Encore, Las Vegas

About Encore

Las Vegas is a like a mirror reflecting what people desire most. Before, they wanted to hit the casinos, dine at seafood buffets and ride roller coasters (often in the same building). When Steve Wynn débuted Wynn Las Vegas, the mirror had spoken: lavish overrules theme parks. Now, with the adjoining Encore resort, Wynn plays with the fun side of luxury. Part of it begins with a ruby-red theme that makes its way into much of the décor, energizing the scene and the people in it. In perhaps a risky move, Encore introduces natural light into almost every environment, providing an open and airy effect, and a sense of time. Then there’s the lofty XS nightclub, created by former Hollywood producer Victor Drai, where the dancers take shifts on the speakers.

What we loved

It seems most spa designers believe relaxing starts with vast amounts of nothing, offset by the odd Asian plant and blocky furniture. With the Encore spa, designer Roger Thomas moves out of the minimalist Zen garden and into the ornate boudoir. In a city where more is more, the frill fits in nicely, from the antiqued lobby to the plush chaises longues in the waiting room, the mosaic-tiled pool rooms and pebble-lined walkway. More importantly, the space is so large that I feel like I’m all alone, even when other people are in the room. Oh, and the Good Luck massage was nice too.

If you only have one night…

Named after Steve Wynn’s famous blue-eyed bud, Sinatra’s is chef Theo Schoenegger’s riff on modern Italian cuisine. Since there were 8 of us dining, it made sense to order a bit of everything (that’s what we told ourselves, anyhow). We especially enjoyed the surprising combinations of the butternut squash ravioli with vanilla and amaretto, and the flavourful lobster risotto and black cod with lentils and parsnip puree. Despite the challenge, we don’t regret making room for the chocolate-filled doughnuts.

In a nutshell

Youthful extravagance in Las Vegas, in a good way.
1-877-321-9966, encorelasvegas.com