Review: NoMad Las Vegas

How did it strike you on arrival?
NoMad Las Vegas is a hotel within a hotel; specifically, the Park MGM, the completely rethought former Monte Carlo. But unlike some other hotel-in-hotel pairings in Las Vegas, there's some synchronicity here, since the Sydell Group had a hand in the redesign of the entire property. But while Park MGM is fun and accessible, with the very cool  Dolby Live off the lobby; a fabulous and fun Eataly as a de facto food court; and chef restaurateurs like Roy Choi amping up the energy, NoMad is its totally grown-up side. It's all old-world luxury here, with sexy dark corners and a grand, library-inspired restaurant (filled with the actual collection of David Rockefeller). When you walk into NoMad, it's like wandering into some amazing secret hidey-hole. There's no over-the-top lobby—you go through a discreet red awning and find yourself in a quiet, tapestry-surrounded registration room—and an art-filled model of discretion that sends you via elevator to the top four floors of Park MGM.

Give us the backstory on this place. 
When MGM Resorts International decided to redo the old Monte Carlo hotel, the company partnered on the NoMad concept with Sydell Group, chef Daniel Humm, and restaurateur Will Guidara, the team behind the brand's flagship in New York City, among other properties. The design, executed by Jacques Garcia (think La Mamounia in Marrakesh, Hotel Costes and the Peninsula in Paris, among others), takes its cues from the classical theaters of France and peppers in some clever, decidedly non-Vegas-ified references, including the restaurant's velvet banquettes, which were inspired by the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro. And the team kept in place historic details, including the Monte Carlo's original Tiffany glass ceiling.

The good stuff: Tell us about the rooms.
The fewer than 300 rooms, all on the top four floors of the hotel, are divided into 10 categories. The Grande Suite is spacious, with a walk-in shower with Carrara marble tiles, a mahogany writing desk, and a separate sitting room. If you love the Old World romance of a freestanding tub, this is where you should be.

How about food and drinks—in room and out?
With etched Champagne coupes and an array of expected (Pepsi, La Croix) and unexpected (Haribo gummies) treats, these rooms have the best minibars on the Strip. But head downstairs and you'll also find NoMad Restaurant and NoMad Bar, two dining destinations in their own right.

How did you find the service, start to finish?
Service here is graceful, smooth, and just formal enough to make you wonder if you're still in Las Vegas. Registration is kind of a hushed affair, which is wonderful.

Who stays here?
NoMad devotees who secretly love Las Vegas but aren't entirely willing to admit to it. Once they've let their guard down, they're out there with the rest of us, yelling for the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile across the street and sucking down peach slushies at Best Friend by Roy Choi.

What's the area like?
Park MGM is one of the most walkable of all the resorts on the Strip: just a quick jaunt to the Shops at Crystals, The Cosmopolitan, Aria, and MGM Grand. In balmy weather, head to The Park, the outdoor space between T-Mobile Arena, Park MGM, and New York-New York.

Anything stand out about other services and features? What else stuck with you?
Jemaa, the third-floor roof deck and pool area, is completely transporting. Designed by Jacques Garcia to recall his own work in Marrakesh, the space is awash in Majorelle Blue, with oversized wicker chaises and daybeds. The lure here is craft cocktails, devised by Leo Robitschek of the NoMad Bar in New York City. For snacks, try the gussied-up lobster roll, the prawn cocktail with oysters, and the Moroccan quinoa bowl with honey harissa and salmon.