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Question of the Day - 21 July 2021

Q:

When we were in Las Vegas over July 4th weekend, we splurged and had dinner at Joel Robuchon, which had just reopened. The couple next to us was dressed to the hilt. He had on what looked like a solid-gold Rolex and she was dripping in diamonds. They were talking about the "mansion" at MGM Grand where they were staying. Where and what is this "mansion"?

A:

This "mansion" is called The Mansion at MGM Grand and it’s one of the most exclusive lodgings in the world. The hotel-within-a-hotel contains 29 villas ranging from 2,500 to 15,000 square feet. They’re reserved for the highest of high rollers and up until a few years ago, staying there was by invitation only, but now they rent to the public for $5,000 to $20,000 on a normal night.

The Mansion occupies a completely separate building from the 5,005-room MGM Grand mother hotel; it’s built on property reclaimed from the unsuccessful MGM Grand Adventures amusement park. The well-heeled guests enter through a one-ton solid-bronze gate inlaid with Austrian custom-beveled glass, which accounted for a full percentage point of the Mansion’s total cost. In the common area at the entrance they can smoke a cigar, sample exotic fruits from the welcome basket, or sip a glass of champagne. They can also examine 200-year-old French vases, antique Moroccan lamps, and abstracts by name artists, and listen to Mozart. Discerning guests might even notice the subtle aroma of bitter orange wafting through the air.

Each of eight garden villas has two to four bedrooms (two villas can be combined for a six-bedroom megavilla), a private garden, and an indoor pool. Asian guests are placed in the villas with fountains stocked with water lilies and koi. Separate service entrances admit the villa butler and housekeeper, and chefs stock the pantries.

We don't know the current numbers, given the cutbacks in business and staff, but before the shutdown, the Mansion had upwards of 150 full-time employees, with a substaff of 43 butlers who speak upwards of 15 languages among them. Every member of the staff must sign a confidentiality agreement, ensuring that no one says nothin’ ‘bout nobody. The Mansion is an extremely secure enclave in the midst of the largest hotel in the world and there’s plenty of privacy from the hoi polloi, but not from the Mansion staff. They get to see intimate personal details of these people’s lives and sharing any of it could cost them their jobs. And for most, that's not an option, since it's one of the best places in the global hospitality industry to work and again, as of March 2020, more than 20% of the employees had been there since day one: May 1999. 

When the guests check out of the largest of the villas, the crew that descends consists of four to six villa attendants who make up and refresh the rooms; a floral team that replenishes the fresh flowers; a maintenance team that conducts routine inspections of the lighting, air-conditioning, electronics, and facilities; a landscape team that checks on the ponds, fountains, and greenery; and a water-quality team that treats the private pools.

Special, private, and intimate events are held in the Mansion's lush 125 foot-high glass-domed Atrium. Tony Bennett, for example, performed for 175 guests there in February 2019.

 

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Comments

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  • CLIFFORD Jul-21-2021
    WOW!
    I must give these a try.  DO THEY ALLOW SMOKING IN THESE VILLAS?

  • Sandra Ritter Jul-21-2021
    Not Related To This QOD
    Are you changing up the timing of the polls? Per the poll on polls?Haven't had one in a few weeks and today is Wednesday :)

  • Sandra Ritter Jul-21-2021
    Duh
    I just read what you wrote in the results of the last poll. Sounds good.

  • rett98 Jul-21-2021
    Cliifford
    For that sort of money you should be able to do WTF you like.
    

  • Nellisned Jul-21-2021
    Not too privatr
    Tiger Woods got caught cheating there with that porn star.

  • O2bnVegas Jul-21-2021
    How?
    The butler, in the pool, tipped off by the grins on the kois' faces.
    
    LOL

  • Bob Dancer Jul-21-2021
    It's Really Nice
    It's been more than 20 years since I've been there, but in my days playing at the MGM Grand, Shirley and I were able to spend more than 30 days at the Mansion. We hosted a dinner there once, including Anthony Curtis and Max Rubin among others. This was after Max's "Comp City" had come out and before my "Million Dollar Video Poker" was even a faint idea. Max pretended he was annoyed because I had managed to "outcomp the Compmeister!" We were in the smallest villas, to be sure, but still, the bathrooms in them were larger than my first apartment and contained three TVs! On two or three occasions I'd pass Tiger Woods in the hallways. I never saw him with a lady, but he always had two or three bodyguards who would form a human barricade between Tiger and me. Shirley and I would just step to the side of the hallway and wait until they passed --- kind of like we behave when we're driving and an official vehicle with a siren wishes to go by.

  • Donzack Jul-21-2021
    Dancer
    Bob,Woods and his people should have cleared a path for you. A casino is YOUR turf. On the golf course, then you should get out of his way. THAT’S his turf.

  • Roy Furukawa Jul-21-2021
    It's nice and all...
    but do they serve Grey Poupon? Sounds like this place is a bit over-the-top and the only people paying to stay there (starting at $5k/nt.) are the ones trying too hard to be somebody.

  • [email protected] Jul-21-2021
    Mansion Dining
    You can dine at The Mansion, even if your not staying there correct?  From what I read, Brunch would be a great meal there.

  • James Mason Jul-21-2021
    MGMgrand adventures park
    I had forgotten about about that place. Wayne Brady got his
    start there. Saw him doing standup in the back for the crowd. 

  • AL Jul-22-2021
    Not cool
    Because so many people in America are homeless and/or going hungry every day, I think it's disgustingly inappropriate for anybody to be indulging in such excess. All that money being spent on staying at this place could provide 1000's of meals for hungry people, or rent for some homeless people so that they can get off the street.  It would be a no-brainer for me to turn down patronizing this place even if it were offered to me for free, not only for this reason, but also because when I go to Vegas, I go to gamble & have fun (especially playing video poker), to see the bright lights (especially downtown) & to eat good-quality "regular" food. I only need a hotel room with 1 bathroom (how could I use more than 1?), a good full/queen bed to sleep on, "table room" to lay out my things, & a TV to watch sports plus my favorite network shows in the evening, if they're on TV. I don't think there's any value or enjoyment in wearing cut & polished metal & rocks, nor do they impress me at all.

  • LonW Aug-09-2021
    MGM not largest Hotel
    First World Hotel & Plaza	Malaysia	Genting Highlands	7,351