We live in LA and the SLS here in Beverly Hills has been our favorite for a long time now. When we heard they were finally opened in vegas, naturally, we had to drive up for a short trip to check it out. Let's just say, I went from VERY excited (with what I thought I could expect from the SLS brand), to VERY apprehensive (I read the bad yelp reviews 5 mins before we arrived at the hotel, as we were driving along the strip) to, actually really liking it (after I adjusted my expectations accordingly.) Now, if you're coming here expecting the same SLS in Beverly Hills, you will be immensely disappointed. It is no where near as classy and luxurious. At all. The SLS in Las Vegas kinda reminds me of the ACE hotel in Palm Springs. A younger, hipster-cooler version of the SLS Beverly Hills, shall we say? It feels very laid-back, and LA. But lets start what a few things I DIDN'T like: -The service. The service wasn't bad, or rude per say. They just don't have their act together and are incredibly disorganized. When we called to book two rooms, we specified that we would need connecting rooms. We get there and it's not set up. We wait, guy comes back and says he found us connecting rooms for an extra $15 per night per room. We take it. We go up to the room and it's NOT connecting. So I go all the way back down and wait in line for 15mins just to talk to him again (They only have 3 check in /check out counters thus, the wait). When I finally get to talk to him again (His name was Dominique, btw) I explain that he made a mistake and our rooms are in fact NOT connecting, he tells me "I don't know which rooms are connecting or not cos the floor plan the hotel gives us doesn't tell us if it's connecting". Uhhhh, okay. That's not my problem, is it?! You should have your act together by now & even if you don't, telling me that doesn't solve ANYTHING for me. He then says, "I need your patience and corporation because it's not my fault". Look, even if that might be true, YOURE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT. He then makes things worse by saying "I have to physically run up to each room to check if it's connecting so it could take a long long time, I can't promise how long". That in itself was okay but it was HOW it said it. It just sounded so condescending. I guess what I'm trying to say is 1. It's the hotels fault and they really need to get their shit sorted out and 2. He could've handled it better. They really need to train their customer service staff. Good thing the bad service ended there, thus, only a 1 star deduction (it would've been a 2 star deduction but I think the good points made up for this a little) -The rooms (particularly the ones in the World Tower) are just not nice. To put it nicely, the rooms felt cheap and not high tech at all. You can be cool and hipster and rough around the edges if you are high tech and modern and up to date with the trends at least. But these were not. It felt like they really skimmed out making it feel like a luxurious hotel. The wallpaper felt cheap, there were manual blinds (not even automatic ones or blackout curtains). It wasn't horrible but I def wouldn't say it was nice. Just basic. Nothing special. Now onto things I DID like - -The food. Ohmygod, I could literally eat all my meals in this hotel and never leave. Which is actually what we really did. Lets face it, food in Vegas is disgusting. Food on the Strip especially. The ONLY good food I've ever had on the Strip was Joel Robuchon, but obviously, you're not always in the mood to spend $500-600 per person for a meal right? When that's the case, I suggest you come to the SLS. They have The Griddle Cafe (famous brunch place in LA), 800 degrees (built your own pizza, also from LA), Umami, Bazaar, Cleo (tapas) and Ku Noodles (chinese food) and Perq (the cooler hipster starbucks). Oh and the buffet. -Pool. Okay this is perhaps my FAV part apart from the food here. I LOVED that it DIDNT feel like a day club / big pool party like the rest of the pools in vegas. It was sexy and chic but also very very chill. I loved that! It was gorgeous, the foods and cocktails were mind blowingly amazing (get the appetizer sampler and the watermelon cocktail) and service was excellent! I could've spent all day there. -The casino. The casino is very very small, but that's what I liked abt it. It feels more like a hotel with a casino rather than a casino with a hotel if you know what I mean. I loved that! It was very hip and cool yet I found it attracted an older 30s crowd as opposed to young frat kids. That was a big plus. (Shit do I sound old?!) -They made an effort to hire hotter younger waitresses at the casino floor and at the pool. What? It makes a difference. -Nice, clean, well equipped gym that you don't have to pay for! Overall, this hotel def is very niche. It's not your usual high strung vegas experience. After all, it's pretty much off the strip. But if you want something DIFFERENT in a good way, this is the place to be

positive

This is the second and last time I will be thoroughly disappointed in Rice Paper. I couldn't figure out who was my server, two guys and a gal alternated, no names given. My first interaction after being seated by the pleasant gal was with a surprised looking guy who tongue-tiedly only could muster," oh do you know what you want?" I ordered the Saigon/Bun--it's a salad with grilled pork and rice vermicelli. It came in a large bowl which was loaded with shredded lettuce, ample pork, julienned cucumber, bean sprouts, and about a tablespoon of vermicelli at the very bottom. There was so little noodle that I asked a server, "is there vermicelli in here?" and had to stir the salad a good minute before I could even find a few strands. He did bring a small plate of vermicelli for me to add, upon seeing how little the chef had put in. As I was eating I noticed that there was not the typical subtle mint flavor I'm used to in Bun. So, the next time the server came around I asked, "isn't there supposed to be mint in here?" He said he didn't know but looked at a menu and sure enough, mint was on the list of ingredients. He brought me a small bowl of wilted mint, which I used. Thank goodness the sauce was tasty or there would have been little to redeem this salad. They ALSO FORGOT to include the "crispy shallots and peanuts" that were supposed to be in the salad too. I didn't know this til I got home and re-examined the menu. I just knew something else was missing, because usually Bun is an explosion of flavors. I thought $10 was way too much to pay for what I got, not to mention the strange service. OH and get this! My bill came to $10.83. I gave the guy $15 and he came back with $4, saying "I rounded up to $4." I said "oh, ok thanks," but then I realized that he stiffed me .17. I mean yeah, big deal, .17. But come on, how cheesy is that, to make change off of your customer's pocket book!! It's laughable how bad this lunch experience was. And the tamarind sauce splattered high up on the window moulding in front room didn't help. This place is stupid.
negative