I spent 2 nights at the Fontainebleau, Las Vegas' hottest new hotel — and it's ushering in a new luxury era in Sin City

After acquiring the legendary Fontainebleau Miami in 2005, billionaire Jeffrey Soffer announced his plans to open a second location in Las Vegas. The development was 70% complete when it was derailed by the Great Recession in 2008, and the property was sold twice before Soffer reacquired it in 2021.

The hotel made up for lost time with a splashy opening night in December, making its presence known on the iconic Las Vegas Strip with a star-studded bash that drew in everyone from Cher to Kim Kardashian.

At 729 feet, the 67-story hotel is now the largest occupiable building in Las Vegas. It features 3,644 rooms — including 76 exclusive Fleur de Lis suites — 36 restaurants, a 55,000-square-foot spa, a 14,000-square-foot gym, and a brand-new nightclub and casino.

"Once you arrive here, you really don't need to leave the building," Fontainebleau's former COO, Colleen Birch, told Eater Las Vegas in December.

That's quite the claim in a city where flashy hotels, wild clubs, and celebrity restaurants cover every inch of the 4.2-mile Strip — one I'm all too familiar with thanks to the 25-plus trips I took to Vegas during my 20s.

It was time for a shake-up in Sin City, and I couldn't wait to see what the Fontainebleau would bring.

Soft, warm lights enveloped the vast and immaculate space as dozens of gold bow ties playfully glowed behind the check-in desk. Transparent beams that stretched from the pristine marble floors to the soaring ceiling felt reminiscent of Singapore's famous Supertree Grove.

The space felt modern and tranquil, already promising a very different kind of oasis in Sin City.

I counted nine large vases of flowers, and a friendly greeter I spoke with estimated there were about 100 stems in each. She said the flowers were changed every three days and switched out depending on the holiday season. The red roses were celebrating Valentine's Day.

"All the women love it," she said with a smile.

Almost as if on cue, a young girl sprinted toward the flowers to see if they were real. It was exactly what I had done mere moments before.

Metallic gold doors beckon into the luxury lounge, where guests of the Fontainebleau's Fleur de Lis suites — which start at $5,000 a night — begin their stay.

Airport lounges should take note of the style achieved by Fontainebleau's VIP area. The deep-blue carpet and couches are luxe and sophisticated, and the gold mirrors and light fixtures — combined with marble detailing — look extremely elegant.

A flute of crisp Champagne is offered to VIP guests on arrival, who can also grab fresh pastries or hot tea whenever they need. The lounge also provides a quick shortcut to the elevators, perfect for any famous guest who doesn't want to pass through the casino.

I've always believed that real luxury is in the small details, and the amount of thought that went into every inch of the hotel's interior is immensely impressive.

The late architect Morris Lapidus, who designed the original Fontainebleau, incorporated his signature bow tie into the design of the resort's interior. Now, it's the emblem of the Las Vegas edition.

There are 1,200 golden bow ties sparkling from the 60-foot-tall centerpiece chandelier that hangs above the bar on the main floor, and miniature bow ties are hidden in a stylish pattern of circles that burst against the casino's navy carpet. There are tiny bow ties stitched into the back of plush periwinkle leather chairs beckoning you to each slot machine, while chrome bow ties gleam from the handles on every dresser in the suites.

I didn't find the bow ties to be cartoonish or excessive, but rather sweet surprises I kept discovering throughout my two-night stay. Their subtle and sophisticated design paired well with the old-school Frank Sinatra rat-pack energy that exuded from the hotel's main bars.

It's hard to make slot machines (1,300 to be exact) look sexy, but smart design touches help keep their presence from dominating the Fontainebleau's overall energy. Straight away, the 42-foot ceiling makes the main floor of the resort feel big and grand. I really noticed its impact when I went into a different luxury hotel for a Super Bowl party and instantly felt cramped.

The Fontainebleau also helps keep the space serene by opting for muted blue carpets, soft blue lighting, and modern panels on the ceiling. Even the elevator shafts were covered in marble.

And there's no usual ringing and pinging from the various machines. I immediately clocked that their sound was off, allowing Sinatra's lilting croon to fill the room instead.

One of my main gripes with many hotels is that they're either extremely bland or look like something out of a corporate office, even with a resort price tag.

But the Gold King room, which starts at $300 a night, is thoughtfully designed in calming blues that felt fitting for a Miami-born resort. I loved the sky-blue textured wallpaper and navy headboard that framed our plush king bed, which was outfitted with super-soft 500-thread-count cotton sheets.

Gold chrome nightstands and a coral-pink bench and chairs added pops of color that kept the space feeling modern and fresh.

We had a perfect view of the Sphere and High Roller wheel from our window, which flooded the room with natural light when we clicked on the automatic drapes. I could also spot Fontainebleau's six-and-a-half acre pool deck, which will open when Las Vegas' dayclub season kicks off in March.

The room's overall atmosphere was coastal but stylish, a much-needed reprieve from the bright neon colors that tend to dominate Vegas hotels (look no further than the purple and red butterfly carpet that dominates Encore).

A great hotel shower is extremely important to me. What good is a perfect night's sleep if the morning starts with tepid temperatures and terrible water pressure?

There was no such danger with the spa-like shower in our room, which ran the entire length of one of the bathroom's walls. The white mosaic tile glowed invitingly, and the ability to step right in without having to struggle with a jammed door or fumble over a high tub made it feel extra lush. The custom-made shampoo, conditioner, and body wash all smelled delicious and left my hair looking fantastic.

I am no stranger to a Las Vegas hotel food court. It's where the bulk of my dining occurred when I was a 20-something trying to grab sustenance in the short period between the end of a pool party and the beginning of a nightclub. Meals were quick, fast, and usually in a brown McDonald's paper bag.

But the Promenade offers fast and affordable dining options without yielding quality. Miami Slice and El Bagel pay homage to the resort's Florida roots, while Bar Ito offers hand rolls by Michelin-starred chefs Kevin Kim and Masa Ito. There's also an eponymous burger concept from celebrity chef Josh Capon, plus spots to grab fresh coffee, sandwiches, and tacos.

Full transparency, my boyfriend and I became pretty obsessed with the Promenade. We were first blown away by our lunch from Miami Slice, which we agreed featured some of the best pizza we've ever tasted. The Pepperoni Proper had a delicious crust that was light, crispy, and flaky all at once, while the La Salsera — a twist on vodka pizza with drizzles of pesto — instantly reminded me of Rubirosa in Manhattan.

"I did not expect to find one of the best pizzas of my life in Las Vegas," I told Peter, who remarked that it was "one of the top five pizzas I've had, period."

We went back to Miami Slice the next night and bumped into DJ John Summit, who has a residency at the Fontainebleau's club and told us how much he loves coming to eat at the Promenade.

We also tried El Bagel, Bar Ito, and Nona's — the sandwich spot — and there wasn't a single dish that missed the mark.

I have worked out in some extremely depressing hotel gyms, even at very nice resorts. There are usually a few stray machines, bad fluorescent lighting, and a sad pile of weights in the corner.

But the Fontainebleau's fitness center, which is flanked by an IV drip lounge and IGK salon, is sleek and state-of-the-art. Among the typical treadmills and StairMasters were Peloton bikes, VersaClimbers, and Hydrorowers, with a fresh rolled-up towel waiting in every cup holder. The weights section had every dumbbell, kettlebell, and barbell you could need, along with space for sled pushing or tire flipping.

A schedule at the front desk noted daily classes that were free for guests, including mat pilates, yoga, weight sculpting, and dance. Personal training sessions could also be purchased starting at $75.

I'm fairly certain the Fontainebleau's recovery room is bigger than my one-bedroom apartment in LA. The walls were lined with foam rollers and Theraguns, while different recovery stations offered treatments with acupressure, compression, and photon light.

I opted for a 15-minute session with the compression leg sleeves (a $35 upgrade), and a staff member helpfully explained how the boots would help speed up recovery, reduce soreness, and boost circulation and lymphatic drainage. After an hour of cardio, it was extremely relaxing.

Papi Steak at Fontainebleau Las Vegas is the second edition of the famous party restaurant helmed by Miami hospitality king David Grutman and David "Papi" Einhorn. I learned from our waiter that the restaurant's original concept was born after Grutman put Einhorn's signature steak on the menu of Komodo — another Miami restaurant with a location at Fontainebleau Las Vegas — and it was an instant hit.

"They'd call Papi in when the Kardashians were there just to make steaks for them," the waiter said.

And so Papi Steak was born, as was the showstopping 55-ounce wagyu tomahawk that arrives tableside in a sparkling briefcase for diners who are happy to shell out $1,000.

We saw 15 different Beef Case presentations during our two-hour dinner, each accompanied by flashing strobe lights, whoops and hollers from every waiter, and a cloud of smoke that billowed from above their heads as the $1,000 steaks were branded. One woman waved her napkin in the air and danced along like it was a Greek wedding. Two guys ran over to take a thumbs-up selfie with the mighty tomahawk.

The Beef Case is the restaurant's showcase, but I was also delightfully surprised that every dish we tried — including the $24 Caesar salad and $18 latkes — was truly delicious. I've been to plenty of celebrity restaurants that coast on the clout of Instagram clicks and crazy menu items, but Papi Steak's food makes for a memorable night even if you don't shell out for its signature dish.

Nowhere was next to the elevator that whizzed us up to our suite, and my boyfriend and I couldn't resist popping in.

Inspired by the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent's Parisian apartment, Nowhere exudes the kind of easy luxury and class that so many modern speakeasies search for — but few achieve. The walls, covered in varying shades of cream, glowed under the warm lighting as dark cabernet curtains framed the stage where a woman in a bright-red dress sang with a full band behind her.

As we sipped our delicious drinks, I watched a couple joyfully spin to the jazz music. The woman was dressed head to toe in a turquoise outfit with a matching pillbox hat. It felt like we'd been transported to a different era.

I have been to some gorgeous spas before (the hydrotherapy room at Casa Malca in Tulum remains a favorite), but I haven't experienced anything quite like Lapis at the Fontainebleau. The two-story spa features everything from an infrared sauna and steam room to a purifying salt cave and shower that rinses you off with falling snow.

My relaxing morning began with the 45-minute "Reboot Signature Massage." I then went into the coed sensory room, which glows with mellow lights designed to mimic the body's circadian rhythms, and hit the sauna before taking a refreshing dip in the cold plunge pool.

After unwinding in the hot tub, I cleared my senses (and sinuses) in the herbal inhalation room and relaxed on one of the heated stone loungers.

A window next to the entrance of Komodo offers a glimpse into its duck room, where I got to watch as the $115 dish was prepared from start to finish. The glistening crispy duck — eaten inside a delicate pancake topped with cucumber, scallions, and a hoisin-like sauce — was deliciously rich and tender.

I could see why Komodo was one of the biggest hot spots of the weekend, attracting the likes of Shaquille O'Neal (who dined a few feet away from us before his Super Bowl party), Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, and Alicia Keys. Mark Wahlberg even went behind the bar to serve some cocktails for guests.

LIV has already made itself competitive in Las Vegas' stacked clubbing scene by scoring residencies with Calvin Harris and Tiesto — two of the world's biggest DJs — as well as John Summit, who's currently headlining the biggest electronic music festivals. We caught Summit's set during the club's Super Bowl weekend kickoff and were impressed by everything LIV had to offer.

Even at 50,000 square feet, LIV feels more intimate than some of the other big Vegas clubs and offers much better views and proximity to the stage. The sound quality was excellent, as reviewed by my DJ boyfriend, and the back bar behind the DJ booth made it surprisingly quick and easy to get drinks.

I also got to go behind the scenes at KYU and watch as Chef Christopher Arellanes prepared his signature dish, the $265 royal golden chicken.

Arellanes told me he wanted to give KYU a showstopping dish with a fine-dining twist, and he's truly achieved it. The melt-in-your-mouth royal golden chicken — covered in foie gras, black truffles, and smoked caviar cream — is presented tableside alongside a laksa that instantly soothed my soul. It was all decadent and so delicious.

Typically, when a Vegas trip comes to an end, I'm so ready to go home. You can spend only so many days in a city built on overstimulation.

But the Fontainebleau manages to stay true to Las Vegas' partying roots while still creating a relaxing resort. Whenever my boyfriend and I made it back to the hotel after a party or event, we would cheer as our cab drove up to that glowing bow tie at the entrance — that's how much we loved it.

It's no wonder Hollywood's biggest stars and athletes can't get enough of the Fontainebleau. With beautiful rooms, a heavenly spa, and so much incredible dining, it's truly a Sin City sanctuary.