World on a strip

In Las Vegas, you can hop from Paris to Venice, New York to New Orleans
and Egypt to Morocco — all in a day. Just walk down the famous Strip and
see the world around you in a capsule, writes Mukesh Khosla

FOR those who find Las Vegas pulsating with energy they cannot cope with, it is best to slow down and go to Paris. Not quite literally though. All you have to do is to walk into the facade of Hotel Paris in Las Vegas and, lo and behold, you are transported into the romantic capital of Europe!

Here you will rub your eyes in disbelief as you see half-scale replicas of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Opera House and the Louvre. In fact, everything here spells Paris — from the fountains and statues to the cobbled streets and bistros and cafes. The casino, set in the base of the Eiffel Tower, is dotted with French-style wrought-iron streetlamps, while the ceiling is painted to resemble the night sky.

The winding alley outside the casino is called Le Boulevard and has Parisian boutiques. Restaurants like Le Provencal, Le Creperie and Le Village Buffet offer classic French food. Those who wanted to get married in romantic Paris but could not do so can have the wedding ceremony all over again at one of the hotel’s two chapels. Tr`E8s magnifique!

If you haven’t had your fill of Europe in Hotel Paris in Vegas, hop across to Hotel Venetian where the spirit of Venice comes alive in this American gaming resort. One can experience the magic and enchantment of Venetian life here, complete with real canals and gondolas.

There’s the Venetian replica of the Rialto Bridge and the exotic pleasure of floating under it with the gondolier crooning melodious songs. The banks are dotted with cafes and the Venetian cobblestone streetscape, where strolling performers entertain the guests. For a moment, you would be fooled into believing that you are going under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.

For the culturally inclined there’s a Venetian museum, a theatre and also a Madam Tussaud’s. But the most pleasant surprise awaits you as you look up at the hotel ceiling. There’s a stunning Michelangelo-style fresco that covers the arched roof. In fact, it is so well done that it would be difficult to distinguish it from the original decorative ceiling art of Renaissance Venice.

Many guests confess that they rarely leave the resort because there are so many things to do. In fact, everything about the hotel — from its grand casino to its eateries and Italian pallazzos spells Venice all the way!

Enough of Europe? Visitors can always move to Egypt without any trouble. A 30-storey onyx-coloured pyramid marks the entrance to Hotel Luxor, named after the ancient city of Luxor in Egypt, known for its temples.

Inside the pyramid, the Luxor casino resort unfolds the Egyptian grandeur in all its glory. A museum houses King Tut’s tomb and treasure. It is a historically accurate reproduction of the original burial chamber and has been painstakingly recreated by leading Egyptologists, specialising in pyramids and tombs.

In West Asia, Morocco is not too far from Egypt. Neither is it in Las Vegas. A Moroccan castle resort, rising from the desert, is not a mirage but the reality in the form of Sahara Hotel and Casino that transports you to the old civilisation of Morocco.

The coach-door entrance and the onion-shaped minaret take you back to an ancient civilisation in the Sahara desert. The main restaurant Abracadabra and the Thirsty Camel bar keep the spirit of the desert kingdom flowing.

The resort and its tall, colourful towers were made famous by Hollywood blockbuster Ocean’s 11 that was shot here.

Physically you may be thousands of miles from New York but you can have a bite of the Big Apple here. New York Hotel and Casino is an amazing replica of New York and recreates the famous Manhattan skyline, complete with the Empire State Building, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park.

Believe it or not, inside the hotel you have typical streets of New York, down to the manhole covers. Eateries sell traditional New York street fare like pizza, burgers, deli sandwiches and hot dogs. The Bar at Times Square features polished wood floors and recaptures the look and feel of an old New York city pub. The resort has an amazing roller coaster, which some travellers rate as the best in the world.

Indeed, Las Vegas has many more theme resorts that will transport you into another world. There’s Treasure Island, once a kid-friendly paradise, here it offers adult entertainment, including the famous sexy pirate-style marquee. Then there is the Orleans Resort that offers the entertainment and distinctive charm of its namesake — a place to trade your mood for rhythm and blues, your scowl for a grin, a bad day for a great evening.

Fun is an ongoing activity in the Sin City of Las Vegas. And the best part is — it never ends. — NF

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