Luxury at The Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip
The Bellagio Resort, the fabulous luxury destination on the Las Vegas Strip, is the ideal place to play, stay, and eat during the holidays. The Bellagio is famous for its dancing fountains, Chihuly ceilings, fantastic cuisine, world-class shopping, impeccable service, and over the top luxury. My wife and I are not gamblers, but we still always enjoy the energy, fantastic attractions, entertainment, and excellent food in Vegas. We have also had a blast on daytrips to nearby scenic nature areas, including The Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon.
We have been to Vegas several times and had passed by The Bellagio many times, but we had never stayed there. It always seemed too expensive, too exclusive, too hottie tottie for us to stay there. That’s where the rich people stayed. Well, we’re still not rich, but we are in a position in our life where we can afford to splurge now and then – so, we spent three delightful nights at The Bellagio!
The Bellagio Dressed Up During the Holidays
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at The Bellagio. In addition to soaking up the holiday decorations and the luxury offered by The Bellagio, we also loved dinner at Spago, watching the dancing fountains, visiting the amazing Arte Museum, rocking to Kyle Martin’s Piano Man, and being mesmerized by the spectacular Mystère by Cirque du Soleil.
The Dancing Fountains of Bellagio
The first thing you notice in approaching The Bellagio are the famous dancing fountains lining the front of the resort. Timed to classic music tunes like Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, the fountains rise and fall to the music and lights throughout the day and night. Millions of people have been entertained by this free spectacular show over the years, and it is still one of the best shows in Vegas.
According to the website, the fountain displays are scheduled Monday – Friday every 30 minutes from 3:00 PM to 7:30 PM, and every 15 minutes from 8:00 PM to midnight. On Saturday, Sunday and Holidays fountain displays are every 30 minutes from 12:00 PM to 7:30 PM, and every 15 minutes from 8:00 PM to midnight.
Spago at The Bellagio
We made reservations at Wolfgang Puck’s fabulous Spago Restaurant on our last evening in Las Vegas. Our table was next to a large window with fantastic views of the fountains, so we were treated to dinner and a show! Spago is located on the north side of The Bellagio complex, so it was just a short indoor walk from our room. With an elegant setting, spectacular views of the fountains, fantastic food and wine, and impeccable service, we loved our evening dining at Spago.
We ordered Crab Cakes for our appetizer, with lots of crab, and seasoned just right – delicious! For our mains, we both ordered the Steamed Hong Kong Halibut with Bok Choy, Shiitake Mushrooms, Sweet Soy, Chili, and Jasmine Rice. A side of sauteed eggplant perfectly complemented our entrée, and we savored each bite with our excellent Sauvignon Blanc. There were also many other taste tempting items on the menu that call for a return visit. Some of those featured dishes include handmade pastas, wood-oven pizzas, fresh seafood, all-natural meats and prime steaks, as well as creative handcrafted cocktails and a robust wine list.
Spago at The Bellagio is definitely a 5-star experience.
Spectacular Arte Museum on the Las Vegas Strip
Since we don’t spend time in the casinos gambling, we are always looking for other fun and entertaining things to do in Las Vegas. We were lucky to find out about the recently opened Arte Museum, located by the Crystal Shopping Center on The Strip. The Arte Museum is an amazing modern, high tech media art extravaganza that tickles all the senses. On the north side of the mall, this amazing 30,000 square foot attraction provides visitors with hours of magical moments. Intriguing exhibits include Whale, Waterfall Infinite, Starry Beach, Flower Rose, Arte Museum X Musée D’Orsay, and other imaginative elements.
See our video below for a visual introduction to some of the marvels of the Arte Museum.
It’s hard to pick a favorite. Every exhibit had something special and unique, and the advanced technology and creativity is astounding. We loved the “water features,” thundering waterfalls and ocean waves under a starry sky. The animal animations were amazing, including the white tiger, a multi-colored deer, a mythical dragon-like creature, and a variety of other jungle creatures. And the various flowers blooming and petals blowing in the wind were mind-blowing.
Do yourself a favor and spend a few hours exploring the remarkable Arte Museum on the Strip.
Amazing Piano Man Starring Kyle Martin
Kyle Martin is an amazing talent. Billed as the Piano Man for his outstanding portrayals of musical legends Billy Joel and Elton John, Martin delivers big time. His piano playing and vocal range make for an exciting and entertaining evening, with top-notch support from world-class musicians in his band. Kyle Martin, who was a child musical prodigy in his youth, first displayed his talents to the masses after he was hand-picked by Billy Joel to play the lead in the Broadway Musical hit “Movin ‘ Out.”
Piano Man has played over 1,100 performances in Vegas, entertaining thousands of happy concertgoers over the years at his residency at Planet Hollywood’s V Theater. Martin started his show with the Billy Joel classic “Movin ‘ Out,” belting out the story of the futile despair of the average working man. He then hit many other favorites, including “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” “Uptown Girl,” “Just the Way You Are,” and of course, “Piano Man,” in addition to several other Billy Joel hits.
About halfway through the show, Martin left the stage as the musicians jammed on guitars and sax. The audience was enjoying the jam session by these amazing musicians for several minutes. Then, from the back right of the stage, a figure came forward, and it wasn’t Billy Joel. Instead, with a quick costume change and a pair of oversized sunglasses, Sir Elton John came on stage and jumped into a spirited rendition of “Philadelphia Freedom.”
It was remarkable how Martin made the transition from Billy Joel to Elton John. While their voices are similar, there are enough differences and nuances to discern the two performers. I had no problems believing the new singer was indeed Elton, and that Billy had been left backstage.
Like Joel, John has so many hits there is no way we were going to hear them all. However, with a fast pace, some shortened versions, and skillful song selection, I still felt we got a good sampling of both performers. “Candle in The Wind,” which combined the Good-Bye Norma Jean and Princess Diana tributes, carried the warmth and harmony of the originals. Other hits included “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Saturday Night’s All Right for Fighting,” “The Bitch is Back,” and “Benny and the Jets.”
Finishing with a twist on Piano Man, Kyle Martin sang this megahit in his finale to remind us that he is, in fact, “The Piano Man!”
Mystère by Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island
Neither of us had been to a Cirque du Soleil performance before. We decided this would be the perfect time to check one out, so we bought two tickets to the Cirque du Soleil performance of Mystère at the Treasure Island Theater. Wow, what a show!
Mystère is a delightful combination of adventure, music, comedy, daredevil moves, acrobatic magic, and more. Not knowing what to expect, we sat in the darkness in anticipation. As the music began to play, the cast of characters began to march onto the stage. As we watched, entranced, we suddenly felt, and then saw, a lithe figure directly above us. Dangling on ropes attached to the ceiling, this performer was one of several members hanging from the rafters. They quickly climbed and swung in their ascent to the very top before disappearing in the darkness.
As the show went on, we were treated to many amazingly talented athletes swinging high above the ground as well as a myriad of other talented performers on the ground. Dancers, acrobats, skits, and an oversized baby entertained us for a full 90 minutes. Now that we’ve experienced Cirque du Soleil, we plan to attend more shows in the future. The Bellagio hosts the performance of their show “O,” so that could be our next stop.
Steps for a Wonderful Weekend in Vegas
So, here are my suggestions for enjoying a fabulous short visit to Vegas without pulling a single slot:
- Stay at The Bellagio
- Sing along to the music at The Bellagio Fountains
- Be amazed at The Arte Museum
- Rock with Kyle Martin at Piano Man
- Be mesmerized by Cirque du Soleil
- Eat at Spago’s and admire the fountains again
Ok, now. My work is done. Go. Enjoy.
