Reliving Las Vegas

Not unless Hell freezes over, I said. And I meant it. But, in the unlikely event that the desert would withstand an ice cap, over my dead body. I was sure I had made my position crystal clear and yet, here I was, forced to return to Las Vegas for a business trip.

You can't really argue with the boss, especially when you are probably the only person in the universe with an umbrage against Las Vegas. So, in the spirit of having my glass half full, I set about a new mission to disprove my own opinion and seek out a soul in Sin City.

They didn't make it easy for me, with business accommodation planed at the MGM Grand. They had live tigers in a cage until last year, for heaven's sake, this was not going to be a place of soul.

Glass half full, stay focused, get planning.

Let's skip the MGM Grand. It's everything I expected it to be and probably more. None of it with soul and certainly not with style. Between business time I sought my solace...

Dinner, 64 floors up, at Mix by Alain Ducasse. Not an over-gilded lion in sight. Just demure minimalist glamour, cocooned in an amazing curtain of glass bubbles around white decor and amazing food. This was an oasis from the crazy and the perfect place to see the lights of the strip, from above, from the amazing lounge terrace views that had the added advantage of the right amount of distance from the mayhem.

When it comes to drinks, you cannot but admit the wow factor of the Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan. 3 floors of Swarovski wrapped around you, coupled with glass elevators and spiral staircases.

But it's sparkle comes at the compromise of noise and a surge of wannabe glitz magnets drinking champagne. Have a glass, get your bling fix, then cross the tower to Vesper Bar. Enough style and seduction to know it's got luxe, but removed from the jingle of slot machines and the floods of teenagers. 

Sleeping. It's possible you won't do a great deal of that, to be fair, and with constant noise and music, your choice of hotel may mean that is not always through choice. 

My duty of work done, I made a swift exit from MGM madness to the calm of Vdara. Smoke free, casino free. 

Yes, in Vegas, and a lake view 51 floors up that gave me an unprecedented birds eye view view of the amazing Bellagio fountains, the one thing I did cherish from my first (and supposed last) visit to Vegas. Sublime service, chic interiors and a connection to the other oasis of hotels, Aria, where you will dine in peace at the amazing Julian Serrano.

So far, so good. We had uncovered the better side of a Sin City, albeit you need to dig deep to find the gems. Often you need to pass through Vegas' worst to reach the best, but it is possible to escape the bedlam. If you do one thing on your next trip, visit the Neon Museum, and visit at night. Behind the Strip, it's a boneyard of the past before the original Vegas was broken back. Relics of the 50's and beyond of the neon classics that lit up the doorways and roofs of iconic buildings that are no longer there. An amazing experience and a true insight to Vegas' heart.

So, what goes on in Vegas, stays in Vegas. I have learned never say never, but it's highly unlikely I will return. Not through choice, anyway. If it's kitsch and replica and gaudy fun, take your pick from one end of the Strip to the next. But if you want a little style to offset the crazy, this blog will make your trip tolerable, even enjoyable.

'Til next time, Pandora

Jagger, Garland and Me - Lounging with Legends at The Gore Hotel

Those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook will know about my penchant for teasing. Triptease, that is. It's my perfect place to capture the magic moment of my many travels, in a quick hit review to a community that loves style and travel.

But, one thing I promised to do this year was find time to write a little more, blog with more frequency than my diary normally permits, about the extra special places that really make it to my favourites list.

The Gore Hotel in London is one that deserves such attention. A hidden gem if ever there was one, tucked off the main thoroughfare, opposite Queens Gate at Hyde Park.

"Gore or Goring...", the cabbie asked me. Apparently many get confused. I knew exactly where I was going. I had sought The Gore out from great passing feedback and wanted to check it out for myself.

Not my typical first choice, design-wise. I lean to minimalist, modern and often quirky. The Gore is traditional, regal, quintessentially British in its deep green and red decor with lots of draped velvet. 

But it did have quirk. Quirk, I was not expecting, and I loved it! 

For every large wooden bed post and ornate mirror, there are funky mini bar treats and turn down service English Apple boiled sweets. For every antique oil painting there is a chic restaurant serving truffle champagne risotto and sorbet with smoked salmon. 

The service is exceptional, brightly cheery and incredibly personal. You expect that in a boutique hotel, but this is London. At The Gore, it's here and it's heart-lifting. 

The best bits? Bar 190. Impossible to describe, totally unexpected buzz and a must visit for the cool London barfly. Tiffany style lamps and mahogany heavy set bar, illuminated in hot pink lighting and sporting a great cocktail list. Ornate candelabras create a moody scene and the many photographs of The Rolling Stones pay homage to the launch they held at The Gore of their Beggars Banquet album in 1968. 

And parked at the back, the glorious pink crushed velvet Cinderella Carriage, for private and VIP entertaining. Fabulously eclectic.

Elsewhere, for more calm, a Green Room with complimentary refreshments to be enjoyed in Chesterfield leather by a roaring fire, a retreat from the busy bar. Equally, a surprisingly diverse menu in the very Gatsby-meets-Parisienne brasserie restaurant. Nothing fails to surprise.

My favourite story of all is the residency of Judy Garland. Who moved her belongings to The Gore, such was her love of the place. When times got tough and finances too stretched to pay her stay, she donated the furniture she had moved in and there is rests in the hotel today. 

History and hospitality at its finest, this is a break from the norm and a wonderful place to visit and stay.

'Til next time, Pandora