Outrageous Luxury and Contemporary Art at Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas

For all the great reasons you might look forward to spending time in Las Vegas, enjoying fine art while there likely doesn't top your list. Damien Hirst and Palms Casino Resort want to change that in a big way.

Hirst, a superstar of contemporary art, along with Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, noted art collectors and owners of the Palms Casino Resort, are bringing high art to Sin City in the splashiest, buzziest, most over-the-top, luxe fashion imaginable with the property's new Empathy Suite, a Sky Villa designed by and featuring the works of Hirst.

With six original pieces from some of Hirst's most notable series, this 9,000 square-foot, two-story hotel suite is the only of its kind featuring a collection of contemporary art at this scale.

Hirst's personal touch appears in nearly every aspect of the villa, from specially designed furniture and textiles incorporating his signature spin designs, butterfly and pharmacy motifs, to large scale works of art that include a large pill cabinet filled with diamonds. Speaking of butterflies and large scale, guests of the Empathy Suite will be sure to enjoy the custom butterfly-motif mosaic tiled cantilevered pool overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.

"It's amazing being able to work with (Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta) because they are great collectors and totally understand art," Damien Hirst said. "They have allowed me to create a suite in the hotel and design everything and completely fill it with my art."

The Empathy Suite is one the world's most expensive hotel rooms, although that term seems to fall far short. The Palms Casino Resort refers to it as an "accommodation." An accommodation that will set you back $200,000 for a two-night stay or can be reserved exclusively by million-dollar casino players.

Guests can expect more than free goodies out of the minibar when reserving the Empathy Suite.

Overnight accommodations involve a highly personalized and exclusive guest experience including 24-hour butler service, a private behind-the-scenes art tour of the suite and entire property, chauffeured car service throughout the stay and A-list access to Palms' premier amenities such as KAOS Dayclub & Nightclub and the Palms' world-class recording studio, if the suite puts you in the mood to lay down some tracks.

For good measure, a $10,000 credit to utilize at the resort is also included.

Six original works of art from Hirst are showcased in the Sky Villa including Winner/Loser (2018), two bull sharks suspended in formaldehyde in a white tank set into the wall of the suite. This imagery may be what Hirst is best known for in the art world.

Joining the sharks are Casino Royal (2018), a ten-panel collection of his butterfly motifs on monochrome gloss-painted canvases, a medicine cabinet called Vegas (2018), The Winner Takes It All (2018) and Money (2018).

The room additionally features a 13-seat curved bar created by the artist and filled with medical waste, contrasting with the meticulous ordering of objects that are seen in the various pill cabinets on display throughout the villa. Hanging directly above the center bar is Hirst's Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time (2018), two glass display cabinets, one containing a marlin skeleton, the other a taxidermy marlin.

Since it would be selfish to keep these pleasures all to yourself, a lounge and media/theatre area in the suite accommodates up to 52 guests.

"The Empathy Suite designed by Damien Hirst is the pinnacle of luxury combining museum-worthy art and a truly legendary hospitality experience for the discerning hotel aficionado and casino guest looking for a once-in-a-lifetime Las Vegas stay," Jon Gray, General Manager of Palms Casino Resort, said.

Guests can further enjoy the accommodation's private healing salt room, two massage rooms and fitness room.

The Empathy Suite joins the hotel's other five Sky Villas, all of which have been completely reimagined as part of the property's ongoing $690 million renovation by Award-Winning Bentel & Bentel Architects, making them some of the most luxurious and pricey hotel accommodations in the world, ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 a night.

"Over the course of a few months, we explored with Damien's team every opportunity for the intersection of our work and Damien's-including locations for his commissioned art, modifications to the furniture we chose and superimposition of his motifs on our material palette," Peter Bentel or Bentel & Bentel Architects, said. "Uncovering those opportunities together was the essence of 'play' with an added dose of 'why not?'"

Palms' extensive on-property art collection hosts a roster including many of the most notable contemporary, blue-chip and street artists of the past 50 years. Original pieces by Hirst, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol on loan from the Fertitta's personal art collection are displayed publicly alongside commissioned creations by leading contemporary artists such as Adam Parker Smith, Jason REVOK, Eric Haze, Scott Hove, Felipe Pantone, James Jean and Timothy Curtis.

If this sounds like your idea of how to do Las Vegas, you are encouraged to contact Palms' luxury sales team at 702-942-1222 or by emailing [email protected].

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