The Cromwell, which opened its doors more than a decade ago, is still the baby sibling of mid-Strip casino resorts in some ways. Its legacy dates back to the late ’70s when it opened as Barbary Coast at the northeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road. It was mainly known as the birthplace of the after-hours DJ scene by the time it became Bill’s Gambling Hall in 2007, but was ultimately transformed into the boutique hotel it is today.
In 1979, the property’s YESCO-designed exterior illuminated the intersection where The Cromwell, Caesars Palace, Bellagio and Horseshoe Las Vegas now meet. Flamingo Road at the Strip doesn’t need any additional illumination these days for the scene to be electric. The east-west pedestrian overpasses provide a short walk from The Cromwell to Absinthe’s Green Fairy Garden in front of Caesars or Garth Brooks at the Colosseum, while the north-south bridge leads to the Grand Bazaar Shops.
Photo by: Courtesy of Caesars Entertainment
It also leads to Ole Red Las Vegas, a newly opened live country music venue with a brick exterior that looks as if it were lifted right out of downtown Nashville. Flamingo is The Cromwell’s northern neighbor, with Wayne Newton and Piff the Magic Dragon headlining, and “X” Burlesque providing more adult entertainment.
That’s a plus for the 21-and-over property The Cromwell, a relaxing haven to return to after exploring the vicinity. The hustle and bustle of the Strip is left behind once inside, where the floor plan is easy to navigate and seven floors of rooms assure a boutique-sized guest population at any given time.
More than a few of those guests specifically choose to stay at The Cromwell to have the shortest commute to a reservation at Giada. Italian cuisine is on the menus of Giada De Laurentiis’ namesake restaurant on the second floor, where diners overlook the intersection during dinner or weekend brunch.
If it’s too difficult to choose between a 28-ounce bone-in Tuscan ribeye, veal chop saltimbocca or chicken piccata, a three-course prix fixe menu is available with wine pairings from Giada’s extensive collection. The opportunity to indulge in the celebrity chef’s handmade pasta should not be passed up, and Giada’s signature Lemon Spaghetti makes that decision easy.
Photo by: Courtesy of Caesars Entertainment
A cozy sports book is located across from even cozier Bound Cocktail Lounge. Center bar Interlude provides dueling pianos Friday and Saturday nights, and $5 mixed drinks daily from noon to 9 p.m.
And then there’s Drai’s. The game-changing venue’s After Hours is still going strong, with the basement venue now open early as a comedy club on weekends, but Victor Drai turned the rooftop into his ultimate vision of a dayclub/nightclub hybrid. The Drai’s Beachclub scene is casual during the week and DJ-driven on weekends, while the adjacent nightclub features top acts such as this weekend’s hip-hop guests Offset (Friday) and Wiz Khalifa (Saturday).
Drai’s Beachclub was one of the preeminent places to watch Formula 1 last year thanks to its rooftop being closer to the racetrack action than its taller neighbors. Being smaller, The Cromwell proves, is often better.
The Cromwell. 702.777.3777. caesars.com
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