An Exclusive Preview of Las Vegas’s Most Extravagant Resort Launch of 2023

After over two decades in development, the $3.7 billion Fontainebleau Las Vegas is set to open its doors on December 13 at the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip.

This 3,644-room resort holds the record for the longest construction project in the area and is the first and only sister property to Fontainebleau Miami Beach, which debuted in 1954 and is celebrated as America's first destination resort. Fontainebleau Las Vegas is also the first significant new hotel to open on the Strip since the launch of Resorts World Las Vegas in 2021.

Spanning 25 acres, Fontainebleau Las Vegas plans to impress visitors beyond just its heritage. Here are five key facts about the most anticipated hotel opening of the year in Sin City.

While the original hotel is legendary, the new one aims to carve out its own distinct legacy.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach, established by hotelier Ben Novack, boasts a rich history of celebrity guests. In the 1950s and 1960s, legendary Rat Pack figures like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin often traded the Vegas Strip for the hotel's beach or poolside relaxation. Designed by Morris Lapidus, the hotel features a harmonious blend of European elegance and midcentury modern design, characterized by flowing shapes, grand staircases, a French-inspired parterre garden, and intricate bowtie patterns on the floors and walls. The property underwent a remarkable $1 billion renovation in 2008, enhancing its many unique details.

While the new Las Vegas resort incorporates many of the same design elements as its Miami Beach counterpart, its vision is to create its own legacy while still honoring its origins. Fontainebleau Las Vegas marks the conclusion of a 23-year endeavor for Jeffrey Soffer, chairman and CEO of Fontainebleau Development, who acquired the land in 2000. Although construction began in 2007, it halted the following year due to an economic downturn, leaving the structure approximately 70% complete for nearly 12 years. Just prior to the pandemic, Soffer and Fontainebleau Development, in collaboration with Koch Real Estate Investments, reclaimed the property in 2021 and in 2022, aiming to finish the project with designers David Collins Studio.

Simon Rawlings, chief creative officer at David Collins Studio, describes the design aesthetic as a blend of nostalgic and modern elements. He notes, "We understood that the design had to pay homage to the original location, integrating familiar aspects throughout the space while simultaneously creating something fresh and surprising to resonate with contemporary expectations." According to Rawlings, "The history is embedded in the details, with icons and symbols seamlessly woven into the design to reflect the brand's legacy and authentic character."

Exploring all the culinary offerings here could take several weeks.

Upon its opening, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will feature 19 restaurants, with an additional 5 set to debut in 2024. Among the original concepts are Don’s Prime, a refined steakhouse named in honor of founder Jeff Soffer’s father, and Washing Potato, a laid-back dim sum eatery. The resort will also host extravagant locations of renowned dining establishments and lounges, many originating from Miami, such as Groot Hospitality’s Komodo and Papi Steak, which will be expanded in size for the Las Vegas market. Additionally, Las Vegas will welcome ITO, a 12-seat sushi and omakase experience from New York chefs Masa Ito and Kevin Kim, along with Mother Wolf, a beloved Italian restaurant from Los Angeles chef Evan Funke.

Cantina Contramar, set to open in 2024, marks the inaugural collaboration in the U.S. among three prominent women in the Mexican culinary and creative sectors: chef Gabriela Cámara, architect Frida Escobedo, and Bertha González Nieves, founder of Tequila Casa Dragones and the first female master distiller. This cantina will feature the first Casa Dragones tasting room in the United States.

For its 12 bar concepts, the resort enlisted local bar expert Juyoung Kang. "Each bar boasts its own unique character, so I tailored the menus to ensure that every drink fits the space it was crafted for," Kang explained. She gained recognition after her experiences at the Laundry Room in Downtown Las Vegas and Resorts World. For the bar at Don’s Prime, she designed a savory cocktail infused with chimichurri herbs and yerba mate syrup. Other cocktails incorporate personal touches, such as the mezcal drink titled “Sunny Peach” at the Collins Bar in the hotel lobby, a nod to her favorite childhood fruit, the kiwi.

There is a luxurious hotel nestled within the main hotel.

The guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and are designed in calming shades of coral and blue, complete with marble bathrooms that include deep soaking tubs. Additionally, the hotel boasts the ultra-exclusive Fleur de Lis, a hotel-within-a-hotel comprising 76 suites. Positioned on the top five floors of the 67-story tower, these chandelier-adorned suites offer breathtaking views of the Strip and the Las Vegas Valley.

The suites range in size from 1,000 to 10,000 square feet. They are adorned with coastal blues and ripple-patterned glass that evoke the seaside charm of the original Fontainebleau Miami Beach, built in 1954. The decor includes stone, polished brass, marble, blackened timber, navy-stained wood, and linen-textured wall coverings. Some suites even feature billiards tables, wellness rooms for yoga, and saunas. Guests of Fleur de Lis enjoy personalized service with a valet and concierge for securing tickets and dinner reservations, as well as butlers who cater to pillow preferences and draw baths.

The spa and wellness offerings embrace a comprehensive mind-body philosophy.

The expansive 55,000-square-foot Lapis Spa, designed by Milan’s Lissoni & Partners, draws inspiration from its namesake at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The Las Vegas version features 44 treatment rooms, rejuvenating salt caves, snow rooms, an infrared sauna, separate hydrotherapy lounges for men and women, and a co-ed sensory room with communal healing waters. Jennifer Lynn, Director of Spa and Wellness, describes Lapis Spa & Wellness as a 'next-generation' facility that merges established, world-class wellness treatments with innovative therapies and a holistic mind-and-body approach.

For example, the spa’s lighting simulates natural sunlight, gradually changing throughout the day. Lynn explains, 'The neutral environment transforms through immersive sensory experiences, from aromatherapy to lighting, beginning with a tranquil atmosphere in the morning and evolving into a more dynamic energy by the afternoon.' She emphasizes that the spa's setting aligns with our natural circadian rhythms and biological clocks.

Enhancing the Lapis Spa & Wellness is the Fitness Center, developed in collaboration with Jay Wright of the Wright Fit. Besides offering yoga and fitness classes, along with Peloton bikes, the gym is equipped with VersaClimbers, Hydrow rowers, a HIIT modular system, and a space for flipping tractor tires.

Lynn notes, 'The goal is to create a welcoming and accessible space where guests can seamlessly integrate their fitness-oriented lifestyle during their stay at the resort.'

The live entertainment venue itself is a destination worth visiting.

Fontainebleau Las Vegas will ring in New Year’s Eve with one of the town’s biggest stars: Post Malone is set to perform two sold-out shows at the 3,800-seat BleauLive Theater on December 30 and 31.

However, for fans of live entertainment, the true highlight may be the impressive 90,000-square-foot theater itself. BleauLive features a grand arena-sized stage equipped with a Panther audio system from Meyer Sound, the renowned audio specialists based in Berkeley. A massive video wall at the rear of the stage is bordered by two side walls, enhanced by effects from Elation Lighting, a leading name in stage lighting based in Los Angeles.

Fontainebleau Las Vegas is making waves in the nightclub scene as well. LIV, the club developed by David Grutman’s Groot Hospitality and designed by David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, has announced John Summit as its inaugural resident DJ. Summit, a prominent figure in the electronic dance music (EDM) world, is set to make his debut at LIV Las Vegas on Thursday, December 14.

The original LIV nightclub at Fontainebleau Miami Beach gained a strong reputation in the EDM community when it opened in 2008 and ranks among the top five highest-grossing nightclubs in the United States.

"John Summit has risen to prominence as one of the leading names in the electronic music scene, making him the perfect choice for our first resident announcement for LIV Las Vegas," Grutman stated in a press release. "LIV is a brand recognized for attracting world-class talent and entertainment to nightlife, and we are thrilled to welcome John to Las Vegas."

Starting at $300 per night; Fleur de Lis suites begin at $5,000 per night.