Venetian

The spirit of Venice is alive in The Venetian resort, complete with frescos, gourmet food, canals, gondolas and strolling performers. The hotel offers spacious, beautifully appointed suites, an impressive upscale shopping center, a wide variety of gourmet restaurants and Italian-inspired eateries, attractions and more.

Sheldon Adelson's breathtaking mega-resort combines the latest technology and the venerable art and culture of the European jewel: Venice. The Venetian's take on this world-renowned city and the Italian eleganza is a must-see. Coming to this resort is as close as you'll come to visiting Venice itself.

As you enter the lobby, don't be surprised by the visitors taking pictures of the ceiling as if they were in the Sistine Chapel: A detailed, exquisite fresco covers the arched ceiling leading from registration to the casino, promising great things. That promise if fulfilled in short order -- a wealth of shopping experiences in the 500,000-square-foot Grand Canal Shoppes, which, true to its name, has a canal winding through it with gondolas drifting gracefully along its length; a number of five-star restaurants, created by such culinary giants as Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller, Joachim Splichal and Paulo "Zeffirino" Belloni; a version of Madame Tussauds famous wax museum; and the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum, whose gallery houses masterpieces that have traveled the world.

At the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, pampering takes on a different meaning. It is the largest spa in town, and with 62 treatment rooms, it offers some of the most extensive and extraordinary services available.

The spacious guest suites at The Venetian are aesthetically stunning as well as technologically sound, with refinements from Italian marble in the bathrooms to a mini bar.

At the Venezia Tower, the resort's most recent addition, luxury rooms are redefined with 700-square-foot suites that boast 9.5-foot ceilings, 130-square-foot bathrooms, three telephones and two 27-inch flat-screen TVs, among other luxuries. The tower's 122 Concierge Level suites offer additional amenities, including private access, an executive lounge with food and beverage service, daily newspaper, coffee/tea delivered with your wake-up call and DVD players.

With pools that resemble the fountains of Italian palazzos and amenities that will leave you exclaiming "Bellissimo!" Venice's twin sister city has come afloat at The Venetian. Ah, la dolce vita.