Bathrooms & Butterflies: the Wynn

I went to the Wynn on its opening night a few years ago. It's a very sensual place--lots to look at and touch! Last night I met some friends at the Fashion Show Mall for dinner, and afterwards I decided to cross the street to try to catch the Palazzo fountain show again. However I accidentally wound up in the Wynn! The casinos like to trick you with all these walkways, and it worked. When I realized where I was, I said "screw the Palazzo, I'll check out the Wynn again!" It really hasn't changed since opening night.

Aesthetics
A: The Wynn is all about the aesthetics. The colors are beautiful (Mandarin orange, Plum purple, etc.). The motifs are lovely (parasols, butterflies, etc.). There’s plenty of sparkling (mostly in the shop windows) and a lot of flowers and plants (not sure if they’re real though). Walking down the corridor of shops I noticed that in addition to being on the floors and ceilings of the walkway, butterflies also abound in the shop windows. I asked one of the salesmen who was standing by his shop door if the Wynn makes them put butterflies in their store. He said yes. The Wynn has a design team that tells them what to do! Personally I think it works. I love butterflies, and I love having them everywhere. They bring everything together and make it feel less like a mall!
Touchy Feely
A: I was so caught up in the touching of everything (inviting drapes, tassels on lampshades, etc.) when I got back to my car in the Fashion Show Mall parking garage, I almost reached out to touch the stucco support columns!
Layout
B: It’s a bit confusing because it’s round (think “Look kids, there’s Big Ben!”). But it’s also nice because it’s round. In a round casino you don’t wind up feeling “oh I have to get way over to the other end of the casino!” Also in a round casino the games are usually all in the middle, with a walkway around the edge. That makes getting around a lot simpler and getting confused a lot less likely.
Bathroom
A-: The bathrooms are classy and they go the extra mile. Lots of marble, parasol lamps on the ceiling, lamps with tassel shades in the stalls. I like the sinks, they are different. The stalls have high doors and partitions, and the hook on the center of the door is a safe place to hang your purse! I gave them A- instead of A because they just didn’t blow me away. It needs to be more funky or over the top for a full A!











Games
B-: I sat down at Gold Fish, but realized (before I put any money in, whew!) it was 5 cents a line minimum. (At 30 lines, that’s $1.50 per button-press—out of my league.) They have penny Wizard of Oz, which I’m a sucker for, and Crystal Forest, etc. The game selection is decent but the denominations are higher than what I prefer.
Attractions
C: There aren’t really any. There are some waterfall gazing spots. Pretty, flowered walkways. High end shops. There are two circular escalators which are kinda cool.

Ancient Rome, Old Vegas and New Vegas: Caesars Palace

Aesthetics
B+: It’s still an old school Vegas version of the Roman Empire, but recently I think they’ve made it a little more open and light. It’s a fun theme.
Touchy Feely
C: Well, there IS the bare-breasted golden figurehead of Cleopatra’s Barge.
Layout
C: Convoluted. It feels like there are separate casinos.

Bathroom
A: If you think it’s weird I rate the bathrooms, you need to go to the downstairs bathroom at Caesar’s. The stalls have pictures of Roman statues on the outsides, pictures of the property’s topiaries on the insides. There are little shelves above the toilets, which aren’t necessarily safer for your purse than a hook, but it did allow me to take a picture of myself in my stall! The sinks are cool and the automated soap and water work well. There is also a nice primping room. The bathrooms on the main casino level (at least the one I checked out) are much plainer.

Games
B: Didn’t play much. Their games (video and live) are middle-high end.
Attractions
B-: There are the Forum Shops with their free fountain show. Roman figures wander the shops and casino, and pose for pictures. They have separate gift shops for Cher, Bette Midler, Elton John, and the Pussycat Dolls, which is weird/cool!
Comments
In 1987, around the time I first set foot in LV, my hero Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster) did a Disney TV movie called You Ruined My Life. It took place in Caesars Palace, so this has always been one of my favorites. Back then it was the primo high-end spot on the Strip. It was also near the far South end of the action. Now it is no where near the South end, and there are many hipper and fancier casinos. However it has managed to stick around, adding the Forum Shops (the first of many casino “malls” to come) and building more towers. I love that they’ve adapted enough to stay in business but haven’t phased out that classic Roman Empire theme. Many casinos lately have been moving from the family-friendly Theme style of the ‘90s to a generic Luxury style. Caesars has gone very little in either direction and I respect that.

Love Them Sparkly Blobs: Planet Hollywood

Aesthetics
A: lots of funky light elements, I guess you could call the style Art Deco-ish.
Touchy Feely
A
Layout
B-: kinda weird circular flows.
Bathroom
C: nothing special.
Games
?
Attractions
C+: I noticed some Hollywood related memorabilia. The walkway out front is kinda different. There are the Miracle Mile shops and I think they still have wandering entertainers in that area. Not sure what else they have for "attractions."
Comments
If you park in the self parking you have to walk through the Miracle Mile shops (which is like a mile or something!) in order to get to the casino. (Which is strange for a casino. Usually they make you walk through the casino in order to get ANYWHERE!) So these seats are a welcome site--they are right before the entrance to the casino (pic above). And the blob is pleasant. It changes color.

The little round bed-like seat got my attention. At first I lay down with my knees bent at the edge (pic left). In that position you are flat on your back. It is a perfect fit for pretending to make snow couches. That is, you move your arms up and down on the seat and they basically make the shape of the couch/bed (if you're laying in the center). That's fun but you're looking up at the ceiling, not at the blob. So I knew it wasn't quite right.

I went into the casino, looked around, played a dollar, checked the bathroom (nothing special). On my way out I tried the couch again. Figured it out (pic right). If you set your head on the top of the back rest (which puts it at the perfect angle to see the fabulous blob) your body fits perfectly on the couch with your shoes right at the edge (no shoes on the furniture!). If you are way short or way tall you may need some adjusting, but for average types like me it's a perfect fit. I have tried to illustrate how not to sit and how TO sit on this funny couch. If you ever make it there, give it a try! I was just proud to have figured it out. I wonder if the designers really intended it to be used like that. Or am I going too far with an aesthetically pleasing piece of atmosphere? Anyone know?
I do admit I liked the aesthetics in the new new Aladdin. (The hotel was originally the Aladdin, it closed, was imploded, re-opened as the new Aladdin, and then changed names and themes to Planet Hollywood.) It has a new feel to it, not a typical casino feel. Lots of shiny sparkly things to captivate me. I think it's odd that there is no Planet Hollywood restaurant here. There is one across the street in Caesar's Palace's Forum Shops.