Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas

There aren’t many cities where a luxury hotel as relentlessly high-end as a Waldorf Astoria would feel bracingly, refreshingly understated, but the desert-bound theme park that is Las Vegas is one of them. The brand’s clean-lined modernist design and discreetly professional service is appealing enough anywhere, but here it’s a breath of life — and frankly, for a lot of guests, it will transform Vegas from deliciously, ironically kitsch to just plain delicious.

The scale of the place is big by our standards but relatively intimate for Las Vegas. The 392 rooms were designed by Adam D. Tihany, and they’re portfolio-perfect exemplars of his quietly stylish approach. They start out somewhat modestly sized, but by the time you’re in a suite you’re looking at a thousand-plus square feet — and the views of the Strip, for all its absurdity, are nothing short of astounding.

It’s a casino-free hotel, which will likely make it very appealing to a certain segment. The spa is world-class, as you’d expect, as is the dining — the signature restaurant, Twist, features the inventive modern cooking of the eminent French chef Pierre Gagnaire. As a stand-alone experience, this Waldorf Astoria, like any of them, is impressive enough — as a base from which to experience (and then escape) the Strip, it’s a stroke of genius.