The Artisan Hotel is Vegas’ Hidden Gem

Girls Posing At The Artisan Hotel Pool

I’ve heard many good things about The Artisan from friends in Vegas. They talk about its fabulous lobby, decorated in dark woods with velvet-upholstered couches, and reproductions from famous artists- Cezanne, Chagall, Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Van Gogh- hang from floor-to-ceiling. It’s almost Gothic in tone and feel, but the website for the hotel suggests it’s reminiscent of the Paris Left Bank circa 1914.

Good things have also been mentioned about the bar and lounge. My girlfriends and I hit the bar and lounge one cold night in December 2009. That was my first experience with the Artisan. After I strolled the grounds and stood with mouth agape in their unique lobby, I vowed to visit during the warmer months to come.

After hearing radio commercials on The Vibe 94.5, Las Vegas’ only dance music radio station, I decided to pay another visit…and I’m glad I did! The Vibe was promoting an event called On the House, which is a pool party that is held every Thursday at The Artisan, and features free lunch, DJ Vegas Vibe and his great mixes, and an awesome bartender named Sarah.

Their pool area is small, and reminds me of Old Hollywood in its stylings. It’s so small, compared to pool parties such as Rehab or Wet Republic that it feels like you’re in somebody’s backyard. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It makes the experience more intimate. You meet and talk with more people, including the DJ and the bartender. You find out that a Meetup group called Single and Fabulous is there for the afternoon. Pool guests are not all twenty-somethings in teeny weeny bikinis. There are people there in all different age groups, all different shapes and sizes. I breathe a sigh of relief, take a sip of my drink, bob my head to the beats, and talk to Sarah the bartender.

Should you decide to stay the night after frolicking in the pool or hanging out at the bar, the hotel, which is non-smoking and non-gaming, has 64 rooms, all individually decorated with the artwork of contemporary and classic artists. It has been known as The Artisan since 2001, when it was bought and overhauled. Since January 2010 it has been owned by Steve Siegel and The Siegel Group. Many feared that after The Artisan’s former owners went bankrupt that the hotel would close. But Siegel has been making upgrades and kept the artwork and décor that is the heart and soul of this Vegas gem. Siegel also owns other properties, including Gold Spike Hotel, The Resort on Mt. Charleston, and the newest property just opened: Rumor Boutique Resort.

Even though it’s a little difficult to find and drive up to (located off the 15 freeway on Sahara near The Strip), and you can only valet park there, no self-parking, The Artisan offers a unique experience not found anywhere else on The Strip. If you want atmosphere, art, and a cool restaurant, bar, lounge and pool, on a small scale, this is the place to be.


Man At Artisan Pool

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All photo credits: Julie Kasperson ( click pictures to enlarge )

-VegasJules ( Julie Kasperson ) can be contacted through her facebook page.

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