The Best Resort in Las Vegas Just Got a $200-million Makeover — and We Got a Sneak Peek Inside

When Wynn Las Vegas, voted the best hotel in Las Vegas by T+L readers, first opened its doors 17 years ago, it ushered in an entirely new era for the city. Gone was the traditional kitsch that had long been part of the city's fabric — the only theme at this hotel was unapologetic luxury. Wynn quickly developed a reputation for its first-in-class service, five-star accommodations, sublime spa, chef-driven restaurants, and top-tier entertainment. The property added a new Encore tower in 2008 and has constantly been "polishing the diamond," according to Wynn design and development president and chief creative officer Todd Avery Lenahan.

Although Wynn did quiet room renovations in 2010, Lenahan and his team of 200 have now completely gutted and reconcepted the property's 2,700 rooms and suites — which cost a total of $200 million. And though he humbly admits they were limited by the existing walls, the end result is something that rivals the best designed homes and suites on the planet.

There is something transportive about Lenahan's work that comes over you when you enter these new spaces, now filled with "romantic drama," as Lenahan puts it. Guests will notice a change immediately upon entering their rooms. The hotel's deep chocolate tones and high-contrast moldings have been replaced by a softer, more serene palette of peaches and blush tones — with occasional black-and-white prints and pops of color.

Longtime customers may recall painted and vinyl wall treatments inside Wynn's standard accommodations. These have been significantly upgraded with wood, metals, mirrors, couture drapery, and textured coverings. In terms of furniture, think: mahogany dressers, a combined table and desk, swivel chairs, and the like. Expect art by Joseph Albers and hand-woven African baskets (that kept an entire village employed for four months during the pandemic).

Moving over to the phenomenally swanky Tower Suites, the "entry-level" rooms now feature floor-to-ceiling dressing mirrors, chandeliers, and four-poster beds to create "intimacy and enclosure within the space," according to Lenahan. Suite-seeking guests will find that the Executive, Parlor and Salon Suites now have a much more open floor plan. Elements like camel-bone trunks, leather-wrapped cantilever tables, rosewood cabinets gilded with copper leaf, bas reliefs, and framed televisions provide a much grander presentation than before. As the rooms increase in size, the custom art packages become more over-the-top, and the suites now feature sculptures like Rodin's "Bather."

The rooms (and the resort as a whole, for that matter) are also more eco-friendly now that all lighting is LED, but color-tuned to provide the right degree of warmth while reducing the power draw for the property. Lenahan also told Travel + Leisure that, "by this time next year," guests can also look forward to an overhaul of the technology packages to more efficiently order room service, secure dining reservations, and more.

Elsewhere on property Lenahan has been hard at work refreshing restaurants such as Delilah, their cocktail lounge collective and theater district. With Delilah, the hotel has partnered with Los Angeles "it" kids The h.Wood Group to bring their celebrity eatery to Las Vegas. Lenahan also shared that he and his team are planning to refresh the aesthetic of their Japanese restaurant Mizumi, where Michelin-lauded chef Min Kim manages to proffer not only modern sushi, but excels in all disciplines of Japanese cooking including teppan, tempura, robatayaki, and plated fare. This summer, Kim will also launch an immersive nine-course Kaiseki tasting menu that will initially be limited to just 10 guests a night.

As for Wynn's liquid offerings, Wynn's two bars, Parasol Up and Down, have undergone a chrysalis of their own. Parasol Up is now Overlook Lounge, Aperitifs & Spirits, a much more intimate space far removed from the resort's gaming offerings. The white seating and red carpeting is gone and a much more moody aesthetic has developed through the use of eglomise-topped tables, crystal-cut cabaret lanterns, Murano and Czech chandeliers, and sculptures of Bunnyfish. All this is canopied under a hand-painted ceiling inspired by England's Brighton Pavilion. Parasol Down has become Bar Parasol, and extending from this haunt is the new outdoor Aft Cocktail Deck, which transports guests to a party reminiscent of ones found on yachts cruising the Mediterranean, with blue-and-white umbrellas and French Riviera-esque décor.

Learn more about the renovation at Wynn Las Vegas and book your room here.