Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Vegas' Only B&B
In this topsy-turvy city where hotels routinely bed 2,000 guests a night,
where ceilings are painted to look like the sky, and hotel staff walk around
dressed like gladiators and gondoliers, the most idiosyncratic, unusual
lodging is a stand-alone nonconformist that would be considered garden-
variety anywhere else: a simple little B&B. Draconian zoning laws have
conspired to make
Lucky You Bed & Breakfast
555
(
%
702/384-1129;
no credit cards;
$
-
$$
)
the only lodging of its kind in all of Las Vegas. And
because of its small size (it has only three rooms for rent) and the charm
of its host, it offers something that no other lodging in town can: inti-
macy, a personal touch, and a peek into the real life of Las Vegas. Well,
sorta. Because your host here is none other than Ole, once the personal
chef of Liberace, which makes him a minor celebrity; and in his low-key,
Austrian way, he's as much of a showman as Mr. Showmanship. You'll see
that when entering his antique-jammed ranch house, in which there's nary
an inch of wall not covered by an oil painting, or a corner without some
rococo bronze or stone statue. Some of the grand art pieces and furniture
were a gift from Liberace; Ole will show you around if you ask. Out back
is a pool, a hot tub, and a fabulous garden lushly blooming with orchids,
other flowers, and lemon and almond trees. The three guest rooms all have
ornate beds, TVs, VCRs, and one has a working fireplace. Like his former
employer, Ole is gay, and so is most of his clientele, though all are welcome
here (you'll need to be tolerant of nudity, though, as guests are free to go
au natural in the pool area). Gourmet breakfasts are included in the rates,
which come to $59 for a single, $79 for a double (add $12 to make the
room a triple). If you're up for something unusual, terrifically festive and
yet, homey, this is the place to pick (whatever your sexual orientation).
over the years by no less than Vegas' golden boy himself, Steve Wynn, who was
once chairman of the board here. You'll see his touch in the awning-laden casino
(which looks a bit like the ones at Bellagio and Wynn Las Vegas), the marbled
lobby with its gleaming white baby grand player piano (yes, that is a statue play-
ing it), the richly patterned fabrics and carpeting, and unfortunately in the pric-
ing policies—this is the only Downtown hotel that charges extra for children to
stay in a room.
Sleeping here is also a honeymoon-worthy experience, as the guest rooms are
positively imperial in design, with richly patterned bedspreads and curtains (of
the type you'd see at a fine Parisian hotel); thick, soft carpeting; marble bathrooms
with deep tubs and lighted vanities; and inlaid wood armoires, which hide large-
screen TVs. It's the equivalent of what you'd find at such glam Strip properties as
the Mirage and yet you'll always pay at least $30 less to stay here, and sometimes
as much as $100 less. Granted, the onsite eating options aren't as good as at the
