Trump International - Las Vegas

Rising 645 feet high and encased in 24-carat gold glass, the 64-storey Trump International Hotel Las Vegas represented a glittering addition to the city’s skyline when it opened in spring 2008. The third property in Donald Trump’s eponymous luxury hotel brand, it has been designed to offer travellers a refined retreat where the emphasis is on customised service and high-end facilities. “Las Vegas is based on providing the utmost in service and style, which is at the core of the Trump Hotel Collection,” says Vice President and Managing Director Brian Baudreau. “We deliberately opted not to include a casino component here because we wanted to provide a unique experience.”

Location also plays its part in this bid to evoke an oasis-like atmosphere and the hotel sits off the Strip adjacent to Fashion Show Mall. But while the short stretch of road connecting the gold tower to Las Vegas Boulevard doesn’t shout luxury, guests soon get a taste of Trump hospitality upon being ushered into the lobby by a white-gloved doorman. It becomes evident that style and comfort have been prioritised to counter the off-Strip position – and the property’s design is key in this equation.

Appointed after architects Bergman, Walls & Associates, California-based Design 360 Unlimited was chosen to develop the interiors. Principal Meg McFarland, along with her partner Dean Singer, recalls approaching Donald Trump to find out whether the developer had a concept in mind. “Mr Trump declined to offer a definitive direction,” she says. “His only request was that we use his favourite Breccia Oniciata Italian marble and replicas of the Austrian crystal chandeliers that he had made for the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago Country Club in Florida. We flew out to Mar-a-Lago to see first-hand the level of finish he hoped for and also to Verona to select each marble slab.”

Knowing that Trump wanted a showcase lobby, Design 360 Unlimited decided on a “modern take on classic” scheme, with the overall effect of a grand hotel of a bygone era but with glamour and contemporary twists thrown in. “The type of sophisticated New York elegance we have achieved has underpinnings of Art Deco, which can be seen in the clean lines and choices of marble and fittings,” continues McFarland. “But we didn’t want to directly interpret Art Deco, rather to impart understated 1930s glamour.”

Trump’s signature Italian marble is combined with brown St Laurent and white Carrara marbles for an exceptional finish to the lobby flooring. Crystal chandeliers are complemented by two sexy, crystal-clad cylindrical floor-to-ceiling columns, which divide the lobby and lounge spaces. Registration desks in rosewood and high-gloss lacquer frame the reception area while a beautiful Lalique-inspired glass panel in amber tones, showing a cherub shooting a bow and arrow, adds romance. Interlocking circle pattern panels adorn the walls and have been finished in a mix of gold and silver leaf. “Mr Trump has a real affinity with gold, but we thought an interesting take would be to blend gold with silver leaf for a modern, shimmering feel,” says McFarland.

The lounge and bar area is punctuated by sophisticated seating in velvet, leather and suede, including a circular ottoman chair, and architectural palms set in large planters. Designed in rosewood and lacquered ebony with a honey onyx top, the open bar acts as the link between the lobby/lounge and DJT restaurant. Three suspended boxes inset with crystals in a lace pattern draw the eye to this social space.

In DJT, Design 360 Unlimited has ramped up the colour palette with fabrics and finishes in aubergine, lavender, violet, grey and black. Walls are upholstered in soft grey suede above mirrored columns that wrap the perimeter of the room in the main dining section. Private banquette booths are decorated with plum velvet curtains, faux lizard seats and glass chandeliers. A soft gold resin column glows in the centre of the room and is surrounded by six circular banquettes creating further pockets of intimate seating. In contrast to this dark, opulent style, the more casual bistro side of DJT features striped velvet banquettes and a wall covering of a lively black and white peacock feather fabric, a classic design by Florence Broadhurst. This same Broadhurst print is employed on the back of the chairs in the private dining room, which sparkles with its mirrored mosaic panels and exotic, bronze spherical pendant lighting.

In fact all the hotel’s public spaces impress with their sense of opulence, attention to detail and artwork. It is appropriate therefore that the design firm has adopted a clean, less fussy approach in the suites, allowing the floor-to-ceiling views to do the talking. This doesn’t mean, however, that comfort has been compromised. Indeed since this is a condo-hotel with residential units for sale, much thought has been given to practical considerations such as accommodating plenty of storage, living spaces and functioning kitchens with Wolf, Bosch and Sub-Zero fittings. “We didn’t want to overcomplicate the suites and have avoided too much pattern, preferring to work on a solid relationship between ivory tones and occasional pops of colour,” adds McFarland. “There are rich finishes of goatskin, snakeskin, silk and suede.”

Elsewhere the contemporary and minimalist elegance of the H2(eau) pool club plus the 11,000ft2 spa provide further contrast and interest to this non-gaming property.

Trump International Hotel Las Vegas
2000 Fashion Show Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109, USA
Tel +1 702 982 0000
www.trumplasvegashotel.com

Rooms    1,282 suites including 880 studio suites, 352 one-bedroom suites, 20 one-bedroom penthouses, 20 two-bedroom penthouses, 10 three-bedroom penthouses
Dining    DJT, H2(eau)
Drinking    The Bar at DJT, H2(eau)
Leisure    The Spa at Trump, Health Club
Facilities    2,400ft2 of indoor meeting space including two meeting rooms and the Trump Board Room