ARIA Resort & Casino
by the TopOfHotel team
ARIA is the modern, clean-lined version of Vegas, leaning on technology and contemporary design instead of the loud themes of your parents' generation of hotels — strong on newness, a central location and full facilities rather than quiet-resort calm.
ARIA is the modern, clean-lined version of Vegas, leaning on technology and contemporary design instead of the loud themes of your parents' generation of hotels — strong on newness, a central location and full facilities rather than quiet-resort calm.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Among Strip hotels competing to recreate Venice, Paris or ancient Egypt, ARIA Resort & Casino clearly went its own way — a pair of curved modern glass towers designed by the well-known architecture studio Pelli Clarke Pelli, opened in late 2009 as the heart of the CityCenter project in central Las Vegas. The 4,000-plus rooms are styled as contemporary modern, warmed up with dark wood, good fabrics and floor-to-ceiling glass. What reviewers mention most is the in-room automation that controls lights, curtains, temperature and the TV from a bedside panel — press one button and the curtains slide open to a full Strip or city-skyline view. Many call it high-tech and convenient enough to get hooked on. Beds are soft, the stone bathrooms are wide and airy, and the overall design is clean rather than flashy. If you are tired of classic Vegas razzle-dazzle and want a sleek, modern room, this place should suit you.
Food and amenities
ARIA's appeal is being a version of Vegas that looks expensive with taste rather than shouting for attention. The lobby pulls in natural light through the glass, contemporary art from major artists is spread through the building until it feels like walking a gallery, and the architecture leans on soft, curving lines. The heart of the downtime is the pool deck — three outdoor pools in a resort-style garden shaded with greenery and modern touches, with cabanas, daybeds and a pool bar serving drinks through the afternoon. Beyond that sits a large spa of around 62 treatment rooms known for a calm, relaxing mood, with sauna, steam rooms and a relaxation zone. Entertainment and food are loaded into one building too, from a casino of around 150,000 square feet and several celebrity-chef restaurants to bars, lounges and a theater that regularly hosts big concerts and shows. You could go a whole day without leaving.
Location and getting there
Location is another strong card here. ARIA sits mid Las Vegas Strip on the Center Strip side, in the heart of the CityCenter project on Las Vegas Boulevard, the core of the city. The handiest part is how it links to its neighbors indoors, dodging the harsh desert sun — walk through The Shops at Crystals to The Cosmopolitan in about 5 minutes, and on to Park MGM. Heading to Bellagio or other Center Strip landmarks is a short walk along the road. Inside the project, the free Aria Express Tram runs between Bellagio, CityCenter and Park MGM to save your legs. Harry Reid (LAS) airport is only a 10-15 minute drive away. In short, if you want to base yourself in the middle of the Vegas buzz but in a newer building that walks straight to the sights, this location nearly maxes out.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The most common gripe is the sheer size of the building — getting from your room through the casino out to the lobby, the Strip exit or parking takes a fair while, and some reviewers say days with several round trips left their legs tired. If you do not walk well, allow extra time and energy, and pick a room near a main elevator. The other thing to know is hidden costs: there is a nightly resort fee and a parking charge added on top of the rate you see at booking, so the final total runs higher than expected — check the fee details clearly before you confirm. On top of that, during high season or busy weekends, check-in lines can be long and the casino floor crowded, and some guests felt service slowed and the mood was more hectic than they hoped from a 5-star hotel. If you come then, checking in online ahead helps, and if you sleep lightly, take a high floor to escape the noise and bustle below.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews, ARIA is a hotel that sells the modern version of Vegas with confidence — a contemporary glass-tower design that feels new and clean, rooms that run lights, curtains and temperature on automation until it feels high-tech, garden pools, a big spa, and a central Strip location that walks to the sights indoors. If your trip picture is waking up and pressing a button to open the curtains on the Strip, shopping and finding food mid-city without facing the heat, coming back to soak in a garden pool, and ending with dinner at a chef-name restaurant in the building, this is an excellent fit. But if you want a small, quiet resort that is easy to walk and free of fiddly fees, the size and buzz here may not be your thing. Overall we give it 8.8/10, best for couples, luxury travelers and business travelers who want a newer, modern Vegas in the middle of the action.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Contemporary design that reads newer and cleaner than the older themed hotels on the Strip — the Pelli Clarke Pelli curved glass towers and contemporary art throughout the building draw praise for looking tasteful rather than gaudy.
- Rooms control lights, curtains, temperature and the TV from a built-in automation system, and one button slides the curtains open to a full Strip or city-skyline view. Many reviewers single out how high-tech the rooms feel.
- Three outdoor pools in a shaded, resort-style garden with cabanas and daybeds, plus a large spa of around 62 treatment rooms known for its calm, relaxing atmosphere.
- Central Strip location with a direct indoor link to The Cosmopolitan in about 5 minutes, cutting through The Shops at Crystals and on to Park MGM to dodge the desert heat.
- A full set of dining and entertainment in one building, from celebrity-chef restaurants and bars to a big casino and a theater that regularly hosts concerts and shows.
- The building is huge and crowded, and walking from your room through the casino to the lobby, the Strip exit or parking takes a while. Some reviewers say their legs were tired on days with several round trips.
- There is a nightly resort fee and a parking charge added on top of the room rate, so the final total runs higher than what you see at booking. Check the fees clearly first.
- During high season or weekends it gets packed, with long check-in lines and a busy casino floor. Some guests felt service slowed down and the mood was more hectic than they expected from a 5-star hotel.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Play with the in-room control panel from check-in — set the curtains to open automatically in the morning or program an evening lighting mode so you get the most out of the room's features.
- Ask for a high floor facing the Strip for a full Vegas skyline view, and use the indoor link through Crystals to The Cosmopolitan to skip the midday heat.
- Allow plenty of time to walk inside, since the distance from room to lobby and parking is farther than it looks, and confirm the resort fee plus parking charge before you book.