A Caesars Palace Las Vegas review? The timing couldn’t be more appropriate. I have read and heard a lot lately about how Las Vegas tourism is struggling, with visitation down 11.3% in June compared to June 2024, down overall 7.3% for the year, and that some of it has to do with young people not going there to gamble since they gamble online more. High hotel room prices and resorts fees in Sin City are pricing people out, is another reason.
Las Vegas Strip. Image by Mark Keast.
“Sin City dead bro” posted someone online about all this.
Um, no, it isn’t. I spent five days there last week, staying at Caesars Palace, and while there’s no question Canadians are travelling less to Las Vegas these days (flights from Canada to Las Vegas have been cut back), I found Las Vegas crowds to be larger than I anticipated. I stayed Sunday through Friday.
My wife and I walked through several casinos, including the one at Caesars Palace. On the Sunday, our first day there, the casinos were 75% full by our estimation. It slowed a little Monday and Tuesday then started ramping up again on the Wednesday. Our analysis is anecdotal, but we spent five days there, and walked over 25 miles, up and down the strip, through Caesars Palace and other properties, especially casinos.
Sports Tourism
Sports tourism is going to be even bigger in luring more people to Las Vegas, and in turn into the casinos, as we’ve written about in the recent past. The Las Vegas Raiders will be kicking off another NFL season soon, in their Allegiant Stadium home. The NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, the 2023 Stanley Cup champions, play their home games a five-minute cab drive away at T-Mobile Centre.
Soon, MLB’s Oakland A’s will be moving to Las Vegas to play in a new 33,000-seat, fixed-roof ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip where the old Tropicana Casino used to be, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and HNTB, an architectural firm.
High stakes room, Caesars Palace casino. Image by Mark Keast.
“The key for us is to bring players into the casinos,” said Lora Green is one of the managing partners at Casino Marketing Group in Toronto, an exclusive service, where her company puts together white glove, exclusive trips for her network of high-roller gamblers to luxury casinos like Caesars Palace. “So having NFL, NHL, and MLB in Las Vegas is a great draw for clients. They can enjoy a live sporting event and go back to the casino and gamble, hoping their teams win and they win in the casino as well.”
I am not disputing the accuracy of the studies. I am saying don’t over exaggerate the results they are giving you. People need to look beyond the click-grabbing sensationalized headlines and grab some perspective. Do your research.
In terms of a Caesars Palace Las Vegas review, one thing is for sure – everything I felt I needed to see in Las Vegas, I experienced without having to leave the resort.
My wife and I staying in a luxurious suite in the resort’s Palace Tower, one of six towers at the resort.
T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights play. That’s my wife Shari in the foreground. Image by Mark Keast.
What Are Some of the Reasons for Not Having to Leave the Resort?
Caesars Palace Las Vegas Review: Casino
Not having travelled here since 2006, it was like landing on a distant moon. That’s the feel, looking down at the barren landscape, from the Porter jet window. Then, boom, you are on it – the fabulous city of Las Vegas, settled in 1905, right in the middle of a desert. I felt a little discombobulated.
An Uber driver dropped us off in the underground parking and delivery area at the resort. Soon we were hit by the sounds of bells and noises going off, as we walked into the casino. It felt like I was getting my 10,000 daily steps in walking from the parking garage to the front desk. That speaks to the massive property that is Caesars Palace (six towers). Check-in was followed by a lovely compliment from Grace at the front desk about my luggage. That was nice.
We arrived early, so the hotel needed a few minutes to get the room ready. There was some time to walk around and check out the casino for the first time. We took a seat and played a slot machine (Huff N’ Puff), pocketing $58 on one of the first plays. There were lots of families in Cafe Americano at Caesars Palace, just off the main lobby, and lots of young people there on that Sunday morning.
High-Limit Gaming
The casino at Caesars Palace is sprawling, spanning a large portion of the resorts’ 85 acres. It’s opulent, iconic, a pillar of the Las Vegas gaming scene, known for its Roman-theme design, marble columns, statues and golf-leaf trimmings. Caesars casino features 185 table games, 1,324 slot machines, with all the classic table games – blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps. and poker.
It’s designed to cater both to casual players like myself, and the serious high rollers, which Green’s Toronto company services.
Caesars casino is well known for its luxurious, dedicated space for poker enthusiasts, as well as Palace Court Slots, and Palace Court Tables, more refined, exclusive places designed for high stakes players who know the game. Aureus Lounge mixes high end indulgence with high-stakes play, in particular premium blackjack action.
Overall – and we walked through all of it – the casino was vibrant and lively, and clean. Cocktail waitresses dressed in white, off-the-shoulder mini tunics served free drinks to players. Masseuses walked from table to table, offering a shoulder rub for serious, committed players. The ventilation system makes cigarette smoke in the casino almost negligible, unless you’re standing right next to the person.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Montecristo Cigar Bar
As a cigar smoker, this was a highlight. I started with a visit to the humidor, with over 1,000 cigars to choose from, then moved into the sultry lounge area. Again, a state-of-the-art ventilation system made it possible for my wife to join me.
I sat back in one of those high back leather chairs, with five TV screens showing live sports, ordered a 14-year-old Oban scotch, watching Game 3 of an August three-game series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the first place Jays pulling it out late to salvage one game in the series.
I used the word “civil” to describe the space to friends and family in text messages. Nobody busting on you because you wanted to have a smoke. Just a room full of dudes, some laughing, some quietly watching the game, some talking to their wives who joined them there. Just a place of chill, to sit back, listen to the 70s and 80s music, maybe do some work, like in my case.
My cigar choice on that first night? My Father – handcrafted in Nicaragua, $24 USD, billed back to my room. The amiable guy working the humidor pulled out a flame lighter, cut it and fired it up for me.
I can’t recommend Montecristo Cigar Bar enough. I just loved it. That’s why I visited another two times after the first night.
Mark Keast, smoking a My Father Nicaraguan cigar, Montecristo Cigar Bar, Caesars Palace.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Best Restaurants in Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace: Peter Luger Steakhouse
One thing that stood out about Peter Luger Steakhouse at Caesars Palace at first glance was the simplicity of the menu. They do a few things really well. The atmosphere there was not stodgy or uptight. It was lively, and service was 5-star.
An appetizer consisted of Luger’s Sizzling Bacon, Extra Thick (USD $27.95), with a back story to it going all the way back to the roots of restaurant, Brooklyn, which opened in 1887. The employees then would have bacon with their meal, on a bun, with the Peter Luger sauce. Then customers wanted to try it. It was a hit, then made its way to the menu.
Single, aged rib eye steak (USD $89.95), with broiled asparagus (USD $19.95), onions buns, and regular buns with olive oil and balsamic, and a glass of California Chardonnay. A place like Peter Luger is next level.
The Peter Luger barbecue sauce has a nip and a tang, and you dip it with everything – bread, bacon, and the steak.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Amalfi
If you’re searching for more of a coastal Italian dining feel, and know the name Bobby Flay, check out Amalfi. The restaurant was inspired by Flay’s travels to the beautiful Amalfi coast. Opened in June 2021, the restaurant replaced Flay’s Mesa Grill, focusing on fresh seafood, handcrafted pastas, and Italian-style cocktails.
A standout feature is the interactive fish and seafood display, where guests can select from a variety of fresh catches, guided by a knowledgeable fishmonger. Signature dishes like squid ink fettuccine, charred octopus, and chicken parmigiano shine with bold flavors, often accented by Calabrian chiles.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen
Another celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, also has a restaurant there – Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace, opened in 2018. The restaurant seats over 300, and immerses diners in the fiery world of the hit TV show. Red and blue open kitchens, floor to ceiling windows, a vibrant bar – the atmosphere at the restaurant, right outside the main entrance to Caesars Palace off Las Vegas Blvd., is vibrant and fun.
Signature dishes are beef Wellington, pan-seared scallops, and lobster risotto shine, with sticky toffee pudding often stealing the show.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Guy Savoy
Restaurant Guy Savoy, nestled in the Augustus Tower of Caesars Palace, up the stairs from the main floor, is for those who love French gastronomy, an intimate escape from the bustling Strip. As the only U.S. outpost of Michelin-starred chef Guy Savoy, it mirrors the elegance of its Paris counterpart with a Jean-Michel Wilmotte-designed dining room featuring high ceilings and minimalist sophistication.
Executive chef Julien Asseo masterfully executes Savoy’s vision, delivering dishes like the iconic artichoke and black truffle soup and innovative creations such as seared foie gras with sea urchin. The extensive wine list, predominantly French, complements the exquisite menu, while the Krug Chef’s Table offers an exclusive 9-10 course experience.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Nobu at Caesars Palace
Nobu at Caesars Palace, opened in 2013, is Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s largest restaurant, blending Japanese and Peruvian flavors with a vibrant Las Vegas flair. It features teppanyaki tables, a lively sushi bar, and elegant décor with bamboo columns and oversized lanterns. Signature dishes like black miso cod, yellowtail jalapeño, and Wagyu tacos dazzle, with the $250 omakase menu offering a curated, multi-course experience.
Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options cater to diverse palates, while exclusive Hokusetsu sakes elevate the experience. Reservations are essential, especially for teppanyaki or omakase, which require full table participation. Upscale Japanese dining at its finest.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Caesars Palace Sportsbook
What makes the Caesars Race and Sportsbook on site the flagship for the company, and one of the great retail sportsbook location in Las Vegas? It has the most television screens, 143-foot HD LED displays running in a horizontal strip across from one end of the room to the other, broadcasting every live sports event you can imagine, as well as horse racing. Not everyone can offer wagering on horse racing and greyhound racing in their sportsbook, a Caesars spokesperson tells us.
The plush leather stadium-style seating, the biggest studio space, the high-end sound system, all of those are factors. Caesars Race and Sportsbook has been here for decades.
Because of the betting interest Caesars has to add in bleacher seating during mammoth sports events like during March Madness NCAA men’s basketball tournament, or the Super Bowl, of course, to handle the people overflow, a spokesperson told Regarding Luxury.
You can sit on your couch at home in your track pants and bet on sports on your mobile phone if you want, but trust me, there is nothing like being in a room with other avid sports fans, a true community, watching a live sports event, experiencing the thrill of betting on an event, with the exhilaration, the emotional highs and lows that comes with that. It’s like a “fan cave”, the spokesperson told us.
Talk about not having to leave the resort – I decided to leave my room, after dinner, and in sandals, dressed in a sweat suit, headed down to the sportsbook, with a cigar, ordered a rum and coke at the sportsbar in the sportsbook. I checked with the dude seated behind me to see if it was OK that I smoke, took a seat in one of those leather chairs, lit up, and watched the Blue Jays take on the Chicago Cubs at home in the Rogers Centre (after placing a moneyline bet at one of the terminals on the Jays of course!).
It felt a little like walking down to my living room at home to watch a game after a day of work – but just a little different.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Forum Shops
I’ve never seen anything like The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace – a premier luxury shopping destination renowned for its Roman-themed architecture and upscale retail. Opened in 1992, out of over 160 specialty stores and restaurants, it seems like every major luxury brand you can think of is there – Gucci, Versace, Canali, David Yurman, Panerai, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Prada, go down the list.
Its immersive design, with marble columns, fountains, and sky-painted ceilings that shift from day to night, creates a unique atmosphere reminiscent of ancient Rome. The mall, connected to Caesars Palace, attracts around 50,000 visitors daily, blending tourists and locals.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
Caesars Palace Las Vegas Review: Outdoor Pools
This we weren’t expecting – seven distinct pools, like any resort we’ve been too, a luxurious retreat packed with people, stretched out on outdoor loungers, cabanas and daybeds poolside, while we were there. Just a great place to take a break from the casinos, grab a drink, even just stand in the water, and lounge. There are adults-only areas, and areas for kids and families. I loved the ambience down at poolside, blending opulence and comfort, marble accents and cascading waterfalls, all inspired by Roman mythology. People were cool, social.
Some pool time, maybe after a workout, then perhaps a nutritious meal, and you are re-energized, and ready to hit the casinos again!
All in all, we had a great time. I was personally clamouring for a break from Canada. I left Las Vegas rested up, invigorated. I haven’t seen my wife that relaxed in months.
It’s nice to go to a place where they treat like you like an adult.
I scored my experience high on my personal scale – quality in terms of amenities, things to do, the food, the people, the service. You don’t need to go anywhere – if that’s what you choose. Everything is right there for you on site.
Click on image to enlarge and view gallery. Images by Mark Keast.
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
