Are you someone who bases their holidays around an event? You are going to the Swiss Alps for the skiing, and it just so happens they have good food too? Or are going to Ibiza for a concert and just so happen to spend your time at the beach beyond that?
Well, once you’re done with gigs and skiing, your next move should be to the casinos for a few nights of gambling. The best thing about these getaways is that they are usually an add-on to a really luxurious night away, and they come very varied depending on where you are going. You can head to a party strip for a night akin to a Vegas trip or play out your Bond fantasy in a resort complete with spa and high dining. Some resorts are even a “best of both worlds” situation.
But if your thing is more mobile gaming in the comfort of your own home with a hot drink and the television going, you can find all the latest providers and their games here.
If you are looking for a casino-based getaway, take a look at our choices for the best casinos around the world and what makes them out of this world.
City of Dreams, Macao, China
The third biggest casino in the world is bound to give you lots to do. The City of Dreams isn’t even the biggest casino in Macao, that award goes to the Venetian Macao, but it says something about the gambling scene in Macao. You will have lots of choice in China’s hub of casinos and resorts.
As for the City of Dreams, it offers a newly refurbished casino with 1,350 slot machines and 520 poker tables. But the gambling is just the start.
The whole resort is a testament to modern architecture, which is never more seen in the four available hotels to stay in. That’s right, I said four hotels. Stay in rooms that offer smart TVs and complimentary tablets, with a view of the resort’s many modern art pieces dotted around.
For example, there is “Good Intentions” by KAWS, which is a statue depicting a parent and child pop-art duo with suspiciously Mickey Mouse-looking attire and skull-shaped heads. You can decide for yourself what that means.
When you’re done exploring the art gallery that happens to offer slots, you can relax in the Morpheus Spa and Salon, which offers tranquility like only the east Asian culture can. According to the site, “nature meets modern science” in this spa full of ancient therapies taken from around the world, including the Morpheus Deep Sleep treatment that induces holistic sleep with an energy-point massage or a collagen encouraging Margy’s Platinum Mask.
If you don’t fancy the pamper treatment, instead see a once in a lifetime show that stands alongside Cirque de Soleil or Blue Man Group in terms of seeing something you’ve never seen before. The House of the Dancing Water is a show like no other and will probably only be possible in the resort since it is held in a purpose-built stage to accommodate acrobatics and all that water. The fairytale narrative is enacted with ballet and acrobatics amongst a beautiful and ornate set with water as its feature.
Casino at The Venetian, Las Vegas, USA
How many casinos can say they are an entire city experience in a resort?
Las Vegas obviously has a lot of reputable casinos, from the classic neon-lit and hedonistic to the sophisticated hotel experiences. It is a hub of clashing cultures that makes for a place where there is something for everyone. Can’t get to Europe? You don’t need to. Witness the Eiffel Tower in the desert. Can’t get to the east coast? Vegas will bring Lady Liberty to you. Want the all-American experience? Enjoy the many yee-hawin’ casinos.
And if you’re dream is to head to Italy, you don’t need a plane ticket. You simply need to head to The Venetian Resort. The Venice-themed resort not only boasts two casinos full of blackjack, poker, roulette, and slots, but it is a tourist attraction in itself. Head outside and admire the various replicas of its Italian inspiration. You can see the Palazzo Ducale, Piazza San Marco, Piazzetta di San Marco, the Lion of Venice Column and the Column of Saint Theodore, St Mark’s Campanile, and even take a canal ride under the Rialto Bridge. It’s like a European holiday in a bubble and is truly the definition of best of both worlds, since you simply need to step outside the resort to be transported back to the good ol’ US of A.
Casino de Monte-Carlo, Monte-Carlo, Monaco
You know you’re at a classy resort when it includes an opera house.
The Casino de Monte-Carlo not only has the beautiful Opera de Monte-Carlo and concert hall, which is steeped in history, but also houses The Monte-Carlo Ballet, so you will never be out of things to do. Much like you can’t visit Broadway without seeing a show, you can’t visit Monte-Carlos without seeing an opera or ballet show.
It is a small opera house, only seating 524 compared to the 2,000 seated at the Paris opera house, which was designed by the same architect, Charles Garnier. It makes for an intimate and exclusive experience while you’re watching classics like La Boheme, Rigoletto, Don Quichotte, La Damnation de Faust and Otello. It has become the place to make stars of singers with names like Titta Ruffo, Mary Garden, Tito Schipa and others cutting their teeth at the Salle Garnier opera house.
Beyond that, the Casino de Monte-Carlos is the place to go for a classy Bond fantasy. The grand buildings and beautiful fountains make for a great backdrop for a photo of you in your tux with a Bond girl on your arm. You can live out the events of Never Say Never Again or GoldenEye, or even Ocean’s Twelve.
Enjoy a drink at one of the many glamorous lounge bars, lively night clubs or cosy terraces, or enjoy a meal at one of the two high dining experience restaurants.
