On Top of the World
Need a break from the frenzy of the Strip? Check out the top five rooftop venues in Vegas
by Chad Emerson | Published in February 2008 Focus on Event Sites
Every year, millions of people pack the Las Vegas Strip to gamble and gaze at the neon-clad attractions. While it offers a great way to view the dazzling lights of Sin City, the street-level gridlock can be a bit overwhelming. It’s enough to make you want to get away from it all. …But not too far away.
Fortunately, there’s almost nothing you can’t do in Vegas, including that. All you need to do is take your group to one of the spectacular top-floor venues that offer a welcome respite from the frenzied activity down below — and, in case anyone misses it, a great view of all the action.
Recently, Event Solutions scouted out the best of these venues that tower high above Las Vegas Boulevard. Here are our top five picks.
1 Moon at The Palms
For many, Las Vegas begins and ends with the Strip. After all, that’s where many of the most elaborate casinos and resorts reside. However, being off-Strip only makes the view from Moon — one of the hottest new venues at casino and hotel The Palms — that much more dramatic.
Since Moon is setback 1.5 miles from the Strip, the rooftop location offers a wide panoramic view for attendees. But, when scheduling an event here, it’s important to look up, not just out. That’s because Moon offers a retractable roof that can peal away to reveal a moonlit view unlike any other in Vegas.
It’s is a major reason why Karin Flores, director of special events for George P. Johnson Experience Marketing, has organized a variety of events there for Fortune 1000 companies.
“The view, the retractable roof and the service are all amazing,” she says. “The space is aesthetically one of a kind and is always a crowd pleaser.”
Located on the top floor of the Palms’ new Fantasy Tower, Moon can accommodate seated and reception-style events for hundreds of guests while offering a full range of event services.
2 Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay
Tucked away on the 43rd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is one of Las Vegas’ most exclusive locales — Foundation Room.
Operated by the House of Blues (which also operates a restaurant/club on Mandalay Bay’s ground floor), Foundation Room provides a jaw-dropping view northward along the Strip. This serves as a centerpiece for special events held in the venue’s Foundation dining room. Available for groups of up to 300, the top floor dining room offers both a finely appointed indoor space and the Mandalay Patio, where the bright lights of Vegas come alive every night.
For a more intimate event, try the Shangri-La Room with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Strip.
In most cases, scheduling an event at Foundation Room requires purchase of a group “membership” that provides access to other Foundation Room spaces across the country. But that’s a relatively small price to pay to offer your attendees one of the city’s most dramatic views in Sin City.
3 Eiffel Tower Restaurant at Paris
From Venice to New York City to the tropical islands of the Pacific, the Las Vegas Strip offers a themed casino for almost any taste. A perennial favorite is Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, where guests will find Parisian shopping, dining and amenities of all types.
And, of course, Paris would not be complete without an Eiffel Tower.
That’s what makes the Eiffel Tower Restaurant one of the most popular venues for small to medium-size groups. Located high above the city, the restaurant offers unique views of many of the Strip’s most famous casinos — including front row seats of the Bellagio fountains made famous in the 2001 remake of “Ocean’s 11.”
But the Eiffel Tower Restaurant offers more than just brilliant views. Groups ranging from small corporate board lunches to 60-person seated meals can enjoy award-winning dining in the Salon Privé or Left Bank rooms — each with full audio/video capability.
The special events team can also coordinate use of the casino’s extensive conventional meeting space as well as special room rates for events of all sizes.
4 Misora at The Platinum Hotel
When scheduling an event in Las Vegas, many planners quickly realize that nongaming resorts are few and far between. However, if you’re interested in a venue without gambling, a new option recently premiered just blocks from the Strip.
Since opening in June 2006, the Platinum Hotel has offered well-appointed rooms together with high-quality amenities like the Well Spa and award-winning dining. When it comes to meetings, the hotel’s trump card is the 17th floor Misora Lounge, where guests can enjoy a sky-high view of the lights and sounds of the Strip.
Checking in at over 3,300 total square feet, Misora offers indoor/outdoor seating that can accommodate over 300 guests reception-style and 250 for a seated event. The hotel also offers full audio/visual and catering support for Misora events. Combine that with the fact that the hotel is less than two blocks from the Monorail and major destinations like Bellagio and Caesars Palace, and it’s easy to see why Misora enjoys such popularity.
It certainly caught Dick Ott’s eye.
“As a meeting planner, I’m always looking for the different venue, the unique location and the unusual wow factor,” says the network director for the National Interiorscape Network. “When I saw the Misora, it met all three criteria.”
5 Stratosphere
For planners looking to elevate their event, Stratosphere Hotel & Casino certainly fits the bill. Indeed, the resort is home to the tallest free-standing tower in the United States. At the top of this 1,000-foot-tall structure, attendees will find both indoor and outdoor venues that offer 360-degree views of the famous night lights of Las Vegas.
Here, on the 103rd and 104th floors, the resort offers six different meeting and banquet rooms — some of the highest event spaces anywhere in the world.
But, a Stratosphere special event is not just about spectacular views. The rooftop venue also offers full catering services and technical support as well as room packages designed exclusively for meetings held at the hotel — useful at a property offering 8,100 square feet of top-floor meeting space.
And if your attendees are looking for a unique team-building opportunity, consider the big thrills of Stratosphere’s rooftop amusement rides — all of which include unlimited access for groups holding events at the Observation Deck level. It’s exactly the type of high-stakes fun that could leave your guests humming “Viva Las Vegas” to themselves, and really meaning it.