As a Las Vegas travel enthusiast, I had fallen into a habit of staying at the same hotels. In 2020, I broke this habit and stayed at places like Delano, Mandalay Bay, Caesars Palace, Paris, and finally, the Cosmopolitan. The Cosmopolitan had always been on my bucket list, especially after all the love it gets from Bethany at Bougie Miles. As 2020 was my last year with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, I gave the hotel a try.
Booking
I received an email from the Cosmopolitan with a no resort fee offer and rooms starting at $99. Initially, I was going to book online. Prices showed that a City Studio room was $99 and a Terrace Studio room was $129. I wanted the room with the terrace since I had heard positive reviews, plus the potential to sit outside with the Las Vegas views. I wanted to add my Marriott Bonvoy number to the reservation, so I called in to make the reservation. On the phone, I was quoted a cheaper rate and booked the Terrace Studio for $99 plus tax and no resort fees. I then used Chase pay yourself back to cover the cost for just 7,466 Chase Ultimate Rewards. Marriott wanted 85,000 points for just for a basic city room!
Check In
Check in was efficient with very little waiting. I walked up to the Marriott welcome line not aware I could have used the Autograph Lounge check in. This would be their comparison to the Caesars Diamond check in area, where it is a separate room. The lobby and entry way design was impressive. It had large digital walls that rotated various displays.
The front desk clerk said my Marriott Bonvoy status was on file. I explained I heard the views were amazing and was excited to stay here. She said she would try to upgrade me because of my Marriott status. However, she did not have a fountain view room, which is what I was hoping for. Instead, they offered me a high floor (60th) and an upgrade to a Terrace 1 bedroom. I was also given a $10 food and beverage credit as part of my Marriott status. The clerk was friendly and accommodating. She pulled out a map and highlighted some things I might want to see during my stay and where the dining options were. Often, I carry $5 Starbucks gift cards to give to flight crew or as a tip. The check in service impressed me, so I gave her one of them and she was appreciative.
Room
The room was eye-opening upon entering. It had a very sexy look, like much of the rest of the hotel, and featured quite the wall art. While not a real one-bedroom suite with a separate room, the size of the room was noticeable. It still had a sliding door that closed off part of the room. The Terrace One bedrooms are 610 sq. feet and included a large living room area. The bathroom was most impressive to me, with a large walk-in shower and a soaking tub that included a view of Las Vegas. You can see my full video tour of room here.Â
The room had a 110 sq. foot terrace with some amazing views. I enjoyed waking up and having my morning coffee on the terrace. This side of the hotel does get hot and bright quickly during the day.
Food
The food choices were great, especially for during Covid compared to what I have seen at other locations. These days it is important to be flexible and check the hotel app or website for the latest on operating hours.
Daytime Options
Most of the food court options were available during the day, including the famous Secret Pizza. Secret Pizza has no signs, and you have to find the unmarked hallway. Then you can try this delicious pizza that starts at just $5.25 a slice. Other food choices were Hattie B's, Lardo, and Tekka Bar as part of their Block 16 urban food court.
Afternoon & Evening Options
In the late afternoon and early evening, some of the fine dining and other restaurants opened up, which included some impressive happy hour choices. I decided to try a couple of them. The happy hour schedule is staggered, so you can try more than one location.
First up was China Poblano, which had the flavors of Mexico and China. Yes, that is not a typo and I went for the $10 margaritas here. While a bit small, I compared them to my local favorite at home, which I love. The Dim Sum looked really good, but I wasn't quite hungry enough yet. Next, it was over to Scarpetta, which they describe as an earthy, yet sophisticated approach to Italian. This was the gem in my opinion, with happy hour wines at just $8 a glass, domestic beers at $6, and some delicious small bites at $7 each, which I sampled. The bartender explained the happy hour wines are the same exact wines used in the restaurant. Speaking of the restaurant, this one offers amazing views of the Bellagio fountains. I recommend some happy hour wine and small bites, followed by a light dinner with amazing views.
There were other great-looking restaurants open in the evening that I did not get to try. All of the dining options are listed here.Â
Breakfast
The must-have breakfast option at the Cosmopolitan is Eggslut. You will wait in line, but the food is really good. They have built quite the following and for $9, you can have a great breakfast sandwich.
I am a little spoiled in that I have a friend who owns a similar concept restaurant here locally in Seattle area, called Egghole so I was familiar with the food concept. The Eggslut food was worth the wait and I was wishing I had tried more than one item.
The breakfast sandwich at Eggslut was worth the wait.
Rest of the Property
In exploring the rest of the property, I saw the Cosmopolitan had an ice rink for the holidays. The rink was located over one of the pools. Lots of families looked like they were enjoying it. The hotel has one pool open year round. The water was warm and the some people were having a swim with great views. I was impressed with the artwork and items located throughout the property.
Final Thoughts
The property was well kept. It was sexy, vibrant, and up to date. Lots of digital displays and amazing decorations and lighting. The staff was friendly, food options were aplenty, and I loved the room. The combination of a great deal plus having Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status did help. With that being said, I would stay here again even without status. I highly recommend this amazing hotel. Be sure to walk around the property and see all the amazing art and odes to old Vegas as well.
When it comes to credit cards for my Vegas trips, I usually stick to my Chase Sapphire Reserve to earn 3x on dining and travel. I have also used my American Express Green Card if I have an Amex offer for a specific property. This card earns 3x on travel, but I charge all my food to my room so I can earn 3x on that as well.
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