For those who have to be in Vegas and don't want to be, stay at the Vdara. And it works just was well for those to want to be in Vegas too.
At the Vdara you can forget you are in Las Vegas. An otherwise normal, fairly luxurious hotel that would not really stand out anyplace else, in Las Vegas the Vdara stands head and shoulders above all others because of what it isn't as much as for what it is.
Let’s begin with what it isn’t. Vdara has no ostentatious, ersatz Roman, Parisian, or whatever decor, no overbearing contemporary pop Muzak playing too loud in the public spaces, no indoor mall, no high end restaurant (whether expensive and good or just expensive), and, blessedly no casino with zombies gambling their lives away.
What you get is capable luxury that is low key, pleasant, attractive and mostly functional with a few surprising lapses. The non-descript, modern room décor, with lots of beiges and chocolate browns is inoffensive. But in the land of the garish and tasteless that is a compliment. With a firm and supremely comfortable king bed and very large bath, the room offered what counts most. The bath, also in beiges and browns plus white fixtures, had a Lucite enclosed shower with superb water pressure and a separate oversized tub. Real luxury. The shades and blackout curtains were down when I arrived, creating an almost brothel-like mood, so I opened them to reveal an expansive view of other hotels even on my low floor. But the Las Vegas sun and heat led me to close the shade before too long to let light but not heat in, so I saw the wisdom in their room preparation.
Now for the room quirks. The virtually useless room “desk” – really a cramped cubby – wasn’t needed because the room’s kitchen area provided a table where I could spread out since I was there on business at a conference in the Bellagio next door. That said, the kitchen lamp is set too low and cuts midway across the width, so I bumped my head several times. It should hang entirely over the table instead of perpendicular to it. Very poor planning. The air conditioning had a whine that went away when I turned it off. That worked out for me, but does not represent a long term solution in Las Vegas.
More quirks. Astonishingly, there is no off switch for the bedside lights. I had to go to the kitchen area to shut off the bedside lights! Very bad design. No tragedy, but it’s like they've never stayed in a hotel before!! You can control the little directional reading lights from the bed, but they are no substitute for being able to shut off the bedside lights when you’re ready for sleep.
The hotel amenities are just right and very “un-Vegas”. An attractively decorated and well-equipped fitness center adjoins the lovely spa, which I didn’t use, and comes with a very large screen TV in the cardio and weight rooms. In place of overpriced celebrity restaurants of varying quality, you have a Starbucks, an attractive lobby bar with hors d'oeuvres, and The Marketplace that serves salads, burgers, sandwiches, desserts and ice cream. Good quality, simple, and without pretense.
So if you need to go to Vegas and don't want to go to Vegas, stay at The Vdara. And if you or your companion need a touch of Vegas, you've got the Bellagio and Aria right next door for lots of restaurants, shopping, and all the Vegas you could want. Plus you’ve also got the Cosmopolitan, Caesar's, Bally's, Paris and more a short walk away (although by design even a short walk in Vegas is longer than it should be.)
One note of caution in closing, despite several assurances, no cabs were waiting outside at 4:30 AM when needed to get to the airport. I made my flight, but it was needlessly tight, so work directly with the concierge to arrange for a specific cab or take matters into your own hands with Uber or Lyft.
For a Vegas hotel that prioritizes rest and relaxation over liveliness and bling, the Vdara is for you. I believe their motto is "Do Vegas Differently" and despite the quirks, they truly live up to it.