There’s a little bit of quirk and a little bit of magic hiding at the base of the new W Las Vegas, the refreshing hotel experience at SLS at the northern tip of the Strip. The W is a hotel within the hotel, offering both an escape and ready access to the casino and amenities of its host facility. It’s not a new concept for Las Vegas, but you’ll know it’s something different as you saunter past the lobby into the Living Room.
Yes, it’s a hotel lobby bar and lounge, but it’s also so much more. Bright and clean with a modernized/retro look, the Living Room feels an impossible hybrid of Mad Men and The Jetsons—with a splash of vintage Vegas charm.
Look closer at the detailed finishes that surround your cozy leather banquette. What seem like carefully layered textures might be a collage of casino dice. Straight lines are actually curved, like on the chessboards that invite lazy afternoon activity. Metal and wood converge around comfort, artwork stimulates and turntables await the soft touch of vinyl. Take a trip to the gender-neutral water closets where you’ll meet Booker Glam, a fortune teller who answers the question: What if the Zoltar game from the movie Big was modeled after Little Richard?
The Living Room’s cocktails are as unique as the environment, from a Negroni under the influence of Madeira to the Floradora, a concoction mixing Hendrick’s with raspberry syrup and ginger beer. A Moscow Mule gets a cinnamon-apple twist, and Chelsea’s Lady Luck ... well, you might not be ready for that. Let’s just say there’s mezcal involved. And aloe vera liqueur. And serrano-lime sugar. Like this lounge, the drink is begging to be discovered. The Living Room at W Las Vegas, 702-761-8700; Sunday-Thursday 4-11 p.m., Friday & Saturday 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
