M Resort combines all of their experience, history, and talent in creating destination hotels in one highly appealing package that is definitely worth your attention if you're over The Strip (like a lot of people obviously are).

The hotel is situated in the foothills of the mountains that ring the southern edge of the Las Vegas Valley, about 10 miles due south of Mandalay Bay. Folks who drive in from Los Angeles won't be able to miss it - it's the first building of any consequence along interstate 15 as you are arriving in the city. And you won't be able to miss The Strip in the distance. Perched on a rise, it offers some remarkable views of the entire region.

The design of the hotel takes full advantage of these views with liberal use of windows and terraces throughout the public areas that bring the outside in. That theme is continued with the overall décor, which uses a variety of natural material to create a constant parade of textures and contours, all much more pleasing to the eye than your typical flat wall and smooth ceiling. Rich woods, heavy stonework, blown glass, luxurious fabrics, crystal, water features, and more are highlighted giving the place a warmth that is missing from a lot of hotels. Note the mother of pearl accents - it's on the support columns and ceiling. Very nice touch.

The lobby and adjacent bar (featuring a piano player on many nights) is flooded with light from both sides and above, with the elevators to the 400 hotel rooms nearby. No, you don't have to walk through the casino to get to your room if you don't want to. Isn't that nice?

Speaking of nice, let's talk about those rooms for a moment. At 550-square-feet they are among the largest standard accommodations in Las Vegas, done in the same kind of earthy décor scheme that infuses the rest of the hotel. Dark wood, leather, and marble are mostly deep browns and creamy off-whites but there are splashes of color that pop throughout. They feature very comfortable beds and chairs, a built-in desk, a big flat-screen TV, electronically controlled shades, a mini-bar, safe, iron and board, high-speed Internet (wired and wireless), and much more. One interesting feature is the energy savings scheme that requires you to deposit your key in a slot by the door when you come in to make the lights work. Take your key with you as you leave and your room powers down, saving your settings for when you return.

The bathrooms are large with another TV built into the mirror, a make-up mirror and vanity stool, plush robes, a separate shower and tub, hairdryer, and some very upscale amenities. That tub is a deep affair with windows that face out to the room and beyond it the views to the outside. Put in your bath salts and soak with a nice panorama of Sin City in the background… and perhaps your husband snoring on the bed in the foreground. Whatever.

There is one odd quirk with those bathrooms. Although they don't feature any more glass or marble than any other Vegas bathroom, they echo unlike any other I've been in. This becomes a problem when the people in the room above you scrape the vanity stool on the floor, move the luggage rack, set up the ironing board, or, I don't know, breathe heavily. The reverberations filtered through to my room and were loud enough to wake me up.

Downstairs the casino offers about 90,000 square-feet of all the gambling you could possibly want. There are thousands of slots in all denominations (although pennies, nickels, and quarters dominate the space), lots of video poker, all of the usual table games (many with lower limits than you'll find on The Strip - yes, Virginia, $5 blackjack tables do exist!), a high-tech race and sports book, and more. One note about that sports book: they are the only one in Las Vegas currently offering in-running betting, which means that you can not only bet before whatever game you're waging on but during it as well.

There are several restaurants, almost all of which feature some sort of exterior view and/or terrace. Terzetto is a steakhouse serving beef from the Marnell's own cattle ranch and wine from their own vineyard (it's good to be rich); Marinelli's serves up handmade pastas and other Italian fare (every employee polled listed it as being their favorite in the entire hotel); Veloce Cibo, a small plate bistro located on the top floor of the hotel tower with even more amazing views; a deli; a 24-hour diner; a bakery; and a buffet. There are several bars and lounges including one that features live entertainment on weekends plus a wine cellar.

On the lower level you'll find a fully stocked spa and salon, a larger than average workout facility with all of the latest equipment, and the pool deck. There is one main pool ringed with chairs and cabanas (some have their own hot tubs) and a separate adults only pool, although unlike similar facilities on The Strip it is not "European" (read: topless).

A couple of unique features include a pharmacy inside the casino and a resort-owned gas station and convenience store next door. The former is probably most noteworthy because of the hotel's nearest neighbors at Sun City's Anthem retirement community. And yes, you can use the points you earn on your players' club card to cover your medicine co-pays, car washes, and slim jims. It's a strange world, isn't it?

With the exception of an unnecessarily hostile check-in agent at the front desk, the staff throughout the facility was exceptionally friendly. Dealers, pit bosses, cocktail waitresses, restaurant workers, chamber maids, and even the normally stone-faced security guards all had a smile and a friendly chat to offer. We'll just presume the front-desk agent was having a bad day or that she didn't like my shirt or I reminded her of some guy that teased her in junior high and let it go at that.

With the dramatic lowering of prices throughout Las Vegas, this place becomes a little less of a bargain that it may have been if the entire economy hadn't collapsed. You can get a room for as little $75 during the week and $100 on the weekends although they go much higher. Strip view rooms are going to cost you an additional $20 or so but are worth it. There's also the annoying "resort fee" of $25 per night that includes unlimited use of the gym, wireless Internet, transportation to and from The Strip and airport, and more. What's that? You're a lazy bastard with no computer and your own car? Too bad, that'll be $25 per night please.

The location is a bit of a bummer for most Vegas visitors obviously. If there's no traffic it's a relatively quick 15-minute drive down the interstate from The Strip but considering the fact that there is almost always traffic, getting from your room to that show, restaurant, or nightclub you want to visit will take 30-45 minutes easy.

I am impressed by M Resort. It brings a welcome bit of warmth and style to the increasingly bland Las Vegas scene.

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