The Aria is one of the newest and most modern resorts on the Strip. As the centerpiece of the ambitious City Center Project that MGM Resort undertook to rejuvenate a large swathe of underused Prime Real-estate, the Aria is a really modern and grand-looking Hotel right in the Heart of the City. But is it worth staying at? The competition for Hotels on the Strip is fierce and every Hotel has its own unique selling points.
In our Aria Las Vegas Review we take a full look at the Aria Resort and Casino. We take a look at the history, the Location, Pool Deck, Rooms, Casino, Dining options, and What there is to see and do at the resort. We rank the Aria as one of the Top Resorts in Las Vegas and it’s not really quite as expensive as you might Imagine for the high-end Luxury you get at the resort. So if you are thinking of booking or are already headed here and want to know what to expect, here is our complete Guide to the Aria Las Vegas.
Trip Report – Our Latest Stay at the Aria
- Introduction
- The Arias Location
- History of the Aria
- What We Love
- What We Don’t Love
- Best Rooms at the Aria
- Room Price Guide
- Aria Pool Guide
- Aria Casino
- What to Eat at the Aria
- What to Do at the Aria
- Best Time to Visit the Aria
Introduction to the Aria Las Vegas
- The Aria Las Vegas
- Owner – MGM Resorts
- Location – City Center Las Vegas
- Theme – Sleek Modern Luxury
- Room Rates – High-End ($250-$500+ a night)
- Resort Fee – $45
- Self Parking Fee – $18-$23
- Valet Parking Fee – $35-$40
- Our Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.4/5 Stars
Aria Las Vegas Hotel Review
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Price / Value
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Room Comfort
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Amenities - Food - Entertainment
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Location
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Pool Deck
The Aria is a Large Luxury Hotel, Casino, and resort set in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. It’s one of the newer hotels and has shunned the traditional theming route that many Las Vegas Hotels have taken. It is instead simply an ultra-modern Luxury hotel complex.
Situated in what is known as the City Center Complex (not to be confused with the actual City Center) The Hotel is the centerpiece of this Multi-Use complex. Rising high over the City the hotel boasts 4000+ super plush rooms, One of the biggest Casino floors in Vegas, a Large Pool Deck, High-end Dining options, a Night-Club, a Convention Center, and a colossal Spa facility. It is an impressive hotel and one definitely worth considering.
For all its Modern High-End Luxury features the hotel is actually only moderately priced. It’s not a budget hotel, but it’s not a top-end one either. It’s a great way to experience the very best of Las Vegas without quite breaking the bank as much as The Bellagio, Venitian, Wynn, or Cosmopolitan can do.
The History of the Aria
The Aria is one of the most modern hotels on the Strip. It was built as part of the City Center Project that transformed a vacant plot of land, right in the heart of the City, that had once been a golf course but was now a parking lot for Bellagio Staff. This 67 Acres of land right in the middle of the strip that was basically unused was a bit of a travesty. This is Prime real estate and needs to be put to good use. It’s pretty hard to imagine such a large empty piece of land right in the middle of the strip going completely unused.
MGM ran through several ideas on what to build on the spot. Las Vegas is the City of themed hotels and they had lots of ideas for fantastic well-themed resorts, but with all of the iconic ideas already taken, they considered the idea that maybe Themes were “done” in Las Vegas. And with the stellar success of the Wynn maybe they were right, and there has not been a new “themed” hotel opening in the City Since.
Instead, they developed a mixed-use project with Condominiums (Veers Towers), a Large Shopping Center (Cyrstals), a Luxury Hotel ( Mandarin Oriental/Waldorf Astoria), a condo hotel (Vdara), and of course the Aria Hotel and Casino.
The Center opened in 2009 with great fanfare and the Aria opened its doors in December of that year with the final part of the project finished just months afterward.
Initially a failure, the timing could not have been worse as the country was plunged into the financial crisis and recession that followed, The Resort failed to draw the crowds it expected and only after tweaks to the branding and pricing (along with the country living out of the crisis) did the Hotel start to draw the revenue it deserved. It’s now a major part of the Strip and one of our favorite places to stay.
The Location Of The Aria Las Vegas
On the face of it, the Aria has a really enviable position. Center strip, right in the middle of everything, but the reality is a little different. This is one of those Hotels you really have to stay in to understand the location is as perfect as it seems!
The City Center Development was intended to Re-enter what is considered the Center of Las Vegas. We always say staying centrally is very important to a good Las Vegas trip, however, what exactly is the Center, is not exactly obvious. We tend to define it as the Bellagio Fountains, and this works perfectly as a center, but for hotels that are not directly beside the fountains, this is rather inconvenient. This is one reason the City Center was developed, to try and bring a new focal point to the Strip…They failed, at least in turning it into the actual center, but the project as a whole was a big success.
The City Center has not really got anything going for it in terms of reasons to visit or to make this the actual center of the City. Instead, it is simply a collection of Hotels and a large shopping center. Due to this Aria is not actually near the center of the Strip. While it looks and feels in touching distance of the fountains, the truth is to get anywhere you need to trek quite a way to the strip first. It’s actually nearly 1km to walk to the Bellagio fountains from the lobby and on top of that will be a fairly hefty hike through the resort itself.
It is not badly located and it’s fairly central to most things, it’s just its position, well back from the Strip itself means every time you leave you have to hike right out to the Strip first. Not a problem the first few times, but it does get old.
So the location is a middle-of-the-road location. The Resort is pretty well self-contained but just being set so far back from the strip just takes away from what would otherwise be and very centrally located hotel.
What We Love About The Aria
There is a lot to like about the Aria, from its impressive Sleek towers, its modern and cool styling, Luxury Rooms, and great dining line-up it’s a really good choice.
Style
While lacking a Theme, this does not mean the Hotel has no style at all. Instead, it’s kind of themed on an ultra-modern hotel! Whether this is the theme, or it is actually just an ultra-modern hotel is pretty debatable, but for us, it feels more like it’s pretending to be one more than it actually is. This is because this style is so overtly over the top and in your face. The art installations, fountains, waterfalls, and styling of the towers feel so very Vegas.
A Modern Hotel tries to blend in and be part of the location, but the Aria is the location. Whereas the Bellagio is a replica of a Chic Italian Riverside Hotel, the Aria feels like a Replica of a modern Inner City Luxury Hotel.
It’s hard to really describe but we love the fact it’s so over-the-top in its modernness, if it were just a plush but understated hotel, it would just be boring, but the fact it tries so hard to be something that maybe it actually isn’t, feels right in Vegas. It makes it fun and playful, whereas otherwise, it would just be a bland corporate cookie-cutter hotel available in every City in the world.
It doesn’t get this 100% right, as we discuss in the “dislikes” section, but the overall style and feel of the Hotel works for us. The designer and style of the actual towers are really stunning and you can pick out the Aria a mile away.
Resort Living
In Music, the word Aria refers to a piece of music that is self-contained and sufficient to stand on its own. And we believe it is this interpretation that inspires the Aria Hotel. The Resort is totally self-contained with everything one needs contained, either within the Hotel or at the very least the City Center Complex.
While this is a bit of a double-edged sword, as while having everything at your fingertips is not really desirable in Vegas where getting out and seeing the City is paramount, It does make for a nice and convenient stay. You can spend lots of time in the resort and just head out when the feeling takes you.
It’s good to know there is never a need to really leave the City Center Area and you only have to if you WANT to, Which of course you should, but when you are tired and grouchy from a day exploring it’s nice to know everything you might want is on hand in the resort. From casual to Fine dining, covering every meal, there is an integrated shopping area, with luxury to basic brands on sale, there is even a CVS. You have an excellent pool, an enormous casino, Clubs, Bars, a Spa, Art Galleries, Open Space, and just about everything you could want.
This type of Resort living is not exclusive to the Aria in Las Vegas, but it is a very well-designed self-sustaining little part of the Strip.
High Tech Rooms
The rooms are not just really plush but they are full of cool High-Tech gizmos such as touchscreen controls, moonlighting, automatic blinds, and the usual entertainment systems. There are really cool places to stay.
Service
The service we received at the Aria was really exceptional. Admittedly we had just come from the Cosmopolitan, whose service had fallen off a cliff, but overall we had zero issues at the Aria. The Check-in staff were polite and efficient, sorting out the best room available for us, and making sure our bill was ready upon leaving (surprisingly difficult in Vegas for some reason). We got lots of tips and advice on navigating the resort and where to dine. Overall a very good experience and nothing too much trouble.
Pool Deck
We discuss the Pool Deck later, but it deserves a mention here too. It is a fabulous pool area. Three large pools, spotlessly clean and pretty relaxed and quiet compared to many decks in the City. We easily find beds and find the deck a little bit of an Oasis of calm in an otherwise crazy city.
Excellent Bars and Restaurants
We look into this full in the What to eat at the Aria Section but the restaurant line-up is excellent. There is a really nice spread of restaurants and while it lacks a true fine dining option, we would never choose a hotel simply as there is a particular fine-dining restaurant on site, 2-3-star restaurants are worth hunting out regardless.
The lineup is instead really accessible, with some fantastic options to suit most tastes and budgets. From the Casual Food Hall right up to the fancier Catch, Cathédrale, and Jean Georges Steakhouse.
And you can always pop just next door to Park MGM which has some exceptional dining options.
What we Don’t Love About The Aria
It’s not all good news though there are a few letdowns when staying here.
Size
As we have mentioned the Aria has just about everything you could possibly want from a resort, but it’s not possible to be so inclusive and keep a small footprint. The Aria is HUGE! Combine that with the City Center and this is one of the largest footprints on the Strip. This may seem like a good thing but in reality, it really is a chore just getting around the resort. Simple things like heading to breakfast, nipping to the pool, or even leaving the resort, all require pretty significant hikes, and don’t even think of heading to the parking garage without a full survival kit in case you get lost (obviously an exaggeration but the hike in with luggage is a serious pain!)
Blandness
While overall we think the styling works really well and gives the Hotel a nice modern feel, it’s not the most exciting theme possible. We suppose this really depends on where you sit with the concept of hotel theming. Some people love the idea of staying in an Egyptian Pyramid, or beside the Eifel Tower, in Venice, or the Italian Lakes. It adds an element of fun to the Las Vegas experience, but these themes are not for everyone and if you are just looking for a plush-hotel the Aria is a great choice. But the styling can be a little bland and cold.
The sort of hotels it’s styled off tend to also mirror this coldness. There is a fine line between minimalism and just dull. Sometimes the Aria gets this right other times it is just bland. Overall it’s just not the sort of place to get excited about.
Location
As we said before, the hotel really appears to be a very central hotel, but the reality is somewhat different. Every trip out of the resort requires long hikes and there is not that much directly nearby. It’s got a bit of a dead-zone area about it. The location should be so much better but at the while it’s just not actually near that much.
This is most notable when NOT staying at the Aria. You will never find yourself at the resort and it’s the sort of place you just push past rather than stopping at. It’s very Self-sufficient, but most people want to spend a lot of time out on the strip, and it’s just not that convenient.
Views
With Its huge towers and prime locations, you would kind of expect the Views from the Aria Rooms to be seriously spectacular. With large floor-to-ceiling windows and unobstructed vistas of the city, it’s a lot to get excited about… but be prepared for immense disappointment! It’s kind of amazing how bad the views are!
Well not bad, just disappointing. The Rooms largely just overlook the City Center, and not the actual City Center but the City Center Development. This is pretty bland. You have the Cosmo and the Aria itself blocking the view to the North, the Veers towers Blocking the Views to the East, and Park MGM to the north. There is just not much to see!
Honestly, it’s possibly one of the few hotels where we say get a Mountain View Room. These unobstructed views of the Spring Mountains are stunning and highly recommended. If you are hankering for that perfect Vegas Strip View, you are just going to be disappointed! The higher you get the better the view, but you never really get above it all even in the Skysuites.
Confusing Tech
Maybe, it’s us, maybe our room was broken, Maybe AI was running amok, but we found some of the in-room tech a little confusing. This often left us trapped in the dark not 100% sure how to get the lights on…sometimes a light switch is all you need!
Best Rooms at the Aria
Aria Room Price Guide
| Room Type | Weekday Price | Weekend Price |
|---|---|---|
| Deluxe King / Two Queen Room | $150-$200 | $300-$50 |
| Deluxe King / Two Queen Strip View | $180-$220 | $320-$52 |
| Stay Well King / Two Queen Room | $180-$220 | $330-$5 |
| Stay Well King / Two Queen Strip View | $200-$250 | $350-$5 |
| Tower Corner Suite | $2-$3 | $380-$5 |
| Tower Corner Suite Strip View | $2-$3 | $400-$6 |
| Tower CENTER STRIP VIEW Suite | $20-$35 | $400-$6 |
| Tower CENTER TOWER Suite | $280-$38 | $450-$6 |
| Tower Executive Hospitality Suite | $350-$45 | $450-$6 |
| < Sky Suites > | – | – |
| Sky Suites One/Two Bedroom – Mountain View | $700-$80 | $900-$10 |
| Sky Suites One Bedroom – Strip View | $700-$80 | $1100-$15 |
| Sky Suites One/Two Bedroom Penthouse | $1000-$120 | $1200-$20 |
| Sky Suites One/Two Bedroom Penthouse Strip View | $1000-$120 | $1200-$20 |
| Sky Suites One Bedroom Penthouse Panoramic |
<<Check Live Prices HERE>>
Aria Pool Guide
The Pool deck at the Aria is one of our favorite in Las Vegas. It’s large, spacious, and has a really relaxing tropical feel to it. It gets Sun nearly all day and has lots of sunloungers viable for free. The pools were large and crystal clear.
The Food and drinks were typical Vegas, which means eyewateringly expensive, but no worse than other pools. The reserved seating and Cabanas are again pretty expensive, but with the huge amounts of free pool-side seating, we never found we needed to reserve.
There are three pools but only two are open to all guests with the Sky Suites Guests receiving exclusive use of the Sky Pool. There is also the Liquid Lounge which is a Day-Club that has paid entry.
Overall it’s a great place to take a few hours out and relax beside a tropical oasis. You can find out everything you need to know about the pool in our full Guide:
Aria Casino Guide
- Average Table Wager – $15-$50
- Floor Size – 150,000 sqft
- Slot Machines – 2000+
- Games Available – 145+ Tables- Blackjack, Craps, Baccarat, Roulette, European Roulette, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow, Pai Gow Poker.
- Poker Rooms – 24
- Sports Book – 10,000sqft – 200sports – 90 screens
The Aria Casino is one of the biggest in Las Vegas, and the fact it operates as a single gaming space rather than combined spaces in some of the biggest resorts it feels every bit as massive as it actually is. The MGM and the Bellagio are both slightly larger but the layout never makes them feel quite as massive and the MGM always feels pretty spread up whereas the Arias really packs the slots and tables in.
The Casino also has a peculiar feature to it, there are windows and glass doors leading directly outside from the Casino floor. If that does not sound odd, you have to understand most Casinos do not do this. You are trapped inside an artificial bubble with no reference to the outside world. This is done so people find tracking time more difficult, so they stay longer and gamble more, but the Aria finds this “trick” is not really effective, we have watches and phones and if people want to gamble more, they will, it getting late will not persuade them to go to bed. So it’s nice to be able to see the outside world and gamble at the same time.
The Cavernous casino floor obviously does not have windows in every section and it’s easy to melt away into the gambling at the very back. The large size means it can be harder to find a drinks server, but overall we have good success at getting drinks in the Aria, especially in the evening and at weekends when the buzz really ramps up.
It’s not the liveliest casino, more of a serious clinical vibe, but it’s a good place to gamble. There are 2000+ slot machines and these cover everything from the most basic 3-wheel spins to elaborate video slots with hundreds of pay lines and linked Progressive jackpots.
Table games have some of the highest minimums on the strip with nothing below $15 most nights and even finding that at weekends could be tough. We have seen $50 as the lowest minimum on busy weekends.
The sports book is one of the best on the strip with over 200 ports to bet on and a giant 220-inch TV screen for the main event. There are also several high roller sections and a special Sky Suites-only Casino floor.
The Aria Poker Room, called Table-1 is one of the most popular on the Strip and regularly hosts World Poker Tour rounds. There are games going on most of the day with some serious high-rollers playing insane amounts, with serious discounts offered to professional players. There are daily tournaments with pretty reasonable by-ins and the chance to win several thousand dollars. Not every casino in Vegas offers serious Poker rooms and the Aria is one of the top destinations for this.
Overall the Casino is one of the best places on the strip to have a little flutter. Its huge size means it caters to just about every kind of gambler, from the pro-poker stars, high-rolling CEOs, and grizzled grandmas spending the kid’s inheritance to just the occasional flutterer on vacation. Honestly, the only real downside to the casino is the opportunities to get lost. Even with the windows and natural light, it’s definitely easy to get hopelessly lost and unable to find your way out of here…trust us, we know!
What to Eat at the Aria
Full Guide on What to Eat At the Aria
What to Do at The Aria
Best Things to See and Do at the Aria
Best Time To Visit The Aria
The Aria really is an All Year Round Resort. With a Great Pool Deck, it’s fantastic in the Summer, Along with large amounts of indoor space and cooling stone, it does not succumb to the Scorching Vegas Heat.
But with plenty to see and do, you can visit the resort even when the weather is less than Ideal One big issue with the Resort is the Convention Center. When a convention is hosted at the resort Prices can soar, and restaurant availability plummet.
Have Your Say
Let us know your thoughts and experiences staying at the Aria. How do you think it stacks up against the competition? Is the location acceptable? How did you find the pool deck? Which room did you choose? Whatever your thoughts Jus fire away in the comments We would love to hear from you.