Vegas Tourism Trips Over Cost There's A Hotel Worth The Price
- Charles I. Guarria
- Aug 24
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 24
Hotel occupancy rates for Las Vegas have been in the news quite a bit this year. Step back to 2020 and the pandemic influenced artificially low occupancy rate was at 42.1%. It grew steadily each year through 2024, when it checked in at 83.6%.
However, through June, the occupancy rate is down 2.1% year over year, with every month but January being in the red.
The general opinion is that tourism is down because one doesn't have to go to Vegas to gamble anymore, plus guests are nickel-and-dimed through fees, increasing restaurant and convenience store prices, and casinos raising the house edge.
It is an opinion that is true. I've been to Vegas twice recently, three times overall. My latest visit was this June; the sticker shock is real.
But you know what else is real? It is a great place to vacay. Since price is a Vegas traveler's concern, I've added the cost I paid for certain reviews within this blog.
As with most talk of prices, Vegas costs more because it is worth it. And The Venetian Resort, where every room is a suite, tops the bill for Donna and me.
One can feel the grandeur from the moment they step into The Venetian.
Free champagne at Sala 118 Lounge after checking in is a nice touch.
As for the rooms, The Venetian tower strip view rooms are amazing. The Strip rolls out before you as your eyes take in the Bellagio's fountains, the Eiffel Tower built Paris Las Vegas, and so much more, including planes from Harry Reid International Airport coming to and fro against a mountainous backdrop.
The room's view of the Strip is even more spectacular during the evening as each hotel lights up the sky in a rainbow of colors.
Worried about airplane noise? Don't be, The Venetian is far enough away from the airport so that the planes are completely quiet while they majestically lift off and dart in.
As mentioned earlier, each room at The Venetian is a suite. The standard suite is 650 square feet of pure luxury and comfort with a king-sized bed and step-down living room. The living room is adorned with a couch and dining table.
My rooms have been somewhere around the 33rd to 38th floor. The room rate per night average for our June visit was $359.13. That dollar amount includes the resort fees and taxes, but not the incidentals.
Let's Check the Eats
In early June, The Venetian opened Via Via, a food court on the casino floor. Bringing the best of Los Angeles and New York City foodie hotspots to the Strip.
Day one, for lunch, we stopped at Scarr's Pizza. The New York City-based eatery is set to
celebrate its 10th year in 2026. We both felt the pizza was good, not great. I have had better in New York, for instance, excellent slices can be found at the Quality Pizza Co., just a two-minute walk from the Kimpton Eventi on Avenue of the Americas.
Donna and I didn't go back to Via Via, but we went twice to the Grand Lux Café within The Venetian for breakfast. It too is right off the casino floor.
Grand Lux offers patio-style seating for diners interested in watching the casino action, while deeper into the restaurant, the ambiance is of a traditional café flair.
The breakfast buffet is spot-on. Fantastic omelets can be paired with bacon that is "cooked to perfection," Donna said.
I enjoyed eggs, both scrambled and a veggie omelet. The banana muffin had a burst of flavor that was deliciously intense.
I didn't find the sourdough bread to be thrilling, and I would have liked a freshly made yogurt as opposed to the name-brand variety that I can enjoy when home.
The service at Grand Lux Café was great. The bill averaged mid $80s, including hot tea and juice. As an aside, there are Grand Lux Café's in Florida, New Jersey, New York and Texas.
Spritz Restaurant & Bar is another great eatery amongst The Venetian's 40+ restaurant options. The poolside Spritz is a breakfast and lunch establishment. Serving both menus all day, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The bar remains open until 6 p.m. Breakfast for two, including hot tea, was $99.20.
The Venetian offers indoor and outdoor Gondola rides on the Grand Canal. We hopped on an outside ride, enjoyed the experience listening to our gondolier sing and kibitzing with her in between songs. Our approximately 15-minute ride required a $60.50 layout.
The design of the Grand Canal Shoppes lives up to its intent of creating a daytime Venice experience. I didn't feel the need to go shopping anywhere else on the Strip.
I'm not sure my words can describe the Grand Canal Shoppes' beauty. So here is a blip from The Venetian's website. "Home to more than a dozen award-winning dining venues, over 160 signature stores and premier luxury brands…daily live entertainment…a colorful waterfall and garden in the Atrium." Even window shopping at the Grand Canal Shoppes is a great way to relax.
One can also relax by visiting the Canyon Ranch Spa + Fitness at The Venetian. Donna so enjoyed the professionalism of the staff during her organic custom facial that she immediately scheduled a makeup application for a dinner we attended later in our stay. The costs were $189 and $89, respectively.
In Regard to Cost
I'm not keen on skipping corners when I am on vacation; however, we did go to a nearby Walgreens for small items such as water for the room. Moves like that help to shave a few dollars off your travel bill.
There are plenty of bloggers, Reddit posts, travel mags, and YouTubers offering cost-saving tips for a Vegas trip that I am confident one will find of interest.
Throughout the summer, many Las Vegas hoteliers have been offering discounts to capture that segment of the traveling public who have stayed away due to the high cost. If they find that their discounts led to increased occupancy, I bet that they will roll out more packages in September to bridge the months before holiday travel begins. If the discounts failed, maybe the hoteliers will offer deeper discounts or add more experiences to the existing price plans, thus adding value.
Enjoy a Pictorial of The Venetian Resort
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Photo Credit: Brookfield Properties Retail Inc., Me, Scarrs Pizza, The Venetian.
See ya soon!
~30~
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