I've spent more time with Lisa Vanderpump than I can begin to estimate. I've dined at her various Los Angeles establishments and watched all of her nine seasons of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and 12 seasons of the subsequent spinoff show "Vanderpump
Rules" several times over. It can sometimes feel like I know her personally, her idiosyncrasies etched into my psyche. And now, I've spent the night at hers.
On June 11, the English restaurateur and reality star celebrated the grand opening of The Vanderpump Hotel, her Las Vegas boutique hotel in partnership with Caesars Entertainment. Smack dab in the middle of the Strip on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road, the hotel — formerly The Cromwell — has Vanderpump's fingerprints all over it, from the glamorous accommodations to the sultry, velvet-draped lobby lounge.
Asked to describe the hotel in three words, Vanderpump replies: personable, decadent, and, of course, sexy.
It's important to note that Vanderpump has become somewhat of a Vegas fixture in recent years since the 2019 opening of the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, located in Caesars Palace. She subsequently opened the restaurants Vanderpump à Paris and Pinky's at the Flamingo. The hotel, however, is a first.
I spent three days exploring the Vegas Vanderverse in celebration of the hotel's opening weekend. It was my first time in Las Vegas, actually, which felt fitting for a proud Bravo buff. Here's how it went.
About the Vanderpump Hotel
What I Like About the Vanderpump Hotel
The first thing I noticed upon arriving in Vegas was the air. It was barely noon and the desert heat nearing 100°F nearly took my breath away. But before I had too much time to think about it, I was whisked away in a purple Cadillac featuring the license plate "2VILLA."
On the 10-minute drive from the airport, Vanderpump was everywhere. Advertisements for her hotel and restaurants towered over the Strip.
I pulled up to the lobby, where I was greeted by a giant display of fuchsia orchids. After a pleasant check-in, I scanned the casino floor, clocking campy details like the red telephone box backdropped by a floor-to-ceiling photo of Vanderpump in London. Further down, a gallery wall displayed highlights from Vanderpump's life, including a photo of her with her daughter Pandora as a baby, but then also her official "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" cast portrait.
The ground floor met all my aesthetic expectations: purple velvet furniture, fringe lampshades, gold hardware here, there, and everywhere. What I didn't expect was the lobby's real statement piece: a five-foot tall resin statue of Vanderpump's late pomeranian Giggy, watching over his namesake bar, Gigolo.
The statue is Vanderpump's favorite detail in the hotel. "The little guy that saved thousands of dogs," Vanderpump told Popsugar, reflecting on Giggy as the inspiration for the Vanderpump Dog Foundation. "He's an icon, he belongs there. I felt it was a little too much to ask people to bow down at his feet, but I thought his being there was a nod to all he did for all the dogs in the world."
Upstairs, the hotel is comparatively understated. When I opened the door to my double queen room, I was struck by the soft lavender and pistachio color scheme. Photos of Vanderpump are everywhere (because duh) and a quote about the "good life" and "glory" appears in both English and French in the shower. Honestly, my first impression was that this is the perfect hotel for a bachelorette trip.
For a boutique hotel, this one has many convenient features. Before the grand opening party, I ordered a margherita pizza and arugula salad from room service, and it was just what I needed before a long night of imbibing and yapping in the sweltering heat. (The lemon cookies at Giada also can't be missed.)
In the morning, I appreciated being able to slip down to Starbucks for an iced latte as the all-night partiers and early-bird gamblers crossed paths.
And though no one associates a trip to Vegas with restful sleep, I did manage to reset at the end of each (very indulgent) day thanks to the notably comfortable bed with its crisp sheets and nice variety of pillows.
Vanderpump's got good taste, not that I ever doubted her.
What to Consider Before Booking the Vanderpump Hotel
While my stay made this Bravo fan quite content, there are a few considerations for prospective travelers. For starters, it is a boutique hotel, so it won't have as many amenities and dining options as some of the larger properties, like Caesars Palace or The Venetian up the street.
That said, Caesars is easily accessible via a walkway, so I enjoyed hopping over to the hotel to eat at Peter Luger and Nobu. Also, after a grand tour of every Vanderpump dining establishment in Vegas, I can report that Pinky's at Flamingo Las Vegas was my hands-down favorite. It's a four-minute walk from the Vanderpump Hotel and worth it for the Art Deco decor alone.
One other consideration: parts of the hotel still feel very much in transition, at least during my stay. The pre-existing Soleia rooftop pool, for example, didn't seem to have the full Vanderpump treatment yet. In fact, "Love Island USA" fans might recognize it as the season two filming location. I, however, look forward to its aesthetic upgrade, which I was told will eventually happen.
Who the Vanderpump Hotel Is Best For
My first impression remains true: the Vanderpump Hotel is primed for bachelorette trips. (Even better if the group consists of Bravo fans.) It's also fitting for anyone attending BravoCon, which typically takes place at the Caesars Forum.
Rating
★★★★☆
Kelsey Garcia (she/her) is the lifestyle director at PS, where she oversees coverage across Balance and Health & Fitness. Kelsey is passionate about travel, wellness trends, and evolving parenting styles. Before joining the PS team as an editorial assistant in 2015, she interned at Elle and Harper's Bazaar, among other publications.
