The Artisan Hotel is four-story, 64-room renovated Travelodge on W. Sahara, about a mile west of the Strip (1501 W. Sahara, Las Vegas, NV 89102; 800/554-4092, 702/214-4000).
It bills itself as small, luxurious, elegant non-gaming boutique, full of fine art (prints and reproductions) and antiques. It has a restaurant, the Artisan Café (6 am-10 pm Sun.-Thurs., midnight Friday & Saturday; room service available) with an emphasis on Italian entrées. The bar has live music Wednesday through Saturday evenings and at the Sunday champagne-and-jazz brunch. The whole hotel has free wi-fi. There's also a wedding chapel, a complimentary wine reception daily at 4:30 pm in the lobby, and "Lethal Libations" is an interactive murder-mystery dinner theater that takes place on the first Wednesday of every month at 7 pm.
Reviews of the Artisan seem to be mixed. Some people don't care for the neighborhood — it's in an industrial and somewhat funky part of town, right next to the freeway, with several strip clubs nearby — while others consider it convenient to the Strip and freeway. Everyone agrees that the place is very dark — heavy and spooky are also accurate descriptors; for a peek at the public areas, amenities, and rooms, go to www.theartisanhotel.com and take the virtual tour. We've also heard that the service is spotty at best. But most people also comment on the depth and breadth of the artwork, which fills the lobby, public areas, and rooms, and cool furnishings.
Also, the rates are extremely reasonable, often under $50 (though be sure to inquire about add-ons, such as a valet and energy surcharge, and pay parking).
Coincidentally, an LVA staffer went there recently for cocktails and had this to say about the bar/lounge area: "It's very un-typically Vegas, more reminiscent of New York or a private London drinking club. Yup, it's definitely dark, with wood-paneled walls and a mixture of old-world overstuffed leather sofas meets funky leopardskin baggage carts via art deco marble floors. The eclectic style works and the tranquil ambience was a pleasant change from the ka-ching ka-ching of a casino or a neighborhood sports bar — until the band started up, that is. Yikes! In that venue we were expecting maybe a tinkling piano, or even a harpist, perhaps. Instead we were assailed by a bizarre electric guitar and keyboard duo, who sounded like they'd dropped too much acid back in '73 and never quite recovered. And not only were they painful, they were also really loud. We got the feeling they weren't actually aware that there was anyone else there and were simply playing for their own twisted amusement. It was bad enough for us to curtail our cocktail session (very out of character). We assume they're not a regular house band and were simply passing through, so you may well have a happier auditory experience than we did if you visit. The clientele was interesting, however, spanning everything from earnest business folk to a couple of aging glamor pusses of uncertain gender."
