The Fontainebleau Las Vegas continues building upon the legacy built by Fontainebleau Miami Beach when it opened 70 years ago. The original was designed to go over and beyond the usual beachfront getaway, and its historical significance was solidified in 2008 with a well-received multi-million dollar overhaul and an addition to the National Register of Historic Places. The legendary resort’s pop culture relevance is further reinforced through appearances in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Bodyguard,” Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” music video, and other productions. The guest list is also the stuff of legend, with Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, and Elvis Presley in its early days and Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Cruise, and Heidi Klum checking in more recently.

It may seem surprising that it took nearly 20 years for Fontainebleau Development Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Soffer and his hand-selected team of partners, architects, and designers to take   would make a splash in the Nevada desert. from concept to a fully operational five-star property. Although pesky pandemics, economic downturns, local politics, and financing complications made Fontainebleau Las Vegas a storied piece of real estate long before its doors opened in December 2023, the results more than live up to expectations.

Luxe hallmarks of the Miami Beach matriarch property are carried over into the 67-story, 3,644-room/suite resort, including the splashy and expansive pool deck, poolside bar/restaurant Le Côte, and the lush Lapis Spa. Design firm David Collins Studio brings the interiors fully into the 21^st Century even as it wraps the property in luxe textiles and hues of creamy beiges, sapphire, sky blue, yellows, and rich browns with subtle gold accents. The resulting ambiance references the Miami Beach property and the original Palace of Fontainebleau in France while being true to Las Vegas’ larger-than-life identity.

Spacious rooms and suites are outfitted with an artful mix of Mid-Century, traditional, and modern furnishings and accents. More discerning guests, meanwhile, will appreciate the amped-up glamour and comfort of the expansive, tucked-away Fleur de Lis Collection suites. The VIP lounge on the first floor adds a living room experience to the stay for frequent visitors and guests in higher-end rooms. Gourmet snacks and sweets are put out three times daily, while Rishi teas, coffee, champagne, sodas, and more are available on request. Outdoor and indoor flourishes by Lifescapes International nicely round out the ambiance, successfully establishing this Fontainebleau as an oasis within a busy and buzzy destination.

Even with so many bells and whistles, however, two important things solidify Fontainebleau Las Vegas’ staying power—consistency of quality and superb service delivered with genuine warmth.

The Lapis Spa, cleverly concealed in its own wing near the wellness cluster, is a two-level sanctuary with both separate-gendered and co-ed areas housing everything one could want in a spa day, even if a treatment is not part of the plan. The pools, saunas, ice rooms, and meditation areas are impeccably maintained. The treatments, meanwhile, are worth every penny. The customizable 90-minute Lapis Facial and Lapis Massage treatments, integrating Comfort Zone and other high-end skincare, are wonderfully executed by practitioners with the same attention to detail and well-informed approach and concern for a guest’s well-being exhibited by the fitness crew. the Las Vegas iteration boasts 44 treatment rooms, a purifying salt cave, a healing infrared sauna, men’s and women’s hydrotherapy lounges, and a co-ed sensory room with communal healing waters.

Nightlife venues are part of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas proposition, including the LIV Las Vegas nightclub, which can be bought out for private parties and events. That said, the resort has an all-star lineup of chic specialty lounges, fine dining, and quality sit-down restaurants from noted chefs and restaurateurs including Masa Ito, Kevin Kim, Evan Funke (Wolf Mother), Alan Yau (Chyna Club) and David Rodolitz. On top of all of these carefully curated restaurants tailor-made for business lunches, dinners, and networking mixers, elevated casual breakfast/lunch spaces are providing a nod to Miami Beach and France, including Le Côte pool bar and grill and La Fontaine, serving up French classics updated with Mediterranean and Spanish influences.

Chyna Club is one of the standouts among fine dining restaurants, a cocktail from its award-winning drinks menu is a must for mixology enthusiasts with their delicate flavors and presentations. Even with ambitious menus, fashionable décor, and well-defined themes, they all share uncommonly friendly servers that put one at ease and ensure no order goes awry.

The casino centerpiece Bar Bleue, like its Miami Beach sister, is the perfect meeting spot for a night of gambling, shows, or a bit of both. While it seems like a stretch to say almost every bar and lounge on the property serves up widely acclaimed cocktails and zero-proof drinks, tequila/mezcal bar Azul and piano bar Collins deliver on that claim beautifully. While these lounges benefit from being self-contained and separate from the sprawling casino area, they also radiate creativity and exclusivity. Collins has fantastic originals such as “Hambei and the Plum Tree,” “The Trolley Car” (a flawless take on the enduring sidecar), and inspired mocktails like the “High Priestess.”

The food and beverage outlets also nicely dovetail into cooking, wine pairing, and mixology activities making up the “Signature Series by Fontainebleau,” consisting of interactive and practical classes steered by the resort’s dream team of chefs, mixologists, and food authorities. The calendar is full of classes that are informed by seasonal ingredients and instruction empowering participants to emerge from the class with a fantastic one-of-a-kind dinner and the skills to impress friends and family at home. It’s not surprising the series so far has been popular among Las Vegas locals keeping up on culinary trends with regular trips to the Las Vegas Strip. Each class is tailored to the season, guiding guests through experiences across the property, and allowing them to learn and bring new techniques to their own table.

The Promenade Food Court, on the second floor overlooking the casino, is populated with fast-casual restaurants reflecting Las Vegas’s global appeal. The Mid-Century modern backdrop puts the focus on a diverse selection of options with subtle nods to Miami such as El Bagel and the well-received Miami Slice pizza and the American Southwest with Roadside Taco. Capon’s Burgers, developed by culinary wunderkind Josh Capon, is a standout even with a simple selection of diner classics like burgers and fried chicken, thanks to generous portions and excellent hot sauce, truffle, and cheese condiments.

There are also optional perks for those booking the higher-end rooms, including the VIP check-in lounge, which does double duty as the resort’s private living room whenever one wants to take a quick break from the action, get light drinks and snacks, or some trip planning assistance from the astute people on staff. The car service is also a worthy indulgence as the drivers not only provide transportation between the airport and hotel, but also wonderful conversation, an encyclopedic knowledge of the city, and palpable reasons why they love living in Las Vegas full time.

A big portion of the main atrium’s second level of the main atrium is not only wellness-driven but also cohesive in terms of how related amenities and retailers including the IGK Salon, exclusive NutriDrip IV Drip Lounge, and an expansive fitness center designed by the Rockwell Group and Jay Wright are arranged. Likewise, the fitness staff and instructors, like their counterparts in the restaurants, bars, VIP lounge, and drivers exude a welcoming vibe that makes one feel energized and well-cared for.

The Fontainebleau Las Vegas truly represents a new, heavenly way to experience “Sin City.”  Rather than tapping into specific international destinations (Paris, The Venetian) as the casinos opened during the 1990s did, this resort reveals the future of the city while tastefully paying homage to the Miami original.