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

by McLean Robbins on

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.

Cosmopolitan Las Vegas hotel launches “pop up wedding chapel”

by McLean Robbins on

We’ve heard of pop up shops and even pop up hotels, but this is the first time we’ve heard of a pop up wedding chapel. Of course, where else would you expect such a thing but Las Vegas – The Cosmopolitan is offering this twist on a Sin City wedding.

“The Cosmopolitan’s new Pop-up Wedding Chapel is a new twist on a Las Vegas tradition, the impromptu wedding,” noted Lisa Marchese, Chief Marketing Officer. “Whether you want to come in and renew your vows, get hitched or even just try marriage on for 24 hours with a faux ceremony – it will undoubtedly be a memorable experience.” Of course, the street level location will encourage passerby interaction too.

When tying the knot, legally or just for fun, there are a number of amenities available for purchase to enhance the wedding experience. The chapel’s retail space includes items such as wedding bands, faux wedding announcements and apparel as well as beer, wine and champagne. Guests are also encouraged to take photographs in the photo booth which will post pictures to Facebook and Twitter. The space will also feature a replica Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign for photos.

Three package options are available at The Wedding Chapel. Ranging from simple to a more elaborate affair, each includes a 20-minute ceremony, champagne poppers and Molla Space eraser rings dispensed from a gumball machine located in the chapel’s retail area. To individualize the ceremony to the couple’s tastes, a variety of add-on amenities such as custom playlists, post-ceremony reception, party favors, bouquets and boutonnieres, marriage certificates and photography packages are available at an additional cost. Packages range from the $80 “Hitched in a Hurry” package which includes a photobooth picture, space eraser rings, champagne cans, wedding ceremony and a gift bag to the luxe “Going to the Chapel” package at $195, which also includes a silk flower bouquet, an additional photobooth picture, party favors, cake tops, logo tee shirts, and a marquee hotel guest list for four people.

Legally-binding ceremonies are going to force you to shell out the big bucks – they’re an additional $90.

The chapel opens December 28, but sadly is only open until 12 AM weekends and 10 PM weeknights, so you’re going to have to go elsewhere for your late-night “gotta get married NOW” fix.

Still, we’re pretty sure we’re going to pull a Britney and have a 55-hour Las Vegas marriage next time we head out West.

Las Vegas: 1966

by Grant Martin on

Vimeo user Jeff Altman did a great digitizing some old school 16mm Kodachrome for the above video about Las Vegas. The muted colors, wonky film speeds and vintage architecture make a great throwback to the simpler days of unabashed, Vegas fun, before the current era of crowd engineering, headlining shows and unbridled excess. Mix in a cooling, modern soundtrack and the product is three and a half minutes of grade A nostalgia. Nice work Jeff.

Host and experience budget-friendly local tours all over the United States

by Jessica Festa on

HipHost, a new “peer-to-peer marketplace for socially-hosted local tours“, not only gives travelers a way to experience new cities from a local’s point of view, but also gives people an opportunity to make extra cash.

Anyone who wants to share their local knowledge can be a HipHost and design a tour based on anything they find interesting. Some tour topics include art, culture, fitness, architecture, history, hiking, markets, music, and more. It’s free to sign-up and guests pay for tours in advance, so hosts don’t have to worry about losing money to no-shows.

Moreover, anyone interested in learning about a topic can search for affordable tours and see a region from a local perspective without paying big tour company prices. Afraid you won’t enjoy your tour? HipHost guarantees a full refund if customers are not satisfied.

Some of the many tours being featured right now include:

And many, many more. Click here to sign-up for and/or host a tour.

‘Night School 4 Girls’ is Vegas’s newest learning vacation

by Melanie Renzulli on

Bear with me now as I attempt to tell you about the newest learning vacation available in Las Vegas. Night School 4 Girls, which we learned about from our friends at the San Francisco Chronicle, is a new class at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino that teaches girls the art of seduction, from pole dancing to burlesque to “more” – though the official website doesn’t explain exactly what “more” means. The 70-minute classes take place at the Excalibur’s Thunder from Down Under Showroom (I am not making this up) and are strictly for women. Uh, I mean girls.

Because it is a school, participants choose from four different party packages – Flirty Freshmen, Sexy Sophmore’s [sic], Juicy Juniors, or Sultry Seniors – all of which include an official diploma and NS4G souvenir photo. Pricier packages get you benefits such as VIP nightclub access to Cathouse, a party boa, open bar privileges, and other goodies to help you express your drunk…uh, I mean uninhibited…side.

E! Television star Laura Croft, the school’s headmistress, and four other instructors with backgrounds in dance, put students through their paces at the Night School 4 Girls. But, because of Laura’s “busy schedule of parties and appearances,” she will not be in attendance at every class. Lucky for us, she does offer some helpful party tips for visiting Vegas. For example, “Need a quick energy boost? Try a Jagerbomb” and “Only take your top off…when asked nicely.”

Would you look at that? I got through that whole post without making a pun of the Las Vegas Strip. But with a topic like Night School 4 Girls, those puns just write themselves, don’t they?

Photo © Night School 4 Girls