Bellagio Salone Suite Spa Tower: any recent(ish) experiences?

Thinking about our summer trip--it's been a year, I got a (small) promotion, would like to upgrade our lodging a bit. Our recent home base has been the Aria, but I've been feeling the call of Bellagio, which was my/our first Vegas hotel.

I'm currently booked at a regular Aria king room. Was thinking about an upgrade to the Sky Suites (where we stayed once, and loved it), but it's running at least $400/night more than what I'm paying for the regular room. For us, at least, that doesn't compute.

For about $160/night more there is a Salone suite in the spa tower of Bellagio. We've stayed in the spa tower and liked it. The distance to the casino is not an issue, my wife goes to the spa and likes not having to walk through the casino to get there, and the pool access from spa tower is very good. I'm also aware that the Salone suite is really just a big room, and that Bellagio is much more crowded than Aria, and all the other "problems." Despite that, it's calling to me!

Are there any experiences with this specific room? I've searched and I don't see much posted here in the past year.

 

No recent experience, but frankly, it sounds like you already know the pros and cons

 

I'm staying in one myself in 6 weeks - although not in the Spa Tower, but just curious why you didn't try to just change to a corner suite at the Aria. That is a true suite and I'm sure would be far more reasonable in price than the Sky Suites.

 

The Aria Tower Corner suite prices out at $60/night more than the Salone suite at the Bellagio ($382 vs. $320/night). The lowest-level Sky Suite is in the low $500s. (I'm a very low-roller, obviously--and I do most of my gambling on the other side of the street or Ellis Island or downtown. So my room rates aren't that great.)

This seems odd to me. Usually, in my experience, the non-Sky Suite room product at Aria prices out lower than similar stuff at Bellagio. And usually the corner suites aren't listed as that much more than the regular room (which I have reserved for around $150/night).

Maybe it's just the week we're staying there--the prices have seemed "off" for a summer week (Sun-Thu). I haven't checked convention schedules or anything. Or maybe the fact that I already have a room booked at Aria for those dates is throwing off my calendar somehow.

 

That is strange.

I love the Bellagio and am looking forward to my first stay in the Salone Suite. I've never stayed in one before, but I have seen one. Very nice bathroom. I'm pretty sure these are always at the end of the hall, so if memory serves, it is a bit of a hike.

Congrats on the promotion, and enjoy your celebration trip!

 

For what it's worth, I have a trip booked for June and was sent a "you've been selected for an upgrade" email from a king room to either a corner suite ($100/night) or a sky suite strip view ($250/night) in case you want to hang on to your Aria reservation and see if you get lucky

 

I love the salone suite in the main tower. I don't like the hike to the spa tower but if that doesn't matter to you book it!

 

Thanks! I'm doing both of these things--holding on to my Aria reservation, and I'm now booked in a Salone as well. I'll see if I get any emails from Aria (which I often do) or, I suppose, Bellagio.

 

Like UK said, sounds like you know what you're doing.

I've never looked at comparing those two rooms specifically, but I'd say a Corner Suite should be priced higher than a Salone in the Spa Tower. The Corner Suite is bigger and better (being a true suite).

But I'd also say the Corner Suites have really gotten overpriced, too.

I've never stayed in a Salone, but you could possibly throw the Tower King Fountain View at Bellagio into the mix if it's in your budget. Not as big as a Salone, but it was an excellent big (600+ SF) corner room. Only problem is inventory - there's only one on each floor.

 

The Bellagio is still considered a superior property by MGM over Aria. That is reflected in the rates of the rooms to the amenities offered at various price points.

For example, a Corner Suite at Aria which often costs less than a Salone Suite at Bellagio, doesn't come with lounge access. Even the 1 Bedroom Penthouse at Bellagio doesn't come with limo service, while the usually cheaper Aria Sky Suites do.
Aria only has suite specific lounge, no RFB lounge. Their Villas are much more easily booked with less restrictions.

Room vs Room Aria and specifically Aria Sky Suites wins over Bellagio. There are a few exceptions to that rule, however. Even though both properties have slipped in terms of service and ranking on Trip Advisor recently, Aria Sky Suites is still #6 out of 267. Aria is 47 and Bellagio is 62. Bellagio kind of reminds me of the Waldorf Astoria in NYC before it closed for renovations or The Plaza, also in NYC. Grand (older) properties that can command their price point due to their past and one particular feature that is tied to the hotel. For the Bellagio that means the fountains. That is what makes the hotel iconic.

 

I mostly agree. However, based on what I read here, I'm not the only one who has a sort of intangible, almost mystical feeling about Bellagio (despite its failings and the sense that it's not what it used to be). This is not necessarily related to its iconic status, or the fountains. What that intangible aura is worth in dollars, on a per-night basis, is I guess up to each of us to determine!

The Trip Advisor ratings are... interesting. I guess I'll be booking my next trip at the Residence Inn by the airport (#1)!

 

I agree, ratings are subjective, and value for the money certainly plays a part in any rating. However, the fact that MGM's flagship resorts rate so low, MGM Grand itself is even worse at 127, is pathetic.

Bellagio does have a very special quality about it. The fountains are a major part of it. My first impression of it was fantastic, the commercials that were run on TV with Andrea Bocelli for instance. The common areas are gorgeous. Steve Wynn knows how to build a resort. Unfortunately, the stuff MGM has done to it since has only taken away some of its luster.

End of the day, I still very much like Aria and Bellagio. I stayed at Aria Sky Suites last Christmas, and have a stay at Encore and Bellagio this summer. But I can sit it and every resort in Vegas for what they are. I've certainly spent enough time in them.