Splurging in Vegas

I don’t know about you, but I built up a lot of unrequited Vegas energy during the pandemic. I also saved a lot of money by not paying for plane fares, hotel rooms, restaurant meals, shows tickets, drink tabs, Raiders seats, and gambling during the 2-1/2 years that COVID kept me away from the Promised Land. For a guy who visited Las Vegas three or four times a year for a week at a time, I was in severe withdrawal.

My first trip back to Vegas was in June 2022 and I went all out. Vegas is a great place for a nice splurge for any reason under the sun, so here are some things you might want to consider treating yourself to.

I got right into the swing of things with first-class airfare. Coming from the east coast, with the long flight, the time change, and the early start to the day, I usually arrive in Vegas exhausted. Stretching out a little and getting a few hours of halfway decent sleep on the flight were worth it for the extra energy to hit the ground running in Vegas.

I then splashed out on an Executive Theatre one-bedroom suite at the Palazzo. These digs came with a media room, karaoke, pool table, whirlpool tub, elliptical machine, and five TVs. I used to be a “live-out-of-your- suitcase” kind of guy, but in recent years, I’ve enjoyed unpacking and really getting settled in my home away from home for a week. It was also cool to for hanging out, having a few drinks, shooting some pool, and watching the NBA Finals before going out for the evening.

Summertime also means WSOP in Vegas. Now, my bankroll isn’t in Main Event territory, but some events have entry fees as low as $300. If you’re splurging, there’s something at every price point if you want to take a shot at a gold bracelet.

The summer, of course, is also pool season. The Venetian has some awesome cabanas, the grandest of which has plenty of indoor space, its own bathroom, and a private plunge pool. Prices vary depending on the day, but some of the cost goes toward a food-and-beverage minimum that’s not hard to meet if you’re spending the whole day there with a bunch of people. You’ll feel like a king with a VIP-style velvet rope blocking off your space from the rest of the pool crowd.

Venetian has several splurge-worthy restaurants, but CUT steakhouse may offer the biggest splurge of all: Japanese Wagyu beef. Trying it was a bucket-list item for me and the marbling on this steak was unique.

Actually, the whole week was a bucket-list checkmark for me. And once it became a fond memory that I saved up for years to relish, I could go back to my more frequent — and frugal — Vegas ways.