpose only—to give diva Celine Dion a place to play. No kidding. She’s supposed
to appear 200 nights a year, in a ridiculously expensive production created
just to showcase her vocal talents, and featuring Cirque du Soleil–type visuals. See
p. 248 for a review of the production.
3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (just north of Flamingo Rd.), Las Vegas, NV 89109. & 877/427-7243 or 702/731-
7110. Fax 702/731-6636. www.caesars.com. 2,471 units. From $99 standard double, $109–$500 “run-of-house
deluxe” double; $549–$1,000 suite. Extra person $20. Children under 18 stay free in parent’s room. AE, DC,
DISC, MC, V. Free self- and valet parking. Amenities: Casino; wedding chapel; 23 restaurants; 3 outdoor pools;
health club and spa; concierge; tour desk; car-rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; 24-hr. room service;
laundry service; dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms; executive-level rooms. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies,
dataport, hair dryer, iron and board, safe.
Paris Las Vegas Casino Resort Sacre bleu! The City of Light comes to
Sin City in this, the most recent fantasy hotel to hit the Strip. It’s theme-runamok
time again, and we are so happy about it. The outside reproduces various
Parisian landmarks (amusing anyone familiar with Paris, as the Hotel de Ville is
crammed on top of the Louvre), complete with a half-scale perfect replica of the
Eiffel Tower. The interior puts you in the middle of a dollhouse version of the
city. You can stroll down a mini–Rue de la Paix, ride an elevator to the top of
the Eiffel Tower, stop at an overpriced bakery for a baguette, and take your
photo by several very nice fountains.
You’ll find signage employing the kind of dubious use of the French language
that makes genuine Frenchmen really cross (“le car rental” and so forth), while
all the employees are forced to dust off their high school French (“Bonjour,
Madame! Merci beaucoup!”) when dealing with the public. Don’t worry, it’s all
not quite enough to make you sick to “le stomach.”
Quel dommage, this attention to detail does not extend to the rooms, which
are nice enough but disappointingly uninteresting, with furniture that only
hints at mock French Regency. Bathrooms are small but pretty, with deep tubs.
Try to get a Strip-facing room so that you can see Bellagio’s fountains across the
street; note also that north-facing rooms give you nice Peeping-Tom views right
into neighboring Bally’s. Overall, not a bad place to stay but a great place to
visit—quel hoot!
The hotel has eight more-or-less French-themed restaurants, including a
highly lauded buffet, the Eiffel Tower restaurant (located guess where), and
bistro Mon Ami Gabi, all of which are covered in chapter 6. The bread for all
these restaurants is made fresh on-site at the bakery. You can buy delicious, if
pricey, loaves of it at the bakery, and we have to admit, that’s kinda fun. There
are also five lounges.
The Eiffel Tower attraction is covered on p. 178, and the hotel’s new nightclub,
Risque, is reviewed on p. 265.
3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109. & 888/BONJOUR (266-5687) or 702/946-7000. Fax 702/967-
3836. www.parislv.com. 2,916 units. $119–$269 double; $350 and up suites. Extra person $30. Children under