What Fontainebleau is, and why it took so long
Fontainebleau Las Vegas has one of the strangest histories on the Strip. Construction began in 2007 on the site of the old El Rancho and Algiers, next to the convention center, as a sister to the Miami Beach original. The 67-storey blue-glass tower topped out in 2008, the developer went bankrupt in 2009 with the building about 70 percent finished, and Carl Icahn bought it for pennies on the dollar and let it sit. It changed hands again in 2017, was rebranded the Drew, stalled again in the pandemic, and finally returned to its original developer Jeffrey Soffer, who finished it and opened the doors in December 2023.
What opened is a 3,644-room luxury resort with a 150,000-square-foot casino, a 3,800-seat theatre, a 55,000-square-foot spa, a six-acre pool deck and 36 restaurants and bars, all in a Miami-modern palette of white, gold and blue. It anchors the east side of the North Strip across from Resorts World and beside the convention center, a location that is central for conventioneers and remote for everyone else.
Free: the lobby, the bowtie and the walk-through
Fontainebleau does not have a fountain show or a botanical garden; its free appeal is the building itself. The lobby is a double-height space of white marble, a signature bowtie-pattern floor carried over from Miami, chandeliers and a long gallery leading to the casino, and it is one of the most photographed interiors to open on the Strip in years. The Promenade retail level has a curated mix of boutiques and the resort's art programme, with pieces by Urs Fischer and others in public spaces.
The Bleau Bar in the centre of the casino, under a floating chandelier, is worth sitting at for one drink, and the rooftop area of the pool deck can be glimpsed from the elevators. It is quiet enough that you can see it properly, which is rare on the Strip. Combine a walk-through with Resorts World across the road for a North Strip afternoon.
Attractions and entertainment inside
BleauLive Theater, with 3,800 seats, hosts concerts and limited-run residencies; check the official site for who is playing in your dates, with tickets in the $100 to $400-plus range. LIV Nightclub and LIV Beach are the Miami imports for nightlife, with covers from $30 to $100-plus and table minimums much higher. The Lapis Spa & Wellness is one of the largest on the Strip, with a hammam, a hydrotherapy circuit and day passes for guests in the $100-plus range.
The sportsbook is large and comfortable with a good screen wall. There is a bowling-and-games lounge and a poker room. For an overview of shows and clubs across the boulevard and where Fontainebleau's fit, see shows and nightlife.
Dining highlights
Fontainebleau opened with a lot of restaurants at once, and a few have already turned over, so verify what is open before planning around a name. As of 2026 the standouts include Mother Wolf (Roman pasta from Los Angeles), Komodo (Southeast Asian, Miami import), Papi Steak (steakhouse with a scene), Don's Prime (classic steakhouse), KYU (wood-fired Asian), Ito (omakase, very expensive), Washing Potato (Cantonese) and La Fontaine (French, in the lobby). Expect $100 to $250 a head at most of those.
For less, Chez Bon Bon is a good café and patisserie, Miami Slice does pizza, Bleau Bar does bar food, and there is a 24-hour spot. There is no buffet. The dining hub compares these with Wynn, Resorts World and the rest of the Strip.
Pools, casino and the vibe
The six-acre Oasis pool deck sits atop the podium with seven pools, including a large main pool, an adults-only area, the LIV Beach party pool and the quiet Fleur de Lis pool for suite guests. It is elegant rather than fun: no lazy river, no slides. Pools are guests-only with wristbands and open seasonally, typically from early spring to late autumn, with reduced winter hours. Cabanas run from $300 or so midweek to well over $1,000 on peak weekends.
The casino is high-ceilinged, wide-aisled, crisp and comparatively quiet, with cashless gaming and table minimums of $25 to $100 at busy times, among the highest on the Strip. The vibe is Miami luxury: dressy, calm on weekdays, party-oriented on weekend nights around LIV, and populated by a mix of convention traffic, high-end leisure travellers and locals who come for dinner.
Rooms and who should stay here
Standard Bleau King rooms are around 500 square feet with floor-to-ceiling windows, a soft blue-and-cream palette, a marble bathroom with a separate tub, and good tech; everything is new. Suites go up through Fleur de Lis levels with private lounge access. Because the tower is so tall, high-floor rooms on the west side have sweeping Strip views and those on the east look at the mountains. Rates as of 2026 run roughly $250 to $450 midweek and $400 to $900-plus at weekends, plus a resort fee of about $55 plus tax; check the official site.
Fontainebleau suits convention attendees who want luxury steps from the West Hall, couples who prioritise room quality and quiet, spa people and anyone who likes a Miami aesthetic. It suits fewer first-timers on short trips (the Center Strip is a 30-to-40-minute walk or a $12 to $15 rideshare), fewer families (no kids' facilities) and fewer budget travellers. The hotels hub compares it with Wynn and Resorts World, its natural rivals.
Parking, fees and getting there
Self-parking is in the garage on the north side, accessed from Elvis Presley Boulevard (the old Riviera Boulevard) or the boulevard itself. Fontainebleau charges a daily self-parking fee for non-guests and most guests, roughly $18 to $25 as of 2026, with exemptions for higher Fontainebleau Rewards tiers and Nevada residents; valet is at the main entrance. Confirm the current policy on the official site.
The convention center monorail station is a 10-minute walk and the Vegas Loop's convention center stations are similar. From LAS, a rideshare takes 20 to 30 minutes and costs $30 to $40. On foot, Resorts World is 5 to 10 minutes across the boulevard, the Sahara 10 minutes north, Wynn 20 to 25 minutes south past the convention center and the Wynn golf course wall, and the Deuce bus stops outside. The transportation hub has every option, and the Strip hub explains how the North Strip fits into a trip.