Las Vegas Experts: Vdara or Aria?
 

I need to decide between these two Vegas hotels. We've never seen either one. The price is about the same for the time I will be there in October. We usually stay at Bellagio and need to make a decision before the offer runs out. Anyone?

I don't seem to be getting any replies to my query, so to answer my own question I booked two nights at each of these properties and will post my own report when I return in October.

DS and DDIL just stayed at Aria a few months ago and *loved* it.

That's good to know. My DIL stayed there and loved it too. Vdara is a non-casino hotel, but the rooms are bigger - all suites - and include a kitchenette with a small dining table, and a living room/couch area. There is a plasma TV in the living area and in the bedroom area. The kitchenette appeals to me because sometimes I just want to eat in for a small breakfast or lunch. But from what I understand Aria has some high tech electronics in the room, which would appeal to my DH, plus a nicer pool area. That's why I was torn. This way, we will get to compare the two and judge for ourselves.

I just got back from staying at the Vdara. In my opinion, this is quite far off the strip. Even the Aria is not immediately on the strip... you have to walk several hundred yards to reach the actual hotel.

To get to the Vdara, you have to walk even further. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get from your hotel room at the Vdara to the Strip. If you're going to come and go often, that is a lot of overhead.

Having now stayed at both properties, I would say that I liked Vdara better. The lack of casino didn't bother me - it was a two minute walk to get into Aria and the tram is just upstairs. I liked the decor better at Vdara and the room was bigger. (Too much brown at Aria). The pool area was fine at both. I would just take which one offered a better price. My last stay I was offered a room at Aria for $79 a night, so that is where I stayed.

We were excited by the glitzy city corner suite on the 42nd floor, all three of us, my husband, my 2.5 year old and I. We reached on a thursday and were excited at how it was to check-in. We reached the room and realized we had to call room service for everything - utensils, flatware, even a hair dryer. It seemed the room was well equipped in case you were there for a bachelor party - but not family friendly. The first day went by fine. By some stroke of bad luck we decided to use the pool the next day. The staff was friendly and it was a lot of fun. Untill later that afternoon when my little one woke up from him nap and his left eye was encrusted with greenish matter. We cleaned him up, saw it was reddish and so I instantly used some saline solution to help out the poor lad. 3 hours later, nothing. We put a phone call to our nurses line and awaited a response before further action. (This is important as Vdara guest services claims we didn't seek appropriate medical attention). We put the little one to sleep around 8 (we are awful parents for not seeking medical attention, but hey at least we put him to bed on time!). He woke up that morning with is eye even worse. Being the nice human being I am, I called front desk to inform them about the incident and that they should get their pool checked. With a flight to catch, a rental car to return, food to eat and packing to be done in a matter of 2 hours, the Vdara guest services took at least an hour to dispatch security (it was delayed as my husband had taken my son to get some OTC medicines and possibly catch a glimpse of the lion at MGM)
The security guy was somber and refused to smile or make us feel - 'better'. He took pictures, had me write the incident and then gave us some saline solution and told us to contact the incident line to check on the status.
Come Monday I call the line and get a voicemail. Of course.... there are so many incidents that they probably don't have the time to answer. I receive a phone call bright and early from their customer relationships person who doesn't start the conversation by 'let me first apologize' or 'how is your son' but with a very business and professional attitude that said 'we ain't going to give you nothing for your trouble, coz it's not our fault'. Yes of course, it's not your fault because my son who's been in pools around the world in the 2.5 years he's been in this world including places in India, France, Germany - but only contracts an eye infection from a pool in a $250 a night hotel! Yes sir - it our fault that in a matter of hours, there was redness, green discharge and an encrusted shut eye- that caused my precious hours of pain and susceptibility to light.
So I have to hang up on this individual as I am entering my son's day care center and as awful a parent as I am, I prefer not using my cell phone and giving my child 100% of my attention while dropping him off. With a promise to call her back I get to work, minding my own business, when around 2:30 this Laura person from CHUBB insurance calls me. Her tone is rude right off the bat. Now I know what it feels like to talk to the collection agency. With no prior knowledge, Ms. CHUBB and the Vdara crew think it's perfectly ok to transfer the case and have her call me on my cell phone during work hours. So I decided to indulge and the ordeal starts. She instantly attacks my parenting skills yet again by asking me whether I took my son to the doctor, and what happened, and fact checking things like 'you mentioned you played the dipping game - what does that mean' and 'what was your son doing in the pool for over an hour' and 'why would you keep a toddler out in the pool for so long'. she then offered to compensated me for the cost of medicines and the medical co-pay and when I said I am not interested in a $50 compensation she was surprised that it all only cost that much (What can I say, tech companies these days offer some great benefits and the time I wasted talking to her was worth well over $50) It all boiled down to the fact that this individual (who I ended up calling a royal b****) wanted to make it amply clear that their client was not negligent and whatever happened to my son while we stayed there was something I made up, or am over reacting to.
I have seen better customer service in third world countries than at Vdara. Those staid, unconcerned faces and emotionally devoid voices will continue to haunt me for at least a few more hours, after which I will never return to that hotel. Families, hide your kids...and please skip this awfully in human institution if you can.