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The Palms first planted its stake in pop culture as the home to seven strangers in the first installment of Real World: Las Vegas, then as a constant backdrop on E! reality show The Girls Next Door when Hugh Hefner–mates visited the Playboy-branded tower, now known as the Fantasy Tower. These days, Palms has maintained its cool factor without needing any camera time, and is in the midst of a $620 million dollar head-to-toe renovation that includes the aforementioned Fantasy Tower (home of the insane, two-story Hardwood Suite complete with a basketball court, and the Kingpin Suite with a bowling alley, among others). In other words: this hotel is also under major construction.
They’ve already completed work on the casino floor, four new restaurants, and several nightlife options, not to mention the marquee and exterior of the hotel itself. (And we must say the addition of artwork by Damien Hirst, Basquiat, and Andy Warhol, on loan from the personal collections of Palms’ owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, raise the entire aesthetic of the property.) The Fantasy Tower rooms are being worked on as we go to press, and are supposed to be ready by the time this book hits the shelves. But know that you’re walking into a work in progess.To avoid be woken up by construction at 6:30am, we recommend staying in the already-renovated Ivory Tower (home of the still-pimped-out Real World Suite). The original building of the Palms, with its 428 guest rooms, even at 440 square feet, is still super swank. Warm wood furnishings nicely play off the fuchsia, teal, and silver of the throw blanket and chaise lounge. A stark-white bathroom is meant to evoke being in the spa, and it’s pretty close, with open showers (no tubs, sorry), frosted glass and lots of marble. If you really need to stretch out, upgrade to the Superior Room with its Jacuzzi. Escape the jackhammering entirely and book a 1,200-square-foot one-bedroom at Palms Place, which features a state-of-the-art whirlpool bathtub—and happens to be in a completely separate tower from the original resort.
The nightlife scene is also going through a little facelift right now; gone is ghostbar at the top of the hotel, replaced with Apex Social Club, which has removed the DJ aspect of going out and built an atmosphere where guests can have fun and actually talk to each other (imagine that!). But if you still need your club fix, there’s a 29,000 square-foot venue in the works from Tao Group. The Palms’ also did a complete overhaul of its restaurant portfolio, revamping both their buffets, now calling it all A.Y.C.E, and steakhouse, now known as Scotch 80 Prime. More dining additions are in store, including offerings from chefs Bobby Flay and Michael Symon.
