Aria is my favorite hotel in vegas. It's not the "best" in any category... not the best pool, best fine dining, best room, best casual dining, etc. But it is solid across the board and with the new connector it's quick to go to Cosmo and Bellagio. If you ever get a SkySuite (i've done it once), they're one of the best rooms in the city.
Stayed there multiple times but then my wife and I wanted to try other places (RW, Fontainbleu, Vdara, and so on). Came to the conclusion that Aria is our all around favorite. Checks so many boxes.
We were in Vegas in March for 5 days and moved around hotels due to bowling in USBC Open Championships. Last two nights were at NoMad on top of Park MGM, due to being a non smoking hotel. Walked to Aria several times to play and eat, win some $ too. We are MGM comp seniors, stayed in all except one of their hotels. Favorites are Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, Aria, NoMad, Mirage (lucky here). We go at least 8 times to Beau Rivage under their comp junket (including flights, hotel, shuttle). Outside of MGM, we like Venetian or Palazzo. We also have comps at Caesar.s but don’t use them that often except on cruises and junkets.
I think Aria has lovely rooms and I love the decorations they have by the check in area. My problem is everything they do well I can get at other resorts at a lower price and with less walking in the process. Also, I just don’t like the casino layout. If it was just me I’d give it another chance, but my family members just can’t walk the long distances within Aria.
Hey you two. Heading to Vegas in May, and wanted to thank you so much for your channel. You’ve consistently made useful, informative and entertaining videos and provided some awesome insights and tips as to enjoying the many facets of Las Vegas. You talk about the top 5 resorts in Vegas, your channel is in our top 3. Thanks again and keep it coming!
We are a MGM family. For rooms we almost always stay at the Park only because we can get 4 nights comp and get the suites. Also because it is smoke free. For dining we like to go to the Aria because there are so many excellent places to dine. For slots and table games we just go all around the strip with no particular favorite.
Howdy peeps ! Aria and Bellagio and Wynn are my favorites . I’ve only stayed in a suite or the sky suites at Aria so can’t comment on the regular rooms . I think it’s a beautiful property and the restaurant selection is awesome . I agree with both of you on the pool area . It’s nice but there’s no wow factor . I think the Bellagio pool area is stunning in comparison. The casino can definitely get busy or as Josh would say crowty and rowded lol . I’ll be stopping by the lobby bar for a cocktail on my trip in 2 weeks . 😎😎😎
Aria is our favorite. We love the pool area! We usually stay in a sky suite so we enjoy that pool. Its easy to get around the hotel. We love Bellagio to visit, but just too many people walking around there to stay. We will be visiting Aria again in October. We cant wait!
Me and my wife love Aria. You got the description right about it. More for adults and I oddly enough saw both sides of your pool argument. We stayed during the summer and at first look at it, it looks underwhelming, but we did find it relaxing. Wasn't too many kids running around screaming (we get that at home with our two) and there was plenty of free seating. We had a blast at Javier's for lunch and dinner. We can't wait for our next stay there.
Aria is my go-to MGM property because I love their old school slot options & generally have good luck there. Lately everytime I go to the Bellagio, it just drains my $$ fast. Also, we love their restaurant options - all excellent!
Enjoy your videos. Staying at Aria October 30-November 5. Staying at Sky Tower suites. Enjoy city center. First time I will be in Vegas for Halloween 🎃. I agree Belliago to many people. Always crowded. Take care!
Aria has my heart. My husband and I have stayed here multiple times. I had my bachelorette party here a decade ago. It's just always a super solid choice!
I stayed at Aria quite a few times, but not for a few years. I found the rooms getting a little beat up. I understand they’ve done a lot of renovations. I love the casino and restaurants. I may try again. Just missed you guys - returned home today from my 77th birthday trip. 77 looks like it may be ‘lucky’ for me!
Love the bathrooms in the Aria rooms. And especially coming from a NYNY stay just before, that would be a big upgrade 😂. We always are so comfortable in the Aria casino, and we love Gem Bar. The rooms are kind of basic but always nice and comfortable. The food there is a standout for sure. The line at the Starbucks is always ridiculous in the morning, so we like to preorder on the Starbucks app and just stroll in and voila the coffee’s ready. Another great video guys, you really covered all the elements people might want to know about when considering a stay - thanks!
@@JoshRachael They were giving away great comps to get people back after covid. It was the first and only time I was comped a two bedroom corner suite at Mandalay Bay. But Aria still is my favorite.
As far as the hotel, I agree with your assessment of the room. My problem is that if you’re in a room far from an elevator, it is an EXTREMELY long walk, which makes forgetting things I the room a pain. I also had a mysterious room charge added after I checked out which took a while to resolve. My cousin is a pit boss there and he likes working there. My favorite time to be at Aria is around 3:30am (I go to bed early to get up early in Vegas). That’s when all the “working girls” start trying a last ditch effort to find a job and the people watching is spectacular (they don’t have a shot with me; I’m just fascinated by the consistency and desperation).
We totally agree you guys Aria is a great property The Culinary options are great Javier's The Patisserie for coffee and snacks in the morning and don't forget that smell they have in there that Aria fresh air smell that's scented intentionally and you can smell it in through crystals as well we actually always go and buy the fragrance sticks that you can buy in the purchase store there bring them home and we run it in our HVAC system so our house smells like Aria LOL the spa is one of the largest and best in Vegas too
I am an Aria fan. I like Bellagio but Bellagio gets to a point where there is simply too many people. You're right about Cosmo, at times my 45 year old self says I need a break. Aria seems to provide a balance that is (in my opinion) difficult to achieve in Vegas. Its not dead with no vide but its not always on either.
You're both right about the pool area and Liquid. Smaller, but high quality. You can't really walk around and explore if that's your thing. No kids is always a plus. Agreed on the slots at MGM (Caesars too). If you want the latest games on the strip, Venetian/Palazzo are good choices. The best selections of the newest games though are always off strip, like at Rampart, South Point, Red Rock, etc. I think of the MGM properties slot wise as one giant casino (like WinStar), and you're likely to find mostly what you're looking for at one or another. MGM often switches their games from one casino to another as well. Aria is simply a lot of fun, especially when they're busy. It's a vibe. Great resort.
Aria pool is open in winter and is heated making it unique on the strip. Aria is also accessible from Park MGM. The recently remodeled walkway from Vidara next door is to both Bellagio and Cosmopolitan.
@@JoshRachaelI think they asked because there were lots of people complaining the Aria rooms were in desperate need of a renovation, with stained carpets and dinged up furniture commonly mentioned. Now that the rooms have been renovated I think you will see more positive opinions.
Y'all are funny! Going to Vegas in May to see the Rolling Stones & Justin Timberlake. Just booked a 2 night comp myVegas stay at Aria which I'm going to supplement with stays at Cosmo & Fountainbleu. Fountainbleu is running a special rate Sun-Thurs for $120 and $220 for Fri-Sat. If you stay at least 2 nights you also get a $125 F&B credit. I'm with Team Rachael on the pool issue! Cheers! Gloria
For being one of MGM's high end properties it is unusual that the rooms haven't been renovated since the opening in 2009. They must feel that they really nailed the design and just keep them in good shape. It appears you didn't have any issues?
Love your channel, just so you know there’s two Starbucks at aria. The hidden one lol is past salt and Ivy a little walk around and you’ll see it. It has certain hours but it’s there.
@@JoshRachaelyeah in the area zarkana used to be. I just discovered it myself as a repeat aria guest my wife loves Starbucks. One day there a lady at pressed juicery was having a convo with her co worker talking about the line at Starbucks and she mentioned if people only knew about the other one. It has limited hours and is sorta hidden but trust me unless they changed it it’s there.
I love Aria, have stayed there a couple of times. But last time I had a stay well room and the bed was hard as a rock. I had very little sleep for the 3 nights. I think I’d chose Vdara over Aria now if I had comps at both, it took no time to walk between both properties when we stayed at Vdara last year.
Just left Vegas on Sunday. I have never stayed at Aria, only been to club jewel like 10 years ago lol - but I do agree this is a great place for an adult vibe but Cosmo I feel is a better option for the Adult vibe but still has a great adult party atmosphere (if that makes sense). But definitely put Aria in my top 5 even though I have not stayed there.
Thanks Trent! We prefer Cosmo most of the time, but sometimes it can be a bit much if you want a more relaxing trip and I think that’s where Aria comes into play
I still remember the Viva Elvis show. It was a great show. I wish they continued performing it elsewhere on the strip. Yes, i would definitely recommend Aria to anyone as a top 5 strip hotel. There has been many changes to restaurants since it opened but the feel is the same.
The Aria has always been one of the most beautiful hotel and Casinos in Vegas, but I have always chosen to stay at the Vdara and go over to Aria for the food options. I also don’t gamble so not having a casino is not a big deal and if I was it is a short walk to the Aria.
If not interested in gambling I totally understand wanting to stay at Vdara over Aria. Basically all the same thing elements but a bigger room with a kitchen
Hi there. Great video! I am heading to LV in Nov and looking for a hotel. I was thinking Park MGM because of the no smoking. But I wanted to experience the Aria. Hmmmm
@@TravelingwithValeman77 Aria is definitely better than something like Bellagio or Caesars Palace in terms of smokiness. High ceilings and lots of space help the casino floor
Absolutely love Aria but the rooms are not as nice as they used to be. The tech didn't work last time we stayed there, and we have had less than stellar rooms considering the price. We prefer Vdara now but Aria is still one of the best, especially for the food scene. Did you hear the story about the artwork at the check in area. It is a silver piece that is in the shape of the Colorado River with lakes. It's a massive piece and I wonder what its value is in silver alone. Very cool. Thank you as always for your great video's. I love to watch them since they bring Vegas to me until I can be there in person again.
Love Vdara but furniture definitely feeling the age that Aria is as well, but those rooms are so nice. Thanks so much for sharing about the art, that’s really cool
I’ve never been to Vegas, but I will be going in August for my birthday and will be staying at the Aria. I wanted to ask do you have to get all dressy for the restaurants that’s there or is it just casual wear. I don’t have many dressy clothes and I wanted to be prepared
You don’t have to get over the top fancy. We will generally dress over than t shirt and shorts but not necessarily suit and evening gown, somewhere in the middle is fine
Only place I stay in Vegas. Love the size of the casino and the location. Have had some “so so” stays there, but the majority of the time, they meet or exceed my expectations. Highly recommend.
Thanks Adam, who needs bars when that restaurant lineup has some of the swankiest bars in town. Well of course a mid or low priced bar would be nice but Aria doesn’t really go for that crowd it seems
Maybe it’s because we bounce around from luxury to budget but we really enjoyed the room. It’s not the most modern, it’s not the most classic but it’s still very good
Nice! We generally don't use the tram from Aria, it feels like just as much walking and usually more time unless going form Bellagio to Park MGM or vice versa
I typically stay at VDARA unless I'm going comped at Excalibur, so I spend a lot of time in Aria and I really like the eateries. I like grabbing a pizza and Prosecco at Moneyline Pizza. I spend more time in the food hall now with the Freestyle Coke Machines. I'll probably haunt Cosmo more now that they have the walkway, especially once they fully convert to MGM Rewards.
I never liked city center. I considered it a monstrosity but then I come from an era where there were neon lights, before the Fremont Experience was ever built. There was an elegance every night for entertainment and the dress code were suits or tux. We miss that. Now the only place we like to stay is GVR or Red Rock. We like to be away from the hustle and bustle. Comes with being old. Nowadays our must haves for staying at a hotel is that they must have more than one fine dining establishment, second, is a spa and fitness center and some great bars. Aria seems to check a lot of our boxes. Thanks for the great videos.
@@JoshRachael I understand, it is natural both of you are very young and there is still a lot to do and you are newlyweds on top of that. I wish for both of you that there will be many moments that you don't agree on like the pool as knowing each other is the foundation of a great and beautiful marriage. Husband and I have been married for over 43 years. BTW you lose I chose Rachel side for the pool.LOL
Love your videos!I plan on travelling to Las Vegas in October.I recently was injured in a workplace accident and am confined to a wheelchair.Do you have any opinions on the overall wheelchair accessibility of the Aria by chance?
Unfortunately we did not pay enough attention to give you a good idea of the wheelchair accessibility at Aria. One of our regular commenters does talk about how they enjoy NYNY for Wheelchair accessibility though
Id say Aria is my number 2 currently(i havent stayed at a few places to include them in my list but i figure if right now Aria is my number 2 theyd definitely be in top 5 if i stayed everywhere.
I agree about the casino as they don't have the most updated games, drink service has always been bad, and my biggest complaint about Aria casino, is they changed the seats at the slot machines!!!! They are slim, and super uncomfortable...I wanna sit and play and not feel like I'm sitting in a "dunce" chair..
Aria/Vdara is great…but Cosmo is still #1 in my book! Aria’s pizza place at the Sportsbook rivals Secret Pizza at the Cosmo. The high end shopping mall connected to the Aria is top notch. The table games looked mostly closed….wow
I like the Aria. Do you stay at any Caesar properties? My comp offers for MGM don't include the top tier yet. NoMad is home for 4 days in Oct and Linq is home next month. $8.00 a night plus resort fees. Hope I like it!
Love Nomad hope you have a good stay. We just started giving some play to Caesars in December and have a free offer at Flamingo next trip planned to see how things go
We only played a few hours at Planet Hollywood in December hoping to get a comp there but the only rooms we got full comps on this first go around is Flamingo Harrahs and Linq if I remember right. We have heard bad things about it currently but we did get offered an upgraded room from the start and it's some for nostalgia as well. It is the first place I ever stayed at back in 2005 (Josh) and figure the time has come to return.
I always go to Aria since I normally stay at Park MGM and they have some good food and gambling options. I like video poker and they have a lot of machines and bar versions of it. Their food options are very expensive. I do concur that drink service there almost never is a thing. I’ve played the 100 play video poker for two hours and not had a server come by. But I keep going back, so I doubt they care. The best drink service and deals are downtown and off strip, anyways.
After being a Wynn loyalist for a couple of decades (probably 30 visits) I have turned my attention & table play to Aria. After Steve left the company, that resort lost a good deal of its personality.
Aria is comfortable. Drawback would be the sportsbook is really tiny for such a premium property. Sort of an afterthought. In my opinion, they should get rid of the poker room at the back of the property and make that whole area a sportsbook. One other negative is Starbucks. Poor design for such high traffic. Always a 15 minute line. Good food choices on the 2nd level. Plenty of bars to get a quick drink. Pool area is one of the best in Vegas. Like many strip hotels, getting sort of ridiculous for minimum play on the weekends. $50/craps at the low end? Really? Guess I just have to make more money.
Won’t stay there again. Got a text as I was landing in Vegas from aria saying I owe $185.00 for liquor from ref. Called aria and girl said yea you owe $185.00 I said I’am taxing to gate haven’t even ckeck in yet. Girl said yea but you used stuff from ref. She didn’t get it. When I told them when I ckeck in they took off the charge. Got to room called and had a lock put on ref. When I checked out there was a $450.00 charge for booze I told the clerk I had a lock put on when I got to my room. , he toke off the charge
I just got back from a stay at Aria. Noticed they charged me $21 x2 for that mini bar that I didn't touch. Also charged me for parking ( I got bumped down to sapphire because I had a bunch of medical problems in 23 and wasn't traveling ) key card did not work so only thing to do was pay another $36 so I could get to the airport. I was gonna let it slide but after reading your comment, I'm shooting off an email!!!
That could be a fun to find. Aria is one of my least favorite sports books so cross this one off the list, room is extremely small for this sized property
Just came home from 4 days at Vdara, so alot of Aria, solid B Tier. Long lies for everything, decent casino servers, MGM housekeeping keeps getting poorer, the floors in the public and food areas are just sad. By the way, we got reduced rate on a suite at Vdara, wrong move, must be alot of familes, room was really beat up, singles are in much better condition
Definitely not in the top 5 for me, but never has been. I find the overall theme less warm and the casino is not as comfortable and impressive as the top 5. I would put Bellagio, Cosmo, Wynn, Encore, Palazzo and Mandalay Bay ahead of it (although I agree MB location is really bad). I have not been to FB yet but it sounds like it has a lot of issues despite looking good.
I can get behind that list, although for this thought process we were thinking of Wynn/Encore and Venetian/Palazzo as the same. We also would like to try out Fountainebleau since it does look amazing but lots of issues it seems
My biggest gripe with Aria is that their casino floor is so meh, in my opinion. I also think it is one of the worst places to try and get a drink while playing slots. Some great restaurants, especially Catch, but one is opening here in Scottsdale this year, so I’ll have to switch up to a different place on my next visit to Aria. Great review as always!!!
I am here right now and NOT a fan. Yes its a nice place. But the rooms don't have an extra fridge for your waters and leftovers. No microwave or coffee maker/keurig. (Yes I know those are random luxuries) Went to Salt and I've. The food was FANTASTIC. But the service was absolutely terrible. Our food showed up before our drinks and we waited 10m to order, had to ask for our drinks, and waited another 10m after we were done to get our check. The 3 of us left and my wife then went to join our daughters table of 12, who were over half done eating. And a party over 10? Is an automatic $60/pp charge. So when my wife sat down. She got charged $60 when she didn't order a thing and had just spent $170 for our party of 3 10 minutes earlier. Will NEVER stay at this place again. Flamingo or Resort World Conrad is the only way to roll.
Never heard that about Salt and Ivy. We have become numb to MGM properties not having an extra fridge I suppose but I can’t see liking Flamingo over Aria ever personally
@@JoshRachael everybody has different opinions. But I'd like to say I really appreciate that you two take the time not only to make a LOT of enjoyable content. But that you even go the extra mile in reading the comments AND giving feedback. Appreciate you guys.
Thank you. Trust me we were youtube viewers before we started our channel and we appreciated when people would respond to our comments, otherwise whats the point of commenting we figure.