the other side of vegas

You can combine luxury and adventure at JW Marriott in Summerlin.

By LISA ROUGHLEY | January/February 2008

Photo: PR

When Bugsy Siegel launched the first Las Vegas casino, his pals griped that no one would ever willingly spend any time in a desert. “Fuhgeddaboutit,” Siegel said. “We’ll build the most luxurious hotel money can buy, add some classy entertainment and a gambling casino, locate the whole production under a sky studded with a million stars, and the swells will beat down the door.”

These days, while Vegas pulses day and night with several billion megawatts, Siegel’s dream lives on at the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa in Summerlin. The casino-resort, located 20 minutes northwest of the Strip, is a 21st-Century version of the secluded escape Siegel envisioned. The Mediterranean-styled property offers 548 oversized guestrooms in a lush resort setting.

Just 10 minutes from the resort, rugged Red Rock Canyon etches a ragged line across the horizon. By day, the peaks glow rust and umber. At sunset, they turn gold and ruby. A cowboy trail ride or a mountain-biking excursion in Red Rock is one adventure that Marriott’s Personal Planning Center staff can coordinate. The Executive Golf Desk reserves priority rounds on 12 of Las Vegas’ courses. In May 2008, Condé Nast Traveler listed JW Marriott number 10 on its annual survey of Top 100 Golf Resorts in the USA.

Sun worshippers can lounge by the pool, while sensualists succumb to the enticements offered by the resort’s 40,000-square-foot Aquae Sulis Spa. With the addition of Aquae Sulis Garden, guests can partake in outdoor fitness classes, such as yoga, Tai Chi, belly dancing, and Hula. If hustle and bustle beckons, shuttles run to the Strip.

The resort has several dining options. Early risers can get the day’s first java jolt at Starbucks. Lunch and dinner choices include J.C. Wooloughan’s Irish Pub, Ceres Restaurant, The Waterside Grill (standard fare), Teppanyaki at Shizen (Japanese), The Carmel Room (fine dining), and Spiedini Ristorante (Italian).

Other adventure trips that can be set up through JW Marriott include:

• Photo safari to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, or Valley of Fire
• Whitewater rafting on the Colorado River
• Skydiving over the desert or simulated skydiving in an indoor flight tunnel
• A helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon or Las Vegas skyline
• Hiking and horseback riding at nearby Mount Charleston
• Tours of abandoned gold mines and a Wild West ghost town
• Seasonal dinner cruises on Lake Mead aboard the Desert Princess, an authentic Mississippi paddleboat
• A visit to the Hoover Dam museum and a guided hard-hat tour of the property
• A trip to Area 51—the secret military facility celebrated in Independence Day and Steven Spielberg’s miniseries Taken.

Holiday “Suite” Escape Shopping Package For Two

The Holiday “Suite” Escape Shopping Package is exclusive to JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa in the 2008 holiday season. This all-inclusive getaway and shopping adventure provides a great little escape for two while taking care of all the loved ones on your list.

Available November 21 to December 31, the Holiday “Suite” Escape Shopping Package includes a stay in a luxurious one-bedroom suite with complimentary champagne and holiday sweets on arrival. Guests will enjoy dinner for two in Ceres Restaurant (excluding alcohol), in addition to daily breakfast at the buffet. The resort’s scheduled shuttle provides complimentary transportation to the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. And after a day of shopping, the thought of escaping back to the resort and relaxing in the healing waters of Aquae Sulis Spa with two complimentary spa passes will bring on a sigh of retail relief.

While the resort offerings are endless with the Holiday “Suite” Escape Shopping Package, it is priced at a special rate of $259 per room, per night, based on double occupancy. This rate excludes tax and is based on availability. Reservations can be made by calling 877-869-8777.