It could be the beginning of the beginning --- again – for Las Vegas. The opening of City Center, which began Tuesday with the debut of Vdara, will either energize this city into the next frenzied renaissance of fast money and solipsistic fantasy. Or bring it to its knees. All eyes are on the $8.5 billion experiment –easily the largest resort and hospitality project in the world – to see what all the money in the world can do to wave a chunk of the Great Recession of 2009 away.

The Vdara is one of four hotels opening at CityCenter Las Vegas. And it is a beauty. It has 1,459 non-smoking suites that can be booked for as little as $129 a night at this point. Considered “boutique” as a hotel by Vegas standards, even average suites are not just rooms. The are, indeed, suites with equipped kitchen (including Keurig espresso maker), a precious dining nook, a living room with couch that folds out to a queensize bed and a comfortable masterbed with floor to ceiling views over the city – especially this mini city. Bathrooms are efficiently large with a deep-soaking Eurostyle tub, separate glass shower and Aveda amenities.

As a non-gaming property, it connects to Ballagio through a windowed walkway and sits next to CityCenter’s soon to debut Aria – its signature gaming resort.

The tenor is low key at Vdara. A lovely lounge offers indoor and outdoor relaxation spaces. Wifi throughout is included in the resort fee. The onsite all-meal restaurant, Silk Road, is the second oeuvre by Chef Martin Heirling, who brought Sensi to Bellagio. Ordering room service means a delightful Heirling experience in the suite on a table built for two.

The Vdara Spa is a bi-level affair with a Champagne bar just astride the fitness gym. The spa is small as well for this city – only eleven treatment rooms in a city where spas of more than 100 treatment rooms reside. Guests can rest at the pool deck on the third floor or one of the many sanctuary spaces, such as the heated tile chairs in the wet room or the leather chaises gracing the meditation room – with teas and snacks for healthy distraction. And unlike other spas in town, this spa is open to all visitors and not just guests, and does not charge Vdara guests for use. 

While small is beautiful at Vdara, so are the walls. Commissioned art graces this Rafael Viñoly-designed edifice, beginning with the walk to the door. Just outside the hotel, rising from the concrete courtyard of the public walkways is a massive bloom of canoes – a permanent installation by Nancy Rubins called “Big Edge” 2009. The 57- by 75-foot sculpture is one of just a few of her pieces that has a permanent home. Behind the reception desk find one of Frank Stella’s most prominent works: “Damascus Gate Variation I,” created in 1969. Crowning the concierge desk is Peter Wegner’s “Day for Night, Night for Day” 2009 made entirely of stacked, colored paper.

A stay at Vdara is not just for the mind. It’s one for the earth. Not only is it entirely non-smoking, its food and beverage program focuses on locally sourced ingredients. The Vdara salon uses paraben-free products and only works with retail partners who share its concern for the environment. The property’s windows are coated to reduce heat transfer into the building by reflecting light. Also, it is estimated that six million gallons of water will be saved each year due to its low flow and recycling systems. Finally, Vdara also features the world’s first fleet of stretch limos powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) -- one of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels available.

Contact:   Vdara Hotel & Spa 2600 W. Harmon Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89109 (866) 745-7767 – Room Reservations (866) 391-7111 – Spa Reservations Internet Address – www.vdara.com 

Get Your Daily Travel Fix at www.WhereDaily.com