Originally Posted by bgriff

Since you have never been, it is worth saying up front that standards for luxury hotels in Vegas are a bit different than in the rest of the world, so worth going in with the right expectations. Most Vegas hotels are massive so service is much less personal than at luxury hotels elsewhere and can mean more annoyances (lots of waiting in lines), and there is a lot of nickel-and-diming. Vegas can still be a great time obviously but don't go in expecting an effortless, personalized stay like you might hope for at a 5-star resort elsewhere.

That said, I would agree with the recommendation that Encore is very nice by Vegas standards. Cosmo, think giant W hotel, for better and worse.

I haven't stayed since it became the Waldorf Astoria, but when that property was the Mandarin Oriental it was the rare exception of being a true luxury hotel in Vegas. Not sure how much of that may have stuck. But, if you are not a gambler, it does have the advantage of being a very central location but not having an in-house casino (which means you don't have to walk through the casino--and its cigarette smoke clouds--to get to your room, as you do at most other Vegas hotels).

Four Seasons, Nomad, and Nobu are "hotels-within-a-hotel" at larger properties, and are small by Vegas standards but contained within a bigger resort. Of these only Four Seasons really approaches traditional luxury hotel standards, though as noted the location is somewhat out of the way.

If you want to have the true Vegas experience for your first stay, Bellagio to me is the best Vegas resort at being a Vegas resort. Location is unbeatable and it has as much old world charm and elegance as you can muster on the Strip. And (the new) Ocean's 11 was set and partially filmed there, so watching that is a great way to anticipate your trip (really, that's true regardless of where you end up staying).