How To Be a VIP in Las Vegas – M Life

Do you ever wonder who is sitting behind the tinted windows in that stretch limousine cruising the Las Vegas strip? Who are those people who skip the long nightclub lines and are ushered to the front; seamlessly moving behind the velvet rope? How does James Bond know how to create the perfect cocktail?

The secret to being a VIP in Las Vegas is not who you know, but what you know.

Follow my suggestions and you, too, will be living the M life as a VIP in Las Vegas!

Las Vegas not just for poker players

It used to be that casino loyalty programs targeted the gambler; slot machine, video poker or table game players. The folks at MGM Resorts have concluded that 60% of their customer base falls into the non-gaming category. As a luxury traveler, I fall into the non-gaming category. But that doesn’t mean I don’t spend money in Las Vegas. I like to think of myself as a VIP, and you can be one, too!

I go to Las Vegas, Nevada for the amazing shows (KA and Zarkana on my recent trip) the fabulous restaurants (Sensi at Bellagio is my new favorite) the spa (try the Reflexology Massage at The Spa at ARIA) and lounging at the pool.

While there is nothing wrong with spending time in Las Vegas casinos, I like spending the day experiencing moments, dining well and then crashing in a luxurious hotel room.

M life Moments

If you join the M life program (it’s free), you’ll be rewarded with points for every dollar you spend on hotels, dining, entertainment, spa experiences, slots and table games. All M life members start at the Sapphire level and work their way up to the ultra-exclusive Noir level with tier credits. While I’m a Sapphire M life member, I was fortunate to experience some memorable M life Moments in Las Vegas. Here’s what’s possible with M life moments:

Mixology Tasting at Hit Bar & Lounge at Monte Carlo

James Bond makes drinking cocktails look sexy. I had a chance to learn how to make super premium cocktails with Master Mixologist Michael MacDonnel. When I sat down at the Hit Bar, I didn’t know a Mai Tai from a Sidecar. After my Mixology training I know to “never muddle the mint.” I used my mint to garnish the Mai Tai. When I really want to impress someone, I now know how to burn the orange in a Blood and Sand cocktail.

KA by Cirque du Soleil

If you have been to Las Vegas, you know that Cirque du Soleil has numerous shows featured throughout the strip.  I was fortunate to see KA at the MGM Grand and Zarkana at ARIA Resort & Casino.

Nothing shouts VIP more than meeting members of the cast, pre-show, having pictures taken with Cirque cast members and being ushered to VIP seats at one of Las Vegas premier shows!

Private Spa Retreat

For me, nothing says luxury vacation like a spa treatment. As this was my first time to visit Aria Resort & Casino, I didn’t know they had private Spa Suites.  Now I know why bachelorette parties and girlfriend getaways are so popular in Las Vegas. The spa suite is the place to gather for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before your spa treatment!

I had the 50 minute reflexology massage – is there anything more important than hands, shoulders, feet and a scalp massage? I think not. As I say at most every luxury spa experience, “I could have stayed at the spa all day.”

Private Cooking Lesson at Aureole at Mandalay Bay

If I were a VIP,  I’d have a private chef cook for me. The chef doesn’t have to be a celebrity chef, but he or she does have to know how to prepare fabulous meals and desserts. Perhaps I need my own pastry chef, too?

For this next M life Moment, I learned to cook like chef Charlie Palmer at Aureole in his Las Vegas, Nevada restaurant.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I watched Auerole Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel make his famous French onion soup, topped with puff pastry and I watched pastry chef, Megan Bringas, make her delicious macaroons.

Do I have any aspirations to become a gourmet cook? To the great disappointment of my husband and children, the answer is no. Will I come back to Auerole to dine and watch the girls nimbly climb the 42 foot, 10,000 bottle wine tower in the restaurant to retrieve a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany my meal? Yes, indeed.

Minus5 Ice Bar

Want to party like a rock star in the Minus5 Ice Bar at Monte Carlo? This was one of my favorite M life Moments in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I have been to the Aurora Ice Museum outside of Fairbanks, Alaska, but the Minus5 Ice Bar, complete with faux fur coats and in-house photographer, made me feel live a Las Vegas VIP.

While you are welcome to bring your camera into the Minus5 Ice Bar, the in-house photographer has a professional camera that is better able to capture your VIP moments – the Ice Bar has different lighting due to the ice sculptures and frosty temperature of minus five degrees (twenty-three degrees Fahrenheit.)

The Fountains of Bellagio at Hyde Bellagio

While there are plenty of other M life Moments in the mix, my ultimate VIP moment in Las Vegas happened when my song was played while the Fountains of Bellagio danced in front of me – now that was truly a VIP experience!

Located at the best seats in the house at Hyde Bellagio, my friends and I enjoyed VIP treatment while sipping cocktails and sampling hors d’oeuvres from this luxury Las Vegas nightclub.

Insider Tip

For the budget-minded visiting Las Vegas, Nevada, the Bellagio Fountains are free to everyone to enjoy! This complimentary Las Vegas show choreographs water, music and light seven days a week, every fifteen to thirty minutes on their 8-acre lake.

If You Go:

Article written by and photos courtesy of  Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California.  Minus5 Ice Bar supplied me with this photo. I was a guest of MGM Resorts.

Related Post:

Things to See and Do in Las Vegas, Nevada