Las Vegas hotels The Venetian and The Palazzo join InterContinental Alliance Resorts

Two of Las Vegas‘ most loved hotels, The Venetian and The Palazzo, are the first two properties to join with IHG’s new Intercontinental Alliance Resorts program.

What does this mean for you, dear reader? If you were already a fan of the properties, never fear – the properties will remain independently branded and under their current names, but with the added benefit of InterContinental Hotel & Resorts membership, meaning that guests can book rooms and earn points through their IHG rewards program.

What is the program, exactly? The Alliance Resorts program is more of a marketing partnership than anything else – these resorts aren’t owned, operated or managed by IHG, but rather “aligned with the spirit” of the brand and “complement the InterContinental portfolio.” For guests, this means that Priority Club Rewards and InterContinental Ambassador programs can redeem points at these “sister properties”.

At present, the Alliance Resorts program has just three properties, including Scottsdale’s Montelucia Resort & Spa.

At present IHG’s Priority Club Rewards program is the world’s largest hotel loyalty program with 56 million members.

Five days, five diamonds at The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas

We’re not normally ones to report on PR stunts, but when the prizes are diamonds … well, we can’t resist. Las Vegas‘ The Venetian and The Palazzo are celebrating the honor of being named AAA Five Diamond resorts with a five-day scavenger hunt taking place this week.

Each day, guests and visitors will search and win prizes, hoping to ultimately find one of the diamond pendants hidden each day in the resorts.

From restaurants and lounges to the resorts’ amenities and attractions, the ‘Five Day, Five Diamond Scavenger Hunt’ will test guests’ knowledge of the world’s largest resort complex. Contestants must follow The Palazzo on Twitter at @PalazzoLasVegas and The Venetian at @VenetianVegas to receive the resorts’ clues posted daily. To enter, contestants must take a self-photo with the diamond and properly include the resort’s Twitter username and the #5day5diamond hash tag.

Winners will be randomly selected each day and announced via Twitter. Possible prizes available to win include a two night stay at The Venetian or The Palazzo, show tickets to one of the resorts’ acclaimed shows, dinner for two, a private gondola ride, a gift certificate to The Grand Canal Shoppes and The Shoppes at The Palazzo and an 18 karat white gold pendant with round white diamonds and white diamond center stone from jewelry designer Simon G..