Jetsettersblog

Wynn Resorts’ Encore opened last night in Las Vegas next to the flagship Wynn Las Vegas. Conceived as a collection of neighborhoods, the 2,034-suite resort features a European-inspired pool area and an atrium as its centerpieces. Other design elements include lush landscaping, water features, candlelight and layers of textured materials. Encore’s suites are cosmopolitan and residential in style and décor. They’re also large, with Resort Suites measuring 700 square feet and Tower Suites measuring up to 5,800 square feet.

The property offers five restaurants: Sinatra features modern Italian cuisine and music by Frank Sinatra, Switch is a French-inspired seafood and steakhouse, Botero Steak features an art collection by Columbian artist Fernando Botero, Society Cafe Encore was designed with Oscar Wilde in mind, and Wazuzu features pan-Asian cuisine. Encore also offers seven bars and lounges. Encore also brings a new nightclub to the scene. At XS, after-dark impresario Victor Drai combines an outdoor pool environment with the club atmosphere. The club’s design is inspired by the curves of the human body and embraces the European pool and island bar it envelopes.

The dance floor at XS is highlighted by a 10-foot rotating chandelier.

The Spa and The Salon at Encore features a grand Spa Court, a vaulted, softly-lit and glass-enclosed courtyard. There are 37 treatment rooms, 14 naturally-lit garden rooms and four oversized couples’ suites for massages, body treatments and facials.

Two movement studios offering spinning, yoga, pilates, conditioning and meditation classes are part of the new fitness center.

The Esplanade at Encore consists 11 boutiques, including Rock & Republic, Hermes and Chanel. Inspired by the festive energy of the French Riviera, the pools at Encore include the resort pool and the European pool, enveloped by the hotel’s bars, restaurants, casino and meeting rooms.

The pools are surrounded by sculpted gardens and mosaic tiling and feature Jacuzzi spas and 29 cabanas.
At Encore, the casino floor features columned pavilions, canopies and draperies that partition the gaming areas into private chambers. Encore also offers 60,000 square feet of custom-designed, configurable event space, from private boardrooms to an expansive, column-free ballroom. The facility is connected to Wynn Las Vegas, where an additional 200,000 square feet of space is available. Entertainment includes a new show by singer, comedian, actor and impressionist Danny Gans in the Encore Theater, which will debut in February.

For more information, call 877-321-9966 or visit www.encorelasvegas.com

The Element Las Vegas Summerlin, a Starwood property, has opened in the Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin, the first Element hotel to open in the western United States. Inspired by Westin Hotels & Resorts, the 123-room Element features a portal that provides an actual bridge to the interior, streams of natural light from a multi-storied window wall, and an outdoor fire pit and barbecue near the lobby where a weekly evening reception takes place.

Each guestroom is customizable with multi-purpose, modular furniture; a swiveling, flat-screen television; a large desks with open shelving; and custom-designed closets. Each room also offers a fully equipped kitchen that features Energy Star-rated appliances, as well as a Heavenly Bed and a spa-inspired Heavenly shower. Hotel amenities include a breakfast offering, a fitness center, plenty of indoor and outdoor public spaces, 1,400 square feet of meeting space, an integrated technology center and library, café seating, a workspace, and a flexible lobby space.

The hotel is working toward LEED certification in its first year of operation, as part of the Element brand’s effort to require all its hotels to pursue this certification. The Element brand’s green features energy-efficient appliances and lighting, amenity dispensers in the showers to reduce waste, water-efficient faucets and fixtures, and recycling containers.

For more information, call 877-353-6368 or visit www.starwoodhotels.com/element

The M Resort, Spa and Casino, the newest casino resort scheduled to open in March 2009 on South Las Vegas Boulevard, has begun accepting room reservations. The luxury resort will offer 390 guestrooms and suites ranging from 550 to 2,400 square feet. Beds feature pillow-top mattresses and fine linens. Each room offers a living space that includes high-technology amenities such as a Bose Wave sound system, an iPod docking station and an LCD flat-screen television. The spa-like bathrooms offer marble vanities with double sinks, inlaid mirror televisions and separate bathtubs and showers. All resort rooms and suites feature automatic lighting controls for energy efficiency.

Hotel amenities include a spa, salon and fitness center; several dining experiences and destination bars including a modern wine cellar and tasting room; and the 100,000-square-foot Villaggio Del Sole Entertainment Piazza for concert events as well as several indoor venues including the Ravello and Milan Showrooms for more intimate performances. It will also feature advanced gaming products and the iMagine Rewards Club.

For more information, call 877-673-7678 or visit www.themresort.com

oneworld® has become the first in the travel industry to sell multiairline
round-the-world air tickets on-line with its new internet booking tool for its oneworld Explorer fare. This also makes oneworld the first global airline alliance to offer any of its public fares for sale through the worldwide web.

The new on-line booking tool is available now through oneworld.com The alliance’s member airlines will add it to their own websites too or provide links from their internet sites to the oneworld.com facility – at www.oneworld.com/ow/flight-info/plan-and-book-your-itinerary
oneworld Explorer is among the most popular multi-airline tickets worldwide, enabling passengers to travel right around the globe using the flights of any of oneworld’s ten member airline and 20 or so affiliates, who together serve some 700 destinations in approaching 150 countries.

With the launch this new oneworld internet tool, customers or their travel agents can for the first time both plan their round-the-world itinerary and now book and pay for their tickets on-line. The system has a number of special features to make it as simple as possible for customers to plan oneworld Explorer round-the-world trips.

As they build their itinerary - simply by clicking on destinations displayed on the alliance’s interactive map - the system automatically checks availability and displays only flights that have seats available for each route and date selected. It also validates that the itinerary meets all the fare’s rules and conditions - and then provides an instant price for the trip. Once customers have finalised their itinerary - which can be of up to 16 sectors - they can pay online using a credit card (see notes) and print out all the details. The e-tickets for the entire trip are then sent to the customer by email.

oneworld Vice-President Commercial Nicolas Ferri said: “The tremendous value and flexibility our oneworld Explorer fares offer now combined with the ease and simplicity of planning, booking and paying on-line extends oneworld and our member airlines’ leading position for worldwide travel. We are delighted to be the first and only alliance - and indeed the first in the travel industry - to offer this level of convenience to our customers and travel agency partners, building further on our record of
innovation.”

The booking engine project has been led on behalf of all the alliance’s carriers by Qantas. Its General Manager Sales and Distribution Rob Gurney said: “With so many possibilities of places to visit and routes to take, planning and booking a round-the-world trip can be time-consuming - both for our customers and sales representatives. Our new, easy-to-use on-line booking and payment facility simplifies the entire operation, saving customers a huge amount of time and providing them with far more flexibility in planning their trips. It will also reduce costs for our member airlines and free up time of airline and travel agency reservations agents to handle other tasks.” oneworld first to sell alliance fares on-line…

Unlike other round-the-world fares, oneworld Explorer’s price is based on the number of continents visited (three to six), not the mileage flown, making planning and pricing journeys much more simple and flexible. It covers flights worldwide by all oneworld member and affiliate airlines.

With oneworld the only airline alliance with members based in South America, Australia or Asia’s Middle East, it is just the ticket for anyone who truly wants to circumnavigate the globe. It offers great flexibility and value, generating the largest portion of the US$725 million revenues earned by oneworld for its member airlines through its alliance fares and sales activities last year.

Around 50,000 people bought a oneworld Explorer round-the-world ticket last year. oneworld Explorer can be booked for travel in Economy, Premium Economy (where available), Business or even First Class, and earn frequent flyer programme mileage awards and tier status points. Prices from the USA start at US$3,900, from the UK at GBP1,349, from Euro-zone countries at EUR1,999, and from Australia at A$3,499, all excluding any taxes, charges and surcharges. For lead-in prices from other countries and full details, see www.oneworld.com/ow/air-traveloptions/
round-the-world-fares/oneworld-explorer#fare-estimate

The on-line booking tool build on oneworld’s record for innovation. More than three years ago, it became the first of the global alliances to put in place interline e-ticketing (IET) links between all members of the grouping, enabling customers to travel with the convenience of just one electronic ticket for journeys involving any combination of alliance’s member airlines. Rival alliances have only recently completed links between their own member airlines.

Initially, oneworld Explorer itineraries ticketed through British Airways (generally when the first sector flown is on British Airways) will still need to have their payment processed through a British Airways sales outlet rather than on-line. The airline ticketing the itinerary will be displayed in the reservations’ confirmation page, before the booking is completed and payment requested. oneworld Explorer sectors in Premium Economy cabins cannot at this stage be booked on-line. oneworld developed the on-line booking engine in cooperation with Innovata, the global leader in travel related content management and content distribution, and Amadeus, the global distribution system, which also supports the majority of oneworld’s member airlines.

About oneworld oneworld brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian, and around 20 affiliates including American Eagle, Dragonair, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru. Mexicana and its affiliate Click Mexicana will join the alliance in 2009.

Between them, these airlines
:
• Serve almost 700 airports in nearly 150 countries, with more than 9,000 daily departures.
• Offer nearly 550 airport lounges for premium customers.
• Carry some 320 million passengers a year.
• Employ 250,000 people and operate almost 2,500 aircraft.
• Generate more than US$100 billion annual revenues.

oneworld is the only alliance with any member airlines based in Australia, South America or Asia’s Middle East. The alliance enables its members to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. These include a broader route network, opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles and points across the combined oneworld network and more airport lounges. oneworld was voted the World’s Leading Airline Alliance for the sixth year running in the 2008 World Travel Awards, retaining the title ever since it was first presented.

THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY GIFT

Providing access to an unrivalled world of privileges, benefits, expert knowledge and a global network of insider information, a Quintessentially membership offers the perfect present this Christmas.

Quintessentially is a unique private members’ club and global luxury lifestyle group committed to delivering nothing but the best in high quality services. Available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, by telephone or email, Quintessentially provides unlimited access to an unrivalled package of privileges, preferential rates and bespoke services, and acts as your very own PA – any time, anywhere.

With three tiers of membership available, starting from $1500 per year Quintessentially provides an affordable and long-lasting support to help guide you through to 2009. From securing last minute hotel reservations and travel deals, to restaurant bookings and access to events and galas around the world, Quintessentially is here to help. Offering an excellent benchmark of service and a unique network of insider information and benefits, Quintessentially aims to bring you nothing but the best, making it not only an invaluable resource but, more importantly, an easily accessible time and money saving solution.

Membership also includes access to the growing number of expert Quintessentially sister companies which can cater to all your needs including the dedicated personal shopping service Quintessentially Gifts, the bespoke experience company Quintessentially Escape, the bespoke wine service Quintessentially Wine and many more including Quintessentially Art, Quintessentially Events, Quintessentially Estates and Quintessentially Flowers. Members are also sent a weekly Quintessentially newsletter, packed full of the latest news, views, events and benefits, as well as the Quintessentially Magazine, published quarterly.

Quintessentially now encompasses a staggering 44 offices in a host of major cities worldwide, in destinations as diverse as Hong Kong, Cape Town, Istanbul, Mozambique, Cairo, Panama, Los Angeles and Sydney with a number of new office launches planned in the coming months, including those in Amsterdam, Auckland, Chicago, Luxemburg and Kuala Lumpur.

Goes Farther And Faster To Achieve Top Results

New travel search engine nowfly.co.uk launches today, looking set to overhaul the standards of speed and accuracy established by other well-known market leaders. At a time when finding the best value option is more important than ever to travellers, nowfly.co.uk delivers equal or better fares than its rivals. And it is seriously quick, too.

Cleanly designed and easy to use, nowfly.co.uk was started by a group of online and travel experts with a clear objective to provide an easy, fun, and best priced way of finding a flight, hotel or car rental. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has extensive experience in the online and travel sectors.

There are a number of factors which set nowfly.co.uk apart from its competitors:

• The site has gone through extensive usability testing and the results have shown that the site is clearly presented and easy to navigate.

• The content is broad and wide, searching more than 340 airlines with routes, fares and availability and giving the user essential information about booking their flight, hotel or car rental.

• The team studied the way flight results are presented with other travel and airlines websites and recognised that the user wants maximum flexibility when booking their flight itinerary. nowfly.co.uk uses an airline-style search, presenting results for each sector rather than lumping outbound and inbound options together.

• nowfly.co.uk searches low-cost, charter and scheduled airlines, giving a well-informed choice to the traveller, along with the flexibility to choose the best departure and arrival times.

• The site has third-party integration with leading, well-known travel sites as well as airlines, hotels and car rental suppliers.

• The website has geo-coded results for all the leading hotel chains and major consolidators, using the Google Maps Application Programming Interface (API) to visually place hotel results.

• Car rental options are found by using the leading car rental suppliers and consolidators globally.

• nowfly.co.uk uses the Ajax web application, retrieving data from the server asynchronously in the background. This means it loads before the user’s very eyes, without the need for a separate wait page.

Utilising cutting-edge technology, nowfly.co.uk is the first site in the UK to employ the full suite of the TRAVELfusion API. Dan has worked closely with TRAVELfusion over the past year. “I knew they were a great, innovative travel technology company and felt that they were the right people to work with,” Dan comments. “I believe that the combination of good content from TRAVELfusion, matched with a great user-face, is a compelling proposition for travellers booking trips online.”

Comments Moshe Rafiah, TRAVELfusion CEO: “This is exactly the kind of partnership that we envisioned when we created our XML API programme. By combining the most advanced travel search technologies developed by TRAVELfusion with innovative applications such as nowfly.co.uk, we have created a winning formula for success.”

TRAVELfusion is a world leader in constructing powerful travel search and web fare booking tools which search, aggregate, compare and book travel content from the web. Based around the company’s patented TRIPplannerXML platform, TRAVELfusion has integrated hundreds of travel suppliers including air, hotel, car, rail and ferry as well as adding its unique content generated directly by travel suppliers.

Money-saving price comparison websites have grown in reach and reputation over the last few years. According to a 2008 study undertaken by e-consultancy.com, Comparison Shopping Engines (CSEs) contributed to around 10% of online sales for retailers. Approximately 43% of these retailers claimed that their sales had increased in the last 12 months.

The next phase for nowfly.co.uk is to introduce further useful travel tips as well as community-based content to help users make better informed decisions.

The company will also run a number of marketing campaigns to keep users abreast of great travel offers, including ancillary products such as travel insurance, car parking and foreign currency. Product innovation and enhancement is key and will be driven forward to keep nowfly.co.uk looking fresh, without losing sight of the founding principle – fast and highly competitive travel search results every time.

About www.nowfly.co.uk:

nowfly.co.uk was established at the beginning of 2008. The management team comprises a mix of travel and online experts with extensive experience within these fields. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has worked within the travel and online sectors for over 15 years. Dan worked within the Virgin Group for 12 years, initially starting his career at Virgin Atlantic and most recently with thetrainline.com.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic piped in the holiday season of 2008 with a warm-hearted offering of Christmas favorites before an appreciative audience young and old at Ham Hall on the UNLV campus.

Music Director David Itkin and orchestra were joined by a quartet of vocalists—soprano Joan Sobel, mezzo-soprano Leslie Harper, tenor Matt Newman and baritone Tod Fitzpatrick–as well as The Las Vegas Master Singers and The University Children’s Chorale.

In addition to welcome standbys like “White Christmas” and “Silent Night”, Itkin also contributed an orchestral composition of his own: a lively musical setting to the poem “A Night before Christmas”.

The next Pops Concert in the Philharmonic season will be “You and the Night and the Music”, featuring “Phantom” star Brent Barrett (March 21). The Masterworks series continues into the winter season with cellist Zuill Bailey heading up a Tchaikovsky evening (February 14).

- Review by Jerry Nemanic, Jetsetters Magazine Entertainment Editor.

Fireworks will light up the sky over The Strip as a New Year’s Eve celebration transforms into a scorching Las Vegas extravaganza. Indulge in first-class hotel packages, exciting shows and sizzling nightlife within the fabulous resorts of the “Entertainment Capital of the World.”

MANDALAY BAY

miX in Las Vegas
The most spectacular Las Vegas view in the city is at miX in Las Vegas. Spend your New Year’s Eve watching fireworks 64 floors high above The Strip. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. General admission is $150 per guest. New Year’s Eve table reservations are available. For more information, call (702) 632-9526.

House of Blues

Guests can ring in the New Year at House of Blues with two different styles of musical entertainment. In the Courtyard & Crossroads, join Vegas’ high-energy band, Purple Reign: The Prince Tribute. General admission is $50. New Year’s Eve dinner specials are available. Doors open at 10 p.m. For reservations, call (702) 632-7600.

House of Blues presents Akon at the Music Hall. Tickets are $175, $155, $130 and $125. Doors open at 10 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 632-7600.

MAMMA MIA!

New Year’s Eve performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $110, $82.50 and $49.50 inclusive. For reservations, call (702) 632-7580.

Deluxe accommodations are available at Mandalay Bay and THEhotel. No restrictions apply. To reserve a room, call (877) 632-7800 or book online at www.mandalaybay.com

LUXOR

CRISS ANGEL Believe by Cirque du Soleil®

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $160, $135, $109, $89 and $69 plus tax and service fees. Guests must be 18 years of age or older. New Year’s Eve dinner and show packages are available at Fusia, TENDER Steak & Seafood, CatHouse and Company American Bistro. For reservations, call (702) 262-4400.

LAX

As fireworks glitter across the Las Vegas skyline on New Year’s Eve, Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian will celebrate an unforgettable year at the hottest nightclub to land on The Strip. Party-goers will share a club-wide champagne toast with the Kardashian sisters at the stroke of midnight. Advance tickets for New Year’s Eve are $200. Doors open at 10 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 262-4LAX.

CARROT TOP

Named “Entertainer of the Year,” wacky prop comic Carrot Top will perform at 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Tickets are priced at $59.95 and $49.95 plus tax and handling fees. Guests must be 18 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 262-4400.

FANTASY

FANTASY will ring in the New Year with a special 9 p.m. performance. Tickets are priced at $55, $50 and $45 plus tax and handling fees. Guests must be 18 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 262-4400.

Deluxe accommodations are available at Luxor. To reserve a room, call (888) 777-0188 or book online at www.luxor.com

NEW YORK-NEW YORK

Brooklyn Bridge

The Bridge Bash will take place Monday, Dec. 31 at New York-New York’s Brooklyn Bridge and Nine Fine Irishmen from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Priced at $150 per person plus tax and gratuity, the bash will provide guests with an open premium bar, entertainment by DJ Chris Landry and go-go dancers. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to attend. To purchase tickets, call Zumanity box office at (702) 740-6815.

ROK Vegas™

Be prepared to experience New Year’s Eve nightlife like never before at New York-New York. ROK will welcome 2009 by mesmerizing party-goers with riveting mash-ups and rock-inspired imagery.

Premium admission is $200 which includes an open bar from 9 p.m. to midnight and a champagne toast. General admission is $125 and also includes a champagne toast. For table reservations, call (702) 755-9395.

Zumanity by Cirque du Soleil®

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tickets are priced at $139, $109, $89 and $79 plus tax and service fee. Guests must be 18 years of age or older. New Year’s Eve Sensual Side Package is available. Package includes two tickets to Zumanity, two complimentary Zumanitini’s and deluxe accommodations at New York-New York. For reservations, call (866) 815-4365.

Coyote Ugly

Coyote Ugly offers a New Year’s Eve celebration with party favors and a complimentary champagne toast. Tickets are priced at $50 in advance and are standing room only. Doors open at 6 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 740-6815.

Deluxe accommodations are available at New York-New York. To make reservations, call (866) 815-4365 or visit www.nynyhotelcasino.com

BELLAGIO

The Bank Nightclub

Multi-platinum, Grammy award-winning recording artist, Usher, will entertain The Bank’s elite crowd on New Year’s Eve with a special countdown and complimentary champagne toast at midnight.

Individual tickets are $150 per person with no minimum limit for guests. Table reservation packages start at $250 per person with a minimum of four (4) people per group. There will be a two (2) bottle minimum on all tables. Table customers will be required to purchase one (1) bottle per every three (3) guests. Bottle service guests will receive a complimentary bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne. Doors open at 10 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 693-8300.

“O” by Cirque du Soleil®

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $160, $135, $109 and $103.50 plus tax and handling fees. New Year’s Eve dinner and show packages are available at Jasmine, FIX and Sensi. For reservations, call (702) 796-9999.

Deluxe accommodations are available at Bellagio. To reserve a room, call (702) 693-7444 or (888) 987-6667 or book online at www.bellagio.com

MGM GRAND

Studio 54

Guests can ring in the New Year at Studio 54’s New Year’s Gala. The exclusive celebration will include an open bar from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. which includes complimentary party favors and Studio 54’s signature, dynamic dancers. Don’t wait in line…Las Vegas’ favorite dance club will offer a pre-paid ticket line to usher party-goers directly into the club. Tickets are $100 in advance and $150 at the door. Doors open at 9 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 891-7254.

Tabú Ultra Lounge

Tabú Ultra Lounge presents Naughty New Year’s Eve featuring an intimate setting, beautiful model servers and renowned DJs. Guests will enjoy complimentary champagne bar from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., hors d’oeuvres and party favors. Tabú’s model servers, dressed in their sexy New Year’s attire, will cater to guests’ every need. Tickets are $150 in advance and $200 at the door. Doors open at 9 p.m. A limited number of tables are available for guests purchasing bottle service. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 891-7129.

MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $63.50 and $53.50 inclusive. Guests must be 18 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 891-7777.

KÀ by Cirque du Soleil®

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $160, $135, $109 and $79 plus tax and handling fees. New Year’s Eve dinner and show packages are available at Craftsteak, Pearl and Fiamma Trattoria & Bar. For reservations, call (702) 531-2000.

The Signature at MGM Grand

Deluxe accommodations are available at The Signature at MGM Grand. To make a reservation, call (877) 727-0007 or book online at www.signaturemgmgrand.com

Deluxe accommodations are available at MGM Grand. To reserve a room, call (800) 929-1111 or book online at www.mgmgrand.com

THE MIRAGE

JET Nightclub

Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood of News Kids On The Block take a break from their sold-out world tour to host an action-packed New Year’s Eve bash at JET Nightclub at The Mirage. Donnie and Danny will lead the crowd in a high-energy countdown to 2009 with a special edition video set by acclaimed DJ Roonie G, renowned worldwide for his impressive audio/visual mash-ups.

Individual tickets are $150 per person, with no minimum limit for guests, and includes VIP entrance and a hosted bar from 10 p.m. to midnight. Prices are subject to change. Table packages start at $200 per person with a minimum of six (6) people per group. There will be a two (2) bottle minimum on all tables. Table customers will be required to purchase an additional bottle per every four (4) guests. Bottle service guests will receive a complimentary bottle of White Star champagne. Doors open at 10 p.m. Guests must be 21 years or older. For reservations, call (702) 693-8300.

The Beatles™ LOVE™ by Cirque du Soleil®

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are priced at $160, $135, $109 and $103.50 plus tax and handling fees. New Year’s Eve dinner and show packages are available at Fin, kokomo’s, Onda Ristorante, STACK and Japonais. For reservations, call (702) 792-7777.

The Beatles™ REVOLUTION Lounge

Featuring an open bar as well as the sounds of DJ Trens and DJ Shane Thomas, REVOLUTION will be the ultimate ultra lounge to welcome 2009.

Pre-sale, individual tickets are $75 per person and $100 at the door with no minimum limit for guests. The price includes VIP entrance and a hosted bar from 10 p.m. until midnight. Prices are subject to change. Table reservation packages will start at $75 per person with a minimum of four (4) people per group and a one (1) bottle minimum. Table customers will be required to purchase one (1) bottle for every additional four (4) guests. Doors open at 10 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 693-8300.

Deluxe accommodations are available at The Mirage. To reserve a room, call (800) 627-6667 or book online at www.mirage.com

TREASURE ISLAND

Mystère by Cirque du Soleil®

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are priced at $105, $85 and $70 plus tax and handling fees. New Year’s Eve dinner and show packages are available at Social House, Isla Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar and The Steak House. For reservations, call (702) 796-9999.

Christian Audigier The Nightclub
Celebrity couple Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt will celebrate New Year’s Eve at the most fashionable club in Las Vegas. Party-goers will feel like celebrity royalty as Montag and Pratt count down the final seconds of 2008 and raise a glass to toast the start of 2009.

With the patio providing an amazing view of the fireworks display lighting up the sky, Christian Audigier The Nightclub will be the most chic place to celebrate the final evening of the year. Ticket prices start at $150. Doors open at 10 p.m. Limited seating is available. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For reservations, call (702) 894-7580.

Deluxe accommodations are available at Treasure Island. To reserve a room, call (800) 288-7206 or book online at www.treasureisland.com

MONTE CARLO

Brew Pub

Zowie Bowie, the high-energy, glamorous singing duo, will usher in 2009 at the Monte Carlo Brew Pub. Show times are 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and 12:30 a.m. on January 1. General admission starts at $35 per person and includes passed appetizers until 11 p.m. and a champagne toast at midnight. VIP admission starts at $95 per person and includes VIP entry, open bar until 11 p.m., passed appetizers and a champagne toast at midnight. VIP Table packages are available starting at $200. Doors open at 8 p.m. Guests must be 21 years of age or older. For tickets and reservations, call (702) 730-7332 or visit www.montecarlo.com

Deluxe accommodations are available at Monte Carlo to celebrate New Year’s Eve. To reserve a room, call (866) 324-4750 or book online at www.montecarlo.com

EXCALIBUR

Tournament of Kings Dinner Show

New Year’s Eve performances are scheduled for 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets for the 6 p.m. performance are $58.24 plus tax and handling fees. The 8:30 p.m. performance will feature a special New Year’s Eve dinner, champagne toast and party favors. Tickets are priced at $85.46 plus tax and handling fees. For reservations, call (702) 597-7600.

Deluxe accommodations are available at Excalibur. To reserve a room, call (800) 937-7777 or book online at www.excalibur.com

CIRCUS CIRCUS

Spend New Year’s Eve under the Big Top at Circus Circus. To make reservations, call (800) 634-3450 or book online at www.circuscircus.com

Within Easy Reach Of Las Vegas

Las Vegas is famous for being the “Entertainment Capital of the World” and each year many travellers are drawn to the bright lights and excitement. Too few, however, are aware of the spectacular desert landscape that surrounds the city in the stunning state of Nevada. Las Vegas is the perfect gateway and after spending time enjoying the sights and sounds of this fun-filled city, why not rent a car and head off to explore the desert? Read on to find out the driving times to hidden gems in the “Silver State” of Nevada within hours of Las Vegas….

Under Three hours – Pahrump and Death Valley National Park
Just a short drive north of Las Vegas, Pahrump serves as the eastern gateway to Death Valley National Park. As the hottest, driest and lowest of all the National Parks in the USA, Death Valley is a land of extremes. Extreme sports lovers will find adrenaline-pumping hiking and cycling trails in the region’s high-desert terrain, while history buffs can explore several ghost towns in the area deserted after the gold and copper dried up. The nearby Amargosa Valley has 20,000 acres of wetlands, and Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge provides sanctuary to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

Under Four Hours - Rachel and the Extraterrestrial Highway

Journey 147 miles north of Las Vegas and you will find the Extraterrestrial Highway (Highway 375) in Sand Spring Valley. Highway 375 stretches for 98 miles and the tiny town of Rachel is a popular stopping point for UFO fans hoping to learn more about the highway and the mysterious former military testing facility, Area 51. The E.T. Highway earned its moniker in April 1996, thanks to the hundreds of claims of UFO sightings along the lonely stretch of road, which is close to top-secret Area 51. Even today, visitors and locals report seeing strange lights in the night sky. As a result, the E.T. Highway draws hundreds of curious visitors. Day-trippers from Las Vegas routinely stop in Rachel before venturing off to hopefully discover the unexpected. The Little A’Le’Inn, Rachel’s local restaurant, bar and inn, is the ideal place to chat with residents about recent “sightings.”

Under Six Hours - Sand Mountain, Fallon

Head to the small town of Fallon, located on U.S. Highway 50, which is also known as “The Loneliest Road in America”. This 287-mile stretch of road was given this nickname in the 80’s and it is said that drivers need “survival skills” to travel the route. Drivers can download a Highway 50 Survival Guide here to help them navigate this road. Be sure to fill up your tank when leaving Fallon because the next town to the east is 111 miles away! A few minutes east of Fallon, you’ll see a giant sand dune rising out of the desert: this is Sand Mountain, a two-mile long, 600-foot-high dune.. It’s a haven for off-road enthusiasts, and the mountain is often buzzing with ATVs, dune buggies and sandboarders.

Under Seven Hours – Lovelock
Don’t just tie the knot—lock your love. In the town of Lovelock in northern Nevada, you can exchange wedding vows and then display your enduring love with a “lovers lock,” an ancient Chinese tradition where couples fasten a lock to a never-ending chain and throw away the key. According to the custom, as long as the lock remains on the chain, so too will your love be “locked.” Join the thousands who have flocked to Lovers Lock Plaza to enact this romantic ritual. Located behind the Pershing County Courthouse on Main Street, Lovers Lock Plaza has a circle of green metal pillars with linking chains. Place your lock anywhere on the chains then throw away the keys—or keep them as a reminder of your lasting love. Lovers locks are available at businesses throughout the town.

Under Eight Hours – Lake Tahoe

Head north west out of Las Vegas for approximately eight hours to reach Lake Tahoe, the jewel of Nevada. The largest alpine lake in the United States, Lake Tahoe is 22 by 12 miles of crystal clear water and has 72 miles of shoreline. It is a water-sports mecca in summer and snow heaven in winter. Zephyr Cove, on the southeast shore, is always lively with Jet Skiing, boating, parasailing and lounging on the beach. The south shore is where you’ll find most of the large hotel-casinos, including Harrah’s, Harveys and MontBleu in the town of Stateline, and the world-famous Heavenly ski resort. Things on the north shore move at a slower pace, celebrating the quiet mountain life. Head to the Cal-Neva Resort in Crystal Bay, which straddles the Nevada-California border and has the state line running right through the hotel and pool. The hotel was once owned by Frank Sinatra and was frequented by his close circle of friends, including Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.

For more information from the Nevada Commission on Tourism please call 020 7367 0910 or visit www.travelnevada.co.uk

Genre: Rock

Venue: Ovation

Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2008, at 11 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $50 plus tax and applicable fees (General Admission)

Booth and table reservations available, call 702-617-6805 for details

Artist Info: Steel Panther has mastered the ’80s hair metal look and attitude by paying homage to the fictional band Spinal Tap from the film of the same name. Like most legendary rock stars, the members of Steel Panther do not hold back with the audience, exchanging humorous rock star banter between songs. Though the band has been through several name reincarnations, the original members remain the same: Michael Starr, Satchel, Lexxi Foxxx and Stix Zadina. Their spirit and love of everything rock ‘n’ roll is apparent throughout their shows with their colorful repartee, loud costumes and graphic body language.

Must be 21 years or older

Tickets can be purchased at any Station Casinos Reward Center, The Fiestas and The Galleria Mall or by calling (702) 547-5300 or log onto www.stationcasinos.com