 | Bellagio Resort |
| Las Vegas, NV Print Leave a comment |
Description
Bellagio Resort is a luxurious resort modeled after the town of Bellagio on Lake Como in Italy. Paintings of the Italian countryside, fancy vases, and red lanterns abound. At the check-in area, the Chihuly ceiling is amazing: stained blown glass flowers that hang from the ceiling and catch the light, resembling a spring meadow. Nearby, there is a small conservatory of real flowers and topiary bushes beneath a glass canopy.
The best thing about the Bellagio is its astounding fountain! It reaches so high you will not believe it! During the free fountain show, the jets spray water from side to side and in magical patterns, to lights and music. Sometimes the music is perfectly suited to the location and wonderful, like when they play Andrea Boticelli. Other times, it's goofy Disneyland-sounding music. I'm not sure what motivates the music choice.
It's best to watch at night. You stand along the sidewalk on The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) to watch. Here, the street is like a European boulevard, with rows of leafy trees and old-fashioned lampposts. Viewing areas with fancy railing overlook the lake. It's wonderfully romantic as a couple, and fun for kids too. See below for times.
The Bellagio has a fine art collection, with first-rate special exhibits. When I was there they were showing photographs by Ansel Adams.
Cross over the pedestrian bridge to the north and check out Caesar's Palace and Forum Shops. The Forum Shops are especially amazing, with their Roman fountains and sculptures, and their free show for kids. Stop and enjoy a yummy, casual meal at The Cheesecake Factory, right by where the show takes place.
Or, cross the street and check out Paris Resort, with its extravagant architecture that looks just like Paris!
Photo Gallery
Click on photo to see large versionThe gorgeous Chihuly ceiling in the check-in area at Bellagio Resort. |
The stained glass ceiling. Click on this picture to enlarge- you must see this! |
Lake Bellagio, where the fountain show takes place! |
The European-style boulevard, and viewing areas, on Lake Bellagio. |
Lake Bellagio, at night. |
A couple watches the romantic fountain show. |
There are many, many more fountain jets to the right and to the left, but I couldn't capture them all on camera! |
Directions
Bellagio Hotel is located at 3600 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas NV 89109, call (702) 693-7111. There is a pedestrian bridge leading from Caesar's Palace and across Dunes Rd to the Bellagio. If you follow the signs to the Bellagio, they'll take you to the right all through the Bellagio shopping center to their lobby. There are very nice restrooms in the shopping area. If you just want to see the fountain, turn left instead, and go down the large fancy stairway to the street level.
Fountain show is every half-hour after 3pm on weekdays and after 12 noon on weekends and holidays, and every fifteen minutes from 7pm-midnight every day. It is free! You simply stand on the sidewalk along The Strip to watch it! If you're cold while waiting for it to start, stand at the fancy stairway indoors (mentioned above) and enjoy a chocolate eclair from the little bakery stand while you wait.
Click "satellite" to see the "lake" from above.
The Art Gallery and Gallery Store are open 9am-10pm daily, including weekends and holidays. Admission is $15, $12 for seniors, $10 for students, and free for children 12 and under.
This is an interactive map, you can zoom and move it.
Visitor Ratings
Overall Visitor Rating: 
David 12/22/2009 13:34 | very good! |