Postcard View of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel

(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Want the perfect view to capture the full expanse of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel including the entire height of the replica Eiffel Tower? Visit the Bellagio hotel across the street and take the walkway that runs along the south side of the artificial lake. Once you nearly reach the top, turn around and take in the spectacular view of the Paris hotel.

Additional view are offered if you visit the manicured garden that fronts the Bellagio's porte-cochere. Carefully cross over, walk through the garden around the small fountain and you reach the park's railing that sits above the walkway mentioned above.

This post shows some of the photos taken from these two vantage points. The remains of the replica of the Paris Opera House that is obscured by the Sugar Factory restaurant and store is now in full view in these photos. Best of all the greenery and lake of the Bellagio accents the view and obscures the traffic of Las Vegas Boulevard.

(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Bellagio Las Vegas: Manicured Garden & Artificial Lake

Above and below: The manicured garden that fronts the Bellagio's
porte-cochere. (photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

A couple of the most picturesque places along the Las Vegas Strip is at the Bellagio. Despite the huge crowds that may visit the resort, few cross the row of cars parked at the hotel's porte-cochere into the quaint manicured garden which offers one of those picture perfect views of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

Because the crowds are lacking the garden provides a respite from the craziness in the casino and along Las Vegas Boulevard.  From here cross back over under the porte-cochere and turn right to take the walkway that runs along the south side of the lake for one of the best views of the hotel's artificial lake.

I previously wrote about the Bellagio fountains in a previous post. Click HERE to view the post called "The Vegas Wonder of the Fountains of Bellagio" along with some wonderful photographs.

Above and below: Photos of the the artificial lake that front the
Bellagio Las Vegas taken along the walkway that runs south of the lake.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Bellagio Las Vegas: Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

(photos credit: TheHopefulTraveler)

One of the most beautiful and admission free attraction in Las Vegas is Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio Las Vegas resort. The exhibit changes with five seasonal themes with the Spring Celebration currently on display.

The spring decor on display from March 11, 2012 to May 13, 2012 includes a 26-foot windmill, a waterfall and rowboat, and 11-foot carousel and 8,283 flowers. The visually splendor of the attraction is a feast for the eyes no matter which time of year you visit. Combine the visit with a view of the Bellagio's dancing fountains and a stroll through the manicured gardens outside the hotel's main entrance.

Yearly exhibit schedule is roughly on display as follows:
Chinese New Year (January to March)
Spring Celebration (March to May)
Summer Garden (May to September)
Fall Harvest (September to November)
Winter Holiday (December to January)

Located in the main lobby next to the Bellagio's registration desk, the attraction is open daily. Live music performed in the garden's gazebo performed daily from 5pm to 6pm. Click HERE for more information about the conservatory and garden and other attractions at the Bellagio as well as photos of previous displays.

(photos credit: TheHopefulTraveler)

Paris Las Vegas Hotel: The Arc de Triomphe

April 2012, the two-thirds replica Arc de Triomphe at the Paris Las
Vegas resort is used to advertise Chef Gordon Ramsay's new
steak restaurant. (photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The real Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
(photo: openyourbag/flickr)

One of the more majestic features of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel is the two-thirds replica of the Arc de Triomphe. The monument sits on an island at the porte-cochere entrance to the resort. There is no attraction within the structure itself and during my visit was being used as a billboard to advertise Chef Gordon Ramsay's new steakhouse restaurant to open soon at the hotel. Because of its location among the constant movement of cars and taxis, foot traffic to the island where the Arc sits is discouraged.

Even at two-thirds, the construction of the replica monument is so massive it's a wonder that an enterprising designer did not find a way to use it to get more money out of the hotel guests and visitors.

The real Arc de Triomphe in Paris was completed in 1836 and stands 164 feet heigh. The monument honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The names of all French victories and generals are inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath the vault lies the Tomb of the Uknown Soldier from World War I.

Four main sculptures, two on each wide facade of the Arch, represent important moments of the French Revolution.

The nearly semi-circle porte-cochere represents the highly decorative art nouveau accents that is commonly seen in Paris at the city's Metro (subway) entrances.

The side not facing Las Vegas Boulevard left clear of any
advertising. (photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

View of the vehicle entrance and Arc from Las Vegas Boulevard.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The Arc sits on an island at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel's porte-cochere.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The ornate curve in the metal and glass of the porte-cochere at the
Paris Las Vegas Hotel.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Another detail of the porte-cochere at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Paris Las Vegas Hotel: Exterior Architecture Features (Hotel de Ville, Montgolfier Balloon, Paris Opera House and Louvre Museum)

View of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel from the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel
tower design is based on the Hotel de Ville in Paris.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The actual Hotel de Ville is Paris's Neo-Renaissance city hall built in
1873. The building houses the offices of the Mayor and city council
of Paris. (photo: Mairie de Paris/Henri Garat)

Opened in September 1999 among a number of theme hotels in Sin City and built at a cost of $760 million, the Paris Las Vegas captures the ambiance of the City of Light in the most grandest of ways. Sitting on 24 acres, the hotel rises 34 stories with 2,916 rooms including 295 suites in a four-wing tower fashioned after the Hotel de Ville in Paris, France.

The replica of a Montgolfier balloon heralds the Paris Las Vegas Hotel
on the Las Vegas Strip.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

A model of a Montgolfier Brothers balloon at the National Air and Space
Museum in Washington, DC.
(photo: The Engineers of Our Ingenuity)

Welcoming hotel guest who enter from Las Vegas Boulevard is the Paris Las Vegas Hotel sign in the shape of a Montgolfier balloon. The Montgolfier brothers (Joseph-Michael, 1740-1810, and Jacques-Etienne, 1745-1799), inventors of the montgolfiere-style hot air balloon, launched the first manned balloon into the sky. Almost two-hundred years later, their contraption is the symbol of the Paris Las Vegas.

Side face of the Paris Opera House at Paris Las Vegas Hotel. On the left
is an addition built during a 2010 renovation.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Detail of the Paris Opera House replica in Las Vegas.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

A 2002 photo shows the original version of the Paris Opera House
before a renovated that drastically changed this corner of the Paris
Las Vegas Hotel.
(photo: grisel.net)

Side face of the actual Paris Opera House.
(photo: Buster&Bubby/flickr)

Facade of real Paris Opera House.
(photo: jakebloke/flickr)

One of the most beautiful aspects of Paris Las Vegas, a recreation of the facade of Palais Garner otherwise better known as the Paris Opera House, was partially bulldozed by a 2010 renovation that installed a Sugar Factory restaurant and retail shop. Located on the right side of the hotel's Eiffel Tower is a version of a the Opera House that copies the front and side faces of the building.

The Palais Garnier, also know as the Opera Garnier, was completed in 1875. One of the most famous opera houses in the world, the elegant building seats 1,979 patrons. The Paris Las Vegas version houses the previously mentioned Sugar Factory and Chateau nightclub.

It's probably ironic that Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical 'The Phantom of the Opera' opened on the strip as 'Phantom The Las Vegas Spectacular' not at the Paris Las Vegas but at the Venetian Las Vegas Hotel. The show is set in the famous Paris Opera House.

Facade of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel includes a corner replicating
the Louvre Museum.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The Richelieu Wing of the real Louvre Museum in Paris.
(photo: misschelle/flickr)

Less obvious to visitors of the Paris Las Vegas is a replica of the Louvre Museum. Located to the left of the hotel's Eiffel Tower, this portion of the property houses a location of the French bistro Mon Ami Gabi. This portion is meant to represent a wing of the famous museum.

Originally a fortress built in the 12th century, the building was extended several to form the Louvre Palace. The building officially opened as a museum in 1793. Today it houses nearly 35,000 objects over 652,300 square feet. Among the famous works of art housed in the museum is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and the ancient greek status Venus de Milo.

The Paris Las Vegas Hotel's most famous features, replicas of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, will be covered in separate upcoming posts.

Paris Las Vegas Hotel: View From Room 415

Day and night view from Room 415.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Here are photos of the view from room 415. Being on a very low floor one would expect not much to look at but looking out side my window last night and this morning, the room offers a pretty nice view of the hotel pool but I'd likely feel this room would lack any privacy once the crowds started to descend to swim and soak in the sun.

But at least one the view of the hotel's iconic Eiffel Tower replica is more than decent. Here are day and night views of the structure.

View of the hotel view from Room 415. The middle photo shows a view
of a wing of the Paris Las Vegas on the right and the neighboring
Bally's on the left.

Paris Las Vegas Hotel: The Un-updated Smoking Room

The outdated smoking room at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Nothing could prepare me with what first greeted me upon entering room 415 at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas. It's a room designated as smoking as evidenced by the multiple cigarette ash burns on the carpet and the scent of cigarette smoke that permeates every corner. It was going to be challenge to avoid having any of my belongings from soaking up the smoky aroma. 

Of course I was assigned a room that had one of my pet peeves. Asking for a king bed and getting two doubles.

These are among the oldest rooms in the hotel as they have not yet been updated. Everything about this room feels old. The room overlooks the hotel's pool which is only a floor below but the view of the faux Eiffel Tower is spectacular.

I'll let these photos speak for themselves. I'm off to bed, then a shower in the morning before leaving the room to escape the smell in hopes of snagging of non-smoking room later this morning.

One of many cigarette burns in the carpet.

Above and below: The smokey odor even continued into
the bathroom.

Paris Las Vegas Hotel: Non-Smoking Rooms Sold Out

The ornate front desk area at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

One would think if an organization plans a conference at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas and the hotel designated a special rate for a limited number of rooms for conference attendees, a room would be waiting at check-in. Not such the case. Myself and other attendees arriving on late evening flights find that the non-smoking rooms we reserved are not available or in the hotel's words "sold out."

Those working reception advised we would be checked into smoking rooms for one night and we would be able to check into non-smoking rooms after 11 a.m. Complaining would do no use. I was tired anyway and knowing I wouldn't have to unpack, I'd probably just go to sleep.

This experience quickly diminished the awe of arriving at a white and gold front desk area with three rows of huge crystal chandeliers. For the record the conference organizers got a $129 per night rate (before taxes) for attendees.

As is customary with almost all casino hotels, the elevators are nowhere near check-in. A short walk along an aisle next to the bustling casino was necessary to reach the central bank of elevators.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class on the A330-200 Part 1

Row 3 in the first class cabin.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

When the opportunity presents itself, go for it. My Hawaiian Miles account has been accruing miles for over seven years and I've only made a withdrawal once to augment my Hilton HHonors points for a hotel stay in New York City two years ago which still left almost a 100,000 miles left to spare. So a quick telephone call to the Hawaiian Miles service center a couple of days before the flight I was able to upgrade my coach ticket for a first class seat on one of Hawaiian's new Airbus A330-200 jets.

One nice thing about this flight HA18 and this aircraft departing from a gate at the international terminal is separate jetways are put into use, one that leads to the first class cabin and a second to economy. Since Hawaiian really makes their money on the coach seats, the airline is reputed to pack in as many coach seats as possible when choosing an airplane interior design. The coach cabin seats 276 in a 36 row 2-4-2 configuration on this wide-body jet. First class seats 18 in a 2-2-2 configuration in three rows. Only one restroom located behind the cockpit is designated for the first class passengers. If this one is occupied, two additional restrooms are located after the first three rows of the coach cabin.

Though the seats do not lie anywhere near flat, the seat do recline and come with a footrest. The seats feel roomy especially with the extra armrest space between seats. As usual for a first class cabin on a wide-body (and one filled with light packers), there is ample room to stow carry-on bags. I'm sure in the coach cabin the story is not the same.

A view of the cabin from my seat.

Each seat comes with a personal entertainment monitor with  a touch screen that is hidden in the armrest. A selection of movies, television shows, music and video games is offered.

There is something about Hawaiian's meal service with dishes by acclaimed Hawaii Chef Chai Chaowasaree. The flight attendants has the entire cabin withdraw their tray tables to lay the requisite cloth placemat/table cloth. I was seated in row 3H which is an the aisle seat in the last row. Flight attendants began serving to passengers in 3A and thus began a long upside-down "U" meal service working from the last row along one aisle of the cabin then to the first row then crossing over to the other aisle to serve passengers starting with row one and serving the seats in the third row along this aisle last. I sort of felt immobile beneath my tray table since it felt rather long before my meal was served.

I really shouldn't complain about this service since it's a first class meal rather than the smaller version served in the coach cabin. But is it a first class meal? This is where the meal service takes on a unusual method and design. After boarding the flight attendants pass out a menu that lists five entree and which each first class passenger picks three. This may explain why the service feels slow. Depending on which three each passenger orders the flight attendants prepares the three choices first for those passengers being served first.

My three mini-entrees: fish, cheese & crackers and spinach gnocchi.
The prosciutto-wrapped asparagus is hidden beneath the crackers.

My choices were the assorted cheese, grilled fresh catch and spinach gnocchi. There is no salad course. It's these three mini-entrees and then dessert. The cheeses with crackers with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and fish with lemon butter sauce and mashed potatoes were fine. But the spinach gnocchi weren't the tender pillows I was expecting and it was cold. The other choices were crispy wonton tacos and Hawaiian-style chicken.

Dessert almost became a comedy: an ice cream dessert covered in a hard white chocolate shell, I'm guessing it's frozen and supposed to be defrosted a bit before serving which obviously it wasn't. I observed that the passengers could scarcely crack the candy shell with a spoon without some elbow grease. When I got my dessert I realized it was a challenge. How do you break the frozen exterior without letting the dessert or your spoon fly into the air. I dipped my spoon in my coffee and that helped to melt the white chocolate shell. The slight bitterness of the orange flavored interior indicates a liqueur is an ingredient in the dish.

The infamous hard white chocolate shell covered orange ice cream.

Since I already saw most of the films offered, I skipped the personal entertainment and watched a movie on my iPad instead. Once the cabin lights were dimmed I immediately noticed the colored mood lighting that is now characteristic of new jets.

The trademark of Hawaiian flight service is the hospitality of the airline's flight attendants and I really can't complain about their pleasant demeanor that began with serving a pre-flight Hawaiian Sunrise cocktail (guava and champagne). This flight number HA18 departed from Honolulu International (HNL) at 2:55pm and arrived at Las Vegas McCarran (LAS) at 11:35pm. It's my thing that I can't sleep on planes, even in first class so I was looking forward to checking into my hotel, unpacking, taking a shower and getting a good rest before the first day of at a business conference that I had to attend.

At this point I can say I'm going to call the airline tomorrow to see if I can get upgraded to the first class for the return trip. There's enough miles earned to spare. It's a 1:55am departure on Saturday morning so you can see why.

Going Back To Vegas on Hawaiian Airlines For Work

Hawaiian Airlines planes at the overseas terminal at Honolulu
International Airport. A Hawaiian Boeing 767 sits front and center.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

It's been four years since I traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada. But this trip would be something different. For a change I'll be flying Hawaiian Airlines rather than American Airlines and I'll be flying to the mainland for business rather than pleasure.

I've flown Hawaiian to the U.S. mainland but that was nearly twenty years ago when American allowed passengers to earn miles in their Aadvantage program on all Hawaiian flights. Once I even flew the two airlines in one trip, using Hawaiian to fly to the Los Angeles and then continue on American to New York City and using the same airlines for the return trip.

But then someone at American had the bright idea that they prefer you fly their airline to the U.S. mainland if you want to earn miles. Thus Aadvantage members could longer earn miles on Hawaiian to the West Coast. But the airline allowed miles to be earned on Hawaiian's inter-island flights provided the airfare was not cheap (determined by the booking code).

The whole situation became convoluted that it was just simpler to also become a member of Hawaiian Miles. Combining the numerous business trips to Kauai, Maui and the Big Island and at least three vacations to the mainland or abroad annually, I found myself becoming an elite member in two airline programs each year: My vacation flying on American allowed me to reach at least Aadvantage Gold and business flying had me reaching Puulani Gold on Hawaiian Airlines.

Today I fly on Hawaiian Airlines round-trip to Las Vegas not by choice. It's a business trip paid for by the professional organization to which I belong because Hawaiian has the cheapest airfares to Sin City.

The posts over the next four days will cover what was seen and done around attending a conference at the Paris Las Vegas resort.

Five Ways for Broadway Producers to Encourage More Full-Price Tickets Sales

A display of the prices for full-price tickets at 'Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark'
(photo: atu2com/flickr)

Producer Ken Davenport published a post last month about how producers could encourage full-price ticket sales. As an annual traveler to New York City to see as many Broadway shows as humanly possible in a one-week vacation, I'm going to weigh in and indicate if these points would make a show that more attractive for me to purchase a full-price ticket in lieu of looking (or waiting) for discounted seats.

Click HERE to read the complete post Davenport on his "The Producer's Perspective" blog.

Way #1: Make Better Shows
Unfortunately there are well-reviewed shows that fail to reach an audience. For myself even if show is deemed 'great' but not a sell-out I'm likely not to pay full-price and search for discounts. I often think I do this to avoid that odd feeling of thinking I paid full-price while everyone else seated around me paid something far less for their ticket.

Way #2: Give Them An Exchange Courtesy
This would like be more of an attraction for those living in or near New York City. For visitors like myself my time is limited to the days I will be in the city. I'm a binge theatergoer and my other nights would already be booked and an exchange impossible. But I could use this benefit while I'm planning a trip. I've sometimes booked a show for one night and find out I'd like to switch nights with another show.

Way #3: Give Them Something They Can't Buy
When I had the chance to purchase a ticket to take a backstage tour of the 'Sunset Boulevard' set on Broadway (for a Broadway Cares benefit), I knew it was an experience I would want to repeat again some day. Hey if I could purchase a ticket to stand on the balcony of 'Evita' on Broadway and get a photograph of the experience, I would even pay a premium price. Davenport mentions talkbacks and this would be attractive to pay for a full-price ticket but it would depend on who from the show is participating. As for front row access at the stage door: absolutely if it includes autographs and photo ops.

Way #4: Give Them Something They Can Buy
This is something I feel should have been included with "premium ticket" purchases. Since some people may have already purchased a CD recording of the show before seeing it, the souvenir program would be preferable. I'd likely pass on the drink or t-shirt.

Way #5: No Service Fees
Hallelujah. Sounds like a deal to me. I purchase all my tickets online before heading to New York and those fees add up quickly especially after purchasing tickets to ten to twelve Broadway plays and musicals.

I think no one intentionally tries to make a bad show so let's see if any producer offers up "Way #2-#5" as a ticket sales experiment. By the way I'll be planning my 2012 summer trip to New York soon and I'll likely write about my ticket buying experience for the shows I plan to see.

Ken Davenport is a producer of the revival of 'Godspell' now playing at the Circle in the Square. His other Broadway producing credits include 'Chinglish,' 'Oleanna,' 'Speed-the-Plow' and 'You're Welcome America' starring Will Ferrell.

'Wicked' Millionaires: The Rich Profits of the Hit Musical

Playbill.com reports this week that the hit musical 'Wicked,' based on the novel by Gregory Maguire and featuring a score by Stephen Schwarts and a book by Winnie Holzman, has made the show's creators millionaires several times over.

It sounds like if you're on the creative team of a Broadway musical and one that is a mega-hit you may be set and never need to work again.

'Wicked' which celebrated its eighth anniversary on Broadway last October, has earned more $300 million in profits from productions worldwide for the musical's producers and investors. Here's a breakdown of the creative team's earnings from the article:

"Authors Maguire, Schwarts and Holzman have earned more than $95 million, while director Joe Mantello's take has exceeded $23 million. Others who have profited include set designer Eugene Lee (more than $6.6 million), choreographer Wayne Cilento (more than $6.3 million) and costume designer Susan Hilferty (more than $2.2 million)."

The report adds that the information is based on papers filed with the New York State attorney general's office in June 2010. So these figures understates the team's actual compensation to date.

'Wicked' takes a revisionist look at the American icon of evil and discovers how the young Elphaba, a passionate, committed young woman from Oz, becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Her character is contrasted with that of her school roommate Glinda, who grows up to be the Good Witch. Visit wickedthemusical.com for information about the Broadway, touring and various worldwide productions of the musical.

Click HERE to read the full article on playbill.com.

Qantas A380 Lands At Honolulu International Airport

Photo of a Qantas A380 sitting on the tarmac at Honolulu International
Airport this morning. (photo credit: Reece Frazier)

Currently none of the international carriers flying the A380 super jumbo jet stops at Honolulu International Airport nor is the airport's terminal ready to accommodate the jet.

But for the second time a Qantas A380 super jumbo jet made an emergency landing in Honolulu. This morning a flight originally bound for Melbourne, Australia from Los Angeles diverted to Honolulu for unknown medical emergency. Reports indicate the plane would remain overnight due to crew hours.

Back in February of last year another Qantas A380 traveling from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles made an emergency landing also due to a medical emergency. The plane with 330 passengers on board waited about an hour before taking off again to California.

The video below show how massive the plane actually is as it parks at one of gates at Honolulu International.

'The Lion King' is the new Broadway box-office champ surpassing 'The Phantom of the Opera'

(photo credit: broadwaytour.net)

As Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'The Phantom of the Opera' rules the Broadway long-run chart surpassing 10,000 performances earlier this year, the mega-musical hit has had to yield one of its longtime records to Disney's New York production of 'The Lion King.'

'Lion' has now grossed $853.8 million since its opening in 1997. 'Phantom' which opened in 1998 has grossed $853.1 million since opening in 1988. With Disney's marketing strength and title recognition, 'The Lion King' weekly gross is over one million while 'Phantom' (still profitable) last topped one million over the New Year's weekend and in 2011 only reached that benchmark seven times. The recent average ticket price at 'Lion' was $155.09 while the average for 'Phantom' was $98.97. Also 'Lion' which is currently housed at the Minskoff Theatre has 1,677 seats (it moved from the 1,801-seat New Amsterdam Theatre in 2006). The Majestic Theatre where 'Phantom' is playing its 25th year holds seats for 1,605. In the Broadway performance count, 'Lion' ranks sixth and is nearing 6000 performances.

Keep in the mind that the gross for both shows is astounding considering these numbers are only for the New York production and does not include the gross from any touring or international productions or even the sales of merchandise from each show's souvenir booth.

(photo: Peter James Zielinski/BroadwayWorld)