In 2015 Las Vegas played host to 21,306 conventions, welcoming a grand total of 5,891,150 attendees. Sin City is an incredibly popular destination choice for conferences and trade shows due to its wide selection of hotels, restaurants and facilities, as well as its focus on excellent customer service. The city is constantly reinventing itself, providing new reasons to visit every year. If you find yourself travelling to Las Vegas for work, we’ve put together a useful Las Vegas business travel guide to make your trip planning that little bit easier:
Flights
The flying time from London to Las Vegas is roughly 10 hours 45 minutes and there are non-stop direct business class flights with both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Delta codeshares with Virgin Atlantic, while Iberia, Finnair and American codeshare with British Airways.
In Club World Business Class on British Airways you’ll have your very own space with a lie-flat bed and 10.4-inch entertainment system. Seats also feature a power supply for laptops, a memory foam headrest, quilted blanket, and amenity kit containing Elemis skincare products. At Heathrow Airport you’ll be able to indulge in a complimentary treatment at the Elemis Travel Spa, as well as enjoying access to the Galleries Lounge. Other perks include dedicated check-in, fast-track security and a baggage allowance of 2 bags weighing 32kg each.
If you choose to fly Business Class in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, you’ll be treated to a complimentary chauffeur drive service and access to the exclusive Upper Class wing at Heathrow. Onboard the aircraft, your Upper Class Suite has a 10.4-inch entertainment screen, roomy table, power point and laptop storage space, so you can spread out and get on with some work. The seat converts into a 6′ 6″ fully flat bed so if you’d like to maximise your sleep time during the journey, just pop on your complimentary sleep suit and ask a member of staff to wake you before landing.
Getting to/from the airport
Las Vegas McCarran airport is located incredibly close to The Strip, meaning you can be out of the airport and settling into your hotel room in no time at all. Taxis can be hailed at the taxi rank outside arrivals and will cost around $20 to The Strip, or you could choose to order an Uber, which should cost a little bit less. Ubers aren’t allowed to stop outside arrivals, so you’ll need to follow the directions to the pick-up point in the car park. There are also shared mini buses that cost around $14 per person round-trip, although these will drop other customers off along the way.
If you wish to arrive in style (it is Vegas after all!) there’s always the option of a limousine, which SkyClub can arrange for you before your trip. We can also organise rental cars or luxury cars, so just tell one of our agents your requirements and we’ll have a car ready and waiting to be collected at the airport.
Dining
If you enjoy dining out then Las Vegas is foodie heaven, with a range of options from late-night diners to award-winning restaurants. Whatever the time, day or night, you’ll be able to find something to suit your tastes. These are some of our top picks:
The Las Vegas Buffets – If you want to start your day off right we’d recommend trying one of the Las Vegas buffets, which have everything from pastries and eggs to full American breakfasts and waffles. Many of the hotels will have their own buffets but our top picks are The Buffet at Bellagio, Le Village Buffet at Paris or The Buffet at Wynn.
Mon Ami Gabi – If you’d like to dine al fresco and watch the world go by, Mon Ami Gabi at Paris has a lovely outdoor terrace and serves some of the tastiest crepes outside of France. The menu features traditional French dishes such as French onion soup and Steak Frites , while the ambience inside the restaurant is that of a classic bistro.
Yellowtail – For the best sushi on the Las Vegas Strip head to Yellowtail at The Bellagio, which has an innovative Japanese menu and extensive sake list. Don’t forget to order the Big Eye Tuna Pizza served with Micro Shiso and Truffle Oil – it’s a dish you won’t forget in a hurry!
Sage – This fine dining restaurant at Aria is a modern American restaurant with farm-to-table menus, handcrafted cocktails and Absinthe service. Chef Shawn McClain uses local produce, artisanal meats and sustainable seafood to create dishes that are clean and simple with creative twists.
Things to Do
Outside of your business meetings or conference seminars you’ll probably want to let your hair down, and Las Vegas is the ultimate place to do so. Lounge by the pool, try your luck in the casino or hit the shops – it’s up to you. Just make sure you don’t miss the Fountains of Bellagio – a spectacular dancing fountain show set to opera, classical, Broadway and pop tunes.
If you want to get away from the neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip there are also plenty of things you can do in the surrounding area. Check out this list by Turner of American Travel Blogger, who recommends a ton of things you can do off the Strip.
Hotels
Hotels in Las Vegas are very affordable and there are rooms to suit every budget. You’ll find popular chains such as Hilton and The Four Seasons and The Mandarin Oriental, alongside lavish casinos such as The Palazzo, The Wynn and Caesar’s Palace. Below are some convinient options for business travellers:
Hilton Grand Vacations on Paradise Convention Center – If you need to be within easy reach of the Las Vegas Convention Center then our top pick is the Hilton Grand Vacations, which has suites ranging size from studio to two-bedroom. There’s a fitness centre, heated outdoor pool and Wi-Fi access throughout the resort, so you can easily connect to the Internet to answer your emails.
The Cosmopolitan – One of the best Las Vegas hotels is The Cosmopolitan – a trendy hotel with plush rooms and a well known nightclub called Marquee. If you’re looking for somewhere that’s well-located then this is the hotel for you, since it is situated right in the centre of The Strip, within easy reach of famous hotels such as The Bellagio and Aria. The hotel boats three swimming pools offering different experiences, as well as some great restaurants such as Blue Ribbon Sushi, Stephen Hopcraft’s STK and a supper club called Rose.Rabbit.Lie.
The Venetian – One of the best classic Las Vegas hotels, The Venetian is themed around Venice, with gondola rides and renaissance-style art work. Every room in this hotel is a suite, featuring a living room, separate sleeping area and spacious Italian marble bathroom. For dinner we’d recommend trying out the steak and red wine at Carnevino, and if you’re taking your clients for drinks afterwards, then Tao Nightclub is one of the hottest spots in town.
Ready to jet off to the Entertainment Capital of the World? We can get you there with private First and Business Class fares that are cheaper than booking with the airline direct. Just contact us on 0207 255 1234 or fill in your details using our online booking form.
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