Pulse of Vegas: Five Trends To Watch For In Sin City
Destination & Tourism Ryan Rudnansky April 01, 2014

PHOTO: The Linq (courtesy The Linq Facebook page)
Rock and roll. Groovy. Boss. Hot. Tubular. Rad. Sweet. Sick. Like, woah.
Whatever hip term you’ve used to describe Las Vegas over the years, there’s no question that the entertainment hotspot has been a happenin’ place for decades. And if discovering trends is your thing (the name’s Hunter, Trend Hunter), then there’s no better place to snoop around than Vegas, a place where businesses latch onto what’s hot and run with it.
The standard Vegas experience is still alive and well, but more hotels and businesses are accommodating those who want something different, such as a tour of the city’s outskirts or a beverage that isn’t alcoholic.
Here are some of the latest trends circulating around Vegas.
Boutique Hotels
When The Cromwell opens on May 21, it will become Las Vegas’ first luxury boutique hotel, boasting 188 rooms and suites, a main bar called Interlude, a Parisian-style lobby bar called Bound, the Giada restaurant by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, Drai’s dayclub and nightclub, a 65,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck and a 40,000-square-foot casino.
This is in addition to Nobu Hotel, a 181-room hotel within Caesars Palace that opened last year.
By September, THEhotel, which is part of Mandalay Bay, will transform into Delano Las Vegas, boasting 190 personalized rooms in the style of Miami’s South Beach neighborhood.
Boutique concepts in Vegas reach back to the debuts of Hard Rock Hotel and The Palms in 1995 and 2001, respectively, but true boutique hotels are emerging now in Sin City.
Outdoor Adventure
Sure, you can explore the Strip and find plenty to do, but there’s a new generation of travelers that are looking for something more than the generic experience, no matter where they venture.
Believe it or not, there has been a wealth of outdoor activities to explore beyond the city lights of Vegas for years. But visitors are just beginning to take advantage of the surrounding area.
A variety of outdoor activities await you on the outskirts of Vegas. They includ: ATV riding, whitewater rafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, mountain biking, horseback riding, helicopter tours, bus tours, jeep tours, hot air balloon rides, ghosts hunts, and Area 51-based trips into the unknown.
Patio Dining/Outdoor Plazas
For years, there was a shortage of outdoor patio areas in Vegas, as hotels and businesses opted for climate-controlled options indoors.
But those days have come and gone.
There are a variety of outdoor patios that have opened since and continue to open. Just to name a few, you have Bar + Bistro, Park, Le Thai, La Comida, Eat, Bars Commonwealth, Atomic Liquors, Velveteen Rabbit, and Vanguard Lounge, each with either patios or sidewalk dining.
The new Linq entertainment and retail complex, via Caesars Entertainment, features or will feature several outdoor dining spots, including Chayo Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar, BLVD Cocktail and Flour & Barley pizzeria.
And, of course, there’s MGM International’s new outdoor plaza between New York-New York and Monte Carlo, which will boast a string of restaurants and entertainment in the coming months, as well as a public park.
Juicing
It’s only natural that the current health and wellness trend would extend to nutritious drinks.
More people are juicing, and I’m not talking about those baseball players or beefed-up bodybuilders.
Juice Farm at the Palazzo has experienced quite a bit of success since opening in December 2013, highlighted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in March. SkinnyFats restaurant at 6261 Dean Martin Dr. also offers fresh cold-pressed juices, like “Hangover Remedy,” which includes carrots, celery, beets, ginger, spinach, cucumber and apple.
MTO Café at 500 S. Main St. also introduced red and green juice drinks when it opened in late 2013.
24-Hour Hotel Stays
The concept of the 24-hour hotel stay hasn’t been developed much yet, but it’s looking like that’s all about to change.
The Peninsula Beverly Hills was one of the first hotels to do away with check-in and checkout times, and now The Palms has included the service for its guests. No more planning your trip around 3 p.m. or noon moving forward—you get to choose when you arrive and when you depart.
Guests can currently check in to three different room types at The Palms through Palms.com.
Vegas is always changing. Just when you hear about one trend, another sprouts up. And, more often than not these days, these trends are based on personalization, healthy living and experiences that are off the beaten path.
In short, these trends are based on clients and customers expecting more in exchange for their business.
Follow me on Twitter @RyanRudnansky
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