The Venetian opened in May 1999 on the site of the old Sands, built by Sheldon Adelson for the convention trade and themed on Renaissance Venice. Along Las Vegas Boulevard stand copies of the Doge's Palace, the Rialto Bridge and a 315-foot Campanile; inside, a quarter-mile Grand Canal runs between the shops under a painted sky, and the colonnade ceilings carry frescoes painted by hand. The 12-storey Venezia tower, now the South Tower, followed in 2003. As part of a $1.5 billion reinvestment, all of the roughly 4,000 suites were remodelled, the South Tower's in 2024 and the North Tower's in 2025.
Every room is sold as a suite, which here means a living area with a sleeper sofa, a dining table and its own 65-inch television beside an open bedroom, a few steps down from it in some suites. The remodelled Luxury King Suite is about 650 sq ft (60 m²) and the Luxury Two Queen 750 sq ft (70 m²), each with a 130 sq ft (12 m²) marble bathroom with a Roman tub and a separate shower. The palette of ruby red and burnished metal takes its cue from Venetian Carnival costumes. Above them come the Premium Two Queen at 1,100 sq ft (102 m²), new Loft suites under 15-foot ceilings on the South Tower's top floor, and the Grand King at 1,500 sq ft (139 m²), with a pool table and a bedroom that closes off with drapes.
The reason to book is how much of a Las Vegas trip happens without a taxi. The resort has more than 40 restaurants, Bouchon, COTE and Estiatorio Milos among the 2026 MICHELIN Guide's selection, plus 160 shops along the canal and gondola rides at $39 a head. The pool deck on the fourth floor spans two acres with four heated pools and stays open all year, the Pool Garden in the South Tower stays open until 10pm, and TAO Beach runs its 21-and-over dayclub from March to October. Canyon Ranch has a spa and a gym with a 40-foot climbing wall, and for most shows a covered bridge through the Expo leads to Sphere next door.
The trade is scale and extras. A $55 nightly resort fee plus tax applies, self-parking costs $20 a day, the casino at the centre of it all allows smoking in designated areas, and from the Rialto Bridge the Bellagio fountains are a 17-minute walk. The entry suite promises no view, and rates jump with conventions and events: $367 on Tuesday 18 May 2027, $1,039 two weeks earlier. Book it for a first trip to Las Vegas, a Sphere show, or friends and families who want room to spread out.
