An interior aquarium is 8 feet high and includes 2,600 gallons of water. Behind the check-in desk, water runs continuously through a mock dense jungle. I'm a real shark fan, and that's what I was admiring. The resort's 11-acre aquatic area features a lazy river ride and four pools, one capable of generating surfable waves up to 6 feet high. The Aureole Restaurant features a four-story wine tower.
Patrons enter the restaurant via a catwalk-style bridge and stairway that spirals around the tower.
Straight-up vodka is the house drink. Those who find the environs a bit chilly are offered sable hats and coats imported from Russia. Patrons on Tuesday night were just learning the benefits of the ice-topped furniture. We only just discovered it. Entrees are cooked on skewers over a giant open-fire pit.