Last month there were some cheap United fares to Vegas from Newark, so I booked a quick getaway. Our go-to Vegas hotel is always The Cosmopolitan (Marriott Autograph Collection) because it is lively and at a great location on the strip.
Stacking Promos + BRG
After learning about Starwood’ new “SLS Las Vegas In the Cards” promotion/game, where you can free Starpoints, a free night, or two $25 Uber rides with each SLS Las Vegas stay, I considered giving the property a shot. This promotion is in addition to the Q1 SPG Take Two Promotion where you can earn double Starpoints + 250 points at select properties.
My Starwood account “won” the two $25 Uber rides, so I immediately checked rates. For a last-minute Saturday night stay, the Starwood website was offering rooms for $159. HotelTonight was showing a rate of $103 for the same room type, so I booked the room and immediately submitted a best rate guarantee claim for a matched rate + 2,000 Starpoints.
The claim was approved rather quickly, and soon after, the SLS website was selling the same room + double Starpoints and a $25 resort credit for $99 a night, so I was able to have the rate adjusted again by calling.
A $99 room on Superbowl weekend that comes points, $25 resort credit, + $50 in Uber credits is not too shabby. If you’re coming to Vegas anytime soon, keep in mind that I’ve seen $45-$55 rates at SLS Vegas during most weekdays. It might be worth it to stay here for the Uber credit from the promotion alone, bonus points, or if you need Starwood stay credits.
The Property
The SLS Las Vegas is relatively new to Vegas, taking the spot of the former Sahara resort and casino. This property is off the strip.
While I absolutely despise resort fees in general, you can’t escape them in Vegas. The SLS Las Vegas imposes a $29 resort fee that covers wifi (lame), use of the fitness center (lame), and the shuttle service from 6 am to 8 pm (win). The shuttle service is actually a great perk because a taxi from LAS will cost you $35-$40 each way. The shuttle runs every hour on the hour and leaves from T1 at LAS.
The shuttle also goes to the strip from the SLS Las Vegas and the McCarran Airport. Below is the schedule:
When we arrived at the hotel, I saw that there was a separate check in for Gold and Platinum SPG members. I waited in that line, but I saw that they were letting people from the general line ahead of me many times, so I switched lines. There was not any recognition of my Gold status at all.
After I received my keys, I had to ask her if it showed my status level and she said “yes, it’s there”. I asked what the Gold amenity would be and she responded, “oh do you want a drink at the bar or 250 points?” I chose the points. It would have been nice if there was some sort of status recognition at a high-end Starwood property.
I originally booked a room in the “Story Tower” but was given a room in the “World Tower”. I’m not sure if that was an upgrade or not. I also learned that they’re in the process of turning the “Lux Tower” into a W Hotel by the end of the year.
The room was nice but a bit “trippy” the bed is directly under the window and there are two huge side-wall mirrors facing each other, creating this endless tunnel affect. I would hate to be drunk or hungover in this room.
Although the room appeared stylish and posh, I still got the “aloft” feeling from it, and the feng shui was off. Other than that, the bed was super comfortable and the TV was great.
We dined downstairs at Cleo, which is a Mediterranean/Moroccan tapas restaurant, and I thought the food was excellent and perfect for sharing. It was a pretty quiet night at the SLS Vegas in general though for a Saturday night.
Overall I am glad I got to spend a night at the SLS Las Vegas at a great rate while stacking deals and promotions. However, I do think I’ll be sticking to The Cosmopolitan in the future as I enjoy the vibes of property and on-strip location much more.
Have you visited the SLS Las Vegas yet? What are your impressions?
I used Uber and Lyft in December. They’re mucher cheaper than a taxi. You acn check those, and taxi rates online. I’m guessing they’d charge about $25.
As a Starwood person the SLS is a welcome relief to the drab Westin. If I don’t leave Starwood after the merger perhaps I can go to the Cosmo as it is a Marriott property. You are right…it is much better location.
I have to go to Vegas in April and just tried that SPG promotion for SLS but for some reason I’m getting an error? That property looks nice. How long does it take to get to the strip from SLS?
The SLS is on the strip
In the blog post Angelina stated it’s off the strip hence why I asked the question… but from doing more research (ok… reading in wikipedia), the old Sahara resort was considered the northernmost tip of the strip so SLS Las Vegas is on the northernmost part of the strip.
Also getting the same error. If anyone gets it to work let me know, thanks!