The Cromwell has opened parts of its property on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road in Las Vegas, signaling the introduction of a new kind of experience on the Las Vegas Strip.
With one on-site restaurant, an exclusive pool club and only 188 rooms and suites, The Cromwell is positioning itself as the Strip’s first standalone luxury lifestyle boutique hotel.
This building was once the home of Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon (also owned by Caesars Entertainment), which was closed and gutted to make way for The Cromwell. Caesars’ plan was always to create a luxury property in this coveted location (more than 20 million people walk past this intersection every year).
At first, the new hotel was to be called Gansevoort. But Caesars kicked to the curb both the name and its relationship with Gansevoort last October after rumors surfaced of the company’s ties to the Russian mob. Caesars had led the charge in branding and design build out, so even though the name changed, only a few minor adjustments had to be made with the design, said Karie Hall, vice president and general manager of The Cromwell.
There are other hotels on the Strip that could arguably be categorized as “boutique” in terms of size and exclusivity such as THEhotel at Mandalay Bay or the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter, but The Cromwell is the only standalone hotel that is this focused on service and providing personalized experiences. From the time of booking, an on-site concierge is available to assist travelers with their plans including providing entertainment suggestions and making dinner reservations.
“In Las Vegas, we think on a very grand scale, very large. It can be very overwhelming at times,” Hall said. “At The Cromwell, you are only steps away from the lobby when you step out of your cab. You’re steps away from the concierge desk, and you’re steps away from the elevator.”
There is a complimentary beverage bar on every floor, and every suite has a vanity bar with items such as lotion and hair products that guests can purchase. These features may be common elsewhere, but in a city where most resorts consist of several thousand rooms, providing these types of services and amenities just isn’t possible. Additionally, Giada is the only restaurant at The Cromwell and the first restaurant venture by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, so eating there, with its full-sized windows overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard, will be an exclusive experience as well.
Ever since Caesars Entertainment settled on The Cromwell as the property’s name, people have speculated on its meaning. “The Cromwell” is the brainchild of Caesars’ marketing team, which tossed around several ideas before settling on this one. What “Cromwell” means isn’t nearly as exciting as anticipated. In fact, it makes little sense at all. The name is intended to capture the persona of the property and the company’s mission to provide guests with personalized experiences in a city not normally known for that type of service. It isn’t a reference to a person but instead is meant to personify those who appreciate and seek out these exclusive experiences.
“We can all be Cromwell,” Hall said.
Okay… so while the explanation of the resort’s name may not fully satiate curiosity about it, there’s no doubt that The Cromwell is offering something different than other resorts on the Strip. Perhaps it’s the intimate size or the views from Giada’s second floor restaurant, or even its peculiar name, but Caesars is hoping whatever it is will make people curious enough to stop in and check it out.