hotel review: sls hotel in las vegas

(Las Vegas, Nevada).  The SLS Vegas Hotel is another addition to the long ever-growing list of new hip hotels in Las Vegas.  It reminds me of a slightly more casual version of the Cosmopolitan hotel.  Before I go into more detail, I will say that the hotel is very very "LA" which is probably more exciting for people who don't actually live in LA (like me).  That being said, it is a fun, contemporary hotel but there are definite pros and cons.


Arrival/Check-in:  Unlike most grandiose vegas hotels with outlandish themes and motifs, the SLS is rather understated upon entering.  There isn't anything about it that screams "Vegas!" which will appeal to some and not to others.  The size is also not huge so you don't feel like you have to walk miles to get around anywhere.  Since I've been to Vegas about 50 bizillion times, I actually enjoy a more subdued and boutique-like hotel.

The check-in service was relatively quick.  Our room wasn't ready which was fine since we arrived early, and so we decided to go to the pool area.  (Note:  The front desk clerk said he would expedite our room, but it turns out that didn't mean anything since the room wasn't ready until after 3pm which is the normal check-in time anyways.  I think it's actually better for service personnel to not over-promise but I suspect they think it makes them seem more helpful.)

Pool/Cabana:  We decided to splurge for our ladies' weekend and got a cabana.  It was probably one of the best designed cabanas I've seen - plenty of shade, a large TV, a mini-fridge, great service, lounge chairs - all of which is relatively standard.  What really put this cabana ahead of some of the others was the in-cabana safe and the fan and misters. We were able to tuck away our wallets and jewelry and feel at ease while taking a dip in the pool.

The food choices were a bit limited at the pool.  We ended up with a fruit plate, chicken tenders, the southwestern salad and plenty of cocktails!  Unfortunately while I enjoyed my chicken tenders, my friend believed she had a little bit of food poisoning with the salad, which is never a good thing. 

The cabana wasn't cheap - we had to order a minimum of $500 of food/drinks and there was a mandatory gratuity.  So the total for us came to $633.

But we just wanted to spend some quality time together, hang out by the pool and have lunch and drinks - so it was well worth it for us.  The service was good (but note that the pool side service at the Wynn was more attentive).  At some point the poolside music became crazy loud - so much so that we had to leave our cabana because we couldn't hear ourselves think.  Perhaps it's a sign of my old age, but I appreciate being able to talk to my companions and not having to scream at them in conversation.  It was like being at a club - but not.

Other options included daybeds ($300 minimum) and lilypads with no shade ($150 minimum).  Or there are plenty of lounge chairs for free but they didn't come with any shade.  It can get pretty hot in Vegas even in October, so it's a bit of a scam.

Room/Bathroom:  We really enjoyed the room layout.  The decor was whimsical and fun, and there was plenty of room to put all of our clothes, bags and toiletries.  The beds were comfy (but small).  When they say double beds, they mean two full sized beds.  

The bathroom was very modern and new.  (But the shower had the weird requisite glass wall facing the room - which could be covered by a decency drape - but I really question why contemporary hotels insist on creating hotel rooms where the shower/bath is basically visible from the room.  I'm married and I don't see the need for my husband to see me bathing or showering normally.  Privacy - where have you gone???)

There was a nice array of snacks for purchase.  Then there was the annoying fridge with sensors that seemed to charge you just for breathing next to it.  (Tip - Check your hotel bill carefully.  They literally tried to charge us for all sorts of mini bar purchases and we never even opened the fridge door.)

The safe is nicely hidden in one of the drawers in the hallway leading to the bathroom.  (This really should be mandatory now - I can't imagine any decent hotel without a room safe.)

Service:  The service was inconsistent.  For the pool, room and room service, it seemed fine - very prompt and efficient.  When I needed a toothbrush delivered to the room, they did it within 5 minutes with a smile.  

The service at the Monkey Bar, however, was exceptionally poor.  I suspect the cocktail waitress was new but she really was a terrible cocktail waitress even though she seemed nice enough.  When I ordered my drink (which was basically a vodka martini), she didn't seem to know any of the cocktail names and made me point to it and read it to her a couple of times.  Then she brought my friend a bourbon-based drink when she was looking for something like a moscow mule.  She really resisted going back to the bartender to fix the drink mishap and tried to convince my friend to keep her bourbon drink even though she doesn't drink bourbon.  Then she insisted that we pay immediately which is odd at a bar.  My friend asked if that was required and she said 'no' but kept hovering over us anyways.  Then my other friend ordered wine but (I suspect) because the waitress didn't know any of the wines, she told my friend they didn't have any.  Ummm - What????  Then she said it was because they hadn't opened them yet.  It's a bar.  It's happy hour on a Saturday in Vegas.  Open your damn wines.

The service at Perq - the coffee place - was also a bit lackluster. But this was saved by the very good coffee they produced.

At checkout we had some issues with our hotel bill  (i.e., phantom mini-bar charges; 3 service fees for the same room service order, etc.).  But on the other hand, when my friend thought her headset was stolen, they sent security with her to check our room again and she was able to find them.   The staff was pretty nice and professional about the whole thing despite being wrongfully accused.  

So overall, the service was OK but there were definite issues.

I think the most annoying thing was the hidden service/resort fees.  If you stay here, check your bill carefully!

Food/Drink: They had a nice selection of LA restaurants (which again is not as exciting for someone living in LA).  I would recommend checking out Griddle Cafe (amazing pancakes and turkey sausage), Umami (delicious burgers), and Bazaar (delish, contemporary tapas).

 

Shopping:  The shopping is a bit limited here.  There is a general store where you can get water, toiletries, etc.  I think it's actually called "Etc."  But the rest of the stores are all Fred Segal shops - Fred Segal jewelry, Fred Segal gifts, Fred Segal for him, Fred Segal for her, and so on. So if you aren't interested in shopping at Fred Segal, you are out of luck.

Gambling:  I'm not a big gambler but I did try my hand at craps and won $129!  (yay)  They didn't seem to have lots of slot machines or tables (only 3 craps tables) so that might be an issue for people looking to gamble a lot.  On the plus side, the minimum antes weren't crazy high like some of the larger hotels in Las Vegas.  

The sports book is literally located in Umami which might be good for you if you are a fan of burgers.  For someone old-school like my dad, I think he just wants a basic, comfortable sportsbook with lots of screens.  He could care less if they serve Umami or not.  

Location:  This hotel is not on the strip but is connected to the strip by the Monorail.  For first-timers to Las Vegas,  I wouldn't recommend staying off-strip since you'll probably want to spend a lot of time seeing all the famous hotels, etc. on the strip.  

Recommended?  I am pretty lukewarm about this hotel.  While I had a nice time and really enjoyed the cabana and the room, some of the service issues and weird charges just tainted the entire experience.  If I had to choose between SLS and Cosmopolitan, I think I would go with the Cosmopolitan based on location (on the strip), better bars and the Wicked Spoon buffet (which is pretty damn good).