Palms Place Hotel & Spa - Las Vegas

As the third tower to be revealed at Palms Las Vegas resort, Palms Place positioned itself as a condo-hotel with a distinction when it opened last May. “Since pure luxury is the only theme, it was a coming-of-age for Las Vegas,” says Vice President and Assistant General Manager Scott Blakeslee. “We are a non-gaming sanctuary, a step back from the commerciality of the Strip where the overall design and feel are a nod to contemporary urban chic. From an entertainment industry following to corporate VIPs, this is the place for people who want to enjoy Vegas on their own terms.”

Architect Jon Jerde’s 47-storey glass tower has been designed to glow at night thanks to shining LED sticks encircling the building’s crown. Inside the shell, Jerde has looked to reinvent an authentic urban experience with ‘differentiated and multi-layered environments that intertwine in and out of the architecture itself’. Blakeslee explains: “An excellent example of his ‘placemaking’ style is the modern, seductively dark environments of our lobby and corridors, which play a real transitional role, while the focusing of key amenities on the sixth floor creates a gathering place for guests – the heart and soul, a central focal point for the community.”

From a sense of arrival in the lobby to the subdued mood lighting of the wide corridors to the collective grouping of pool, spa and restaurant, the designated spaces serve their purposes effectively. Interior design blending high-tech gadgetry, unconventional materials such as resin and handcrafted artwork injects further interest by walking a fine line between the edgy and elegant. Renowned North American company Yabu Pushelberg wanted to evoke an emotional response from the target audience with its scheme. “We saw this project as ultimately being a retreat for rock musicians and bad boy movie stars and so we tried to design to appeal to this demographic,” comments team leader Johnathan Garrison. “Our inspiration was the spectacular views and colours of the desert sun.”

The 599 rooms feature Macassar Ebony wall panels, fumed oak flooring and large mirror panels over the beds for a sexy effect. Hemus white marble bathrooms are very clinical in contrast. One-bedroom suites benefit from fireplaces enclosed in a red-tinted mirror while each room has a gradating panel mirroring the desert sun. “This punch of colour gives the rooms a bit of Vegas energy,” continues Garrison. “But the choice of an overall sophisticated grey-toned palette allows colour that is used to have much more impact.” Red mirrors and tinted glass are set against dark, natural materials throughout the project as a common thread. “This helps to cast a glow that makes people feel beautiful,” suggests Garrison. “I also think the choice of Macassar Ebony wood enriches the spaces, saturating them in warm colours.” The striking wood connects the lobby’s commanding front desk to Rojo Lounge, as does the repetition of Michelangelo marble which tops off the desk and bar. Italian book-matched alabaster and honed slate flooring introduce texture to the open-plan lobby, which is enlivened by a gold Mobius strip suspended as a ceiling feature.

Designed by the New York-based Rockwell Group, the hotel’s signature 8,400ft2 restaurant, headed by celebrity chef Kerry Simon, also deserves a mention for its inviting atmosphere and poolside position. Celebrating light and nature with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, bamboo and herb wall, Simon’s relaxed aesthetics serve as an ideal backdrop in which to sample healthy sushi, steak and seafood.

Palms Place Hotel and Spa
4381 West Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, Nevada 89103, USA
Tel +1 702 932 7777
www.palmsplace.com

Rooms    599 suites including 20 penthouses (1,300 to 4,000ft2)
Dining    Simon Restaurant
Drinking    Rojo Lounge
Leisure    50,000ft2 pool and Drift Spa
Facilities    Business Centre