Las Vegas Places

Luxor Las Vegas

Welcome to the land of the Egyptians—Vegas style. This modern world wonder is topped with a xenon light beam that burns brighter than any other in the world and can be seen from anywhere in the valley at night; for that matter, it's supposedly even visible from space.

The exterior is made with 13 acres of black glass. Inside is the world's largest atrium—you get the full impact of the space from the second floor (also known as the Atrium Level), where "BODIES … The Exhibition" gives guests an eerie view of the human body. Though the mummy theme used to be a bit cheesy in the casino, a $300-million renovation toned down theme elements and turned the focus from kitsch to cool. The result: the new Fantasy dance show, as well as new bars such as Liquidity and Aurora; the rollicking LAX nightclub; and Company American Bistro, which is owned in part by Nick Lachey.

The History

When it opened in 1993, the 350-foot Luxor pyramid was the tallest building on the entire Las Vegas Strip. Back then, the property featured a more heavily Egyptian-theme interior, including a river that encircled the casino with a ferry that would carry guests to their inclinator at the corners of the pyramid. Over time, however, as guests complained about ferry service being too slow, the river was filled in. This move marked the beginning of a decade-long de-emphasis of the Egyptian theme, a process that culminated in 2006, when MGM/Mirage announced the exhaustive renovation. This overhaul began with LAX nightclub and also has resulted in a number of modern and swanky bars. Today, the main casino floor has few vestiges of its Pharaoh-filled past.