LOVING LAS VEGAS!

Entertainment Capital of the World needs to be seen to be believed... and more than once!

- BY PADDY TIERNEY

"IF YOU see it once, you'll never be the same again.

Elvis was, of course, singing about Las Vegas in the 1964 song and musical Viva Las Vegas — and it is hard to escape that feeling when reflecting on a three-night stay in one of America's most popular tourist destinations.

From Super Bowls to Wrestlemania to global superstars performing nightly at a host of world-class entertainment venues, the city is constantly changing, updating and reinventing itself.

We flew from Dublin Airport with Jet Blue Airlines with a brief layover at JFK, meaning we went through US pre-clearance before boarding in Dublin.

Jet Blue boast the most legroom in economy class which is most welcome when you are flying long-haul.

We stayed at the Resorts World Hotel, which is three properties in one mega resort. It opened its doors in 2021, making it one of the newest properties on the Strip and, at a cost of $4.3 billion, it is the most expensive hotel ever developed in Las Vegas.

Our rooms were located on the Hilton side of the property and, after a seamless check-in, we dropped our bags to our rooms and headed downstairs for food.

Our first meal was at the Stubborn Seed restaurant at Resorts World. I had the Smoked Beef Rib, their signature dish, which was exceptional, but after travelling most of the day, we were all ready for some rest.

TOUR

The following morning started with a tour with Papillon Helicopters to the Hoover Dam and back over the Las Vegas Strip and the Downtown, Fremont Street area.

There's nothing quite like seeing a city in the middle of the Mojave desert from 1,000 feet in the air with Creedence Clearwater Revival's Fortunate Son blasting through your headset.

Our pilot was a great guide and full of fun facts about Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam and Vegas itself.